Writing Lab

1. Writing Lab Diction- Hopefully, Imply vs. Infer, Irregardless, and In regards to

2. Hopefully • “Hopefully” as an adverb means “in a hopeful manner.” Careful writers and speakers avoid using hopefully as a sentence modifier. • Questionable: Hopefully, we will pass the test. (Did we pass the test in a hopeful manner?) • Better: We hope we passed the test.

3. Hopefully cont. • Preferred Usage: The children waited hopefully for the arrival of Santa Claus. (The children waited for Santa Claus in a hopeful manner.)

4. Imply and Infer • Imply means “to hint, indicate, or suggest.” • Infer means “to derive or conclude from evidence.” • Only the speaker or writer implies; the listener or reader infers.

5. Imply and Infer cont. • Example: • I inferred from his record that he was a poor driver. • The manager implied that I would be receiving a raise.

6. Irregardless • “Irregardless,” though often heard, is not considered good usage.

7. Irregardless cont. • The ending “–less” gives “regardless” a negative meaning: “without regard to.” • Adding the prefix “ir-” makes a double negative. • We will have the picnic regardless (not irregardless) of the weather.

8. In regards to • “In regards to” is nonstandard English. Careful writers use “in regard to” or “with regard to.” • Example • In regard to your letter of complaint, I have composed a memo to the staff.

9. That’s all, folks! • This lesson is part of the UWF Writing Lab Grammar Mini-Lesson Series • Lessons adapted from Real Good Grammar, Too by Mamie Webb Hixon • To find out more, visit the Writing Lab’s website where you can take a self-scoring quiz corresponding to this lesson