1. UWF Writing Lab Diction from A to Z
by Ashley Massie
Revised February 18, 2013
Adapted from Grammar Shots
By Mamie Webb Hixon
“Things We Say Wrong”

2. “May I have (a, an) , please.”
an an
a an
a a
an a
an a
a an
a n
b o
c p
d q
e r
f s
g t
h u
i v
j w
k x
l y
m z
“May I have (a, an) , please.”

3. A vs. An
It’s not the initial letter of a word that determines whether
to use “a” or “an” preceding it; it’s the initial sound.
a URL address an address a one-hundred-dollar bill a university a historic occasion a history class a Hispanic male a PR glitch an ER glitch an HR glitch an OR glitch a standing room only crowd an SRO crowd a Master of Business Administration degree an MBA degree an STD an NBC special an MTV award a European tour an electronic device

4. good advice advise students
Advice vs. Advise
good advice advise students
Alright vs. All Right
It’s alright.
It’s all right.
Accept vs. Except
Accept my apology.
Everyone except me

5. ? 
Is this sign correct,
or should it read
NO CHECKS
Excepted

6. A lot vs. Alot Is it alot or a lot?
A lot is always two words, just like all right. Alot is not a word and should never be used in formal writing.
Krystal Marquee, 1980:
EAT ALOT
FOR A LITTLE

7. Affect vs. Effect The greenhouse effect affects everyone.
Special effects
Positive effects
Smoking affects your health.
The entire campus will be affected by the power outage.
The president effected a tax cut program.
Thunderstorm warning in effect until 6:00 PM.
The greenhouse effect affects everyone.

9. Amount vs. Number a small amount of work the number of paper
Use number for countable nouns: years, fingers, pens, etc.
Use amount with nouns that can’t be counted: water, land, etc.
a small amount of work
the number of paper
a small number of work
the amount of paper
a large amount of classes
the number of years
a large number of classes
the amount of years
a small amount of students
the number of money
a small number of students
the amount of money
a small amount of work a small number of work a large amount of classes a large number of classes a small amount of students a small number of students the number of paper the amount of paper the number of years the amount of years the number of money the amount of money

10. ALTOGETHER, ALL TOGETHER ALREADY, ALL READY ALMOST, MOST
We were all ready (everybody ready) for the trip, but the chartered bus had already (previously) left.
We are not altogether (entirely) certain that we could bring the family all together (everyone gathered) for the reunion.
Almost (nearly) everyone in my immediate family went to the reunion.
Most (Many) of us went to the family reunion.

11. Because of vs. Due to
CLOSED DUE TO THE HURRICANE CLOSED BECAUSE OF THE HURRICANE As a result of Because of Caused by Due to His absence was due to his illness. She lost her job due to downsizing. She lost her job because of downsizing.

12. Between vs. Among BETWEEN—used for relationships
involving ONLY TWO people or things
Ex: Lois and Hattie had only fifty cents between them.
EXCEPTION: Air Force One landed somewhere between Atmore, Brewton, and Pensacola.
EXCEPTION: Use transitions between paragraphs in a multi-paragraph essay.
AMONG—used for relationships involving MORE THAN TWO people or things
Ex: There is a silent closeness among the family members.

13. Be sure to or Be sure and
Be sure and
Try to or Try and
Try and

14. Capital vs. Capitol inside the state capitol
capital letters capital punishment the capital of Florida

15. Of vs. Have From vs. Than Different Could, Would, & Should
coulda, woulda, shoulda could of, would of , should of could’ve, would’ve, should’ve could have, would have, should have
Different
From vs. Than
My car is different from her car.
The house is different than it used to be.

16. Is it Fewer or Less?

17. Fewer vs. Less Usage Note from The American Heritage Usage Board:
Few and fewer are correctly used in writing only before a plural noun: few cars, few of the books, fewer reasons.
Less is used before a mass noun: less music, less sugar.
Less than is also used before a plural noun that denotes a measure of time, amount, or distance: less than three weeks, less than sixty years old, less than $400 dollars.

18. Irregardless vs. Regardless
irregardless of the weather
regardless of the weather

19. vs.

20. Lead vs. Lead
LEAD AND LED—Lead (pronounced “leed”) means “to go first.” Its principal parts are lead, leads, led (rhymes with red), and (have) led.
Ex: Priests lead lives of celibacy.
Ex: The man led a life of celibacy before he became a priest.
LEAD – the graphite at the end of a pencil
This homophone for led and homonym for lead is a noun.
Ex: The lead in this pencil is broken.

21. Like vs. As If Lose vs. Loose loose pants lose your wallet
It looks like it’s going to rain.
It looks as if it’s going to rain.
It looks like rain.

22. The ________ expelled the (a) student for three ________ (b) reasons.
Principal vs. Principle
The ________ expelled the (a) student for three ________ (b) reasons.
PRINCIPAL—noun: chief official; adjective: foremost, major
PRINCIPLE—noun: axiom, rule
Dr. King fought for the principle of nonviolence.
In my Business Communications class, we are studying the principles of writing.
1 – principal, principle
2 – principal, principal
3 – principle, principle
4 – principle, principal
2 – principal, principal
How to remember which one to use: You can stand on a principle and be respected for it, but stand on a principal and you might be arrested for assault.

23. That vs. Because The Reason is…
The reason I’m always right is because I know everything. The reason I’m always right is that I know everything.

24. vs. ;

25. Used to and Supposed to
Things my grandmother use to say Things my grandmother used to say What you’re suppose to know What you’re supposed to know

26. Rendition is when prisoners are handed over to countries where torture is allowed. Rendition is handing over prisoners to countries where torture is allowed. A rip current is when water that comes ashore is channeled back out to sea through a narrow passage. A rip current occurs when water that comes ashore is channeled back out to sea through a narrow passage. Noon is when we will meet for lunch. Outside the restaurant is where we will meet.
Is When and Is Where