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disinterested man to order a drink for a woman he has never met." Another example is: "Jimmy Carter's work with Habitat for Humanity is all the more admirable because it is a completely disinterested effort to help the less fortunate."

3. "Effect" is a noun, and "affect" is a verb. The following sentences both are correct:
"She kept on working till she got the effect she wanted."

"The lack of sleep was beginning to affect his driving."

4. "Infer" means to take out; "imply" means to indicate or suggest, to put in. The following sentences both are correct:
"He could not infer, from what she said, whether he was going to get the job"
"I hope you're not implying that I came into my fortune illegally."

5. "Could care less" actually would mean, cares at least a little (although it would be a cumbersome way to put it.) "Couldn't care less" is the correct way to say that you don't care at all about a thing; you care the least amount possible, which is, zilch.

MISUSED AND INCORRECT WORDS AND PHRASES 1. moot Means, no longer matters. "Whether or not he found his ticket was moot, since the lottery was over and someone else had won." This word usually is found in the phrase "a moot point," but it is not essential to add the other two words.

2. "The proof is in the pudding." This means nothing unless, for instance, it has been learned that the gun used in a murder has been hidden in the suspect's pudding. The correct adage is, "The proof of the pudding is in the eating," which means something like, "We'll know only when we try it."

3. hot water heater Why would anyone heat water that's already hot? The correct name for this appliance is, "water heater."

4. "Nothing worse than..." This means that the thing or situation being referred to is the very worst thing or situation on the face of the earth, or even in the universe. It is not appropriate to say things like, "There is nothing worse than sleeping on wet hair," or "There is nothing worse than curdled gravy." It would be more nearly appropriate to say, "There is nothing worse than watching your own child die." But because the phrase is so overused, it would be better to use a more original and profound expression for such a terrible experience.

5. very This is one of the two most overused words in the English language. What many people don't realize is that it often actually reduces, rather than increases, the strength of what you are trying to express. An example is the sentence, "It was a bleak night." "Bleak" is a powerful, dramatic word, and needs no propping up. Writing, "It was a very bleak night," only diminishes its impact.

6. really See "very"
I suggest that after you have finished an article or other writing, you go over it and delete as many as possible of words 5 and 6.

ARCHAIC FORMS "oftentimes," "oft," and "whilst" may seem more scholarly to the writer, or it may be that the writer thinks in those terms because of having read many books that are set in the past. Usually, in contemporary writing (set in the present), they are a tip-off that the author is an amateur. They can be acceptable in poetry if the poem is set in the past, and on other poetic occasions when they contribute to the rhythm and/or mood the author is trying to create.

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