effect vs. affect
Effect is usually a noun meaning a result or influence. Affect is usually a verb meaning to influence or act upon. “What effect does she have on you?”
Rule: Use effect as a noun, affect as a verb.
Do You Always Use the Proper Word?
Grammar & Usage · Source
Step 1 of 1
Do You Always Use the Proper Word?
The fact is that grammar is getting more liberal every day. Common usage has put a stamp of approval on many expressions which your grandmother would not have dared utter in her most intimate conversation—not if she believed she was in the habit of using good English. It is me; have you got a cold?; it’s a nice day; can I have another piece of cake?; she is a most aggravating child; will everybody please remove their hats—all these today represent perfectly correct grammar for everyday conversation. Modern grammar research reports that these expressions have become universal in educated speech.
However, such a liberal policy does not mean that all bars are down. Only a person whose speech borders on the illiterate would make such statements as: can you learn me to swim?; he don’t live here no more; we ain’t working so good; me and my husband are glad to see you. There are still certain minimum essentials of good English that the cultivated speaker carefully observes.
Is your grammar as good as the next person’s? Here’s a quick test by which you can measure your ability.
Check the preferable choice in each sentence, then compare your results with the key at the end. Allowing 4 per cent for each correct answer, consider 92–100 excellent, 76–88 good, 68–72 average.
Test Yourself
Score: 0 / 0 out of 25
1. What (a—effect, b—affect) does Farrah Fawcett-Majors have on you?
The preferable choice is (a) — effect.
2. What’s the sense (a—in, b—of) looking for a needle in a haystack?
The preferable choice is (a) — in.
3. She won’t (a—leave, b—let) us meet her new boy friend.
The preferable choice is (b) — let.
4. What (a—kind of, b—kind of a) dress do you want?
The preferable choice is (a) — kind of.
5. Her (a—principle, b—principal) objection to neurotics is that they are difficult to live with.
The preferable choice is (b) — principal.
6. The murderer was (a—hanged, b—hung) two hours before the governor’s pardon arrived.
The preferable choice is (a) — hanged.
7. Many men feel great affection for their (a—mother-in-laws, b—mothers-in-law).
The preferable choice is (b) — mothers-in-law.
8. For a light cake, use two (a—spoonfuls, b—spoonsful) of baking powder.
The preferable choice is (a) — spoonfuls.
9. Everyone likes you but (a—she, b—her).
The preferable choice is (b) — her.
10. Sally sent a gift for (a—him and me, b—he and I).
The preferable choice is (a) — him and me.
11. The criteria you are using (a—is, b—are) not valid.
The preferable choice is (b) — are.
12. The cost of new houses (a—is, b—are) finally stabilizing.
The preferable choice is (a) — is.
13. Irene as well as her husband (a—has, b—have) come to see you.
The preferable choice is (a) — has.
14. (a—Is, b—Are) either of your sisters working?
The preferable choice is (a) — Is.
15. As soon as the editor or her secretary (a—comes, b—come) in, let me know.
The preferable choice is (a) — comes.
16. One or two of her features (a—is, b—are) very attractive.
The preferable choice is (b) — are.
17. Can you visit Mary and (a—I, b—me) tonight?
The preferable choice is (b) — me.
18. He is totally (a—uninterested, b—disinterested) in your personal affairs.
The preferable choice is (a) — uninterested.
19. She (a—laid, b—lay) on the beach while her son splashed at the water’s edge.
The preferable choice is (b) — lay.
20. (a—Who, b—Whom) would you rather be if you weren’t yourself?
The preferable choice is (a) — Who.
21. You should not (a—have, b—of) spoken so harshly.
The preferable choice is (a) — have.
22. She is one of those women who (a—believes, b—believe) that husbands should share in doing housework and taking care of the children.
The preferable choice is (b) — believe.
23. Was it you who (a—was, b—were) here yesterday?
The preferable choice is (b) — were.
24. What we need in this country (a—is, b—are) honest politicians.
The preferable choice is (a) — is.
25. I’m smarter than Gladys, but she’s richer than (a—I, b—me).
The preferable choice is (a) — I.
Word List
Key grammar and usage rules tested in this intermission.
25 usage entries
sense in vs. sense of
The idiomatic expression is “What’s the sense in doing something?” rather than “sense of doing something.”
Rule: Use sense in before a gerund (verb form ending in -ing).
leave vs. let
Let means to allow or permit. Leave means to depart or go away from. “She won’t let us meet him” is correct; “leave” is incorrect in this context.
Rule: Use let to mean “allow”; use leave to mean “depart.”
kind of vs. kind of a
The article a is unnecessary after kind of. “What kind of dress do you want?” is preferred over “kind of a dress.”
Rule: Omit the article a after kind of, sort of, type of.
principal vs. principle
Principal (adjective) means chief or main; (noun) means head of a school or a sum of money. Principle (noun only) means a fundamental rule or truth.
Rule: Use principal for “main” or “head”; use principle for “rule” or “belief.”
hanged vs. hung
When referring to execution, the past tense is hanged. For all other meanings (pictures, curtains, etc.), the past tense is hung.
Rule: People are hanged; objects are hung.
mothers-in-law (compound plurals)
In compound nouns joined by hyphens, the principal noun takes the plural: mothers-in-law, courts-martial, passers-by.
Rule: Pluralize the main noun in a compound, not the modifier.
spoonfuls (measurement plurals)
Measurement words like spoonful, cupful, handful form their plurals by adding -s to the end: spoonfuls, cupfuls, handfuls.
Rule: Add -s to the end of the whole word: spoonfuls, not spoonsful.
but her (pronoun case after “but”)
When but means “except,” it functions as a preposition and takes the objective case: “Everyone likes you but her.”
Rule: Use the objective pronoun (her, him, me) after but meaning “except.”
him and me (object of preposition)
After a preposition like for, to, with, use the objective case: “a gift for him and me,” not “he and I.”
Rule: Use objective pronouns (him, me) after prepositions, even in compound objects.
criteria are (Latin plurals)
Criteria is the plural of criterion and requires a plural verb. Similarly: data/datum, phenomena/phenomenon, media/medium.
Rule: Criteria is plural—use are, not is.
cost is (subject-verb agreement)
The verb agrees with the subject, not with words in a prepositional phrase. In “The cost of new houses is stabilizing,” the subject is cost (singular).
Rule: Ignore prepositional phrases; match the verb to the true subject.
“as well as” (agreement)
As well as is not equivalent to and. The verb agrees with the first subject: “Irene as well as her husband has come.”
Rule: As well as, together with, along with do not create a compound subject.
either is (singular)
Either and neither are singular pronouns and take singular verbs: “Is either of your sisters working?”
Rule: Either and neither take a singular verb.
“or” agreement (nearest subject)
When subjects are joined by or or nor, the verb agrees with the nearest subject: “the editor or her secretary comes.”
Rule: With or/nor, the verb agrees with the subject closest to it.
“one or two” are (plural wins)
When “one or two” is the subject, the plural noun is closer to the verb, so use a plural verb: “One or two of her features are attractive.”
Rule: One or two takes a plural verb because two is nearest.
Mary and me (object pronoun)
When a pronoun is the object of a verb, use the objective case: “Can you visit Mary and me?” Test by removing the other person: “Can you visit me?”
Rule: Use me (not I) as the object of a verb, even in compound objects.
uninterested vs. disinterested
Uninterested means not interested, bored. Disinterested means impartial, unbiased. A judge should be disinterested but not uninterested.
Rule: Use uninterested for “bored”; use disinterested for “impartial.”
lay vs. lie (past tense)
Lie (to recline) has the past tense lay: “She lay on the beach.” Lay (to put or place) has the past tense laid: “She laid the book down.”
Rule: Past tense of lie (recline) is lay; past tense of lay (put) is laid.
who with the verb “to be”
After the verb to be, use the nominative who, not whom: “Who would you rather be?” The predicate requires the same case as the subject.
Rule: Use who (not whom) after forms of “to be.”
should have vs. should of
Of is a preposition and never functions as an auxiliary verb. The correct form is should have (often contracted to should’ve), not should of.
Rule: Always use have (not of) after should, could, would, might.
“one of those who” (relative clause)
In “one of those women who believe,” the relative pronoun who refers to women (plural), so the verb must be plural.
Rule: After “one of those [plural noun] who,” use a plural verb.
“it was you who were”
When who refers to you, the verb must agree with you: “Was it you who were here yesterday?” not “who was.”
Rule: The verb after who agrees with its antecedent (you takes were).
“what we need is” (noun clause)
A what-clause acting as a subject is treated as singular: “What we need is honest politicians.” The clause itself is the singular subject.
Rule: A what-clause subject takes a singular verb.
richer than I (comparative)
After than in comparisons, the nominative case is preferred: “richer than I” (implied: “than I am”). The objective me is increasingly common but less formal.
Rule: Use the nominative pronoun (I, she, he) after than in formal usage.