Practical Exercises in English

In the King James Bible, “let” means something a modern reader may not expect—and “leasing” has nothing to do with renting. How can a writer tell which English is truly good?

Huber Gray Buehler’s guide to English composition ranges from the Bible to regional conversation, newspaper market reports, and baseball slang. A boy’s “gums” confuse his New York host; a visitor who agrees to ride in a “barge” expects a river trip, not an omnibus to the beach. These examples show how easily a familiar word can mislead when its meaning is local, outdated, or confined to one profession. Buehler asks students to look beyond what they hear every day and learn from the shared practice of careful writers. Which words will make your meaning clear—and which might send your reader somewhere else?

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