Glossary Of Usage Warriners English Composition and Grammar

Glossary Of Usage Warriner’s English Composition and Grammar

accept, except • Rule: • Accept is a verb; it means “to receive. ” • Except as a verb means “to leave out”; as a preposition it means “excluding. ” • Examples: • I accepted the gift gratefully. • Debbie has a perfect attendance record, if you except the day she stayed home with the flu. • We were busy every evening this week except Tuesday.

affect, effect • Rule: • Affect is usually a verb; it means “to impress” or “to influence (frequently the mind or feelings. )” • Effect as a verb means “to accomplish, to bring about. ” • Effect as a noun means “the result of some action. ” • Examples: • • Try not to let careless remarks affect you. The school board effected (brought about) drastic changes in the budget. The effects (results) of the hurricane were shown on the evening news. RAVEN: Remember Affect Verb Effect Noun Video: http: //www. bing. com/videos/search? q=Examples+of+Affect+Vs. +Effect&Form=VQFRVP#v iew=detail&mid=BD 59 B 16 A 8 ED 6 C 56 ED 431 Practice for affect/effect Activity: Complete on your own. Compare with a partner. Vote as a class. Check responses. http: //www. towson. edu/ows/_vti_bin/shtml. dll/exerciseaffect 2. htm

amount, number • Rule: • Use amount to refer to a singular word. • Use number to refer to a plural word. • Examples: • The amount of research (singular) on stress is overwhelming. • A number of reports (plural) on stress are available.

and etc. • Rule: • Since etc. is an abbreviation of the Latin et cetera, which means “and other things, ” you are using and twice when you write “and etc. ” • Examples: • The new store in the mall sells DVDs, cameras, radios, video games, etc.

anywheres, everywheres, nowheres • Rule: • Use these words and others like them without the final s. • Examples: • I could not find my keys anywhere; I looked everywhere, but they were nowhere in the house.

Formative Assessment: • Complete Exercise 1 on your own without using your notes. • Once you have finished, partner up and discuss your answers. You may use your notes as reference at this point. • Each group member must have the right answer AND understand the justification of that answer. • I will be calling on students to tell me the correct answer AND explain why it is the correct answer. • You will need to grade your paper accurately: I will be taking it up to enter as a Formative Assessment for this unit.

Exercise 1: 1. This new product has had a harmful (affect/effect) on some people. 2. I own a large (number/amount) of campaign buttons. 3. During my travels in Europe, I met Americans (everywheres/everywhere). 4. Everyone likes peanut butter (accept/except) you. 5. How does humidity (affect/effect) the speed of sound? 6. Everyone (accept/except) Janet and me applied there. 7. I hope that at least one college will (accept/except) me for admission next year. 8. Were any crops (affected/effected) by this year’s dry spell? 9. The quiz-show contestant won a large (amount/number) of points by correctly answering questions about geography. 10. Please (accept/except) my congratulations. 11. The end of the film had a great emotional (affect/effect) on us.

Who vs. Whom • Who vs. Whom. • Whom should be used to refer to the object of a verb or preposition. • When in doubt, try this simple trick: If you can replace the word with “he”' or “'she, ” use who. If you can replace it with “him” or “her, ” use whom. • Examples: • To whom am I speaking? • I am speaking to him. • Who is going to the grocery with me? • He is going to the grocery with me. • Of whom much is given, much is required. • Much is given to him, so much is required.

To/Too/Two • To – Place/location • Too – Excessively or also • Two – 2 • Examples: • Take me to the diner at two so that I can get some food too. • Two people in this vehicle is too many. • You are going to take the ACT soon!

Their, They’re, and There: • Their: Possessive pronoun • There: location or state of being • They’re: Contraction of “they” + “are” • If you can replace “they’re” with “they are” in a sentence, then it is the correct choice • Examples: • There are twelve students over there, and they’re waiting for their parents. • Take the boat over there. • Their boat slip is closer to the marina than ours. • They’re going out on Cave Run lake tomorrow.

Your vs. You’re • Your: Possessive pronoun • You’re: Contraction of “you” + “are” • Examples: • You’re going to be at your house by 8 p. m. , right? • Your car is the coolest one on the lot. • You’re going to ace the ACT!

Tho vs. Though • Tho: Text lingo = DOES NOT EXIST! • Though: despite the fact/although • Examples: • We can go to the park, but it might rain though. • I was hunting for work, but jobs are scarce though.

Through vs. Threw • Through: preposition and adverb • Threw: past tense of the verb throw • Examples: • He accidentally threw the baseball through the window. • When you’re through with your dinner, please put your plate away.

Definitely vs. Defiantly • Definitely: for sure or without doubt • Defiantly: open resistance or bold defiance http: //www. d-e-f-i-n-i-t-e-l-y. com/ • Examples: • You are definitely acting defiantly if you yell at your mother. • I am definitely tired of seeing “defiantly” in definitely’s place on Facebook.

Then vs. Than • Then: indicates time • Than: used to make a comparison • Examples: • We have about two more months and then it’s summer break! • I would rather go to English class than math class.

Seen vs. Saw • Seen: use with “have” before it • Saw: past tense verb • Examples: • I have seen some good movies lately. • I saw you at Kroger yesterday!

Was vs. Were • Was: Singular past tense • Were: Plural Past tense • Examples: • I was going to the gym, but then I changed my mind. • We were going to eat dinner at 8, but because Collin is late we will eat at 9.

“For all intents and purposes” • Commonly misspelled/misspoken as: • “For all intensive purposes” • Correctly: “For all intents and purposes” – meaning, in every practical sense • Example: • For all intents and purposes

And me vs. And I

Let’s Practice:

beside, besides • Rule: • Beside means “by the side of” someone or something. • Besides means “in addition to. ” • Examples: • Who sits beside you in English class? • Besides my homework, I have an errand to run.

bring, take • Rule: • Use bring when the meaning is to convey something to the person speaking. • Use take when the meaning is to convey something away from the person speaking. • Bring is related to come; take is related to go. • Examples: • Remember to bring your new albums when you come to my house. • Take your warm jacket when you go to the game this afternoon. • http: //www. englischhilfen. de/en/exercises/confusing_words/bring_take. htm

could of • Rule: • This phrase is sometimes carelessly written for could have. • Examples: • Nonstandard: Wanda could of told us it wasn’t a costume party before we rented these chicken suits. • Standard: Wanda could have told us it wasn’t a costume party before we rented these chicken suits.

done • Rule: • Done is not the past form of do. The past form of do is did. • Done always needs a helping verb: has done, will be done, etc. • Examples: • Nonstandard: We done all our chores in an hour. • Standard: We did all our chores in an hour. • Standard: We had done all our chores in an hour. • Nonstandard: I done that. • Standard: I did that. • Standard: I have done that.

don’t • Rule: • A contraction of do not, don’t should not be used with a singular noun or the third person of singular pronouns (it, he, she). • Use doesn’t. • Examples: • Nonstandard: It don’t worry us. (It do not worry us. ) • Standard: It doesn’t worry us. (It does not worry us. )

famous, notorious • Rule: • Famous means “well and widely known. ” • Notorious means “widely known” but in an unfavorable sense. • Examples: • Oprah is famous. • Al Capone was a notorious gangster in the 1920’s.

fewer, less • Rule: • Fewer is used before a plural noun. • Less is used before a singular noun. • Examples: • We printed fewer prom tickets this year. • I spent less time in the library this morning.

good, well • Rule: • Good is always an adjective. It should never be used to modify a verb. • Well may be used as an adjective or adverb. • Examples: • • Nonstandard: The choir sang good at the concert. Standard: The choir sang well at the concert. Nonstandard: We bowled very good as a team. Standard: We bowled very well as a team.

Formative Assessment: • Complete Exercise 2 on your own without using your notes. • Once you have finished, partner up and discuss your answers. You may use your notes as reference at this point. • Each group member must have the right answer AND understand the justification of that answer. • I will be calling on students to tell me the correct answer AND explain why it is the correct answer. • You will need to grade your paper accurately: I will be taking it up to enter as a Formative Assessment for this unit.

Exercise 2: 1. (Beside/Besides) our volunteer work, our club sponsors an annual 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. ski trip. Please (bring/take) your guitar when you come to my party. They sold (fewer/less) new cars than used cars. Did you (bring/take) your gift back to the store? Basketball is my favorite sport (beside/besides) tennis. I had (fewer/less) cavities than my sister. They (done/did) their best to win the play-offs. Cold weather (don’t/doesn’t) bother him very much. If I had known you weren’t busy, I would (of/have) asked you to help me. Alan Shepard, Jr. , became (famous/notorious) as the first American in space. Angie forgot to (bring/take) her homework assignment when she went to school this morning.

Hisself, theirselves • Rule: • These words are sometimes incorrectly used for himself, themselves. • Examples: • Nonstandard: Lou built the shed hisself. • Standard: Lou built the shed himself.

Imply, infer • Rule: • Imply means “to suggest something. ” • Infer means “to interpret, to get a certain meaning from a remark or action. ” • The speaker or writer implies. The listener or reader infers. • Examples: • Mrs. Hanson implied during her lecture that we needed more practice. • We inferred from her comments that we need to practice more.

In, into • Rule: • In standard formal usage, observe the difference in meaning between these words. • In means “within. ” • Into suggests movement from the outside to the inside. • Examples: • Standard: Feeling nervous, I walked into [not in] the personnel office. • Nonstandard: We threw some pennies in the well and made a wish. • Standard: We threw some pennies into the well and made a wish.

Kind of a, sort of a • Rule: • The “a” is superfluous. • Examples: • Informal: What kind of a sports car is this? • Formal: What kind of sports car is this?

Lay, lie Present Tense: You lay something down. People lie themselves down. • Rule: • The verb lie means “to assume a lying position” or “to be in a lying position. ” This verb is intransitive; that is, it never has an object. • The verb lay means “to put” or “to place something. ” It may have an object. • Examples: • The pattern lies on top of the fabric. (no object) • You lay the fabric on a flat surface. (object: fabric)

Present Tense Past Participle Lie Lay Lain Lay * (requires direct object) Laid How to Conjugate Lay and Lie The past tense of lie is lay: Last week, Steve lay down on the floor. The cat lay in the mud after it rained yesterday. The past tense of lay is laid: Last week, I laid the TPS report on your desk. Mary forcefully laid her ring on the table. The past participle of lie is lain: Steve has lain on the floor for days. The cat has lain in the mud for hours. The past participle of lay is laid: I have laid the TPS report on your desk. Mary has forcefully laid her ring on the table.

Learn, teach • Rule: • Learn means “to acquire knowledge. ” • Teach means “to dispense knowledge. ” • Examples: • If Mrs. Green teaches [not learns] us, we will learn more.

Leave, let • Rule: • Leave (left) means “to go away. ” • Let means “to allow, to permit. ” • Examples: • • Nonstandard: Leave us finish our dinner. Standard: Let us finish our dinner. Nonstandard: He shouldn’t have left us borrow his car. Standard: He shouldn’t have let us borrow his car.

Like, as • Rule: • Like is a preposition and introduces a prepositional phrase. • As is usually a conjunction and introduces a subordinate clause. • Examples: • Jo sings like her sister. [prepositional phrase] • Jo sings as her sister does. [subordinate clause]

Formative Assessment • Complete Exercise 4 (pg. 611)

Nauseated, nauseous • Rule: • These words do not mean the same thing. • Nauseated means “sick. ” • Nauseous means “disgusting, sickening. ” • Examples: • After riding on the roller coaster, the child became nauseated. • The chemical reaction gave off a nauseous odor.

Off of • Rule: • The of is unnecessary. • Examples: • Nonstandard: They pushed us off of the raft as a joke. • Standard: The pushed us off the raft as a joke. • (Another Rule): • Do not use off or off of for from. • Examples: • Nonstandard: I got some free advice off of the mechanic. • Standard: I got some free advice from the mechanic.

Respectfully, respectively • Rule: • Respectfully means “with respect” or “full of respect. ” • Respectively means “each in the order given. ” • Examples: • Even though I disagreed, I listened respectfully to their side. • Jane Eyre, Emma, and Adam Bede were written by Charlotte Bronte, Jane Austen, and George Eliot, respectively.

Rise, Raise • Rule: • The verb rise means “to go up. ” Its principal pars are rise, (is) rising, rose, (have) risen. In other words, when the subject of the verb is itself moving upward, use rise. Rise is intransitive; it never takes an object. • The verb raise means “to force something to move upward. ” Its principal parts are raise, (is) raising, raised, (have) raised. When the subject of the verb is acting on something, forcing it upward, use raise. Raise is transitive; it usually takes an object.

Complete Exercise 11 • Using Rise and Raise Correctly • Page 562

Sit and Set • Rule: • Sit usually means “to assume or to be in an upright, sitting position. ” The principal parts of sit are sit, (is) sitting, sat, (have) sat. Sit is almost always an intransitive verb; it rarely takes an object. • Set usually means “to put, to place something. ” The principal parts of set are set, (is) setting, set, (have) set. Set is a transitive verb; it may take an object. • When you mean “to put something down, ” use set or setting. For all other meanings use sit, or sat, or sitting.

Complete Exercise 10 • Using Sit and Set correctly • Page 561

This here, that there • Rule: • The here and there are unnecessary. • Examples: • Nonstandard: This here shop has the best bargains. • Standard: This shop has the best bargains.

ways • Rule: • Sometimes used informally for way in referring to distance. • Examples: • Informal: At dusk they were still a long ways from the campsite. • Formal: At dusk they were still a long way from the campsite.

The Double Negative • A double negative is a construction in which two negative words are used where one is sufficient.

Can’t hardly, can’t scarcely • Rule: • The words hardly and scarcely are negatives. • They should never be used with not. • Examples: • Nonstandard: It is so dark in here I can’t hardly see where I’m going. • Standard: It is so dark in here I can hardly see where I’m going. • Nonstandard: There isn’t scarcely enough time to eat lunch. • Standard: There is scarcely enough time to eat lunch.

Can’t help but • Rule: • In standard formal English, avoid this double negative. • Examples: • Nonstandard: We can’t help but applaud Ron’s positive attitude. • Standard: We can’t help applauding Ron’s positive attitude.

No, nothing, none • Rule: • Not to be used with another negative word. • Examples: • Nonstandard: Haven’t you no money? • Standard: Haven’t you any money? • Standard: Have you no money? • Formative Assessment: Write this sentence so it is in formal, standard, English: • Nonstandard: Carol hasn’t said nothing about the picnic.