American English has many word pairs and trios that are alike enough to be confusing. provides a novel way to empower writers of all levels to cut through the confusion to understand which word to use and that's the word to use. Written in a user-friendly style, grounded in descriptive linguistics methods, and eschewing memorization, this book trains writers to detect, interpret, and act on language clues - with exercises, "wild idea" analytical tricks, and additional resources throughout. It is an excellent resource for instructors and students of grammar or writing/rhetoric, as well as for individuals looking to develop their language and writing skills.