Usage Day 1 A/AN- using a or an depends on the sound that begins the next word.

A + singular beginning with a consonant An + singular noun beginning with a vowel A + singular noun beginning with a consonant sound: a user (sounds like “yoo-zer’) An + nouns starting with silent “h”- an hour These rules apply when using acronyms

ACCEPT, EXCEPT Accept means to “receive.” Except is usually a preposition meaning “but” or “leaving out”Except can also be a verb meaning “to leave out”

AFFECT, EFFECT Majority of the time- Affect is a verb and effect is a noun Affect means “to influence” Effect means “a result”

AIN’T Colloquial/ slang do not use it in formal, academic settings.

ALL THE FARTHER, ALL THE FASTER, AS FAR AS All the farther should be replaced with as far as

A lotA lot not alot!

And etc. Means “and so on” Do not use the redundant phrase “and etc.”

ANYWAYS, ANYWHERES, EVERYWHERES, NOWHERES, SOMEWHERES

These adverbs should never end in –s AT

Do not use this preposition at the end of a sentence/question.

BESIDE, BESIDESBesides can mean “in addition to”Beside means “next to”

BETWEEN, AMONG- Between- a choice that involves two distinct itemsAmong- More than two items

BORROW, LEND, LOAN-In standard English the person providing an item can loan it and the person receiving it can borrow the item.

BRING, TAKE You bring things here and take things there

BUST, BUSTED-Do not use busted to mean broken or to get caught/arrested It means to bring an end, to tame, to bankrupt or ruin financially, to hit or punch, and to explode

CAN, MAY-Can = ability May= Permission

COULD OF- Do not use of after a helping verb such as should, would, could, or must. Use have instead.

DISCOVER, INVENT- Discovery is known as the act of detecting something that already exists. Invention is using objects, ideas or theories that already exist in order to create a new object, idea, or theory that are not already in existence.

DON’T, DOESN’T- Do not use don’t with third-person singular subjects. Instead, use doesn’t. Example: This machine don’t/doesn’t work well.

FEWER, LESS-Use fewer with things that can be counted. Use less with qualities and quantities that cannot be counted.

Usage Day 2 GOOD, WELL-

Good is an adjective. Use good to modify nouns or pronouns. Use good to modify sense verbs when they are being used to describe how someone or something is, rather than to describe an action. Well is an adverb. Use well to modify action verbs. Well can also be used as an adjective to mean “in good health” or “satisfactory.”

HAD OUGHT, HADN’T OUGHT- Do not use ought with with have or had.

He, she, they- Mom and Dad they took us fishing. Do not rename the subjects with pronouns.

HISSELF, THEIRSELF, THEIRSELVES-Just don’t use them (himself, themselves, etc.)

KIND, SORT, TYPEType usually means a precisely defined category. Sort is more general, often about character rather than definition and can be used in a negative way. Kind is half way between, usually referring to large categories or families of things that are naturally related/

KIND OF, SORT OF Do not use these phrases in formal speech. Instead, use rather or somewhat.

LEARN, TEACHLearn means “to receive knowledge.” Teach means “to give knowledge”

LEAVE,LET- Leave means “to allow to remain.” Let means “to permit.” Leave my little brother go! (incorrect) Let my little play! (correct)

Like, as-Like is a preposition meaning “similar to” or “such as.” It should not be used in place of the conjunction as. We painted like we were skilled artists. (incorrect) We painted as if we were skilled artists. We painted like skilled artists.

OFDo not use of after a helping verb such as should, would, could, or must. Use have instead. Do not use of after inside, outside, off, and atop. Eliminate of.

BECAUSE, THAT-Do not use because after the phrase the reason. Say “the reason is that” or reword the sentence.

SOME, SOMEWHAT-Some refers to quantity. Somewhat refers to qualification of a condition.

THAN, THEN- Use than in comparison.Use then as an adverb to refer to time.

THEM, THOSE- Do not use them as a substitute for those.

THIS HERE, THAT THERE-Do not use here/there after this/that

TRY AND, TRY TO Use try to instead of try and.

Usage Day 3 USED TO, USE TO

Use used to‘Use to' is correct in the negative and question forms. 'I didn't use to like mushrooms, but now I eat them all the time.’

WAY, WAYS-Use way instead of ways when referring to distance.

WHEN, WHEREDo not use when or where immediately after a linking verb. Do not use where in place of that.

WHICH, THAT, TOThat and which refere to things; who refers only to people

WITHOUT, UNLESS-Without is a preposition, because it introduces a word or phrase. Unless is a conjunction, because it introduces a clause. Do not bake without Mom’s permission. This is a preposition. Do not bake unless your mom says it is okay. This is a conjunction.

YOUR, YOU’RE You're is short for you are.Your shows that something belongs to "you" or is related to "you" (e.g., your car, your father).