These misunderstandings and confusions about terminology permeated the entire organization, from senior management, right on down to the people who were doing the actual work. In fact, if you took the time to read through an array of corporate documents; from operational plans at the working level, to strategic plans at the overall corporate level, it was impossible to clearly align them due to the widespread misuse of key corporate terminology.

Because of this situation, when it came to developing the key statements and documents that were needed to manage the organization and communicate its priorities and plans, the right-hand most often didn’t know what the left-hand was doing.

Getting Everyone Onto The Same Page
Realizing the seriousness of this problem in our organization, the big boss asked me to conduct research into this subject and come up with a proposed “hierarchy of management terminology” that we could all buy into and use in a consistent fashion.

So, that’s exactly what I did. It took a few drafts and a lot of discussion between drafts, but eventually we did develop a set of “Guidelines for the Use of Standard Management Terminology” to be used by everyone in the organization. The guidelines we developed divided the key management terms into two overall categories: 1. Management Terms, and 2. Organizational Facilitators.

1. Management Terms
The six (6) key “management terms” included in this first group are all used to describe the priorities, activities and outputs of an organization. Theses terms are: vision, mission, objectives, goals, strategies and results.

2. Organizational Facilitators
The second group of terms is made up of five (5) “facilitators” which are actual tools or instruments used by an organization to implement the organizational imperatives that are specified by the hierarchy of management terms above. These management facilitators are: policies, guidelines, directives, procedures and standards.

Clear and consistent understanding and use of these types of terms is important wherever they are used, whether in a large corporation or a small entrepreneurial business.

For a more detailed discussion of these terms you can check out the link after this paragraph. There you will find the following additional information: short definitions for each term, links to individual pages for each term containing additional background, examples of how to use the term, and tips on how to write the statements or documents that utilize the management term being described.
http://www.writinghelp-central.com/business-terminology.html

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For example, on its own, the expression “bring up” is confusing and conjures up all sorts of possible meanings. However, in normal usage it means “to raise a point, issue, or subject”, or it can also mean to “get sick to one’s stomach”. It all depends on the specific context in which the expression is used.

Below are some common two-word verb phrases (starting with letters h to q), with examples:

hand (something) in
After that, please hand your homework in.

hand (something) out
I will hand the papers out at the end of class.

hang on
Fasten your seat belts and hang on to your hats!
I’m exhausted but I will try to hang on a while longer.

hang (something) up
Hang the picture up in the lounge please.

help out
After that, you can help out the others with their projects.

help (someone) out
Help Susan out with the registrations please.

keep on (doing something)
Once you get to the corner, keep on driving straight.
You can always keep on hoping for an improvement.

keep up (with someone or something)
Can you keep up with him for the first half of the race?
It’s hard to keep up with all of the changes.

leave (something) out
Watch out that you don’t leave the definitions out of the index.

look into (something)
You will need to look into the building’s history.

look (something) over
It’s important to look the contract over before signing it.

look (something) up
You can look Frank up when you get to Washington.

make (something) up
She will have to make a story up when the time comes.

pick (someone) up
Please pick Samantha up on your way to school.

pick (something) out
I will pick a suitable book out at the library.

play around
Are they going to get serious, or are they going to play around all day?

point (something) out
I had to point the exact location out for them.

put (something) away
Ali just put his tools away.

put (something) back
Are you planning to put the bicycle back where you got it?

put (something) off
I will have to put my appointment off for a few days.

put (something) on
He will put his mask on before the dive.

put (something) out
We put the garbage out every Friday morning.

put (something) together
Once you put all of the facts together you will understand.

put up (with someone or something)
Sometimes it’s not easy to put up with Hank’s disruptive behavior.

quiet down
They always quiet down when the show starts.

So, the above are some of the more common two-word verb phrases that begin with the letters – h through q. I will be completing this series in a later post.

In general terms:
Two-word intransitive verbs do not take direct objects. [Example: I help out whenever I can.]

Two-word transitive verbs with direct objects can have particles that are separable or inseparable. [Examples: Veronica put back the plans. Or, Veronica put the plans back.]

For more writing help articles, and practical examples, go to my main writing help website at:
http://www.writinghelp-central.com

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Nevertheless, just because you hear something on the radio or television, or you read it in a newspaper or magazine, doesn’t make it correct. This is especially true these days when journalists and writers copy and paste a good deal of their columns from facebook posts and twitter tweets. So what if Ozzie or Mabel, living goodness knows where, with goodness knows what education level, spouted their opinion on whatever subject online! Does that mean we should accept their grammar, phrasing and and/or spelling at face value? I don’t think so! Otherwise we would soon have total language anarchy.

Below I am listing about a dozen or so typical examples of “words” that I often see or hear that don’t qualify as correct or standard usage English grammar, regardless of who uses them.

decider
Some people may remember George Bush’s famous quote “I’m the decider!”. It’s not a word folks!
He should have said “I make the decisions.”, or “I’m the one who decides”.

funner
Slang term used to mean “more fun”. Poor form. Don’t use it!

impactful
Non-standard way to say “has impact”. Sounds too “jargony”. Avoid it.

irregardless
Redundant “ir”; and not a word. Use “regardless”.

labtop
Not a word! Some people use it incorrectly when they mean “laptop”; a computer that fits on one’s “lap”.

lotsa
Modern day slang contraction used online to mean “lots of”. Do not use in formal writing.

mandated
No such word. Someone decided, on their own, to turn the noun “mandate” into a verb.

nuculer
Again we can thank George Bush for this non-word. While he was in office he consistently used this mispronunciation of the word “nuclear”. To this day, I often hear people pronounce it incorrectly.

participator
Not a word. Use “participant”.

supposably
Non-word that is sometimes used incorrectly instead of “supposedly”.

stupider
Non-standard way to say “more stupid” or “dumber”. Avoid it.

undoubtably
Incorrect form of “undoubtedly”.

I DO UNDERSTAND that the English language is constantly growing and evolving. However, it’s not a total free-for-all out there folks! All I ask is that you at least wait until your “word” is listed as standard usage in major dictionaries before using it.

This is especially important if you want to be taken seriously in business or academic circles. You must be careful not to fall into the trap of using popular jargon just because you heard or saw someone else use it; especially when writing.

So, whenever you are about to use a particular word or term, and any doubt about it creeps into your mind, check it out first before using it. Nine times out of ten, when you check your dictionary or style manual, you will find that your initial gut feeling was right. Don’t embarrass yourself unnecessarily just because you didn’t check; especially in a professional situation.

IF YOU have any pet peeves about poor or incorrect word usage, please share those in the COMMENT BOX BELOW so I can add them to my list:

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This is the seventh installment. I will be adding to this list in alphabetical order in future posts to this blog. (See previous blog posts for Sept. and Oct. 2011, and Jan., Mar., May, Sept. 2012 for the first six).

precede, proceed
“Precede” means “to come before.” “Proceed” means “to go forward”.
Example:
Proceed with caution because you never know who may have preceded you.

principal, principle
“Principal” can be a noun or adjective and can mean different things in different contexts.
As a noun, it can mean “the head of a school” or “a sum of money”.
As an adjective, “principal” means “most important”.
On the other hand, “principle” is a noun that means “basic truth or law”.
Examples:
Mary Stone is the principal of our high school.
My monthly loan payment includes principal plus interest.
The main principle behind his argument is equality for all.

quote, quotation
“Quote” is a verb that means “to repeat” exactly what someone said.
“Quotation” is a noun that refers to “quotes” or means the statement of a “price”.
Examples:
To quote Shakespeare, “to be or not to be…”.
His quotations from Shakespeare were many and often.
Their price quotation was too high.

raise, rise
“Raise” means “to move, or cause to move upward”.
“Rise” means “to go up”.
Example:
If you raise the blind, you will see the sun rise.

real, really
“Real” is an adjective. “Really” is an adverb.
“Real” is sometimes used incorrectly as an adjective.
Example:
He was really [not real] excited about the game.

reason why
The expression “reason why” is redundant.
Example:
The reason [not reason why] we crashed is obvious.

relation, relationship
“Relation” describes a connection between things.
“Relationship” refers to a connection between people.
Example:
He studied the relation between income and intellect.
Their relationship soured after the company went broke.

==========
[sidebar]
I personally mix-up the above two all the time!
==========

respectfully, respectively
“Respectfully” means to “treat with respect”.
“Respectively” means “in the order specified”.
Examples:
She respectfully curtsied before the queen.
John, Tom and Fred were writer, artist, and musician, respectively.

sensual, sensuous
“Sensual” means “gratifying the senses”. “Sensuous” means “pleasing to the senses”.
Example:
The sensual music created a very sensuous atmosphere.

set, sit
“Set” means “to put” or “to place”.
“Sit” means “to be seated” or “to rest on”.
Examples:
He set the new chair in the corner of the room.
That’s where he will sit during the meeting.

Sidebar Comment:
Sometimes you can get away with these types of errors when speaking (i.e. people might assume they “misheard” you and/or will give you the benefit of the doubt), but if you make such mistakes when writing they are right there in “black and white” for everyone to see. This is an instant way to lose credibility and will immediately cast doubts on your overall capabilities.

For more writing help articles, and practical written examples, go to my main writing help website at:
http://www.writinghelp-central.com

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TOP FIVE BLOG POSTS – 2012

1. Avoid Redundant Words and Phrases
http://writinghelptools.com/blog/?p=279

2. Commonly Confused Words/Terms (4)
http://writinghelptools.com/blog/?p=290

3. Commonly Confused Words/Terms (3)
http://writinghelptools.com/blog/?p=272

4. Homonyms Can Be Confusing
http://writinghelptools.com/blog/?p=304

5. Two Word Verbs Can Be Tricky
http://writinghelptools.com/blog/?p=325

TOP FIVE WRITING RESOURCE PAGES – 2012

1. Personal Letter Format
http://writinghelp-central.com/personal-letter-format.html

2. Sample Business Letters
http://writinghelp-central.com/sample-letters-business.html

3. Sample Personal Letters
http://writinghelp-central.com/sample-letters-personal.html

4. Business Letter Format
http://writinghelp-central.com/business-letter-format.html

5. MLA Cover Page
http://writinghelp-central.com/mla-sample1.html

In addition to the above, for direct access to more than 380 additional writing help resource articles and templates, go to my main website at:
http://writinghelp-central.com

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I often see this same situation in letters and reports that I am asked to review and/or edit. Each phrase seems to be written as if it is independent of the one before and the one after; when in reality there is an actual sequential and/or logical flow.

When writing just about anything, it is essential that you use smooth and logical word transitions from one idea to the next. If you don’t, you will be sabotaging yourself by failing to make your point clearly.

Although your overall subject may be obvious, the words to describe it should be connected in some sort of logical sequence.

Consider the following three sentence example:

1. After the fire, the entire building had to be searched.

2. They started the search on the third floor.

3. It took three hours to complete the search.

Notice that the three separate statements are all valid sentences. They convey the bare essential facts of a situation, but nothing more. Now, just imagine that you read those statements in the newspaper or heard them on the radio or TV news. As they are stated, they tend to raise more questions than they answer. For example:

- Why was the building being searched?
- Who conducted the search?
- Was it a serious incident?
- Had it ever happened before?
- Why did they start on the third floor?
- What about the first two floors?
- Is three hours a long time for that?
- How long does it usually take?

These are all logical (and obvious) questions that the average person might ask when reading a paragraph made up of the three sentences above.

Now, let’s transform these three statements, using transition phrases, as follows:

“UNLIKE a minor incident that occurred after-hours at the same business last year, this time it was during working hours, so firefighters had to search the entire building for possible occupants. BECAUSE the first two floors had already been evacuated and were still smoking, they started on the third, working upwards to the tenth, covering the first two floors last. CONSEQUENTLY, it took them a full three hours before they could sound the all-clear. NORMALLY, this would have taken about one hour to complete, but they were hindered by thick black smoke that had filled the entire building.”

Notice the use of the transition words: UNLIKE, BECAUSE, CONSEQUENTLY and NORMALLY. Using these four words has allowed us to easily connect the three independent sentences and give them a sense of chronological order and logical flow. They also allow us to answer ALL of the obvious questions, either with the transition word itself, or by adding a couple more words.

In short, transition words/phrases have turned three dry independent phrases into a little story that makes sense to the reader.

These types of words/phrases are ideal for allowing one to easily connect thoughts, and create logical sequences between sentences and paragraphs. They are usually inserted at the beginning of a sentence and normally refer directly back to the previous sentence and/or paragraph without repeating the specific subject.

To see a list of typical transition words and phrases, with examples of their use, click on the following:
http://www.writinghelp-central.com/transition-words.html

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Below is a list of common two-word verb phrases (starting with letters a to g), with examples:

ask (someone) out
Are you going to ask Angela out?

break down
We are going to break down the project costs.

bring (something, or someone) up
I plan to bring that issue up at the meeting.
Are you going to bring John up at the hearing?

burn (something) down
They are going to burn the barn down. (also… burn down the barn.).

burn down
It will burn down if they don’t fire-proof it.

burn (something) up
He burned the papers up. (also… burned up the papers).

burn up
They will burn up if they remain in the sun.

call (something) off
I’m going to call the meeting off. (also…. call off the meeting.).

call (someone) up
She will call him up after dinner.

clean (something) up
I will clean this mess up after work. (also… clean up this mess…).

come across
If you ever come across him please let me know.

cut (something) up
The chef cut the fish up into pieces. (also … cut up the fish…).

do (something) over
He was asked to do the task over.

drop in (on someone)
I might drop in on him when I’m in the area.

drop (something or someone) off
Please drop the plans off tonight (also … drop off the plans…).
Can you drop Aaron off after the show?

drop out (of something)
I think I will have to drop out of the class.

fill (something) up
Fill the tank up with gas please. (also… Fill up the tank…

fill (something) out
Please fill the application out. (also… fill out the application.).

get up
I plan to get up at 5:00 a.m.

give (something) away
Give the coupon away as a bonus. (also… give away the coupon…).

give (something) back
He will give the tools back on the weekend. (also… give back the tools…).

give in
If you give in now, it will be over.

give up
To give up is to fail.

go out (with someone)
Will you go out with Samantha tonight?

go over (something)
I suggest you go over the statement one last time.

grow up
When they grow up they will be eligible to vote.

Those listed above are some of the more common two-word verb phrases beginning with the letters – a to g. I will be completing this series in a later post.

In general terms:

Two-word intransitive verbs do not take direct objects. [Example: I got up at sunrise.]

Two-word transitive verbs with direct objects can have particles that are separable or inseparable. [Examples: Jackson called the meeting off. Or, Jackson called off the meeting.]

For more writing help articles, and practical examples, go to my main writing help website at:
http://writinghelp-central.com

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This is the sixth installment. I will be adding to this list in alphabetical order in future posts to this blog. (See blog posts for Sept. and Oct. 2011, and Jan., March and May, 2012 for the first five).

most
“Most” does NOT mean “almost”. Do not use it for that.
Example:
Almost [NOT most] everyone went to the show last night.

myself
“Myself” is a reflexive or intensive pronoun.
Examples:
I hurt myself [reflexive]. I drove myself [intensive].
She gave the books to Francis and me [NOT myself].

nowheres
“Nowheres” is non-standard. Use “nowhere” instead.
Example:
We went nowhere last night [NOT "nowheres"].

number, amount
Use “number” with quantities that can be counted.
Use “amount” for quantities that cannot be counted.
Example:
That’s a large amount of money, but the number of sales was low.

OK, ok, okay
All three spellings are acceptable. Avoid them in formal speech and writing.

parameters
“Parameters” is a mathematical term that refers to values of variables.
Use “limits” or “guidelines” instead.
Example:
He had to work within certain limits [NOT parameters].

passed, past
“Passed” is the past tense of the verb “pass”. “Past”
refers to a previous point in time.
Example:
In the past, Frank had always passed his biology exams.

percent, per cent, percentage
“Percent” or “per cent” are always used with a specific number.
“Percentage” is always used with a descriptive term such as large or small.
Example:
He received 15 percent [or per cent] of the votes, a small percentage of the total.

phenomena, phenomenon
“Phenomena” is the plural of “phenomenon”, which is defined as a fact or occurrence that is perceived.
Example:
Strange phenomena occur around here all the time, but last night’s phenomenon was the weirdest so far.

practice, practise
“practice” is a noun that refers to “a way of doing things”.
“Practise” is a verb.
Example:
He wanted to practise his song, but the practice was canceled.

Sidebar Comment:
Sometimes you can get away with these types of errors when speaking (i.e. people might assume they “misheard” you and/or will give you the benefit of the doubt), but if you make such mistakes when writing they are right there in “black and white” for everyone to see. This is an instant way to lose credibility and will immediately cast doubts on your overall capabilities.

For more writing help articles, and practical written examples, go to my main writing help website at:
http://www.writinghelp-central.com

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In fact, because most people (and businesses) these days are well aware that automatic spell checking software exists and is readily available, it looks even worse if your written work and/or correspondence have obvious spelling and grammar mistakes. Allow this to happen and, at best, you will look sloppy and/or lazy.

Although most words can be spelled correctly by carefully sounding them out phonetically, as always in the English language there are numerous exceptions. Even if you use a spell checker program, you should still do a final review on your own, because auto spell checkers cannot catch everything since they can’t always understand the context.

For example: “Butt fore the forth of July parade, all fourty of us would have been their in the forenoon.”

There are at least five spelling/grammatical errors in the foregoing sentence. My MS-Word spell checker picked up one error only! (“fourty”).

The link below goes to a page where I have compiled a list of the correct spellings of more than 150 commonly misspelled words in English:
http://www.writinghelp-central.com/misspelled-words.html

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For example, let’s look at a few common homonyms and see how their misuse could cause confusion:

assent (agree) vs. ascent (climb)
We need your assent on this disclaimer form before you begin your ascent up the mountain.

elicit (to draw out, evoke response) vs. illicit (illegal, unlawful)
The police were trying to elicit information from witnesses as to the location of the illicit drugs.

faze (disconcerted, perturbed, upset) vs. phase (stage in process)
He wasn’t fazed during the final phase of the competition.

lose (to be deprived of) vs. loose (not restrained, not tight, not attached to anything)
You are sure to lose the race if the chain on your bike is too loose.
[Sidebar: I see these two terms confused on a regular basis].

ordinance (lay, order, decree) vs. ordnance (military weapons)
The government issued an ordinance regarding the use of ordnances during the armistice parade.

As you can see from the above, if you switched the places of the homonyms in any of the sample sentences, the phrase would become meaningless and/or ridiculous.

For example, looking at the last sample sentence; can you imagine the government issuing weapons and explosives to deal with regulations governing the armistice parade? Doesn’t make sense right? But since the two words are almost the same, you have to be careful to not mix them up. In some cases, it is quite easy to unintentionally completely change the meaning of something, or render it completely unintelligible.

On my website I have posted a list of 50 or so of the more common homonym pairs with definitions. You are welcome to check them out at the following link:
http://www.writinghelp-central.com/homonym-words.html

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