Adherence, Adhesion

These words were once interchangeable, but are now distinct.  Adhesion relates to physical bodies; adherence to mental states.
  ________________________________________________
_________________

37

Adopt, Take

“What course will you take?” is better than “What course will you adopt?”

Affect, Effect

These words are sometimes confounded.  “The climate affected their health.”  “They sailed away without effecting their purpose.”

Aggravate, Exasperate

To aggravate means to intensify, to make worse; to exasperate means to provoke, to irritate.  “To aggravate the horrors of the scene.”  “His remarks exasperated me.”  “His conduct aggravates me” should be “His conduct annoys (or displeases, or irritates, or exasperates) me.”

Alleviate, Relieve

These words differ chiefly in degree.  The latter is the stronger word.

Proposal, Proposition

A proposition implies consideration or discussion; a proposal contemplates acceptance or rejection.  “Your proposition to build our new warehouse has received favorable consideration, and we are ready to receive your proposals.”

Providing, Provided

“You may go to skate, providing you first finish your task.” 
Incorrect.  You should say provided.
  ________________________________________________
_________________

38

Proved, Proven

Proven is sometimes incorrectly used for proved.  “The evidence was complete and his guilt was fully proved.”  Not proven is a legal term used in England to denote that the guilt of the accused is not made out, though not disproved.

Quantity, Number

Quantity refers to the how much; number to the how many.  “He purchased a large quantity of wheat, corn, apples, lime, and sand, and a number of houses, stores, chairs, and books.”  It is, therefore, incorrect to say, “There was a large quantity of bicycles in the yard,” “He sold a large quantity of books at auction.”

Quite a few

In some parts of the country this expression is in common use in the sense of many, a large number, etc.  “How many people were at church to-day?” “Quite a few,” meaning a considerable number.

Commence, Begin

Some persons always commence, but never begin.  The tendency toward pomp and parade in speech prompts many persons to avoid the use of our strong, rugged Anglo-Saxon words, and to substitute their high-sounding Latin equivalents, until, in time, the preferable native forms come to be regarded as
  ________________________________________________
_________________

39

commonplace and objectionable.  American usage is more faulty than English in this regard.  Use begin and beginning more, and commence and, commencement less.

Complete, Finished

There is a distinction in the use of these words that is not always observed.  Complete signifies nothing lacking, every element and part being supplied.  That which is finished has had all done to it that was intended.  A vessel may be finished and yet be incomplete.