G.1: Write the phrase you misused and the rule.

Do not write just “G” or “Glossary.”

facet

Often used vaguely, like “aspect.” “Facet” literally means one of the plane surfaces of a cut gem. When you use it metaphorically, you imply that there are several things in the same category. In the first sentence below, the things listed have little in common.

VAGUE: War has many facets, like strategy, politics, leadership, weapons, and economics.

CLEAR: The pleasant facets of Mrs. Turpin’s character—piety, cheer, and false modesty—do not deceive Mary Grace, who recognizes her pride.

the fact that

A sentence-worsening phrase. Define your ideas more precisely.

VAGUE: The fact that I am not in the NBA is due to the fact that I am slow, clumsy, and short.

BETTER: I am too slow, clumsy and short to play in the NBA.

faculty

Do not misuse “faculty” for “teachers” or “professors.” “Faculty” is not a count noun, and it is not plural. It is a collective noun meaning “teaching staff” as opposed to administration, office staff, maintenance staff, etc. A teacher is neither “faculty” nor “a faculty,” but rather “a teacher” and “a member of the faculty.” You can make the word plural and say “the Harvard and Yale faculties,” but you mean two groups. Saying that a committee consists of “three faculty” is like saying it consists of “three administration and two student body.”

WRONG: The article quotes several faculty.

RIGHT: The article quotes several teachers.

farther, further

Three flaws are common.

1. Avoid confusing “farther” and “further.” “Farther” refers literally to physical distances; “further” is figurative.

LITERAL: She threw the discus farther than I.

FIGURATIVE: My sneakers, I fear, are of no further use.

2. The Keables Guide recommends that you avoid using “further” as a verb.

VAGUE: He uses evidence to further his argument.

VAGUE: Improved telescopes have furthered the discoveries of early astronomers.

You cannot “nearer” an argument or “closer” a discovery. Find a better verb, like “support” or “promote.”

CLEARER: He uses evidence to strengthen his argument.

CLEARER: Improved telescopes have advanced the discoveries of early astronomers.

If we do not let adverbs be adverbs, we will end up saying, “My coach told me to often my practice.”

3. Used as a transitional adverb, “further” is usually unnecessary and often redundant.

UNNECESSARY: Mom told me to wake up. She further told me to go to school.

REDUNDANT: Mom told me to wake up. In addition, she also further told me to go to school.

BETTER: Mom told me to wake up and go to school.

few, less, little

“Few” refers to count nouns, “less” and “little” to mass nouns.

WRONG: I have less friends than you.

RIGHT: I have fewer friends than you.

WRONG: He has the least friends of all.

RIGHT: He has the fewest friends of all.

WRONG: I have few or little friends.

RIGHT: I have few or no friends.

fiancé, fiancée

Words borrowed from French. The first is male, the second female.

find out

Usually the “out” is unnecessary. Use “find that,” “realize” or “discover” instead.

UNNECESSARY: I found out the class is hard.

SIMPLER: I found that the class is hard.

UNNECESSARY: He finds out the truth too late.

SIMPLER: He realizes the truth too late.

firstly, lastly

Nonstandard versions of “last” and “first,” which can be adverbs as well as adjectives. The Keables Guide recommends finding stronger transitions.

WRONG: Firstly, religious conflict drove the sides to war.

RIGHT BUT WEAK TRANSITION: First, religious conflict drove the sides to war.

BETTER: The most important cause of war was religious conflict.

flow, flowing

Meaningless in writing about poetry.

Meaningless: The long, highly punctuated lines give the poem a flowing feel.

Meaningless: Since the lines are short and unpunctuated, the poem flows quickly and smoothly.

flowery language

A phrase to avoid in writing about literature. At best, it shows that the writer lacks the vocabulary to discuss diction. At worst, it implies a condescending attitude toward the literary work. If the style of a story or poem seems adorned or ornate (as opposed to plain), analyze it more precisely and try to explain what the writer is doing:

AWKWARD: Juliet uses a lot of flowery language to talk about Romeo.

BETTER: Carried away with passion, Juliet describes Romeo using extravagant hyperboles.

focus

An overused metaphor that is usually vague. A word that originally meant “to make clearer” has become an unclear substitute for precise language.

MEANINGLESS: The focus of the Cold War was nuclear arms.

MEANINGLESS: When asked what the winless team must do to improve, the expert commentator shrewdly observed, “They need to focus on improving their focus.”

Unless you are talking about cameras or other optical devices, the Keables Guide recommends finding a more precise way of expressing your meaning.

foreshadow, foreshadowing

Beware of three errors.

1. “Foreshadow” is always a verb. For a noun, use “foreshadowing.”

WRONG: The author uses a foreshadow of the outcome.

RIGHT: The author uses foreshadowing of the outcome.

The correct idiomatic usage is “foreshadowing of.”

WRONG: The opening scene proves to be a foreshadowing to the conclusion.

RIGHT: The opening scene proves to be a foreshadowing of the conclusion.

2. The term is not used primarily for an explicit prediction of something that happens later.

WRONG: The Prologue says, “A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life,” foreshadowing the death of Romeo and Juliet.

Foreshadowing is a plot device used to provide retrospective justification of an unexpected outcome. Readers are most likely to encounter it in a longer work that is well-plotted. It is common in genres that aim at surprise endings, such as detective stories. The following example is from Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird:

RIGHT: In the climactic scene, Boo Radley comes out of nowhere to rescue the children. His sudden appearance surprises readers, but it has been foreshadowed by hints that he has been watching them all along and looking out for their welfare.

3. The term is usually incorrect in analysis of poetry. Foreshadowing is an element of plot, and plot exists only in narrative and plays.

WRONG: The word “love” in the first stanza foreshadows its use in the last line.

RIGHT: The word “love” in the last line echoes its use in the first stanza.

Foreshadowing is possible in a narrative poem with a complex plot.

fun

Not an adjective. Substitute a word like “lively,” “amusing,” “delightful” or “entertaining.”

WRONG: Art is a fun class.

RIGHT (noun): I have fun in Art.

RIGHT: Art is an enjoyable class.