The following list includes easily confused words, as well as the preferred spelling or usage for words commonly used in °®¶¹´«Ã½ writing.
Comments or additions? If you have comments about the guide or wish to suggest an addition, deletion or change, contact Natalie Blando-George in University Communications and Marketing at ngeorge@binghamton.edu.
| Preferred term/spelling | Over this |
|---|---|
|
acknowledgment |
acknowledgement |
|
advisor |
adviser |
|
afterward |
afterwards |
|
amid |
amidst |
|
archaeology |
archeology |
|
artwork |
artworks |
|
Bearcats |
Lady Bearcats |
|
°®¶¹´«Ã½ |
BU, SUNY-B |
|
break down (v.) |
breakdown or break-down |
|
breakdown (n. and adj.) |
break down or break-down |
|
break in (v.) |
break-in |
|
break-in (adj.) |
break in |
|
break up (v.) |
breakup or break-up |
|
breakup (n. and adj.) |
break up or break-up |
|
build up (v.) |
buildup or build-up |
|
buildup (n. and adj.) |
build up or build-up |
|
campus wide (adv.) |
campus-wide or campuswide |
|
campus-wide (adj.) |
campus wide or campuswide |
|
canceled |
cancelled |
|
canceling |
cancelling |
|
cancellation |
cancelation |
|
cannot |
can not |
|
catalog |
catalogue |
|
chair |
chairman, chairwoman or chairperson |
|
check in (v.) |
checkin or check-in |
|
check-in (n. and adj.) |
check in or checkin |
|
check out (v.) |
checkout or check-out |
|
checkout (n. and adj.) |
check out or check-out |
|
check up (v.) |
checkup or check-up |
|
checkup (n.) |
check up or check-up |
|
childcare |
child care or child-care |
|
clean room |
cleanroom |
|
clean up (v.) |
cleanup or clean-up |
|
cleanup (n. and adj.) |
clean up or clean-up |
|
corequisite |
co-requisite |
|
coursework |
course work or course-work |
|
criterion (sing.) |
criteria |
|
criteria (pl.) |
criterion |
|
cut off (v.) |
cutoff or cut-off |
|
cutoff (n. and adj.) |
cut off or cut-off |
|
database |
data base |
|
datathon |
data-thon |
|
daycare |
day care or day-care |
|
degree-seeking |
degree seeking |
|
disc (phonograph records, optical and laser-based devices, brakes) |
disk |
|
disk (computer-related and medical references) |
disc |
|
download |
down load or down-load |
|
|
|
|
everyday (adj.) |
every day |
|
every day (adv.) |
everyday |
|
farther (physical distance) |
further |
|
first |
firstly |
|
firsthand |
first hand or first-hand |
|
first-come, first-served |
first-come, first-serve |
|
flier (aviator or handout) |
flyer |
|
follow up (v.) |
followup or follow-up |
|
follow-up (n. and adj.) |
followup or follow up |
|
forward |
forwards |
|
first-year student/students |
freshman/freshmen |
|
frontlines |
front lines |
|
full-time (adj.) |
full time or fulltime |
|
fundraiser |
fund raiser or fund-raiser |
|
fundraising |
fund raising or fund-raising |
|
further (time or matter of degree) |
farther |
|
hackathon |
hack-a-thon |
|
hand-held |
handheld or handheld |
|
healthcare |
health care or health-care |
|
homepage |
home page |
|
internet |
Internet |
|
judgment |
judgement |
|
kickoff (n. and adj.) |
kick off or kick-off |
|
kick off (v.) |
kickoff or kick-off |
|
language |
foreign language |
|
lifespan (n. and adj.) |
life span or life-span |
|
lifelong |
life long or life-long |
|
lifestyle |
life style or life-style |
|
lifetime |
life time or life-time |
|
livestream |
live stream, live-stream |
|
livestreamed |
live streamed, live-streamed |
|
livestreaming |
live streaming, live-streaming |
|
login (n.) |
log in or log-in |
|
log in (v.) |
login or log-in |
|
logoff (n.) |
log off or log-off |
|
log off (v.) |
logoff or log-off |
|
logon (n.) |
log on or log-on |
|
log on (v.) |
logon or log-on |
|
newsgroup |
news group or news-group |
|
nonprofit |
non-profit |
|
offline |
off line or off-line |
|
ongoing |
on going |
|
online |
on line or on-line |
|
pre-health |
prehealth |
|
pre-med |
premed |
|
premier (adj.) |
premiere |
|
premiere (n.) |
premier |
|
prerequisite |
pre-requisite |
|
preventive |
preventative |
|
regardless |
irregardless |
|
°ùé²õ³Ü³¾Ã© (employment history document) |
resume |
|
runner-up (runners-up) |
runner up or runnerup (runners up or runnersup) |
|
second |
secondly |
|
second-guess (v.) |
second guess |
|
second guess (n.) |
second-guess |
|
secondhand (adj. and adv.) |
second hand |
|
send-off (n.) |
sendoff or send off |
| send off (v.) | send-off or sendoff |
|
smart car (i.e., the category of car; there is a brand of smart care named Smart) |
smart-car or smartcar |
|
smartphone |
smart phone or smart-phone |
|
smartwatch |
smart watch or smart-watch |
|
start up (v.) |
startup or start-up |
|
startup (n. and adj.)* |
start-up or start up* |
|
student |
coed |
|
T-shirt |
T shirt, tee-shirt or tee shirt |
|
theater (art form or facility) |
theatre |
|
theatre (University dept. or degree) |
theater |
|
third |
thirdly |
|
to |
in order to |
|
toward |
towards |
|
underway |
under way |
|
wastewater |
waste water or waste-water |
|
web (internet) |
Web |
|
webpage |
web page, Web page, Webpage |
|
website |
web site, Web site, Website |
| well-being | wellbeing, well being |
| Wi-Fi | Wifi, Wi-fi or wi-fi |
|
X-ray |
x-ray |
|
3D |
3-D |
|
5K, 10K (run or walk) |
5k, 5-k or 5-K; 10k, 10-k or 10-K |
|
401K |
401k, 401-k or 401-K |
*Exception: Innovative Technologies Complex Start-Up Suite