How to write

A writer’s greatest love is words, but as with all love affairs; heartbreak sits patiently waiting for the opportunity to pounce.

Skilled writers choose the precise word to express their thoughts, discarding those that merely suffice.   Sometimes that superlative word escapes us and in its place we use a passable substitute.  This is when our words can betray us.  Few words have more than one literal and serviceable meaning, while most have many metaphorical, derivative, related, or even unrelated meanings.

Beware of these poor  substitutes:
Action for Act . “In wrestling, a blow is a reprehensible action.” A blow is not an action but an act. An action may consist of many acts.

Admission for Admittance “The price of admission is one dollar.”

Admit  for  Confess To admit is to concede something affirmed. An unaccused offender cannot admit his guilt.

Adopt for Assumed “He adopted a disguise.” One may adopt a child, or an opinion, but a disguise is assumed.

Afford for Allowed  It is not well to say “the fact affords a reasonable presumption”; “the house afforded ample accommodation.” The fact supplies a reasonable presumption. The house offered, or gave, ample accommodation.

Aggravate  for  Irritate “He aggravated me with his attitude.” To aggravate is to augment the disagreeableness of something already disagreeable, or the badness of something bad. But a person cannot be aggravated, even if disagreeable or bad.

All of …. “He gave all of his property.” The words are contradictory: an entire thing cannot be of itself. Omit the preposition.

Alleged  ”The alleged murderer.” One can allege a murder, but not a murderer; a crime, but not a criminal. A man that is merely suspected of crime would not, in any case, be an alleged criminal, for an allegation is a definite and positive statement.

Even More Right Words