Here is language advice and tips for writers and editors.
A
- affordable
- Almost everything is affordable to someone. Replace with "low-cost" or "lower-cost" if that is what you mean.
- accused, alleged
- Potentially libelous in a construction such as "alleged killer." One option is "who is accused of killing ..."
- arrested for
- Potentially libelous. One option is "who was charged with ..."
- attitude
- Some attitudes are positive and some are negative. But the only people who don’t "have an attitude" are comatose.
C
See separate page.
- comma
- Use to indicate a pause.
- condo
- Slang. Spell out as "condominium."
- crisis proportions
Redundant.
- crisis situation
Redundant.
E
- early-morning hours
Redundant
- elementary
- This is an adjective. A child may go to an elementary school, but not "an elementary," or even "Joe Schmuckattelli Memorial Elementary."
- emergency situation
Redundant.
- entities
- Limp word. "Agencies" or "organizations" is better.
- epidemic proportions
Redundant.
- exlamation point
- Rarely appropriate in newswriting.
- expected
- If something is expected, indicate who expects it.
F
- facility, structure
- Limp words. Better: "building," "campus," or "center."
- fatality, fatalities
"Death" is more concise.
- false range
- A range can be indicated by "from ... to ..." It is a false range, and should be rewritten, if the items listed do not form a continuum.
- Examples: "A to Z" is a true range. "Diapers to tools" is a false range; there is nothing that would obviously come between them.
- forces
- See "troops."
- from ... to
- See "false range."
G-R
- general consensus
Redundant.
- gonna
- This is not a word! It should only rarely be used in print. The argument "We don’t change quotes" is a misapplication of a basic principle. The key is that it’s not a matter of meaning, but enunciation. Do we record all instances of nonstandard enunciation? "I dunno."
- in color
- As in "The suspect fled in a car that was blue in color." What else would it be, blue in weight? Just say "a blue car."
- kick off, kicked off, kicking off
- Trite when used figuratively.
- launch, launched, launching
- Trite when used figuratively.
- (season) months
Why not just say "winter" or whatever?
- old adage
Redundant.
- on the ground
- Often adds little or no meaning.
- quotes
- Do not clean up grammar in quotes. Paraphrase if needed.
- rain showers
Redundant.
- relationship
- A hermit could be "in a relationship," although he would likely relate to the forest instead of a romantic partner. In other words, probably everyone is "in a relationship."
- relocate
- Limp word. "Move" is shorter and usually better.
S
- slang
- Usually not appropriate in formal writing.
- slash (/)
- OK as part of a proper name, Web address or other appropriate computer context. Otherwise, replace it. Try "and," "or" or at least a hyphen. Replace "and/or" with "xxx, yyy or both" or "xxx, yyy, zzz or a combination."
- so-called
- Use only to show doubt.
- strangled to death
Redundant.
- structure
- See "facility."
- substance
- If drugs or alcohol is meant, that should be specified. (If I abused mayonnaise, would you send me to a "substance abuse" counselor?)
- sued for
- Potentially libelous. One option is "sued and charged with ..."
- suspected
- Potentially libelous in a construction such as "suspected killer." One option is "who is suspected of killing ..."
- sworn affidavit
Redundant.
T-Z
- titles
- Capitalize formal titles when used before a name. Formal titles are those that a person could be addressed with, either before the name or instead of the name.
- troops
- As a noun, this means "units of people." In Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts, it’s specific. In a military context, "40,000 troops" does not mean "40,000 soldiers." Even if used correctly in a military story, it’s usually too broad to be meaningful. A troop or unit might range in size from a fire team (four people) to a division in the U.S. Marine Corps (one-third of the Marines’ active-duty infantry, plus I don’t know what else).
- tux
- Slang. Spell out "tuxedo."
- veggies
- Slang. Spell out "vegetables."
- wait on
- This means "serve." It is not the same as "wait for."
External links
- Grammar Wikicity
- Overused and Misused, compiled by Neil Holdway with help from editors and reporters at the Daily Herald of suburban Chicago; via ACES Midwest Chapter.
- Wikipedia category
This article is incomplete, and could use your help.