CGLY's approach to better writing

Basic errors:

I have decided to start with the basic errors I always come across that drive me insane.

to – this seems like an easy word, but people continuously use it in the place of its homophones (too and two). An example of using it correctly would be: I know what I have to do. Or, I wrote a letter to my fiancé.

too – an example of the correct use of too would be:I love him too, or, it is too later for us to work through our differences.

two – this refers to the numeral value (2). A correct use of the word would be: John gave his last two pennies to the hungry girl.

of – the young man died of hunger, or, the dress is made of silk, or, she lives within a mile of the church.

off – I switched the light off, or, I jumped off the bridge.

know – if one has the knowledge about something one knows it. I know that it will not succeed.

now – at this moment. I have to leave now.

hard – a rock is hard, a table is hard, but doing a task cannot be hard.

difficult – a question paper was difficult, not hard, unless it was written on a slab of concrete.

well – this word is not a conjunction (for example: I was sixteen at the time and my mother, well, she was married to a sailor). The correct use of the word would be: her recovery was going well after the accident.

quit – the young man quit his job and started packing up his thing immediately.

quiet – the girl was very quiet during the trip to her aunt’s house, she did not make a sound.

quite – I am not quite certain what to do about the offer she made me.

kids – this word refers to the plural form of a baby goat. The correct word to use in most cases, whilst not referring to a baby goat, would be children.

mad – this is probably the word that annoys me the most because most people use it incorrectly. Mad refers to madness, you cannot be mad at someone except if you are insane.

angry – I am angry with John for lying to me like that.

affect – this is a verb.

effect – this is a noun.

loose – the antonym of tied and tight.

 lose – the antonym of win and find

which – which of the suspects do you think did it? As I arrived al Wal-Mart, which was about to close, she decided to call.

witch – this is what a woman who performs magic or participates in witchcraft is called.

shall – Only I shall or we shall, everybody else will. Except when it is used to emphasise a point, he will or they will, never shall.