If
it rates first, it may be called a first-rate article. The word is
properly used as an adjective, but should not be employed as an
adverb, as in the sentence, "He sings first-rate."
Fix, Mend, Repair
Fix means to make fast, but its incorrect use in the sense of mend,
repair, arrange, is so common that the
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word when properly used sounds strange, if not strained. "To fix up
the room," "to fix up the accounts," "to fix up matters with my
creditors," "to fix the rascals who betrayed me," are examples
illustrating the looseness with which the word is used.
Round, Square
When a thing is round or square it cannot be rounder or squarer. These
adjectives do not admit of comparative and superlative forms. But we
may say more nearly round or less nearly square.
States, Says
"He states he is going fishing to-morrow." States is too formal a
word, and should be used only of some important assertion. "He says he
is going," etc.
Stop, Stay
To stop is to cease moving. "At what hotel do you stop" should be "At
what hotel do you stay.
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