A Few Matters of Form

Strunk and White's The Elements of Style, first published in the 1930's, is the Bible for writers when it comes to style, form and word usage. I am beginning to realize that I have some very bad habits. Here's a few points I found especially useful. I'm copying from Strunk and White's book directly because their intermittent sassy commentary cracks me up.

Colloquialisms. If you use a colloquialism or a slang word, simply use it; do not draw attention to it by enclosing it in quotations. To do so is the put on airs...inviting the reader to join you in a select society of those who know better.

Exclamations. Do not attempt to emphasize simple statements by using an exclamation mark.
It was a wonderful show! It was a wonderful show.
The exclamation mark is reserved for use after true exclamations.
What a wonderful show!

Words and Expressions Commonly Misused
Aggravate. Irritate. The first means "to add to" an already vexing matter. The second means "to vex."

Care less. The dismissive "I couldn't care less" is often used with the "not" mistakenly omitted: "I could care less." The error destroys the meaning of the sentence and is careless indeed.

Comprise. Literally, "embrace": A zoo comprises mammals, reptiles and birds but the animals do not comprise the zoo-they constitute a zoo.

Enthuse. An annoying verb growing out of the noun enthusiasm. Not recommended.

Farther. Further. The two words are commonly interchanged, but there is a distinction worth observing: farther serves best as a distance word, further as a time or quantity word. You chase the ball farther than the other fellow; you pursue a subject further.

Fix. Colloquial in America for arrange, prepare, mend. The usage is well established. But bear in mind that this verb is from figere: "to make firm," "to place definitely." These are the preferred meanings.

Gratuitous. Means "unearned," or "unwarranted." The insult seemed gratuitous. (Undeserved, not obscene.)

Lay. A transitive verb, do not misuse it for the intransitive verb lie. The hen lays an egg. The llama lies down. Lie, lay, lain, lying

Lay, laid, laid, laying

Nauseous. Nauseated. The first means "sickening to contemplate"; the second means "sick at the stomach." Do not, therefore, say "I feel nauseous," unless you are sure you have that effect on others.

Prestigious. Often an adjective of last resort. It's in the dictionary, but that doesn't mean you have to use it.

The foreseeable future. A cliche, and a fuzzy one. How much of the future is foreseeable? Ten minutes? Ten years? Any of it?

The truth is...The fact is...A bad beginninng for a sentence. If you feel you are possessed of the truth, or of the fact, simply state it. Do not give it advance billing.