Grammarian: All about (F)

Grammar: Which word to use (F)

https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-observer-style-guide-f

 

 

 

1.CORRECT USAGE

1.1. Similar words mean different things…

farther or further?

farther and farthest are the comparative and superlative of far as in distance (eg farther away, the farthest point north): “a few miles farther, and we will reach the farthest point”.

further and furthest are the comparative and superlative of far as in degree (eg further discussion, the candidate furthest to the left).

fatal or fateful?

fatal deadly; fateful momentous.

“The fateful game arrived. It was to prove fatal for Wednesday’s hopes of promotion.”

ferment or foment?

You ferment alcohol, but foment unrest.

fission or fusion?

In nuclear fission, the nucleus of an atom splits to produce two smaller elements often releasing free subatomic particles and energy.

In nuclear fusion, two or more atomic nuclei come together and combine.

flaunt or flout?

to flaunt is to make a display of something, as in flaunting wealth; to flout is to show disregard for something, as in flouting the seatbelt law.

“That’s it, baby, when you’ve got it, flaunt it, flaunt it!” [Max Bialystock in The Producers].

flotsam and jetsam

flotsam is cargo or wreckage found floating in the sea; jetsam (originally a variant of jettison) is stuff that has been thrown overboard. Used together to mean odds and ends.

flounder or founder?

to flounder is to perform a task badly, like someone stuck in mud; to founder is to fail: a business might be foundering because its bosses are floundering.

font or fount?

font receptacle for baptism, digital file (originally a foundry) that contains a typeface; fount of all knowledge and wisdom.

for all its worth or for what it’s worth?

for all its worth means for all (of) its worth (of is implied), as in for all (of) its value; for what it’s worth is a contraction of for all it is worth.

forbear or forebear?

forbear refrain; forebear ancestor: “I forbear from blaming my forebears for my family’s lack of ambition.”

forever or for ever?

forever continually; for ever for always.

“He is forever changing his mind, but I will love you for ever.”

formally or formerly?
formally in a formal manner; formerly in the past: “He formerly dressed formally, but now he’s a slob.”

1.2 Use the right word in context…

farrago

a hotchpotch or jumbled mixture; not synonymous with fiasco (a humiliating failure).

fetid

not foetid.

flak

not flack.

flammable

rather than inflammable (although, curiously, they mean the same thing); the negative is non-flammable.

forensic

is not a synonym for scientific. It derives from forum (Latin for court) and that is what it means: all evidence in court is forensic. A forensic scientist is one whose work is done for legal purposes (so a page 1 headline in which we referred to “new forensic evidence” should have said “new scientific evidence”). Forensic medicine means medical jurisprudence.

forgo, forwent, forgone

go without; past tense forwent, past participle forgone.

fortuitous

by chance, not by good fortune. The same football commentators who ruled that deflections must always be described as “wicked” also decided that fortunate or lucky does not sound as impressive as fortuitous.

If we use the word correctly, it is entirely fortuitous.

fulsome

excessively complimentary or flattering, to the extent that it sounds insincere; eg “fulsome praise that embarrassed her deeply.”

This sorely misused word is most often seen in the phrase “fulsome praise”, which should not be used in a complimentary sense!

2.SPELLINGS

2.1 To hyphenate (or not)?

YES

family-size

fun-size

fine-tooth comb

first-hand

flip-flops

foot-and-mouth disease

full-back (other positions: right-back, centre-back)

EXCEPTIONS

fast track (noun) BUT fast-track (verb)

filmgoer, film star BUT film-maker

follow up (verb) BUT follow-up (noun)

firs year (noun) BUT first-year (adj)

2.2 One word or two?

One word

facelift

factchecker, factchecking

fallout

fanbase / belt / club / mail

faraway (adj) BUT far away (adverb)

flatmate / share

flashmob

flexitime

flood water BUT rainwater

flypast (noun) BUT fly past (verb)

folklore / song

foodbank

foolproof

forklift truck

freefall

frontbench, frontline, frontman, frontrunner

frostbite, frostbitten

fundraiser, fundraising

Two words

fairy story BUT fairytale

first aid

free rein

french fries / horn / kiss / polish…etc

fund raising BUT fund-raising (adj), fund-raiser

2.3 Frequently misspelt

fascism, fascist NOT facism, facist

fillip NOT filip

fledgling NOT fledgeling

fluky NOT flukey

flyer NOT flier

foetus NOT fetus

fogey NOT fogy

fuchsia NOT fuschia

2.4 Change with form or plural

fungus, fungi (plural)

fresco, frescoes ( plural)

foresee, foreseeable

formula, formulas (plural) [note: formulae in a scientific context]

fulfil, fulfilling, fulfilment

2.5 Take note of capitals

[ic = initial capitals | lc = lowercase]

ic

Cheshire fire brigade

lc

field marshal

first world war

3.EXPRESSIONS

fit the bill 

NOT fill the bill

fed up with 

NOT fed up of

flagship

a flagship is a ship, a “flagship store” would be a store where one bought flagships, and a “flagship local authority” is a cliche

4.PUNCTUATION & STYLE

5.GRAMMAR