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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

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