Usage Review CUsage Review C

had ought, hadn’t ought had ought, hadn’t ought Do not use Do not use hadhad or or hadn’thadn’t with with

oughtought..Incorrect: You hadn’t ought to Incorrect: You hadn’t ought to

tease your little sister.tease your little sister.

Correct: You ought to be nice to Correct: You ought to be nice to your sister.your sister.

he, she, it, they he, she, it, they

Avoid using a pronoun along with its Avoid using a pronoun along with its antecedent as the subject of a verb.antecedent as the subject of a verb.

Incorrect: The magazine article it is Incorrect: The magazine article it is well written.well written.

Correct: The magazine article is Correct: The magazine article is well written.well written.

Hisself, theirself, Hisself, theirself, theirselvestheirselves

These words are nonstandard. Avoid These words are nonstandard. Avoid using these forms in speech and in all using these forms in speech and in all writing other than dialogue. Instead, writing other than dialogue. Instead, use himself and themselves.use himself and themselves.

Incorrect: He was so upset with Incorrect: He was so upset with hisself when he forgot to turn in the hisself when he forgot to turn in the paper.paper.

Correct: He was so upset with himself Correct: He was so upset with himself when he forgot to turn in the paper.when he forgot to turn in the paper.

hopefullyhopefully

Hopefully Hopefully means “in a means “in a hopeful manner” or “it is to hopeful manner” or “it is to be hoped.” Use it as an be hoped.” Use it as an adverb.adverb.

Incorrect: Hopefully, we will be Incorrect: Hopefully, we will be able to get to school on time.able to get to school on time.

Correct: The scientists Correct: The scientists hopefully tested the hypothesis.hopefully tested the hypothesis.

imply, inferimply, infer Imply means “to suggest.” Imply means “to suggest.”

Example: My mother implied Example: My mother implied that I wasn’t telling her the that I wasn’t telling her the truth.truth.

Infer means “to interpret” or “to draw Infer means “to interpret” or “to draw as a conclusion.”as a conclusion.”

Example: Based on your body Example: Based on your body language, I can infer that you language, I can infer that you are not being honest.are not being honest.

in, intoin, into InIn means “within.” means “within.” Example: I know that my notebook is Example: I know that my notebook is

somewhere in the room.somewhere in the room. IntoInto means “from the outside to the inside.” means “from the outside to the inside.”Example: Kevin quickly jumped into the Example: Kevin quickly jumped into the

pool.pool. In formal situations, avoid using In formal situations, avoid using inin for for intointo.. Wrong: I poured the batter from the Wrong: I poured the batter from the

bowl in the pan.bowl in the pan.Correct: I poured the batter from the Correct: I poured the batter from the

bowl into the pan.bowl into the pan.

its, it’sits, it’s ItsIts is the possessive form of the is the possessive form of the

pronoun pronoun itit. . It’sIt’s is the contraction of is the contraction of it it isis..

Incorrect: Its a good thing you Incorrect: Its a good thing you studied last night; we have a test studied last night; we have a test today.today.

Correct: It’s a good thing you Correct: It’s a good thing you studied last night; we have a test studied last night; we have a test todaytoday

kind of, sort of, kind of a, kind of, sort of, kind of a, sort of asort of a

In formal situations, avoid using In formal situations, avoid using kind ofkind of or or sort ofsort of for the adverb for the adverb somewhatsomewhat or or ratherrather. .

Incorrect: I am kind of nervous Incorrect: I am kind of nervous about the tryouts.about the tryouts.

Correct: I am somewhat nervous Correct: I am somewhat nervous about the tryouts.about the tryouts.

In formal situations, omit the In formal situations, omit the aa. . Incorrect: It is a kind of a Incorrect: It is a kind of a

herbivore.herbivore.Correct: It is a kind of herbivore.Correct: It is a kind of herbivore.

Learn, teach Learn, teach LearnLearn means “to gain knowledge.” means “to gain knowledge.”

Example: I would like to Example: I would like to learnlearn how to play chess.how to play chess.

TeachTeach means “to provide with means “to provide with knowledge.”knowledge.”

Example: Will you Example: Will you teachteach me the me the fundamental rules of chess?fundamental rules of chess?

leave, let leave, let LeaveLeave means “to go away”. means “to go away”. LetLet

means “to permit” or “to allow”. Do means “to permit” or “to allow”. Do not use not use leaveleave for for letlet..

Incorrect: Leave me be.Incorrect: Leave me be.

Correct: Let me be.Correct: Let me be.

lie, laylie, lay LieLie andand laylay seem to give people more difficulty seem to give people more difficulty

than do all the other irregular verbs combined. than do all the other irregular verbs combined. That's probably because the past tense form of That's probably because the past tense form of lielie is is laylay and thus indistinguishable from and thus indistinguishable from laylay in in the present tense except in usage. the present tense except in usage.

The principal parts (most-common verb forms) of The principal parts (most-common verb forms) of lielie are are lielie (present,)(present,) laylay (past) and(past) and lainlain (past participle)(past participle)..

The principal parts of The principal parts of lay lay are are laylay (present),(present), laidlaid (past) (past) and and laidlaid (past participle)(past participle)..

lie, laylie, lay As an aid in choosing the correct verb forms, remember As an aid in choosing the correct verb forms, remember

that that lielie means to recline, whereas means to recline, whereas laylay means to put means to put something down. something down.

LieLie means that the actor (subject) is doing something to means that the actor (subject) is doing something to himself or herself. It's what grammarians call a complete himself or herself. It's what grammarians call a complete verb. When accompanied by subjects, complete verbs verb. When accompanied by subjects, complete verbs tell the whole story. tell the whole story.

LayLay, on the other hand, means that the subject is acting , on the other hand, means that the subject is acting on something or someone else; therefore, it requires a on something or someone else; therefore, it requires a complement to make sense. Thus lay always takes a complement to make sense. Thus lay always takes a direct object. Lie never does. direct object. Lie never does.

lie, laylie, lay

The printout is lying there next to the computer.The printout is lying there next to the computer.The secretary is laying a copy of the printout next to the The secretary is laying a copy of the printout next to the computer.computer.

The holiday decorations lay in the box.The holiday decorations lay in the box.Martha carefully laid the holiday decorations in the box.Martha carefully laid the holiday decorations in the box.

My basset hound has lain in front of the fireplace since My basset hound has lain in front of the fireplace since early this morning.early this morning.My basset hound has laid my slippers in front of the My basset hound has laid my slippers in front of the fireplace.fireplace.

like, as like, as LikeLike is a preposition. In formal is a preposition. In formal

situations, do not use situations, do not use likelike for the for the conjunction conjunction asas to introduce a to introduce a subordinate clause.subordinate clause.

Informal: The stir fry did not Informal: The stir fry did not turn out like I had hoped.turn out like I had hoped.

Formal: The stir fry did not turn Formal: The stir fry did not turn out as I had hoped.out as I had hoped.

like, as if, as thoughlike, as if, as though In formal situations, avoid using the In formal situations, avoid using the

preposition preposition likelike for the conjunction for the conjunction as ifas if or or as thoughas though to introduce a subordinate to introduce a subordinate clause clause

Informal: That guitar sounds Informal: That guitar sounds like it is out of tune.like it is out of tune.

Formal: That guitar sounds as if Formal: That guitar sounds as if it is out of tune.it is out of tune.