Last Modified: 27 February 2009

1. Then is not than.
2. Something that's nauseous makes you nauseated. If you are nauseous, you nauseate others.
3. A sentence that is long and has many independent clauses is not necessarily a run-on sentence.
4. Affect as a noun means feeling or affectation. Affect as a transitive verb means influence. Effect as a noun means intent or appearance or impression. Effect as a transitive verb means cause to come into being.
5. An acronym is a pronounceable word, like snafu, radar, or scuba. An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase, like FBI, TLA, or USA.
6. Don't use the cliche in any way, shape, or form.
7. Something whets your appetite.
8. Something piques your curiosity.
9. Please avoid substituting utilize for use.
10. Please avoid substituting the noun individual for person or—better—something more descriptive.
11. Begging the question is a logical fallacy. It is often misused to mean raising the question.
12. Understand the difference between lose and loose.
13. Semi-x-ly means “every half x.” Bi-x-ly means “every two xs.”
14. Disinterested means objective or neutral. It does not mean uninterested.

If you, too, are a grammar nut, you likely enjoy the book Eats, Shoots & Leaves.

Common Errors in English