Although some usage guides insist that only farther should be used for physical distance (We walked farther than we planned), farther and further have been used interchangeably throughout much of their histories. However, only further should be used to mean moreover (Further, you hurt my feelings.), more extended (His further comments illuminated the meaning of the story.), or additional (Further bulletins came in).
Click here to practice your skills with other confusing words.

Editing Tip

Let’s visit the terms editing, proofreading, and formatting.
• Focus on editing first, checking the content for cohesiveness, clarity, paragraph structure, and overall structure.
• When you’re satisfied with the content, focus on proofreading, looking for consistency in formatting, margins, text styles, grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
• Lastly, focus on formatting, ensuring consistency in the document’s appearance.
Within each stage of review, plan on multiple levels of review.
• Don’t look for everything at once; pick a task. Make a list of what you know are your weaknesses. Focus on each of those areas, one at a time.
• Read out loud, slowly, and listen to how the words sound together.
• Have someone else read your document. After rereading your own work several times, it is embedded in your mind. Your brain goes on autopilot causing your eyes to just skim over what it’s seeing yet again.
A few more pointers:
• Start at the very top of the document; don’t overlook a single element. Some of the most common mistakes are in headings, addresses, salutations, etc.
• Work in a quiet place where you’ll have no distractions or interruptions. Trying to “pick up where you left off” after an interruption can set you back as you try to regain your focus.
By Linda Meehan, Editor, WebWords.biz

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