"After this, it need scarcely be added that, grammatically, no one can make a mistake, that there can be no grammatical mistake, that there can be no bad grammar, and, consequently, no bad English; a very pleasant conclusion, which would save us a great amount of trouble if it did not lack the insignificant quality of being true."--"Vulgarisms and Other Errors of Speech."
GRATUITOUS. There are those who object to the use of this word in the sense of unfounded, unwarranted, unreasonable, untrue. Its use in this sense, however, has the sanction of abundant authority. "Weak and _gratuitous_ conjectures."--Porson. "A _gratuitous_ assumption."--Godwin. "The _gratuitous_ theory."--Southey. "A _gratuitous_ invention."--De Quincey. "But it is needless to dwell on the improbability of a hypothesis which has been shown to be altogether _gratuitous_."--Dr. Newman.
GROW. This verb originally meant to increase in size, but has normally come to be also used to express a change from one state or condition to another; as, to _grow_ dark, to _grow_ weak or strong, to _grow_ faint, etc. But it is doubtful whether what is large can properly be said to _grow_ small. In this sense, _become_ would seem to be the better word.
HAD HAVE. Nothing could be more incorrect than the bringing together of these two auxiliary verbs in this manner; and yet we occasionally find it in writers of repute. Instead of "Had I known it," "Had you seen it," "Had we been there," we hear, "Had I _have_ known it," "Had you _have_ seen it," "Had we _have_ been there."
HAD OUGHT. This is a vulgarism of the worst description, yet we hear people, who would be highly indignant if any one should intimate that they were not ladies and gentlemen, say, "He _had_ ought to go." A fitting reply would be, "Yes, I think he better had." _Ought_ says all that _had ought_ says.
HAD RATHER. This expression and _had better_ are much used, but, in the opinion of many, are indefensible. We hear them in such sentences as, "I _had_ rather not do it," "You _had_ better go home." "Now, what tense," it is asked, "is _had do_ and _had go_?" If we transpose the words thus, "You _had do_ better (to) go home," it becomes at once apparent, it is asserted, that the proper word to use in connection with _rather_ and _better_ is not _had_, but _would_; thus, "I _would_ rather not do it," "You _would_ better go home." Examples of this use of _had_ can be found in the writings of our best authors. For what Professor Bain has to say on this subject in his "Composition Grammar," see SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.