«So», should be used sparingly to modify an adjective: e.g., _I feel so unhappy_. It should not be used for _so that_: e.g., _I wrote him so_ [that] _he understood_
«So . . . as», is required, rather than the correlatives _as . . . as_ in negative statements: e.g., _James is not as_ [so] _clever as John_
«Some», should not be used for _somewhat_: e.g., _The patient is some_[what] _better_
«Some place», should be written _somewhere_
«Sort of», should not be used for _rather_: e.g., _I feel sort of tired_ is incorrect. See also «Kind of»
«Splendid», should not be used for _fine_ or _skilful_. It implies “splendor”
«Start», should not be used for _begin_: e.g., _He started_ [began] _to speak_
«Stop», should not be used for _stay_: e.g., _I am stopping_ [staying] _with my uncle while in San Francisco_
«Take», is superfluous in connection with other verbs: e.g., _Suppose we [take and] use the drawings we have_. It should not be confused with _bring_: e.g., _I will bring_ [take] _it home with me_; _I will take_ [bring] _the book to you tomorrow_ { 112}
«Take stock in», is a slang expression not recognized by good usage. Say _rely on_ or _trust in_
TENSE: errors are often made by neglecting the principle that the time of the recorded action in the subordinate portion of a sentence is relative to the time of the principal clause. The tense of the dependent verb, therefore, is determined by its relation to the verb on which it depends: e.g., _I meant to have done it_ should be _I meant to do it_; _He expected to have told him_ should be _He expected to tell him_. A common mistake is made in replying to formal invitations: e.g., _Mr. Robert Gorham regrets that a previous engagement will prevent_ [prevents] _him from accepting_; _Mr. Gorham will be_ [is] _happy to accept_
«Them», is often misused for _they_: e.g., _It is them_ [they]
«This», should not be used as an adverb. Say, _Thus much is clear_ rather than _This much is clear_, and _Having said thus much_ [or _as much as this_] . . . rather than _Having said this much_ . . .
«Through», should not be used for _finished_. Say, _He has finished speaking_ rather than _He is through speaking_
«Too», alone should not modify a past participle: e.g., _He was too_ [much] _excited to reply_