Feature. Feature means a prominent or distinctive quality or attribute. The word should not be used to refer to commonplace qualities.
Incorrect: Turret-top bodies, non-shatterable glass, and improved hydraulic brakes are features of our new car. (The so-called features are present in many makes of cars.)
Correct: Turret-top bodies, non-shatterable glass, and improved hydraulic brakes in our latest models deserve your consideration.
Fewer, Less. Fewer refers to number: less, to amount or degree.
Correct: You shipped fewer lamps than we ordered.
Correct: Less capital is necessary for this project.
Formally, formerly. Formally means in a formal manner.
Correct: The governor was escorted formally throughout the plant.
Formerly means previously.
Correct: Formerly his residence was Binondo, Manila.
Gents. A vulgarism for gentlemen.
Got. Got is always preferred to gotten. Do not, however, use got with have or has to indicate mere possession.
Incorrect: Have you got the address in question? What has the address got to do with it?
Correct: Have you the address in question? What has the address to do with it?
Got means secured; has got means has secured.
Correct: He got the order from Noel.
Correct: Miss Aguilar has got the letter from the filing room.
Better: Miss Aguilar has received (OR has obtained) the letter from the filing room.
Wrong: I have got to go now.
Better: I must go now. Or: I ought to go now.
Permissible: Have you got what you called for?
Hardly, scarcely. Generally avoided with a negative.
Correct: The orders were coming in so fast we could (NOT couldn't) hardly fill them.
Correct: I could (NOT couldn't) scarcely tell where the bounderies were placed.
Healthy, healthful. Healthy refers to people, animals, or plants that are physically sound. Occasionally we speak of a business or the stock market as being in a healthy (sound) financial condition. Healthful refers to condition that will promote a healthy state.
Correct: The employees look healthy.
Correct: Milk is a healthy beverage.
Heighth. There is no such word. Use height.
Correct: The height (NOT heighth) of the building is three hundred feet.
Home. Do not use home when you mean house. It is better not to say, "He was not home when I called." Instead say, "He was not at home when I called."
Human, humans. Say human being.
Correct: Raw vegetables are beneficial to human beings.
Immigrant. See emigrant.
Immigrate. See emigrate.
In back of. Colloquial for behind.
Infer, imply. Infer means to deduce from, gather from, or conclude from the statement or remarks of another; as, "I infer from your statement that my bill still remains unpaid." Imply denotes something suggested, hinted, assured, or vaguely expressed, as "The teacher implied that the boy would not pass the course." Do not say, "I imply from your. . . " Instead say, "I infer from your . . ."
In regards to. Use in regard to, or regarding.
Inside of. Superfluous for inside.
Correct: He stood inside (NOT inside of) the doorway.
In, into. Use in to express location (the place where). Use into after words expressing motion.
Correct: The office boy ran into the building.
Correct: He stayed in the house all evening.
Irregardless. Not a word. Say regardless or irrespective.
Correct: I shall go regardless of the weather.
Is when, is where. Both of these terms are colloquial. You cannot define a word by saying it is a when or a where. The copula is (OR was) should be followed by a predicate noun.
Incorrect: The most important day in the life of a boy is when he realizes he has made a success of his job.
Correct: The most important day in the life of a boy is the day he realizes he has made a success of his job.
It's, its. Do not confuse these two words. It's is the contraction for it is. Its is the possessive of it.
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