greatful GREATFUL GRATEFUL Your appreciation may be great, but you express gratitude by being grateful. List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/greatful.html03/09/2005 15:38:12 grievious GRIEVIOUS GRIEVOUS There are just two syllables in “grievous,” and it’s pronounced “grieve-us.” List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/grevious.html03/09/2005 15:38:12 grisly/grizzly GRISLY/GRIZZLY “Grisly” means “horrible”; a “grizzly” is a bear. “The grizzly left behind the grisly remains of his victim.” “Grizzled,” means “having gray hairs,” not to be confused with “gristly,” full of gristle. List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/grisly.html03/09/2005 15:38:12 group (plural vs. singular) GROUP (PLURAL VS. SINGULAR) When the group is being considered as a whole, it can be treated as a single entity: “the group was ready to go on stage.” But when the individuality of its members is being emphasized, “group” is plural: “the group were in disagreement about where to go for dinner.” List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/group.html03/09/2005 15:38:12 ground zero GROUND ZERO “Ground zero” refers to the point at the center of the impact of a nuclear bomb, so it is improper to talk about “building from ground zero” as if it were a place of new beginnings. You can start from scratch, or begin at zero, but if you’re at ground zero, you’re at the end. The metaphorical extension of this term to the site of the destruction of the World Trade Center towers is, however, perfectly legitimate. List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/zero.html03/09/2005 15:38:13 grow GROW We used to grow our hair long or grow tomatoes in the yard, but now we are being urged to “grow the economy” or “grow your investments." Business and government speakers have extended this usage widely, but it irritates traditionalists. Use “build,” “increase,” “expand,” “develop," or “cause to grow” instead in formal writing. List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/grow.html03/09/2005 15:38:13 gyp/cheat GYP/CHEAT Gypsies complain that “gyp” (“cheat”) reflects bias; but the word is so well entrenched and its origin so obscure to most users that there is little hope of eliminating it from standard use any time soon. List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/gyp.html03/09/2005 15:38:13 had ought HAD OUGHT OUGHT Just say “she ought to come in before she drowns,” not “had ought.” List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/hadought.html03/09/2005 15:38:13 hairbrained HAIRBRAINED HAREBRAINED Although “hairbrained” is common, the original word “harebrained,” means “silly as a hare” (rabbit) and is preferred in writing. List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/hairbrained.html03/09/2005 15:38:13 hangar/hanger HANGAR/HANGER You park your plane in a hangar but hang up your slacks on a hanger. List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/hangar.html03/09/2005 15:38:14