The following are words and phrases that are frequently misused:
Enthused / Enthusiastic
Try and / Try to
Unique
Where at
Which, Who / That
It is stylistically better to use the adjective enthusiastic rather than enthused
and to avoid the verb to enthuse entirely.
Nonstandard
She is very enthused about Shakespeare.
Standard
She is very enthusiastic about Shakespeare.
Nonstandard
King Henry V attempted to enthuse the troops before the battle.
Standard
King Henry V attempted to make the troops enthusiastic before the
battle.
Phrases including the expression to try usually require another to plus verb
rather than and plus verb.
Nonstandard
We’d like to try and go to the store this afternoon.
Standard
We’d like to try to go to the store this afternoon.
Nonstandard
I wanted to try and see that movie, but the babysitting fee was too
high.
Guide to Editing Essentials 83
Standard
I wanted to try to see that movie, but the babysitting fee was too high.
Unique is a word like no other. A thing cannot be described as more unique
or the most unique. It’s simply unique.
Nonstandard
He was wearing the most unique tie.
Standard
He was wearing a unique tie.
The phrase where at is an unnecessary and ungrammatical expansion of the
word where.
Nonstandard
I wish I knew where my homework was at.
Standard
I wish I knew where my homework was.
Which is occasionally erroneously used instead of the more appropriate who
or that.
Nonstandard
She loves animals which serve a useful purpose.
Standard
She loves animals that serve a useful purpose.
Nonstandard
I went to work with the scientists which invented the potato chip.
Standard
I went to work with the scientists who invented the potato chip.
Standard
I went to work with the scientists that invented the potato chip.
Note: Generally, use who to refer to people or groups of people and that to refer to
inanimate objects. |