Idiomatic usage: dated at vs. dated to

Most of the time

dated at denotes a time period. (dated at + number of years)

dated to is followed by a date. (dated to + date)

Incorrect: Rock samples taken from the remains of an asteroid about twice the size of the 6-mile-wide asteroid that eradicated the dinosaurs have been dated to be 3.47 billion years old and thus are evidence of the earliest known asteroid impact on Earth. 

Correct: Rock samples taken from the remains of an asteroid about twice the size of the 6-mile-wide asteroid that eradicated the dinosaurs have been dated at 3.47 billion years old and thus are evidence of the earliest known asteroid impact on Earth.

Note: dated to be is unidiomatic

Idiomatic Usage: grounds for

grounds for (something)

The basis for some action or decision, often one that is disciplinary or legal in nature.

• Be careful now—plagiarism is grounds for expulsion.
• Your negligence is grounds for a lawsuit. 
• Is infidelity grounds for divorce in this state?

introduce to vs. introduce into

introduce to: to present someone to someone else for the first time so that they can become acquainted

• I would like to introduce you to my cousin, Sarah.
• We proudly introduce to you the Dutch team.
• Let me introduce you to him.

introduce into: to put something into use for the first time, or to put something into a new place

• New computers have been introduced into the office.
• The grey squirrel was introduced into Britain from North America.
• Fuel was introduced into the jet pipe.

each other vs. one another

The reciprocal pronouns "each other" and "one another" are used to show that people do the same thing, feel the same way, or have the same relationship.

Use each other when there are only two people or things, and one another when there are more than two.

• The two companies are in competition with each other.
• Sarah and Sam have had a big argument and now they're not speaking to each other.
• Emily and Neal looked at each other.
• I and my best friend talk to each other every day.
• Rose and Gina never liked each other.
• We sent New Year cards to one another.
• The triplets dislike one another.
• The dog, cat and bird looked at one another.
• Apes spend a great deal of time grooming one another's fur.

Apostrophe: Quick Tips 2

The apostrophe (') is used in nouns to show possession.

If the plural form of the noun ends in s, add the apostrophe (')

Plural	Plural Possessive
boys	boys’
girls	girls’
ladies	ladies’

Sarah excused herself to use the ladies’ room.

Note: The sign of the possessive case is always added to a word. It is not something that is inserted within a word.

Apostrophe: Quick Tips 1

The apostrophe (') is used in nouns to show possession.

If the plural form of the noun doesn't end in s, add the apostrophe and s.

Plural	Plural Possessive
men	men’s
children	children’s
mice	mice’s
teeth	teeth’s
women	women’s

Note: The sign of the possessive case is always added to a word. It is not something that is inserted within a word.

Usage: advise...to vs. advise that

Use advise...to when the sentence is giving advice directly to someone or something. If you advise someone to do something, you tell them what you think they should do.

• I advise you to go home. (I am giving this advice directly to you.)
• Sam advised Sarah to sell her car. (Sam advised Sarah directly)
• The minister advised him to leave as soon as possible

Use advise that when the sentence is giving advice not directed at any particular person or thing.

• Experts advise that sunscreen should be reapplied on an hourly basis. (The experts are not giving this advice directly to people; the advice is being given to all of us.)
• Experts advise that investors sell their stock in the company. (The experts are not giving this advice directly to the investors; the advice is being given to all of us.)

Usage: on the basis of vs. based on

When acting as a past participle based should modify a noun. If there is no noun to which it can attach, one must use on the basis of.

• Incorrect: Based on these findings, we adopted a new marketing approach.
• Correct: On the basis of these findings, we developed a new marketing approach.
• Correct: We developed a new marketing approach based on these findings.
• Incorrect: Based on the growth rates of large modern reptiles such as the Galapagos tortoise and examinations of fossils of juvenile dinosaurs, scientists estimate that the largest dinosaurs probably lived to be between 100 and 200 years old.
• Correct: On the basis of growth rates of large modern reptiles such as the Galapagos tortoise and examinations of fossils of juvenile dinosaurs, scientists estimate that the largest dinosaurs probably lived to be between 100 and 200 years old.

Usage Note: Hopefully

As a sentence adverb (modifying an entire sentence or clause, rather than the actual verb), hopefully has been widely criticized.
In formal writing, replace hopefully with an expression such as "I hope that" or "it is to be hoped that."

I hope that we will be able to reach home by evening. - correct
Hopefully, we will be able to reach home by evening. - incorrect

It is to be hoped (or we can only hope) that the ceasefire will last. - correct
Hopefully, the ceasefire will last. - incorrect

Hopefully: an ordinary adverb (modifying the verb)

They waited hopefully for the rain to stop. - correct
He prayed hopefully for the rain. - correct

Question number 844

Differ with vs. Differ from

One differs with a person in the matter of opinion. 

I beg to differ with your interpretation. (matter of opinion)

The President also differed with members of Congress over this issue. (matter of opinion)

A person or thing differs from another in certain respects; it is unlike another in certain respects.

Delhi differs from Chennai in many ways. (in certain respects)

Laws on pollution differ widely from one country to another.

During vs. While

During and while both mean through a period of time.

Use during before a noun that names an event or a period of time. 

They work during the night and sleep by day.

You're not allowed to talk during the exam.

Use while before a clause.

I gained a lot of weight while I was on holiday.

I read it while you were drying your hair.

Rates for vs. Rates of

When rates means prices charged, it should be followed by for instead of of

State officials report that soaring rates for liability insurance are forcing cutbacks in the operations of everything from local governments and school districts to day-care centers and recreational facilities. - correct

State officials report that soaring rates of liability insurance are forcing cutbacks in the operations of everything from local governments and school districts to day-care centers and recreational facilities. - incorrect


When rate is used as a standard of measure, it should be followed by of instead of for

High rates of sick leave are a concern for all types of organizations. - correct

High rates for sick leave are a concern for all types of organizations. - incorrect

Because vs. In that

You use in that to introduce an explanation of a statement you have just made. 

e.g. I'm lucky in that I've got four sisters

When we use because, we are focusing on the reason. Because is used to express a simple cause effect relationship 

e.g. The boy was absent because he was ill.

Teratomas are unusual forms of cancer in that they are composed of tissues such as tooth and bone, tissues not normally found in the organ in which the tumor appears. - correct

Teratomas are unusual forms of cancer because they are composed of tissues such as tooth and bone, tissues not normally found in the organ in which the tumor appears. - incorrect

Where vs. In which

Where is used to refer to places only; to refer to events use in which

Stars like the sun can continue to shine steadily for billions of years because their light and heat are produced by nuclear fusion, in which  titanic releases of energy result in the loss of only tiny amounts of mass. - correct

Stars like the sun can continue to shine steadily for billions of years because nuclear fusion produces their light and heat, where titanic releases of energy result in the loss of only tiny amounts of mass. - incorrect

Idioglossia is a phenomenon, incompletely understood at best, where two persons develop a unique and private language with highly original vocabulary and syntax. - incorrect

Idioglossia is a phenomenon, incompletely understood at best, in which two persons develop a unique and private language with highly original vocabulary and syntax. - correct

For vs. Because

Punctuate for and because differently.

The coordinating conjunction for means because. 
Put a comma in front of for but not in front of because.

My room is cold for the heater is broken. - incorrect
My room is cold, for the heater is broken. - correct

My room is cold because the heater is broken

Few Quick Tips

1. Do not use since with an amount of time. Use for.

• I have been here since six weeks - incorrect
• I have been here for six weeks - correct

2. Do not use the simple present in a sentence containing since. Use the present perfect.

• I am here since January 5. - incorrect
• I have been here since January 5. - correct

Look at vs. Look to

Look at implies to turn the eyes in a certain direction so as to see; to use one's sight.

• He turned and looked at her.
• I’d like a skin specialist to look at that rash of yours.

Look to (someone or something) implies To rely on, turn to or refer to them or it, to expect

• Children look to their parents for help.
• This looks to be a very difficult assignment.

Maybe vs. Probably

Maybe

adverb

written as one word, defined as possibly or perhaps.

used to indicate uncertainty or possibility.

• Maybe it won't rain.
• Maybe no one will come to the party.
• Maybe you were right after all.

Probably
adverb

used to mean that something is very likely

• Sam was probably right.
• I'll probably be home by midnight.
• The infection was probably caused by swimming in contaminated water.

Economic vs. Economical

Economic is not same as economical.

                                                          

Economical means frugal, careful in management, not exaggerated or excessive; it has to do with saving.

• the most economical method

    

Economic means of or relating to production, distribution or management of wealth, pertaining to financial matters of a country or household. It means connected with the science of economics: relating to trade, commerce, the production and distribution of wealth, etc.

• economic problems
• a period of economic expansion.

Known to vs. Known as

Known to: when we want to talk about some fact that people have learned.

• Lions have been known to occasionally kill large beasts like elephants, giraffes, and rhinos.
• Elephants are known to communicate with seismics, vibrations produced by impacts on the earth's surface or acoustical waves that travel through it.

Known as: when we want to talk about the name of somebody or something or its definition.

• Some male Asian elephants are tuskless and are known as Muknas
• Lions are big cats known as the "King of the Jungle". 

Especially vs. Specially

Especially means 'particularly, to a degree beyond others'. To stress on exceptional quality, use especial or especially.

• He did especially well in national games. (A noteworthy performance)

Specially means 'for this purpose, or to this end, and no other'. To stress on the distinctive purpose of something, use special or specially.

• This laboratory is built specially for research. (A distinctive purpose)

Subject Verb Agreement: Compound Subjects - Exceptions

Exceptions:

1. When the subjects joined by and refer to the same entity, the subject is singular.

• Burger and fries was her preferred snack.

(Burger and fries together form one unit.)

• Drinking and driving is a crime.

(Drinking and driving are not crimes in isolation, only in combination)

• Calculating and plotting the points on a graph is the most time consuming part of the analysis.

• My best friend and wisest counselor is a dog. 

(The two subjects refer to the same animal)

2.  When the elements are joined by and are preceded by the pronoun each and every, they are considered one unit and take a singular verb.

• Each invoice and purchase order has to be approved.

• Each passenger and the crew member was questioned.

• Every man and woman in the country knows who Lata Mangeshkar is.

NOTE: If each follows a compound subject rather than precedes it, the verb is plural.

• The invoices and purchase orders each have to be approved.

Also visit:

Subject Verb Agreement

The Apostrophe

The apostrophe (') has three uses:

1. To form the possessive case of nouns and certain pronouns.
2. To show omission of a letter or letters from words and of a figure or figures from numerals.
3. To indicate the plural of letters, numerals, symbols, and certain abbreviations.

• Add an apostrophe and s to form the possessive case of a noun not ending in s:

women, women's

children, children's

office, office's

horse, horse's

• Add only an apostrophe to form the possessive case of a plural noun already ending in s:

girls, girls'

hero, heroes'

day, days'

student, students'

• Add an apostrophe alone or an apostrophe and s to form the possessive of singular nouns ending in s:

Keats, Keats' (or Keats's)

Sarah Jones, Sarah Jones' (or Jones's)

• In compound nouns add the apostrophe and s to the last element of the expression, the one nearest the object possessed.

somebody else's coat

my mother-in-law's house

the office manager's desk

• Use an apostrophe to indicate that letters or figures have been emitted.

didn't (did not)

he's (he is)

our '88 model car

the summer of '78

Note: It's means "it is" and can never be used correctly for its in the possessive sense.

Before writing its think whether or not you mean "it is".

• Use an apostrophe and s to form the plurals of numerals, letters, and words considered as words.

Sam has trouble making legible 8's.

Don't overuse and's, but's, and for's, in your essay.

Mind your p's and t's.

• Never use an apostrophe in forming the plural of nouns and the possessive case of personal and relative pronouns.

The Smiths (not Smith's) are coming home tomorrow.

Correct: ours, yours, his, hers, its, theirs, whose

Incorrect: our's, ours', your's, yours', his', her's, it's, their's, theirs', who's (unless you mean "who is)