Word list
- $1 million
- 1980s, the ‘80s, 86ers
- a lot (not alot)
- alum (gender-neutral for one graduate — not alumnus/alumna), alumni (group of graduates)
- audiobook
- biannual
- caregiver, caregiving
- centre, centred
- cheque
- co-operate, co-operative education, co-op
- co-ordinate, co-ordinator
- co-requisite, but prerequisite
- curriculum (singular), curricula (plural)
- defence and defenceless, but defensive, defensible
- emerit (gender-neutral singular for emerita/emeritus), emeriti (plural)
- enrol (not enroll), enrolment, but enrolled, enrolling (Tip: double l comes before a vowel)
- grade point average, GPA
- health care (noun), but health-care assistant (modifying a noun)
- home page
- honour, honourable, but honorary, honorific
- humour, but humorous, humorist
- Indigenization, Indigenous (capitalized, do not use Aboriginal), but indigenizing (verb)
- internet
- kick-start, kick-starter
- labour
- lay off (verb), layoff (noun)
- litre, L
- livestream (noun), live-streaming (verb)
- LGBTQ+ (OK on first reference for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning community, with the + symbol representing additional identities and orientations, including intersex, pansexual, two-spirit, androgynous and asexual)
- login (noun), log in (verb)
- Métis
- online
- per cent, but percentage
- post-secondary
- QR code
- resumé
- Secwépemc, but Secwepemctsín, Secwepemcúl’ecw (see Indigenous style page for more words and spellings)
- tenure track (noun), but tenure-track position (modifying a noun)
- theatre
- Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc (formerly the Kamloops Indian Band)
- vice-chancellor
- vice-president
- web, web page, web server, but website
- well-being
- WolfPack (not Wolfpack), also the ‘Pack
- worldwide
- World Wide Web
Do You Mean...
Affect or effect?
- affect: (verb) produce an effect on, influence; (of a disease) attack; move, touch the feelings of
- effect: (noun) the result or consequence of an action; efficacy; an impression produced on a spectator; (verb) bring about, accomplish; cause to exist or occur
Biannual or biennial?
- biannual: (adjective) occurring twice a year
- biennial: (adjective) taking place every other year; of a plant living or lasting for two years; (noun) a plant that takes two years to grow from seed to fruition; an event celebrated or taking place every two years
Complement or compliment?
- complement: (noun) something that completes; one of two things that go together; (verb) complete; form a complement to (the scarf complements her dress)
- compliment: (noun) a spoken or written expression of praise; an act or circumstance implying praise; (verb) congratulate, praise; present as a mark of courtesy
e.g. or i.e.?
- e.g.: an abbreviation of the Latin exempli gratia meaning for example
- i.e.: an abbreviation of the Latin id est meaning that is
Its or it's?
- its: (pronoun, possessive)
- it’s: (contraction of it is)
Lay or lie?
- lay: set something down, it takes a direct object, to lay down a book (laying, laid, laid)
- lie: to recline, does not take a direct object, to lie on the blanket (lying, lay, lain)
Principal or principle?
- principal: (adjective) first in rank or importance; main, leading; the original sum invested or lent; (noun) a head, ruler or superior; the head of some schools, colleges and universities; the leading performer in a concert, play, etc.; a lawyer who supervises an articling student
- principle: (noun) a fundamental truth or law as the basis of reasoning or action (moral principles); a personal code of conduct, such rules of conduct; a general law in physics, etc.
Stationary or stationery?
- stationary: (adjective) remaining in one place, not moving; not meant to be moved, not portable
- stationery: (noun) writing paper; writing materials such as paper, envelopes, office supplies, etc.
That or which?
- that: (as a restrictive relative clause, or defining relative clause) gives essential information by narrowing it down, as in "this presentation is based on the research that I completed last summer;" not just any research, but last summer's specifically; note there is a tendency in modern usage to omit "that" in this kind of clause: "based on the research I completed last summer."
- which: (as a non-restrictive relative clause) gives non-essential information, as in "this presentation is based on my research, which I completed last summer;" the information coming after which is considered extra information that could be left out without affecting sentence structure or meaning; note a comma always precedes “which” in a non-restrictive clause.
