HBR Guide to Better Business Writing - Bryan A. Garner 2013

A primer of good usage

abstruse. see obtuse.

accede; exceed. Accede = to agree or yield . Exceed = to surpass, to be greater than .

access; excess. Both are traditionally nouns. Access = the act or opportunity of approaching or entering. Excess = an amount beyond what is required. Of course, access is also common today as a verb meaning “to gain entry to; to penetrate” .

accord; accordance. Accord = agreement . Accordance = conformance .

administer; administrate. The first is standard. Avoid *administrate, a back-formation from administration.

admission; admittance. Admission = permission or authority to enter . Admittance = physical entry .

adopt; adapt. Adopt = take up as one’s own . Adapt = modify . Note that the nouns are adoption and adaptation.

adverse; averse. Adverse = unfavorable or contrary to . Averse = reluctant or unwilling; having distaste of, fear of, or hostility toward .

advise; advice. Advise is the verb . Advice is the noun .

affect; effect. Affect is usually a verb meaning “to have an influence” . Effect is usually a noun denoting a result or outcome . Effect may also be a verb meaning “to bring about” .

aggravate; irritate. Aggravate = to make worse . Irritate = to annoy. Using aggravate to mean “irritate” is a common colloquialism, but it will still annoy some readers.

aide; aid. Aide is an assistant. Aid is assistance.

allusion; illusion. Allusion = an indirect reference, as to a cultural work, historical event, or other form of shared knowledge <“Sage of Omaha” is an allusion to Warren Buffett>. Illusion = a misperception or a mistaken belief .

a lot. Always two words.

already; all ready. Already = previously, by this time . All ready = completely prepared .

alternative; alternate. As a noun, alternative = one option (among one or more others) ; alternate = a substitute .

altogether; all together. Altogether = entirely or completely . All together = collectively or in a group .

ambiguous; ambivalent. Ambiguous = inviting more than one reasonable interpretation . Ambivalent = having mixed emotions about something .

amend; emend. Amend = to add to a document, esp. a law or other legal document . Emend = to make corrections or edits to a piece of writing .

among. see between.

amuse; bemuse. Amuse = to entertain or delight. Bemuse = to befuddle.

antidote; anecdote. Antidote = anything that counteracts a bad situation . Anecdote = an amusing, illustrative story .

anxious; eager. Anxious = anticipating with unease or worry . Eager = anticipating with enthusiasm .

appraise; apprise. Appraise = to assess in value . Apprise = to keep someone informed .

arbiter; arbitrator. Arbiter = a person with final say over a matter . Arbitrator = a person who conducts an arbitration to settle a dispute .

as. see like.

assure; ensure; insure. Assure = to try to satisfy someone of something . Ensure = to make certain that something will happen or that things will be as expected . Insure = to indemnify against loss or damage .

attain; obtain. Attain = to achieve or accomplish something . Obtain = to get something .

averse. see adverse.

avocation. see vocation.

awhile; a while. Awhile is an adverb meaning “for a short time” < Let’s talk awhile before deciding>. A while is a noun phrase meaning “a period of time” .

bear; born; borne. Bear = (1) to carry or support or (2) to give birth . Borne refers to sense 1 , and born to sense 2 .

bemuse. see amuse.

beside; besides. Beside = (1) next to or at the side of or (2) outside of . Besides = in addition to .

between; among. Between shows one-to-one connections , even when more than two things are involved . Among connotes a looser relationship with three or more .

blatant; flagrant. Blatant = obvious, overt . Flagrant = conspicuously rude or abusive Refusing to shake hands was a flagrant break of protocol>.

bombastic = pompous, pretentious . The word has nothing to do with violence.

born; borne. see bear.

breach; broach. Breach = to break or break though . Broach = to bring up .

can; may. Most properly, can expresses power or ability . May expresses permission or possibility .

canvas; canvass. Canvas = coarse cloth . Canvass = a noun meaning “a poll or survey” or a verb meaning “to conduct a poll or survey” < Canvass your customers before you brainstorm new products>.

capital; Capitol. Capitol = the building where the U.S. Congress or a state legislature meets. In all other senses, the spelling is capital .

censor; censure. Censor = to inspect and possibly restrict the release of matter judged to be objectionable. Censure = to reprimand someone.

clench; clinch. Clench = to tighten, esp. in anger or determination . Clinch = to secure or fasten .

climatic; climactic. Climatic = of the weather, esp. climate . Climactic = dramatic, riveting, moving toward a climax .

clinch. see clench.

closure; cloture. Closure = the act or fact of concluding or resolving. Cloture = the parliamentary procedure for ending debate and calling for a vote.

collaborate; corroborate. Collaborate = to cooperate in an enterprise . Corroborate = to lend support, esp. by confirming information .

common. see mutual.

compare to; compare with. To compare something to something else is to liken the two things; to compare it with something else is to note both similarities and differences.

compel; impel. Compel = to force, esp. by dint of authority or necessity . Impel = to drive forward, as by circumstances or weight of argument .

compendious; voluminous. Compendious = concise, condensed. Voluminous = large, roomy.

complementary; complimentary. Complementary = (1) making complete or perfect or (2) matching or harmonious . Complimentary = (1) free or (2) flattering .

comprise; compose. Comprise = to include . Compose = to make up . The phrase *is comprised of is always faulty.

compulsive; compulsory. Compulsive = prone to or caused by uncontrollable urges . Compulsory = mandatory .

connote. see denote.

consequent; subsequent. Consequent = following as a result (consequence) . Subsequent = following in time .

continual; continuous. Continual = recurring, intermittent . Continuous = ceaseless, uninterrupted .

convince; persuade. Convince... of = to win over, to prove a point . Persuade... to = convince and cause to take action .

corroborate. see collaborate.

council; counsel. Council = a board Counsel = (1) adviser , (2) advice , or (3) to advise<="" span="">

credible; credulous; incredulous; creditable. Credible = believable, trustworthy Credulous = gullible Incredulous = unbelieving . Creditable = respectable but not outstanding .

damage; damages. Damage = harm . Damages = judicial compensation for harm .

declaim. see disclaim.

definite; definitive. Definite = clear, explicit, unmistakable . Definitive = authoritative .

delegate. see relegate.

deliberate; deliberative. Deliberate = purposeful . Deliberative = of or relating to debate or discussion .

denote; connote. Denote = to signify; to be the name of <mortgagee< span=""></mortgagee<>denotes the lender, not the borrower>. Connote = to imply; to suggest something beyond the literal sense of a term .

depreciate; deprecate. Depreciate = to fall in value . Deprecate = to disapprove of, to plead against .

detract; distract. Detract = take away (some quality) . Distract = divert .

device; devise. Device = a tool or apparatus . Devise = to create or invent .

different. Prefer different from over different than.

differ from; differ with. To differ from is simply to be different ; to differ with is to disagree .

disburse. see disperse.

disclaim; declaim. Disclaim = deny or disavow . Declaim = to orate .

discrete; discreet. Discrete = distinct . Discreet = circumspect, tactful .

disinterested; uninterested. Disinterested = unbiased; lacking any financial or emotional stake in a dispute . Uninterested = uncaring .

disperse; disburse. Disperse = to scatter . Disburse = to distribute funds .

distinct; distinctive. Distinct = clear, well-defined . Distinctive = marking a difference, characteristic .

distract. see detract.

dominant; dominate. Dominant = supreme . Dominate = to control .

eager. see anxious.

effect. see affect.

e.g.; i.e. E.g. = for example . I.e. = that is .

elicit; illicit. Elicit = to draw a response . Illicit = forbidden, illegal .

eligible; illegible. Eligible = fit to be chosen; suitable. Illegible = incapable of being read because of bad handwriting, poor printing, etc.

embarrass. So spelled.

emend. see amend.

eminent. see imminent.

empathy; sympathy. Empathy = understanding . Sympathy = compassion sympathy for the displaced survivors>.

ensure. see assure.

equally. Avoid *equally as. Good usage dictates equally profitable, not *equally as profitable.

evoke; invoke. Evoke = to draw out . Invoke = to call on, esp. for authority or assistance .

explicit; implicit. Explicit = (1) unambiguous or (2) graphic, lurid . Implicit = (1) implied or (2) absolute .

farther; further. Farther = physically more distant . Further = more advanced .

faze; phase. Faze = to agitate . Phase = a stage of development .

fewer. see less.

first, second, third. So written—preferably not *firstly, *secondly, *thirdly.

flagrant. see blatant.

flair; flare. Flair = (1) an innate talent or (2) stylishness . Flare = a burst, as of light, activity, etc. .

flaunt; flout. Flaunt = to show off something . Flout = to openly disobey or disregard .

flounder; founder. Flounder = to struggle or thrash about . Founder = (1) to sink or (2) to fail .

forbear; forebear. Forbear = to refrain from an impulse . Forebear = an ancestor .

forgo; forego. Forgo = to do without . Forego = to precede .

formally; formerly. Formally = properly . Formerly = previously .

founder. see flounder.

further. see farther.

gibe; jibe. Gibe = a taunt or tease . Jibe = agree .

harass. So spelled.

horde; hoard. Horde = large group of people . Hoard = a cache, esp. of valuable things . As a verb, to hoard is to accumulate to an excessive degree.

i.e. See e.g.

if; whether. A fine but useful distinction: If = on the condition that. So, e.g., Let me know if you need a catalog means most rigorously not to call if you don’t want a catalog. Whether = which way you decide about. So Let me know whether you need a catalog means, again most rigorously, to please call either way.

illegible. see eligible.

illicit. see elicit.

illusion. see allusion.

imminent; eminent. Imminent = looming and inevitable . Eminent = prominent and respected .

impel. see compel.

implicit. see explicit.

imply; infer. Imply = to suggest something without saying it expressly . Infer = to read into .

in behalf of. See on behalf of.

incredulous. see credible.

infer. see imply.

ingenious; ingenuous. Ingenious = clever, skillful . Ingenuous = frank, innocent, free of ulterior motive .

in order to. Usually you can shorten this expression to to. Do so whenever you can with no loss in clarity.

insure. see assure.

invoke. see evoke.

irritate. see aggravate.

it’s; its. It’s = it is . Its = the possessive form of it .

jibe. see gibe.

just deserts (what one deserves) is so spelled—not *just desserts. Deserve and desert [pronounced /di-ZURT/] are related words.

lay > laid > laid. To lay is to put down or arrange .

lend; loan. Lend = to provide, to grant the temporary use of . Loan = a sum of money that has been lent . Though traditionally a noun, loan is also acceptable as a verb when the object is money .

less; fewer. Less = a smaller amount . Fewer = a smaller number .

lie > lay > lain. To lie is to recline .

like; as. Like precedes a noun or pronoun . As precedes a subject and verb .

loan. see lend.

loathe; loath. Loathe is the verb meaning “to abhor” . Loath is the adjective meaning “reluctant” .

loose; lose. Loose is an adjective meaning “not tight” or “not constrained” or a verb meaning “to free” . Lose, the verb , is often misspelled loose.

make do = to get by with . The phrase is often mistakenly rendered *make due.

marshal. Both the noun and the verb are so spelled.

may. see can.

mete out = to allocate. So rendered, not *meet out.

militate. see mitigate.

minuscule = tiny . So spelled, not *miniscule.

mitigate; militate. Mitigate = to make less harsh . Militate = to weight heavily in one direction .

mutual; common. Mutual = reciprocal . Common = shared .

nonplussed = frozen by surprise, perplexed .

number. see quantity.

obtain. see attain.

obtuse; abstruse. Obtuse = dull, dim-witted . Abstruse = obscure, arcane .

on behalf of; in behalf of. On behalf of = representing . In behalf of = in support of .

orient; *orientate. Orient = to get one’s bearings . *Orientate is an ostentatious variant to be avoided.

past; passed. Past is the noun , adjective , adverb , and preposition . Passed is the past tense and past participle of the verb pass .

peak; peek; pique. Peak = a high point, esp. a pointed one such as a mountaintop or a spike on a chart . Peek = a quick, furtive look . Pique = (1) indignation or (2) to arouse .

peddle; pedal. Peddle = to sell . Pedal = to operate a foot lever .

peek. see peak.

pejorative = having negative implications; tending to belittle. So spelled, not *perjorative.

pendant; pendent. Pendant = a piece of dangling jewelry . Pendent = pending, unsettled .

people. see persons.

percent. This word (meaning “by the hundred”) was formerly spelled as two words. Today it is one.

perquisite; prerequisite. Perquisite = a privilege or benefit, esp. one attached to a position; usually shortened to perk . Prerequisite = a necessary condition .

persecute; prosecute. Persecute = treat harshly, esp. as a group . Prosecute = pursue legal action .

personal; personnel. Personal = an adjective meaning “private, individual.” Personnel = a noun meaning “the whole group of persons employed in a business.”

persuade. see convince.

persons; people. In most contexts, the plural persons sounds stilted. Except for set phrases , reserve person for singular use and use people for the plural.

perspicuous; perspicacious. Perspicuous = lucid . Perspicacious = insightful, shrewd .

phase. see faze.

pique. see peak.

populace; populous. Populace = the inhabitants of a place, collectively . Populous = heavily populated .

pore; pour. To pore is to read intently . To pour is to make (a liquid) flow downward.

practical; practicable. Practical = pertaining to experience or actual use; adapted to useful action instead of to contemplation . Practicable = capable of being done or used .

precede; proceed. Precede = to occur before something else . *Preceed is a common misspelling. Proceed = (1) to start or (2) to continue .

precipitate; precipitous. Precipitate is most commonly a verb meaning “to cause suddenly or recklessly” . As an adjective, it means “sudden, rash, or violent” . Precipitous = steep .

prerequisite. see perquisite.

prescribe; proscribe. Prescribe = to direct a course of action . Proscribe = to forbid or outlaw .

presumptive; presumptuous. Presumptive = assumed to be . Presumptuous = arrogant, impudent .

preventive; *preventative. Preventive = intended to ward off harm . *Preventative is a corrupt form.

principal; principle. Principal = main, first . As a noun, it refers to the main person or, in finance, the original sum of money lent or invested . Principle = a belief, tenet, or law .

proceed. see precede.

prophesy; prophecy. Prophesy = to predict . Prophecy = the prediction .

proposition; proposal. Proposition = something that is offered for consideration . Proposal = a formal offer .

proscribe. see prescribe.

prosecute. see persecute.

prostrate; prostate. Prostrate = lying face down. Prostate = a gland in male mammals.

proved; proven. Proved = the long-preferred past participle of prove . An exception is the set phrase innocent until proven guilty. Proven is an adjective .

purpose. see intention.

quandary = state of confusion , not the cause of that confusion.

quantity; number. Quantity = an unspecified mass . Number = a collection of individually countable objects .

rack. see wrack.

rebut; refute. Rebut = to answer a charge or argument. Refute = to disprove a charge or argument.

reek; wreak. Reek = (1) to stink or (2) the bad odor . Wreak = to cause a specified type of harm .

refute. see rebut.

regrettable; regretful. Regrettable = unfortunate . Regretful = sorry about .

rein; reign. Rein = a bridle strap. Figuratively, the means of control . The homophone reign (= to rule over) is sometimes mistakenly used in those and similar idioms.

relegate; delegate. Relegate = to reassign to a lower position or task . Delegate = to entrust (a person) to act on one’s behalf .

reluctant. see reticent.

respectfully; respectively. Respectfully = in a polite manner . Respectively = in regular order .

reticent; reluctant. Reticent = taciturn, not open about one’s thought; reluctant to talk . Avoid using it as a substitute for being reluctant to act.

role; roll. Role (in the sense “a part in an organization, a movie, etc.”) and roll (in the sense “a list of participants, actors, etc.”) are often confounded.

sanction = (1) a penalty or (2) an endorsement .

species; specie. Species = a type of plant or animal. The word is both singular and plural. Specie = coined money.

stanch. see staunch.

stationary; stationery. Stationary = unmoving . Stationery = writing paper .

staunch; stanch. Staunch = loyal and devoted . Stanch = to stop or control the actual or figurative loss of liquid .

strait; straight. Strait = a tight spot . Straight often displaces strait in straitjacket and straitlaced.

strategy; tactics. Strategy = big-picture planning . Tactics = actions and techniques that support your strategy .

subsequent. see consequent.

supersede = to take the place of . The word is often misspelled *supercede.

sympathy. see empathy.

tactics. see strategy.

than. see then.

that; which. Use that to introduce a clause that’s essential to meaning (a restrictive clause), and don’t set it off with commas. If you write, “The departments that made their numbers last quarter received budget increases,” readers will infer that some departments didn’t receive increases. Use which with a clause that isn’t essential (a nonrestrictive clause). If you write, “The departments, which made their numbers last quarter, received budget increases,” you’re saying that all departments received increases. You can leave out a which clause set off by commas and still convey the gist of the sentence.

their. see there.

then; than. Then = at that time; in that case; therefore. Than expresses comparison .

there; their; they’re. There refers to direction or place ; their is the possessive of they ; and they’re is the contraction of they are .

torpid. see turgid.

toward; towards. Toward dominates in American English, towards in British English.

try and. Make it try to.

turgid; torpid. Turgid = (1) swollen , or (2) bombastic . Torpid = dormant or sluggish .

uninterested. see disinterested.

unique; unusual. Unique = one of a kind, unmatched . As an absolute term, unique should not take modifiers such as very. It is not a synonym of unusual.

use; utilize. Prefer the simple term.

venal; venial. Venal = corrupt, susceptible to bribery . Venial = pardonable .

veracity; voracity. Veracity = truthfulness . Voracity = gluttony .

verbiage = wordiness, not the words in a message. Excess verbiage is redundant. Avoid the misspelling *verbage.

vocation; avocation. Vocation = career . Avocation = (1) hobby or (2) second occupation .

voluminous. see compendious.

voracity. see veracity.

wangle. see wrangle.

whether. see if.

whether; whether or not. In most instances whether can stand alone: or not adds nothing. But when the sense is “regardless of whether,” the additional words are needed .

which. see that.

who’s; whose. Who’s = who is. Whose = the possessive form of who or whom.

whosever; whoever’s. Whosever is the standard possessive form of whoever. Whoever’s is a contraction for whoever is.

workers’ compensation. This gender-neutral phrase has replaced workmen’s compensation as standard.

wrack; rack. Wrack = (1) to destroy or (2) wreckage . Rack = to torture as on a rack .

wrangle; wangle. Wrangle = to argue noisily . Wangle = to obtain by manipulation .

wreak. see reek.

your; you’re. Your = possessive form of you. You’re = contraction of you are.

Desk References

Writing well is not just one skill but a combination of many—and it’s something you must constantly work at. In addition to this guide you might want to keep the following desk references handy.

The Basic Writer’s Bookshelf

✵ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. 5th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Har-court, 2011.

✵ Garner, Bryan A. Garner’s Dictionary of Modern American Usage. 3d ed. New York: Oxford, 2009.

✵ Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. 11th ed. Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, 2008.

✵ Roget’s Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases. George Davidson, ed. Avon, MA: Adams Media, 2011.

✵ Trimble, John R. Writing with Style. 3d ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson, 2010.

The Connoisseur’s Bookshelf

✵ Flesch, Rudolf. The Art of Plain Talk. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1946.

✵ Flesch, Rudolf. How to Write Plain English: A Book for Lawyers and Consumers. New York: Harper & Row, 1979.

✵ Fowler, H. W. A Dictionary of Modern English Usage. 2d ed. Edited by Ernest Gowers. New York: Oxford University Press, 1965.

✵ Garner, Bryan A. Legal Writing in Plain English. 2d ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2012.

✵ Gowers, Ernest. The Complete Plain Words. 3d ed. Edited by Sidney Greenbaum and Janet Whitcut. Boston: David R. Godine, 1986.

✵ Graves, Robert, and Alan Hodge. The Reader over Your Shoulder. 2d ed. London: Cape, 1947.

✵ Partridge, Eric. Usage and Abusage: A Guide to Good English. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1942.

✵ Strunk, William, and E. B. White. The Elements of Style. 4th ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 1999.

✵ Tufte, Edward R. Beautiful Evidence. Cheshire, Conn.: Graphics Press, 2006.

✵ Tufte, Edward R. Envisioning Information. Cheshire, Conn.: Graphics Press, 1990.

✵ Wallace, David Foster. Consider the Lobster. New York: Little, Brown & Co., 2005.

✵ Zinsser, William. On Writing Well. New York: HarperCollins, 30th Ann. ed., 2006.