
unlikely that no one would come to the
concert.
Does Mr Brown think that the concert
will be popular or not?
Rewrite as either:
Mr Brown was certain the concert would
be well attended.
Or: Mr Brown feared that no one would
come to the concert.
doubling rule See
ADDING ENDINGS (i) and (iv).
doubt (not dout)
The word is derived from the Latin word
dubitare, to doubt. It may help you to
remember why the silent b is there.
Down’s Syndrome (not Downe’s)
downstairs (one word)
draft or draught? A DRAFT is a first or subsequent attempt
at a piece of written work before it is
finished.
A DRAUGHT is a current of cool air in a
room.
One also refers to a DRAUGHT of ale, a
game of DRAUGHTS and a boat having a
shallow DRAUGHT.
drawers or draws? DRAWS is a verb.
She DRAWS very well for a young child.
DRAWERS is a noun.
The DRAWERS of the sideboard are very
stiff.


you may wish to do so too in a formal
context.
duel See
DUAL OR DUEL?.
duly (not duely)
This is an exception to the magic -e rule.
See
ADDING ENDINGS (ii).
dutchess Wrong spelling. See
DUCHESS.
dwelled/dwelt Both spellings are correct.
DRUNKENNESS
64
dyeing or dying? DYEING comes from the verb to dye.
She was DYEING all her vests green.
DYING comes from the verb to die.
She cursed him with her DYING breath.
DYEING OR DYING?
65
E
earnest or Ernest? EARNEST = serious and sincere
ERNEST = masculine first name
echo (singular) echoes (plural)
See
PLURALS (iv).
economic or ECONOMIC = related to the economy of
economical? the country, or industry or business
ECONOMICAL = thrifty, avoiding
extravagance
ecstasy (singular) ecstasies (plural)

wasting time, money or effort:
an EFFICIENT secretary
an EFFICIENT engine
ei/ie spelling rule Remember the jingle:
i before e
except after c
or when sounded like a
as in ‘neighbour’ and ‘weigh’.
Here are some examples which follow the
rule. There are plenty of others.
ie ei after c
achieve ceiling
believe conceited
chief conceive
field perceive
friend receive
hygiene ei sounding like a
priest eight
relief reign
retrieve reindeer
shield skein
shriek sleigh
thief vein
18 exceptions
caffeine forfeit seize
codeine heifer sheikh
counterfeit height sovereign
either leisure surfeit
Fahrenheit neither weir
foreign protein weird

build an extension or I have to move.
 I have decided that either I have to
build an extension or I have to move.
In the example above, there are these
two possibilities:
I have to build an extension.
Ihavetomove.
‘Either’ precedes the first one and ‘or’
precedes the second.
EIGHTH
68
The second one could be shortened:
I have decided that either I have to
build an extension or (I have to)
move.
 I have decided that either I have to
build an extension or move.
It is important that the two
constructions following ‘either’ and
‘or’ should be parallel ones:
either meat or fish
either green or red
either to love or to hate
either with malice or with kindness.
If the second construction is
shortened to avoid repetition, this is
fine. The missing words are obvious
and can be supplied readily.
elf (singular) elves (plural)
See

Use a full stop to end a statement.
There are five eggs in the fridge.
Use an exclamation mark with a command
or an exclamation.
Get out!
Use a question mark to end a question.
Where do you live?
See
EXCLAMATION MARKS.
FULL STOPS.
QUESTION MARKS.
endings See
ADDING ENDINGS.
enemy (singular) enemies (plural)
See
PLURALS (iv).
enormity This means a grave sin or a crime, or
describes something that is a grave sin or
a crime or a disaster on a huge scale.
We gradually realised the full ENORMITY
of the tragedy.
It is often used in popular speech to mean
‘enormousness’, ‘hugeness’, ‘immensity’.
This should be avoided in a formal
context.
EMINENT OR IMMINENT?
70
enquiry or inquiry? Both spellings are correct and there is no
difference in meaning. British English
favours the first and American English the

erring err + ing (not -r-)
erupt (not -rr-)
ERUPT
71
especially or specially? The two words are very close in meaning
and sometimes overlap. However, use
these exemplar sentences as a guide to
exclusive uses:
I bought the car ESPECIALLY for you (=
for you alone).
We are awaiting a SPECIALLY
commissioned report (= for a special
purpose).
estuary (singular) estuaries (plural)
See
PLURALS (iv).
etc. (not e.t.c. or ect.)
(i) etc. is an abbreviation of the Latin et
cetera which means ‘and other
things’. It is therefore incorrect to
write ‘and etc.’.
(ii) Avoid using ‘etc.’ in formal writing.
Either list all the items indicated by
the vague and lazy ‘etc.’, or introduce
the given selection with a phrase like
‘including’, ‘such as’ or ‘for example’.
eventually eventual + ly (not eventully)
exaggerate (not exagerate)
examination
exausted Wrong spelling. See