1. Copyright © 1995–2008 by Pearson Education, publishing as Longman Publishers Fowler/Aaron, The Little, Brown Handbook, Tenth Edition, and Aaron, LB Brief, Third Edition MECHANICS and SPELLING

2. Copyright © 1995–2008 by Pearson Education, publishing as Longman Publishers Fowler/Aaron, The Little, Brown Handbook, Tenth Edition, and Aaron, LB Brief, Third Edition WORDS COMMONLY CONFUSED  accept (to receive)  except (other than)  affect (to have an influence on)  effect (result)  capital (the seat of government)  capitol (the building where a legislature meets)  cite (to quote an authority)  sight (the ability to see)  site (a place)  its (possessive of it)  it’s (contraction of it is or it has) 45.1a Some examples:

3. Copyright © 1995–2008 by Pearson Education, publishing as Longman Publishers Fowler/Aaron, The Little, Brown Handbook, Tenth Edition, and Aaron, LB Brief, Third Edition WORDS COMMONLY CONFUSED  passed (past tense of pass)  past (after, or a time gone by)  principal (most important, or the head of a school)  principle (a basic truth or law)  stationary (unmoving)  stationery (writing paper)  their (possessive of they)  there (opposite of here)  they’re (contraction of they are)  your (possessive of you)  you’re (contraction of you are) 45.1b More examples:

4. Copyright © 1995–2008 by Pearson Education, publishing as Longman Publishers Fowler/Aaron, The Little, Brown Handbook, Tenth Edition, and Aaron, LB Brief, Third Edition EXERCISE Distinguishing between ie and ei 1.br__f 2. dec__ve 3. rec__pt 4.s__ze 5. for__gn 6. pr__st 7. gr__vance 8. f__nd 9. l__surely 10. ach__ve 11. pat__nce 12. p__rce 13.h__ght 14.fr__ght 15.f__nt 16.s__ve Insert ie or ei in the words below. Check doubtful spellings in a dictionary. 45.2a

5. Copyright © 1995–2008 by Pearson Education, publishing as Longman Publishers Fowler/Aaron, The Little, Brown Handbook, Tenth Edition, and Aaron, LB Brief, Third Edition ANSWERS TO EXERCISE 1.brief 2. deceive 3. receipt 4.seize 5. foreign 6. priest 7. grievance 8. fiend 9. leisurely 10. achieve 11. patience 12. pierce 13.height 14.freight 15.feint 16.sieve 45.2b

6. Copyright © 1995–2008 by Pearson Education, publishing as Longman Publishers Fowler/Aaron, The Little, Brown Handbook, Tenth Edition, and Aaron, LB Brief, Third Edition PROPER NOUNS AND ADJECTIVES TO BE CAPITALIZED Specific persons and things  the Empire State Building Specific places and geographical regions  Lake Victoria Days of the week, months, holidays  Thanksgiving Historical events, documents, periods, movements  World War II Government offices or departments and institutions  Polk Municipal Court Political, social, athletic, and other organizations and associations and their members  Boston Celtics Races, nationalities, and their languages  African American Religions and their followers  Hinduism, Hindus Religious terms for the sacred  Buddha 47.1

7. Copyright © 1995–2008 by Pearson Education, publishing as Longman Publishers Fowler/Aaron, The Little, Brown Handbook, Tenth Edition, and Aaron, LB Brief, Third Edition EXERCISE Revising: Capitals 1.San Antonia, texas, is a thriving city in the southwest. 2.The city has always offered much to tourists interested in the roots of spanish settlement of the new world. 3.The alamo is one of five Catholic Missions built by Priests to convert native americans and to maintain spain’s claims in the area. 4.But the alamo is more famous for being the site of an 1836 battle that helped to created the republic of Texas. 5.Many of the nearby Streets, such as Crockett street, are named for men who gave their lives in that Battle. 47.2a Capitalize words as necessary in the following sentences, or substitute small letters for unnecessary capitals.

8. Copyright © 1995–2008 by Pearson Education, publishing as Longman Publishers Fowler/Aaron, The Little, Brown Handbook, Tenth Edition, and Aaron, LB Brief, Third Edition ANSWERS TO EXERCISE 1.San Antonio, Texas, is a thriving city in the Southwest. 2.The city has always offered much to tourists interested in the roots of Spanish settlement of the New World. 3.The Alamo is one of five Catholic missions built by priests to convert Native Americans and to maintain Spain’s claims in the area. 4.But the Alamo is more famous for being the site of an 1836 battle that helped to create the Republic of Texas. 5.Many of the nearby streets, such as Crockett Street, are named for men who gave their lives in that battle. 47.2b

9. Copyright © 1995–2008 by Pearson Education, publishing as Longman Publishers Fowler/Aaron, The Little, Brown Handbook, Tenth Edition, and Aaron, LB Brief, Third Edition TITLES TO BE UNDERLINED OR ITALICIZED Books War and Peace Plays Hamlet Computer Software Microsoft Internet Explorer Web sites Google Pamphlets Plants of the Desert Long Musical Works The Beatles’ Revolver Television and radio programs NBC Sports Hour Long Poems Beowulf Periodicals Boston Globe Published speeches Gettysburg Address Movies and videotapes How to Relax Works of visual art Picasso’s Guernica 48.1

10. Copyright © 1995–2008 by Pearson Education, publishing as Longman Publishers Fowler/Aaron, The Little, Brown Handbook, Tenth Edition, and Aaron, LB Brief, Third Edition ABBREVIATIONS FOR NONTECHNICAL WRITING Titles before or after proper names  Jorge Rodriguez, PhD Familiar abbreviations and acronyms  USA, AIDS BC, AD, AM, PM, no., and $ with dates and numbers i.e., e.g., and other Latin abbreviations within parentheses and in source citations Inc., Bros., Co., and & with names of business firms. 49.1

11. Copyright © 1995–2008 by Pearson Education, publishing as Longman Publishers Fowler/Aaron, The Little, Brown Handbook, Tenth Edition, and Aaron, LB Brief, Third Edition EXERCISE Revising: Abbreviations 1.In the Sept. 17, 1993, issue of Science magazine, Virgil L. Sharpton discusses a theory that could help explain the extinction of dinosaurs. 2.About 65 mill. yrs. ago, a comet or asteroid crashed into the earth. 3.The result was a huge crater about 10 km. (6.2 mi.) deep in the Gulf of Mex. 4.Sharpton’s new measurements suggest that the crater is 50 pct. larger than scientists previously believed. 5.Indeed, 20-yr.-old drilling cores reveal that the crater is about 186 mi. wide, roughly the size of Conn. 49.2a Revise the following sentences as needed to correct inappropriate use of abbreviations for nontechnical writing.

12. Copyright © 1995–2008 by Pearson Education, publishing as Longman Publishers Fowler/Aaron, The Little, Brown Handbook, Tenth Edition, and Aaron, LB Brief, Third Edition ANSWERS TO EXERCISE 1.In the September 17, 1993, issue of Science magazine, Virgil L. Sharpton discusses a theory that could help explain the extinction of dinosaurs. 2.About 65 million years ago, a comet or asteroid crashed into the earth. 3.The result was a huge crater about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) deep in the Gulf of Mexico. 4.Sharpton’s new measurements suggest that the crater is 50 percent larger than scientists previously believed. 5.Indeed, 20-year-old drilling cores reveal that the crater is about 186 miles wide, roughly the size of Connecticut. 49.2b

13. Copyright © 1995–2008 by Pearson Education, publishing as Longman Publishers Fowler/Aaron, The Little, Brown Handbook, Tenth Edition, and Aaron, LB Brief, Third Edition NUMBERS Use numerals according to standard practice in the field you are writing. Use numerals according to convention for dates, addresses, and other information. Always spell out numbers that begin sentences. 50.1

14. Copyright © 1995–2008 by Pearson Education, publishing as Longman Publishers Fowler/Aaron, The Little, Brown Handbook, Tenth Edition, and Aaron, LB Brief, Third Edition EXERCISE Revising: Numbers 1.The planet Saturn is nine hundred million miles, or nearly one billion five hundred million kilometers, from the sun. 2.A year on Saturn equals almost thirty of our years. 3.Thus, Saturn orbits the sun only two and four-tenths times during the average human life span. 4.It travels in its orbit at about twenty-one thousand six hundred miles per hour. 5.15 to 20 times denser than Earth’s core, Saturn’s core measures 17,000 miles across. 50.2a Revise the following sentences so that numbers are used appropriately for nontechnical writing.

15. Copyright © 1995–2008 by Pearson Education, publishing as Longman Publishers Fowler/Aaron, The Little, Brown Handbook, Tenth Edition, and Aaron, LB Brief, Third Edition ANSWERS TO EXERCISE 1.The planet Saturn is 900 million miles, or nearly 1.5 billion kilometers, from the sun. 2.Sentence correct. 3.Thus, Saturn orbits the sun only 2.4 times during the average human life span. 4.It travels in its orbit at about 21,600 miles per hour. 5.Fifteen to twenty times denser than Earth’s core, Saturn’s core measures seventeen thousand miles across. 50.2b

16. Copyright © 1995–2008 by Pearson Education, publishing as Longman Publishers Fowler/Aaron, The Little, Brown Handbook, Tenth Edition, and Aaron, LB Brief, Third Edition ANSWERS TO EXERCISE 20.2b After much thought, he concluded that carcinogens could be treated like automobiles. Instead of giving in to a fear of cancer, we should balance the benefits we receive from potential carcinogens (such as plastic and pesticides) against the damage they do. Similarly, instead of responding irrationally to the pollution caused by automobiles, we have decided to live with them and enjoy their benefits while simultaneously working to improve them.