CHOOSING SUITABLE WORDS
In this module, you will learn to use
 Specific words instead of general words
 Problem words correctly.
Introduction
In technical and business writing, your purpose is to convey information--convey it clearly
and concisely. You can achieve your purpose by selecting specific rather than "general
purpose" words and by using other frequently misused words correctly.
Specific Words
Using specific words instead of "general-purpose" words will help you write clearly and
accurately. But you must remember that in achieving your purpose, you must use as many
words as are necessary for your purpose, but no more than are necessary. Compare the
two descriptions below, in which our purpose is to describe the exterior condition of a
house.
General
"The house was old and run-down."
There is not very much information in the above sentence. What is "old" to one person
may not be "old" to another. That the house is "run-down" is nothing more than an opinion.
Can you see the lack of clarity caused by using general words instead of specific words?
Let's use specific words and rewrite the sentence.
Specific
"The house looked 25 years old. The paint was peeling off the rotting siding. The windows
were broken, and the front door was off its hinges."
Do you see how much clearer our description has become? We have accomplished our
purpose by using specific words and by using as many words as we needed to accomplish
our purpose. More words, not fewer, were needed to add clarity to our writing. Sometimes,
you need a few more words in order to avoid confusing your reader. At other times, you
need fewer words to avoid confusion.
Problem Words
Misusing words adds confusion to your writing. Here is a list of commonly misused and
confused words. The meanings of the words and phrases are very brief and refer to the
main manner of misuse by writers. For complete, comprehensive meanings, consult your
dictionaries.
List:
Affect: a verb. "How will his cold affect his singing"?
Effect: a noun. "The effects of the storm were severe."
Aggravate: to make worse. "Her shouting aggravated the tense situation."
Annoy: to arouse impatience. "The disturbances annoyed me."
All ready: completely prepared. "We are all ready to leave."
Already: by now. "When we arrived, they had already left."
Alternate: one of more than two. "Several alternate plans were discussed."
Alternative: one of two. "The only alternative to leaving was staying."
Among: more than two. "Divide this money among the five of you."
Between: two. "Divide this money between the two of you."
Amount: for uncountables. "Use a small amount of salt."
Number: for countables. "A large number of votes were cast."
Anxious: worried. "We became anxious about the exam results."
Eager: wanting to. "She was eager to help me."
Anyone: indefinite pronoun. "Anyone over 18 is eligible to vote."
Any one: one and all of many: "Any one of those rooms will do."
Appraise: to evaluate. "The realtor appraised our home at $235,000.
Apprise: to inform. "We will apprise you of our selection tomorrow."
Beside: adjacent. "His car was parked beside the garage."
Besides: in addition. "We tried nails besides bolts."
Besides: excepting. "We tried everything besides bolts."
Besides: conjunction. "She refused to go; besides, she was tired."
Cite: to quote. "In support of his argument, he cites Shakespeare."
Sight: pertaining to vision. "The mountains presented a beautiful sight."
Site: a location. "We chose a secluded site for the cottage."
Complement: goes with. "The blue hat complements her blue jacket."
Compliment: praise. "Express my compliments to the chef."
Continual(ly): at intervals. "Frequent questions continually interrupted the meeting."
Continuous(ly): nonstop. "We heard the continuous roar of Niagara Falls."
Council: a group. "They elected an executive council at the first meeting."
Counsel: advice. "The corporation asked his counsel on the merger."
Disinterested: objective. "The problem was resolved by a disinterested third party."
Uninterested: boring. "We were uninterested in his health problems."
Fewer: countables. "The boss wanted fewer excuses, not better excuses."
Less: uncountables. "The speaker asked for less animosity toward the plan."
Imply: express indirectly. "His fidgeting implied a nervous disorder."
Infer: conclude. "From his fidgeting, I inferred that he had a nervous disorder."
In: location. "We held the meeting in the Rosewood Room."
Into: direction. "The chairwoman walked proudly into the Rosewood Room."
Lead: to convey. "Follow me; I'll lead you to the meeting room."
Lead: a heavy metal. "Studies show that lead is dangerous to the environment."
Led: p. and p.p. of to convey. "The guest was led into the meeting room."
Lie: to physically recline.
Present tense: "Please, lie down until you feel better."
Past tense: "Yesterday, I lay down because I felt dizzy."
Past Participle: "I had lain down but was not able to sleep."
Lay: to physically place.
Present tense: "Please lay the child on the couch"?
Past tense: "Yesterday, I laid the book on the table."
Past Participle: "I had laid the letter on his desk before he arrived."
Note: Much confusion arises from the identical "lay" (past tense of "lie") and "lay" (present
tense of "lay").
On: location. "The book was on the table."
Onto: direction. "He threw the book onto the table."
Personal: private. "She wrote a personal letter to the manager."
Personnel: employed people. "Company personnel will have tomorrow off."
Raise: to lift up something. "He raised his arm for silence."
Rise: to lift up oneself. "Will the accused please rise."
Rise: internal lifting. "The bread has risen nicely."
Regard: consider. "I regard her to be most generous."
Regard: consideration for. "With regard to your letter, I agree."
Regards: verb, concerning. "This letter regards your request for vacation."
Regards: best wishes. "Give my regards to your wife."
Regards: complimentary close. "With best regards."
Note: Obviously, such phrases as "with regards to your letter" are inappropriate for
technical and business writing.
Should have: modal and helping verb. "We should have foreseen the results."
Should of: substandard use of "should have."
Stationary: unmoving. "The plane remained stationary on the runway."
Stationery: writing material. "Please include fax paper in the next stationery order."
Seldom: not very often. "We seldom promote from outside the company."
Seldomly: nonexistent and frequently misused for "seldom."
Their: possessive pronoun. "They will bring their children with them."
There: adverb of location: "We will be there by noon."
They're: contraction of "they are." "They're to be here by noon."
To: preposition. "He raced to the finish line."
Too: excessive. "The race was too much for him."
Two: a number. "Please fill in two application forms."
Try and: An inappropriate substitute for "try to."
Try to: make an attempt. "Try to be here by noon."
Exercises
Each of the following questions has its instructions. Follow the instructions in responding
to the questions. The answers appear after the last question.
1. Select the pair of words that shows your choices from within the parentheses.
The (number, amount) of sugar is dependent on the (number, amount) of plums used in
the pudding.
A. number, amount
B. amount, number
C. number, number
D. amount, amount
2. Our purpose is to describe, via telephone, a victim's symptoms to a paramedic. Which
sentence completion best accomplishes the purpose?
"He's lying on the floor, and . . .
A. his pulse is racing, he's burning up, and he's wet all over.
B. his pulse is 115, his face is flushed, and he's wet all over.
C. his pulse is rapid, his face is flushed, and he's sweating heavily.
D. his pulse is 115, his face is flushed, and he's sweating heavily.
3. Select the pair of words that shows your choices from within the parentheses.
The executive (council, counsel) decided to hire legal (council, counsel) to examine the
contract.
A. council, council
B. council, counsel
C. counsel, council
D. counsel, counsel
4. Select the pair of words that shows your choices from within the parentheses.
With (regard, regards) to your request, we will (appraise, apprise) you of our decision
tomorrow.
A. regard, appraise
B. regards, appraise
C. regard, apprise
D. regards, apprise
5. Select the pair of words that shows your choices from within the parentheses.
She was (already, all ready) to leave but learned the plane had (already, all ready) left.
A. already, all ready
B. all ready, already
C. already, already
D. all ready, all ready
6. Which of the following expressions would be acceptable in technical and business
writing?
A. a large amount of employees
B. a large amount of waste
C. a large number of dissatisfaction
7. Which of the following expressions would be acceptable in technical and business
writing?
A. the aggravated customer
B. the annoyed situation
C. the annoyed salesperson
8. Which of the following sentences would be acceptable in technical and business
writing?
A. Move the desk beside the window.
B. Place the chair besides the desk.
C. Beside the chair, the desk also is to be moved nearer the window.
9. Which of the following sentences would be acceptable in technical and business
writing?
A. Tyrell said he had lain the ledger on the counter.
B. Tyrell said he laid the ledger on the counter.
C. Tyrell said he layed the ledger on the counter.
10. Which of the following sentences would be acceptable in technical and business
writing?
A. Here is the memo with regards to your request.
B. With regards to your request, here is more information.
C. With regards to your request, here is further information.
D. None of the above.
E. All of the above.
Answers
1, B. 2, D. 3, B. 4, C. 5, B. 6, B. 7, C. 8, A. 9, B. 10, D.