Common_Errors_in_English_usage

See "could of/should of/would of."
MUTE POINT/MOOT POINT
"Moot" is a very old word related to "meeting," specifically a meeting
where serious matters are discussed. Oddly enough, a moot point can be a
point worth discussing at a meeting (or in court)­­an unresolved
question­­or it can be the opposite: a point already settled and not
worth discussing further. At any rate, "mute point" is simply wrong, as
is the less common "mood point."
MYRIAD OF/MYRIAD
Some traditionalists object to the word "of" after "myriad" or an "a"
before, though both are fairly common in formal writing. The word is
originally Greek, meaning 10,000, but now usually means "a great many."
Its main function is as a noun, and the adjective derived from it shows
its origins by being reluctant to behave like other nouns expressing
amount, like "ton" as in "I've got a ton of work to do." In contrast: "I
have myriad tasks to complete at work."
N'/'N'
In your restaurant's ad for "Big 'n' Juicy Burgers," remember that the
apostrophes substitute for both omitted letters in "and"­­the A and the
D­­so strictly speaking it's not enough to use just one, as in "Big n'
Juicy."
By so doing, you'll improve on the usage of McDonald's, which has
actually created the registered trademark "Big N' Tasty.'
NAME, PRONOUN
In old English ballads, it is common to follow the name of someone with
a pronoun referring to the same person. For instance: "Sweet William, he
died the morrow." The extra syllable "he" helps fill out the rhythm of
the line.
Though this pattern is rare in written prose it is fairly common in
speech. If you say things like "Nancy, she writes for the local paper";
people are less likely to think your speech poetic than they are to
think you've made a verbal stumble. Leave out the "she."
The same pattern applies to common nouns followed by pronouns as in "the
cops, they've set up a speed trap" (should be "the cops have set up a
speed trap").
NAUSEATED/NAUSEOUS
Many people say, when sick to their stomachs, that they feel "nauseous"
(pronounced "NOSH­uss" or "NOZH­uss") but traditionalists insist that
this word should be used to describe something that makes you want to
throw up: something nauseating. They hear you as saying that you make