A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
T
tactics
singular and plural
takeoff
noun take off verb
takeover
talk to
not talk with
T&G
the Transport and General Workers’ Union rebranded
targeted, targeting
taskforce
tax avoidance
is legal tax evasion is illegal
taxi, taxiing
of aircraft
team-mate
teargas
temperatures
thus: 30C (85F) — ie celsius, with fahrenheit in brackets on first mention; but be extremely wary (or don’t bother) converting temperature changes, eg an average temperature change of 2C was wrongly converted to 36F in an article about a heatwave (although a temperature of 2C is about the same as 36F, a temperature change of 2C corresponds to a change of about 4F)
tenses
We’ve Only Just Begun was playing on the radio. He began to drink; in fact he drank so much, he was drunk in no time at all. He sank into depression, knowing that all his hopes had been sunk. Finally, he sneaked away. Or perhaps snuck away (according to Pinker, the most recent irregular verb to enter the language).
Tesco
not Tesco's
Tessa
tax-exempt special savings account, replaced by Isas
that
do not use automatically after the word “said”, but it can be useful: you tend to read a sentence such as “he said nothing by way of an explanation would be forthcoming” as “he said nothing by way of an explanation” and then realise that it does not say that at all; “he said that nothing by way of an explanation would be forthcoming” is much clearer
that or which?
that defines, which informs: this is the house that Jack built, but this house, which Jack built, is now falling down
theirs
no apostrophe
thinktank
one word
times
1am, 6.30pm, etc; 10 o'clock last night but 10pm yesterday; half past two, a quarter to three, etc; for 24-hour clock, 00.47, 23.59
titles
Italicise titles of books, films, TV programmes etc
T-junction
tonne
not ton: the metric tonne is 1,000kg (2,204.62lb), the British ton is 2,240lb, and the US ton is 2,000lb; usually there is no need to convert
tortuous
a tortuous road — one that winds or twists torturous a torturous experience — one that involves pain or suffering
trademarks
(TM) Take care: use a generic alternative unless there is a very good reason not to, eg ballpoint pen, not biro (unless it really is a Biro, in which case it takes a cap B); say photocopy rather than Xerox, etc
Transport for London
TfL on second mention
Treasury, the
treaties
lc, eg Geneva convention, treaty of Nice
try to
never “try and”, eg “I will try to do something about this misuse of language”
T-shirt
not tee-shirt
turgid
does not mean apathetic or sluggish — that's torpid — but swollen, congested, or (when used of language) pompous or bombastic
singular and plural
takeoff
noun take off verb
takeover
talk to
not talk with
T&G
the Transport and General Workers’ Union rebranded
targeted, targeting
taskforce
tax avoidance
is legal tax evasion is illegal
taxi, taxiing
of aircraft
team-mate
teargas
temperatures
thus: 30C (85F) — ie celsius, with fahrenheit in brackets on first mention; but be extremely wary (or don’t bother) converting temperature changes, eg an average temperature change of 2C was wrongly converted to 36F in an article about a heatwave (although a temperature of 2C is about the same as 36F, a temperature change of 2C corresponds to a change of about 4F)
tenses
We’ve Only Just Begun was playing on the radio. He began to drink; in fact he drank so much, he was drunk in no time at all. He sank into depression, knowing that all his hopes had been sunk. Finally, he sneaked away. Or perhaps snuck away (according to Pinker, the most recent irregular verb to enter the language).
Tesco
not Tesco's
Tessa
tax-exempt special savings account, replaced by Isas
that
do not use automatically after the word “said”, but it can be useful: you tend to read a sentence such as “he said nothing by way of an explanation would be forthcoming” as “he said nothing by way of an explanation” and then realise that it does not say that at all; “he said that nothing by way of an explanation would be forthcoming” is much clearer
that or which?
that defines, which informs: this is the house that Jack built, but this house, which Jack built, is now falling down
theirs
no apostrophe
thinktank
one word
times
1am, 6.30pm, etc; 10 o'clock last night but 10pm yesterday; half past two, a quarter to three, etc; for 24-hour clock, 00.47, 23.59
titles
Italicise titles of books, films, TV programmes etc
T-junction
tonne
not ton: the metric tonne is 1,000kg (2,204.62lb), the British ton is 2,240lb, and the US ton is 2,000lb; usually there is no need to convert
tortuous
a tortuous road — one that winds or twists torturous a torturous experience — one that involves pain or suffering
trademarks
(TM) Take care: use a generic alternative unless there is a very good reason not to, eg ballpoint pen, not biro (unless it really is a Biro, in which case it takes a cap B); say photocopy rather than Xerox, etc
Transport for London
TfL on second mention
Treasury, the
treaties
lc, eg Geneva convention, treaty of Nice
try to
never “try and”, eg “I will try to do something about this misuse of language”
T-shirt
not tee-shirt
turgid
does not mean apathetic or sluggish — that's torpid — but swollen, congested, or (when used of language) pompous or bombastic
