GOURMAND OR GOURMET? ghastly (not gastly) gipsy/gypsy Both spellings are correct, gipsies or gypsies (plural) See PLURALS (iii). glamorous glamour good will or goodwill? Always write as one word when referring to the prestige and trading value of a business. He bought the GOODWILL for five thousand pounds. Use either two words or one word when referring to general feelings of kindness and support. As a gesture of GOOD WILL, she cancelled the fine. gorgeous (not -gous) See SOFT c AND SOFT G. gorilla or guerilla? A GORILLA is an animal. A GUERILLA is a revolutionary fighter. gossip gossiped, gossiping (not -pp) See ADDING ENDINGS (iv). gourmand or gourmet? A GOURMAND is greedy and over-indulges where fine food is concerned. A GOURMET is a connoisseur of fine food. 99 (not -our-) GOVERNMENT government (not goverment as it is often mispronounced) governor (not -er) gradual gradually gradual + ly (not gradully) graffiti This is increasingly used in a general sense (like the word 'writing') and its plural force is forgotten when it comes to matching it with a verb: There was GRAFFITI all over the wall. A few conservative writers would like a plural verb. (There were GRAFFITI all over the wall.) graffito (singular) graffiti (plural) See FOREIGN PLURALS. grammar (not -er) gramophone (not grama-) grandad/granddad Both spellings are correct. grandchild granddaughter grandfather grandma grandmother grandparent grandson 100 GUTTURAL grate or great? Use these exemplar sentences as a guide: The fire was burning brightly in the GRATE. GRATE the potato coarsely. Christopher Wren was a GREAT architect. grateful (not greatful) grief (not -ei-) grievance (not -ence) grievous (not -ious) grotto (singular) grottoes or grottos (plural) guage Wrong spelling. See GAUGE. guarantee guardian guess guest guttural (not -er-) 101 hadn't haemorrhage (not -rh-) half (singular) halves (plural) See PLURALS (v). halo (singular) haloes or halos (plural) See PLURALS (iv). handkerchief (singular) handkerchiefs (plural) (not -nk-) See PLURALS (v). hanged or hung? People are HANGED. Things like clothes and pictures are HUNG. happen happened, happening (not -nn-) harass (not -rr-) hardly See DOUBLE NEGATIVES. hasn't (not has'nt) haven't (not have'nt) headquarters (not headquaters) hear or here? You HEAR with your ear. Use HERE to indicate place: 102 d (not had'nt) (not -rh-) HIEROGLYPHICS Come over HERE. heard or herd? We HEARD their voices outside. We photographed the HERD of deer. heifer See EI/IE SPELLING RULE. height See EI/IE SPELLING RULE. heinous See EI/IE SPELLING RULE. herd See HEARD OR HERD?. here See HEAR OR HERE?. hero (singular) heroes (plural) See PLURALS (iv). heroin or heroine? HEROIN is a drug A HEROINE is a female hero. hers No apostrophe is needed. This is mine; this is HERS. HERS has a yellow handle. hiccough or hiccup? Both words are pronounced 'hiccup' and either spelling can be used. The second spelling (hiccup) is more usual. hiccup hiccuped, hiccuping (not -pp-) hieroglyphics 103 HIGH-TECH OR HI-TEC? high-tech or hi-tec? Both spellings are correct for the adjective derived from high technology: A HI-TEC factory A HIGH-TECH computer system Without the hyphen, each word can be used as a noun replacing 'high technology': A generation familiar with HIGH TECH The latest development in HI TEC hindrance (not hinderance) hippopotamus (singular) hippopotami or hippopotamuses (plural) See FOREIGN PLURALS. historic or historical? HISTORIC means famous in history, memorable, or likely to go down in recorded history: a HISTORIC meeting HISTORICAL means existing in the past or representing something that could have happened in the past: a HISTORICAL novel a HISTORICAL fact Note It would not be wrong to say or write an historic meeting, an historical novel, an historical fact. However, this usage of an before words like hotel, historic and historical is becoming much less common, now that the h beginning these words is usually voiced. hoard or horde? To HOARD is to save something in a secret place. A HOARD is a secret store. 104 . plural force is forgotten when it comes to matching it with a verb: There was GRAFFITI all over the wall. A few conservative writers would like a plural verb. (There were GRAFFITI . connoisseur of fine food. 99 (not -our-) GOVERNMENT government (not goverment as it is often mispronounced) governor (not -er) gradual gradually gradual + ly (not gradully) graffiti This . when referring to the prestige and trading value of a business. He bought the GOODWILL for five thousand pounds. Use either two words or one word when referring to general feelings