Among, Between
Generally choose between, not among, to indicate a relationship between two things.
Incorrect: The differences among women and men have long been debated.
Correct: The differences between women and men have long been debated.
Use among if more than two items are discussed.
Incorrect: She had to choose between three options.
Correct: She had to choose among three options.
You may, however, use between in referring to three or more people or things if each is considered singly and separately.
Correct: Tensions between Canada, Mexico, and the United States eased following the implementation of the NAFTA agreement.
When using between to relate two words, be sure to connect them with and, rather than or or to.
Incorrect: I can’t decide between the red hat or the white one.
Correct: I can’t decide between the red hat and the white one.
Incorrect: The ticket prices range between $5 to $25.
Correct: The ticket prices range between $5 and $25.
Amount, Number
Use number of with a noun that describes something that can be separated into countable parts.
Incorrect: He had a large amount of suits in his closet.
Correct: He had a large number of suits in his closet.
Because you can count individual suits, number of is the correct choice in this example.
Use amount of with a mass noun that represents something that cannot be counted.
Incorrect: What number of water do we need?
Correct: What amount of water do we need?
As, Like
In formal writing, you should avoid using the word like as a conjunction. In its place, you can substitute as, as if, or as though.
Incorrect: Susie sat quietly like she was told to do.
Correct: Susie sat quietly as she was told to do.
Incorrect: He ran like he was on fire.
Correct: He ran as though he were on fire.
Bad, Badly
When choosing between bad and badly, remember that bad is an adjective and badly is an adverb.
To modify a noun, you should therefore use bad.
Incorrect: A badly time was had by all.
Correct: A bad time was had by all.
To modify a verb, you should use badly.
Incorrect: The car runs bad.
Correct: The car runs badly.
Bad and badly are most often confused when they follow linking verbs (e.g., be, seem, and appear) and verbs that describe sensory experience (e.g., look, seem, feel, sound, and taste). A modifier after one of these verbs refers not to the verb, but to the subject; therefore, in these cases, the adjective bad is the correct choice.
Incorrect: He looked badly in his three-piece suit.
Correct: He looked bad in his three-piece suit.
Some usage guides include a rule that the word ill should be used after feel, seem, or look if the meaning is 'in poor health.' Although there is no universal agreement on this subject, it is often a good rule to follow.
Less correct: Mike was sent home by the school nurse because he felt bad.
Better: Mike was sent home by the school nurse because he felt ill.
Can, May, Might
In speech and informal writing, the words can and may are often used interchangeably. In formal writing, however, you should use can to indicate the capacity to do something and may to express permission or possibility.
I can play the piano. [means “I am able to play the piano.”]
I may play the piano. [means “I am allowed to play the piano” or “I will possibly play the piano.”]
Use may, not can, when making a request.
Incorrect: Can I borrow $20.
Correct: May I borrow $20.
Might is the past tense of may. Be sure to use it instead of may to express an action that occurred in the past.
Incorrect: If they had seen the red light, they may have stopped.
Correct: If they had seen the red light, they might have stopped.
Different From, Different Than
To compare two items, you should use the phrase different from, not different than.
Incorrect: Mary was very different than his first wife.
Correct: Mary was very different from his first wife.
Make sure that the items compared are parallel in structure.
Incorrect: Actors in Los Angeles are different from New York.
Correct: Actors in Los Angeles are different from those in New York.
Either, Neither
Either means “one or the other” of two things. When referring to any one of more than two items, use any instead.
Either of the two options is acceptable.
But: Any of the four options are acceptable.
Neither and none have a similar relationship. Neither means “not one or the other” of two things. None means “not any” of more than two items.
Neither of the two mountain climbers survived.
But: None of the five mountain climbers survived.
When you use either or neither as a conjunction, always pair either with or and neither with nor.
Incorrect: Neither Jeremy or Maria knew the answer.
Correct: Neither Jeremy nor Maria knew the answer.
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