Strategy or Tactics?
Tactics is the science and art of handling troops and military units
in the presence of the enemy. By extension, it can mean any maneuvering or
adroit device to accomplish a goal. The adjective form is tactical.
As an illustration, the military term tactical unit refers to the
largest group of troops or troops and equipment that can be directed by a
single officer.
Strategy is the study or science of military position on a broad
scale for winning in a war. It can also refer to the use of stratagems
in business or political affairs. The adjective form is strategic.
Stratagem is a maneuver designed to deceive and outwit an enemy in
war. By extension, it can refer to any action designed for obtaining an
advantage.
Supposed To and Used To
The common expressions supposed to meaning "meant to" or
"intended to" and used to meaning "formerly" are
frequently misspelled or misunderstood.
Both expression are normally in the Passive Voice. This
means that the verb is the past
participle so it ends with an -ed. Writers sometimes drop the final d
because of the t sound which follows it.
Incorrect: We are suppose to meet at seven.
Correct: We are supposed to meet at seven.
Incorrect: I use to read every Hardy Boys
book I could find.
Correct: I used to read every Hardy Boys
book I could find.
Sure or Surely?
Sure is an adjective.
It modifies nouns or pronouns.
Surely is an adverb.
It modifies verbs, adjectives, or adverbs.
Correct: It is a sure thing.
(Thing is a noun. An adjective modifies it.)
Incorrect: It is sure hot outside.
(Hot is an adjective. It should be modified by an adverb.)
Correct: It is surely hot outside.
(Hot is an adjective. An adverb modifies it.)
Using That, Which, and Who
as Relative Pronouns
That, which, and who when used as relative pronouns each has a
distinct function.
In modern speech, which refers only to things. Who (or its
forms whom and whose) refers only to people. That normally
refers to things but it may refer to a class or type of person.
Examples: That is a book which I need for
the class.
These are the books that I need for the class.
He is the man who will be teaching the class.
They are the type of people who would lie to their mothers.
They are the type of people that would lie to their mothers.
(That is OK here because it is a class or type.)
Some teachers also tell you that that should be used with restrictive modifiers
and that which should be used with nonrestrictive modifiers.
Historically, there is little evidence that this "rule" ever had a
significant effect on English expression, but writers should be aware that some
correspondents have been taught this practice.
Sometimes using which for a restrictive modifier can make a sentence
sound better, especially if the sentence already uses the word that (as
in the first example above).
This "rule" can cause confusion with multiple clauses, questions,
or certain constructions and compounds which use that. It is better to
communicate more clearly than to worry about a questionable "rule."
