It is very easy to learn how to speak and write correctly. For all purposes of ordinary conversation and communication, only 2,000 different words are required. The mastery of these 2,000 words and knowing where to place them, will not only make us masters of the English language, but also masters of correct speaking and writing. Small number, you will say, compared to the number of words in the dictionary! No single person ever uses, or could use, all of the words in the dictionary, even if they lived to be the age of Methuselah. There are upwards of 200,000 words in the recent editions of larger dictionaries; however, you only need to know 2,000 to carry on conversations. Of course you may think that you need more, and you may not be content to call things by their common names. For instance, you may not want to call a spade a spade. You may prefer to call it a spatulous device for abrading the surface of the soil. It is better, however, to stick to the familiar, simple name that is known by most people. These words have stood the test of time and proven their staying power.