c14.1. a, an
Use a before words beginning with consonant sounds, including those
spelled with an initial, pronounced "h" and those spelled with
vowels that are sounded as consonant: a historian, a one-o'clock class,
a university. Use an before words that begin with vowel sounds,
including those spelled with an initial, silent h: an orgy, an L, an
honor. When you use an abbreviation or acronym in writing, the article
that precedes it depends on how the abbreviation is to be read: She was
once an HEW undersecretary. (HEW is to be read as three letters,
not as a word or as Health, Education and Welfare.) Many Americans opposed
a SALT treaty. (Salt is to be read as one word, salt, not as for
separate letters.) .) Other examples: a Ph.D., a B.A. degree, a master's degree, but an M.B.A.
c14.2. affect, effect
Affect most often used as a verb, meaning to produce an effect upon;
Effect most often used as a noun, meaning the result of an action.
c14.3. anytime, any time
Think of anytime as a contraction of "at any time." If the three-word version makes sense in a sentence, use anytime. If it doesn't, use any time. Examples: "Start the project anytime" is the same as "Start the project at any time." But you can't write "I won't be able to give you at any time this week," so write "I won't be able to give you any time this week."
c14.4. avert, avoid, evade
Avert means to turn away from and usually implies either urgency or a physical act (as in averting one's eyes). Avoid means to keep away from and is usually the verb to use. Evade means to dodge and again implies a physical act. E.g.: Disaster at a nuclear power plant could be averted only by getting the graphite rods to work just before meltdown. Disaster at a nuclear power plant could be evaded only by running to your car and getting out of there as fast as possible. You could avoid a nuclear power plant disaster with the graphite rods, but you could also avoid it simply by following safety rules. (You wouldn't avoid disaster by driving away, although you would avoid injury.)
c14.5. cite, sight, site
Cite is a verb meaning to quote. Sight is a noun referring to the power of seeing. Site is a noun referring to a specific location. One could use the sense of sight to read a Walt Whitman poem and then cite a particular line from the poem at the site where Whitman wrote it.
c14.6. compose, comprise
Compose means to create or put together (Barry Manilow composes beautiful songs), or to make up (The Patriot League is composed of seven colleges). Comprise means to include or contain (The Patriot League comprises seven colleges). Use comprise only in active voice with an object. (Note that the passive voice use of compose and the active voice use of comprise do the same thing.)
c14.7. discreet, discrete
Discreet means prudent or discerning. Discrete means separate and distinct. One might be discreet about publicizing details about one's private life, or one might choose discrete elements of that life to be blasted all over the Enquirer.
c14.8. disk, disc
Use disk to refer to computer disk or hard disk but disc to refer to compact disk (CD's).
c14.9. fewer, less
Fewer should be used when referring to individual items; less should be used when referring to physical quantity or volume. Cookie Monster left fewer than 10 Oreos in the bag, and it took him less than five minutes to eat all the rest.
c14.10. like, such as
When giving an example of something, use such as, to indicate that the example is a representative of the thing mentioned, and use like to compare the example to the thing mentioned: Steve has recordings of many great saxophonists such as Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins, and Lee Konitz. Steve wants to be a great jazz saxophonist like Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins, and Lee Konitz. Most writers prefer to keep such and as together: Steve admires saxophonists such as..., rather than Steve admires such saxophonists as...
c14.11. media (sing.), media (plural)
Media is a collective singular when it is used to mean
"the industry of mass communication" (used to be "the press"
but now includes radio and television as well). For example: The media has
been invited to the space shuttle launch.
Media is plural when it refers to artistic techniques or means
of expression. For example: Various media are on display at the Williams
Center oil and watercolor exhibition.
c14.12. more than, over
More than should be used with numbers; over should be used in spatial relationships: The Concorde was traveling more than 1200 mph as it passed over Exeter. Exception: Over is acceptable when used in reference to age: It was hard to believe he was over 29 years old.
c14.13. premier, premiere
Premier as a noun means ruler or prime minister. As an adjective it means first in position or rank. Premiere as a noun means first performance or exhibition, as an adjective it means outstanding or chief, as a verb it means to have first performance. Examples: Lafayette is a premier liberal arts college. The choir premieres a commissioned piece tonight.