Commonly misused/misspelled words and phrases (Part 3)

Continuing the series, here are another couple of words/phrases that are commonly misused or misspelled:

Ect.

This is a simple misspelling. The latin phrase is et cetera, and it is abbreviated as etc. (It's pronounced like it looks: "ET cetera," not "EK cetera.") Always include the period at the end of the abbreviation and a comma before it. Here are some examples of etc. in use:

· We have to buy milk, eggs, cheese, etc.
· We have to buy milk, eggs, cheese, etc., and then make an omelet for breakfast.
· We have to buy some dairy products (milk, eggs, cheese, etc.).

In the first example, the period at the end of the sentence serves two purposes, both to end the abbreviation and to end the sentence. In the second example, the period at the end of the abbreviation is followed by a comma. And in the third, there is a sentence-ending period following the closing parenthesis. Both are necessary.

Alternatives you can use include and so on, and so forth, as well as and the like.

Moreso

Wrong: You were kind to me, moreso than that jerk ever was.
Right: You were kind to me, more so than that jerk ever was.

This is a simple spelling error. More so is two words.

Hang onto these lessons and you'll know the correct usages of these words/phrases in the future. More next time....

Mark.