Practical Grammar and Composition Part 65

Wrong: _Nowhere near_ so many people came as were expected.

Right: _Not nearly_ so many people came as were expected.

Right: James was _nowhere near_ the scene of the fire.

OF. Do not use _of_ for _have_ in such expressions as _could, have, might have, should have_, etc.

Wrong: If I _could of_ been there.

Right: If I _could have_ been there.

ONLY. Guard against the improper use of _only_ after a negative.

See --46.

Wrong: There _are not only_ four books on that subject.

Right: There _are only_ four books on that subject.

OUTSIDE OF. Do not use _outside of_ for _aside from_.

Wrong: _Outside of_ James, all had a good time.

Right: _Aside from_ James, all had a good time.

OVER WITH. Do not use _over with_ for _over_.

Wrong: I must write the letter and have it _over with_.

PANTS. Do not use the word _pants_ for _trousers_.

PHOTO. Do not use _photo_ for _photograph_.

PIECE. Do not use _piece_ in the sense of _way_ or _distance_.

Wrong: I shall walk a _little piece_ with you.

Right: I shall walk a _little way_ with you.

PLACE. Do not use _place_ after _any, every, no_, etc., in the sense of _anywhere, everywhere, nowhere_, etc.

Wrong: I can not find it _any place_.

Right: I can not find it _anywhere_.

PLENTY. Do not use _plenty_ as an adjective or an adverb.

Wrong: Money is _plenty_. He is _plenty able_ to do it.

Right: Money is _plentiful_. He is _quite able_ to do it.

POORLY. Do not use _poorly_ for _ill_ or _bad_.

Wrong: He feels very _poorly_.

PRINCIPLE, PRINc.i.p.aL. Do not confuse _principle_ and _princ.i.p.al_.

_Principle_ means a _rule_ or _truth_. _Princ.i.p.al_ means _leader, chief, the most important_.

PROPOSE. Do not use _propose_ in the sense of _intend_.

Wrong: I _propose_ to tell all I know.

Right: I _intend_ to tell all I know.

PROVIDING. Do not use _providing_ for _if_ or _on the condition_.

Wrong: I will go _providing_ you can get tickets for three.

Right: I will go _on the condition that_ you get the tickets.

RAISE, RISE. Do not confuse _raise_ with _rise_. See --57.

RECOMMEND, RECOMMENDATION. Do not use _recommend_ as a noun.

_Recommendation_ is the noun.

Wrong: Her employer gave her a good _recommend_.

Right: Her employer gave her a good _recommendation_.

RIGHT AWAY, RIGHT OFF. Do not use _right away_ or _right off_ in the sense of _immediately_.

Wrong: After the play we will come _right off_.

Right: After the play we will come _at once_.

SAME. Do not use _same_ as a p.r.o.noun.

Wrong: I will write the letter and mail _same_ at once.

Right: I will write the letter and mail _it_ at once.

SAY. Do not use _say_ in the sense of _order_ or _command_.

Wrong: Your mother _said for_ you to come home at once.

Right: Your mother _said that_ you should come home at once.

SCARCELY. Do not use _scarcely_ after a negative. See --46.