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Clichés are worn-out expressions (sleep like a log, dead as a doornail, first and foremost, crystal clear). At one time they were clever metaphors, but overuse has left them lifeless, unable to conjure in the reader’s mind the original image. Avoid clichés like the plague. ...Less

A collective noun is one that names more than 1 person, place, or thing. When the group is regarded as a unit, the singular verb is the appropriate choice. (See also , Plurals, Collective Nouns.)The couple has a practice in rural Montana. [Couple is considered a unit here and so takes the singular verb.] Twenty percent of her time is spent on administration. [Twenty percent is thought of as a unit, not as 20 individual units, and so takes the singular verb.] (See also , Units of Measure, Format, Style, and Punctuation, Subject-Verb Agreement.) The paramedic crew responds to these ...Less

When 2 words or 2 groups of words, usually joined by and or or, are the subject of the sentence, either the singular or plural verb form may be appropriate, depending on whether the words joined are singular or plural and on the connectors used.With and, a plural verb is usually correct.The nurse and the physician are discussing my case.A singular verb should be used if the 2 elements are thought of as a unit: Dilation and curettage was suggested.or refer to the same person or thing: The first author and principal investigator takes responsibility for the data analysis.With a ...Less

A contraction consists of 2 words combined by omitting 1 or more letters (eg, can't, aren't). An apostrophe shows where the omission has occurred. Contractions are usually avoided in formal writing. ...Less

Parallelism may rely on accepted cues (either/or, neither/nor, not only/but also, both/and). All elements of the parallelism that appear on one side of the coordinating conjunction should match corresponding elements on the other side.Note: Either/or is used with only 2 comparators (use with more than 2 items is considered nonstandard).Note: Avoid the use of nor when the first negative is expressed by not or no. ...Less

Diction, or word choice, is important for any writing to be understood by its intended audience. In scientific writing, concrete and specific language is preferred over the abstract and general.Homonyms are words that sound alike but are spelled differently and have different meanings. They are easily confused, and computer spell-check programs are unable to differentiate them. Common examples include affect/effect, accept/except, altar/alter, assistance/assistants, cite/site/sight, council/counsel, its/it's, patience/patients, peace/piece, peak/peek/pique, pleural/plural, principal/principle, and your/you're. (See also , Correct and Preferred Usage, Correct and Preferred Usage of Common Words and Phrases.)Some language is best avoided in material written for a professional or ...Less

Two negatives used together in a sentence constitute a double negative. The use of a double negative to express a positive is acceptable, although it yields a weaker affirmative than the simpler positive and may be confusing: Our results are not inconsistent with the prior hypothesis. More direct incentives have produced substantial changes in behavior in the past, although not without adverse consequences. Rheumatologic symptoms were not uncommon in both groups.However, it is not grammatically acceptable to use a double negative to emphasize the negative. In the following example, the double negative conveys the opposite of what is intended.The authors ...Less

The conjunction than often introduces an abridged expression (eg, “You are younger than I [am young]).” Correct placement of than is important to avoid ambiguity: ...

Euphemisms (from the Greek eu, “good,” and pheme, “voice”) are indirect terms used to express something unpleasant. Although such language is often necessary in social situations (“He passed away.”), directness is better in scientific writing (“The patient died.”). (See also , Correct and Preferred Usage, Jargon.) ...Less

When every or many a is used before a word or series of words, use the singular verb form.Many a clinician does not understand statistics. (But, better yet: Many clinicians do not understand statistics.) Every issue profiles a leader in medicine. ...Less