is the perfect book for anyone seeking clear and sensible guidance on avoiding common pitfalls of the English language.   Each word is fully defined and accompanied by a concise, authoritative usage note based on the renowned usage program of the American Heritage® Dictionaries. Each note discusses why a particular usage has traditionally been criticized and explains the rules and conventions that determine what’s right, what’s wrong, and what falls in between. This edition has updated usage notes that have been reanalyzed and rewritten to account for language trends that have occurred since its initial publication in 2004.   Troublesome pairs such as and are disentangled, as are vexing sound-alikes such as . Other notes tackle such classic irritants as as well as problematic words like . is guaranteed to help keep writers and speakers on the up-and-up!