Grammarian: All about (G)
Grammar: Which word to use (G)
https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-observer-style-guide-g
1.CORRECT USAGE
1.1. Similar words mean different things…
gaff or gaffe?
gaff hook or spar, also slang for house; gaffe blunder
“To blow the gaff” means to give away a secret.
giro or gyro?
giro banking; gyro navigation aid
grill or grille?
grill on an oven; grille on a car or a gate
grisly or grizzly?
grisly gruesome; grizzly bear
grownup or grown up?
grownup (noun), grown up (verb):
“You become a grownup when you have grown up”
1.2 Use the right word in context…
Gb
Gb gigabits; GB gigabytes [note: a byte is 8 times bigger than a bit]
geriatrics
branch of medicine dealing with elderly people, not an amusing way to describe them in an attempt to make yourself sound cool
2.SPELLINGS
2.1 To hyphenate (or not)?
YES
gang-rape
great-aunt, great-grandfather, great-great-grandmother, etc
EXCEPTIONS
go-slow (noun) BUT go slow (verb)
2.2 One word or two?
One word
gamechanger, gamechanging
gameplan, gameshow
gatecrash
geoengineering
giantkiller, giantkilling
giveaway
goalline, goalpost
godchild, godfather, godmother, godparents, godson, goddaughter BUT God particle
goodbye
goodnight BUT “ good-night kiss”(adj)
goodwill BUT “good-will ambassador” (adj)
grassroots
groundbreaking
Two words
groundwater, rainwater BUT flood water, flood waters, drinking water
2.3 Frequently misspelt
gaffer tape NOT gaffa tape
garotte NOT garrotte or garrote
Giuseppe NOT Guiseppe
gobbledegook NOT gobbledygook
gram NOT gramme; eg kilogram, microgram etc
gravadlax NOT gravlax
guttural NOT gutteral
2.4 Change with form or plural
gases (plural of gas) BUT the verb is gasses
ghetto BUT ghettoes (plural)
glamour BUT glamorous
girlie noun (only when quoting someone); girly adjective (eg girly clothes); girlish behaviour
goody bag, goody-goody, oh goody! BUT goodies
graffito (singular) BUT graffiti (plural)
grandad BUT granddaughter
grand prix BUT grands prix (plural)
guerrilla
gymnasium BUT gymnasiums (plural)
2.5 Take note of capitals
[ic = initial capitals | lc = lowercase]ic
distinct areas: Black Country, East Anglia, Lake District, Midlands, Peak District, Potteries, West Country, etc; BUT areas defined by compass points are lc: the north, the south-east, the south-west, etc
General Medical Council
Google takes initial cap, even when used as a verb (“I Googled myself”)
races cap up individual races, eg British Grand Prix
lc
general election
3. EXPRESSIONS
gambit
an opening strategy that involves some sacrifice or concession; so to talk of an opening gambit is tautologous – an opening ploy might be better
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