1. Part 5: Commonly Misused Words

2. Dangers of Spellcheckers
Every Spellchecker is Different
They Skip Commonly Misused Words
Example: “I here your going to the store. I hope you by more eggs then last time.”
Example: It sounds like a complement, but its against my principals.
Spell Check Would Find Nothing Wrong

3. Commonly Misused Words
Accept: To Receive
Except: To Take or Leave Out
Than: Used with Comparisons
Then: At That Time; Next
To: Toward
Too: Also, or Excessively
Two: A Number

4. Colloquialisms and Slang
Ain’t
Standard English does not recognize this commonly used negative verb
Fixin/Fittin
Used as dialect to mean “about to do something”
I’m fixin to eat in a minute.
You fittin to leave?
Gonna/ Wanna
May reflect speech, but is not accepted in formal writing

5. Misuse by Overuse Very, Really, and A Lot Like, Um, Well-as colloquial
These intensifiers lose meaning when overused
Like, Um, Well-as colloquial
Although common in some speech, these should be eliminated in formal writing

6. Empty Adjectives Good, Nice, Interesting These are necessary words
Though they are often overused and thusly lose their strength
Try a synonym

7. Text-Message Speech Abbreviations
LOL, BTW
These have no place in academic and formal writing
Using Letters or Numbers Instead of Words
Example: U know what 2 do.
Example: 2nite UR coming 2 my house, right?