Ok, kiddies, gather round! Seems everybody's writing dos and don'ts of writing these days. I wonder why? Well, gang, let's start with woids...whoops, I mean words. You know, there are NO TWO words in our illustrious English language that carry the identical, exact, same, meaning! (A little irony there, gang.) But let me illustrate. AND...if you are unsure of these, it will be IMPINGENT upon YOU to look these up (there will be a quiz):1
HATE2
DETEST3
LOATHE4
ABHOR5
DISLIKE6
ABOMINATE7
DESPISE8
Words should not be used interchangeably, such as (and do YOU know the difference between these?):9
ILLUSION10
DELUSION11
HALLUCINATION12
MIRAGE13
How about the more commonly used (and misused):14
FURTHER15
FARTHER16
CONTINUAL17
CONTINUOUS18
HEALTHY19
HEALTHFUL20
SENSUAL21
SENSUOUS22
HISTORIC23
HISTORICAL24
LUXURIOUS25
LUXURIANT26
IMMINENT27
EMINENT28
And the rather confusing29
REGRETFULLY30
REGRETABLY31
ILLICIT32
ELICIT33
ADVERSE34
AVERSE35
INFER36
IMPLY37
EVOKE38
PROVOKE39
AMIABLE40
AMICABLE41
And the extremely difficult and confusing42
ELICIT43
EVOKE44
And the hellish45
EVADE46
ELUDE47
Learn these...USE them correctly...and you will not only be a far, far better writer...but a much more respected AND respectable one!48
Say precisely what you mean and mean what you say. Don't write foggy prose. Know what YOU are writing about...so that others will as well. Don't just close this page, write "Awesome"..."Gud write"...and go on to something else. Use this! Get a good (Gud) dictionary and do some homework here. Don't merely rely on the INTERNET DICTIONARY! Not GUD enough! Remember, words have SINGULAR, precise, unique meanings. Find out what they are. Use them.49
Good luck,50
Gary Alexander51
Author notes
I should like to give inspirational credit where it is due to the lovely TALLBLONDIE who began this English Column Business earlier...and the equally lovely and inspirational GRANNY F. SMITH who continued along these very lines today! I merely followed humbly in the footsteps of these ladies.
GA
And What Are YOUR Thoughts?
Comments
1 - 18 of 18
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Do you think it is polite to do this to me when I have a dreadful cold in my head? (My head throbs and I reach for the Tylenol....)
I will be an agreeable reader and go look up all those sneaky words. But I'm afraid I can't guarantee I'll remember each one's unique meaning forever. I'll do my best, though.
I am already amazed at the difference between HISTORIC and HISTORICAL.
Historic: famous or important in history, or potentially so.
Historical: of or concerning history.
(The Oxford Desk Dictionary and Thesaurus)
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Awesome, gud write.
Did you know that one of the meanings of "irony" is "containing iron"?
I enjoyed this little tour of English foibles. Thanks. Now to go and revise for the exam.. -
Ahhhhh
You know, I completely adore things like this. That is a very helpful little piece, and I loved it! Very refreshing to see something like this here. Great job!
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very useful
Thank You very much, this will come in handy with my writings.*thumbs up*
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The first SW grammar lesson I've seen. Ha. I think (provided People read this) that it would be useful.
And since you said not, to ... GOOD WRITE. Gud job, mate.
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Hope this item developes into a revolution. We might still be in time to rescue our language from the scourge of 'text speak', Americanisation and over-abreviation.
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The marvelous GA giving us advice to make us as wonderful as he is~
Is this man's graciousness limitless?
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About time someone gave us something like this! I will definitely have to look these up, because they're even comfusing to me!
But I simply can't stand it when I'm reading along in my high school and someone used 'there' for they're. It's agitating! -
And I am most humbled by your recognition! I think that this column could be very valuable to the storywrite community. Some words you posted really ARE tricky; my personal busts have always been "adverse" and "averse" & "regretably" and "regretfully." I always have to watch myself on those two to make sure I don't slip up!
I hope budding authors drop by and read this, or at least copy down the words into their own little practice notebook. Gary Alexander, thesaurician! (or maybe thesaurucist)
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Good advice
You have certainly rectified and clarified the many misconceptions and deceptions of the right way to write in a writer's world.
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I myself have been known to be lazy so using this I will now be able to see if I can follow some of you advice and put it to good use
hehe good work
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OMG ur awesome...Gud write!
LOL very funny and good advice. So many of us have become lazy with language these days and ignore the subtleties. Even your, you're, there their they're, bear bare, keep getting all mixed up!
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One wonders where you got your inspiration GA. Was it my illustrious column that compelled you to compose? Or was it merely the farcical attempts of some writers to wield english like a rusty sword? No matter - you made me laugh
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Is the word, from the above list, "Hisitoric" a new one, a typo, or a hook? Apart from that little bit, I think that this small piece is interesting, informative, overdue and erudite. It would be so nice if people could learn to spell as well.
By the way, good use of decorative nous.
Lis.
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Something for all of us to think about especially me! I'll have to find my dictionary later and RESEARCH!
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I always mess up THEN and THAN. Don't know why, because I know the meaning of both, but I do
Thanks for the laugh
Brooke
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Yessir!
Wise indeed. This made me chuckle.
Seems i have a new project!
Off to research!
*army rolls to my bookshelf*
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Wow, this made me chuckle. You're such a word-use Nazi, aren't you? However, this lesson also reminded me that a lot of the words I use interchangeably should NOT be used in such a manner (like further and farther, or delusion and hallucination...yikes!). Thanks for giving us at SW instructions on how to GET WISE!!
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