Chapter III: Introduction: Importance of the Subject 1 (2)

_Common_ should be distinguished from _mutual_. _Common_ means "shared in common." _Mutual_ means "reciprocal" and can refer to but two persons or things. A _common_ friend is a friend two or more friends have in common. _Mutual_ friendship is the friendship of two persons for each other.

_Compare to_, _liken to_, _compare with_, means "measure by" or "point out similarities and differences."

_Condign_ means "suitable" or "deserved," not necessarily _severe_.

_Condone_ means "to forgive" or "nullify by word or act," not "make amends for."

_Consider_ in the sense of _regard as_ should not usually be followed by _as_, e. g., "I consider him a wise man," not "_as_ a wise man."

_Contemptible_ is used of an object of contempt and it should be distinguished from _contemptuous_ which is used of what is directed at such an object, e. g., "He is a _contemptible_ fellow." "I gave him a _contemptuous_ look."

_Continual_ should not be confused with _continuous_. _Continual_ means "frequently repeated." _Continuous_ means "uninterrupted."

_Convene_, which means "to come together," should not be confused with _convoke_ which means "to bring or call together." A legislature _convenes_. It cannot be _convened_ by another, but it can be _convoked_.

_Crime_ is often used for offenses against the speaker's sense of right. Properly _crime_ is a technical word meaning "offenses against law." A most innocent action may be a _crime_ if it is contrary to a statute. The most sinful, cruel, or dishonest action is no _crime_ unless prohibited by a statute.

_Dangerous_ should not be used for _dangerously ill_.

_Data_ is plural.

_Deadly_, "that which inflicts death" should not be confused with _deathly_, "that which resembles death."

_Decided_ must not be confused with _decisive_. A _decided_ victory is a clear and unmistakable victory. A _decisive_ victory is one which decides the outcome of a war or of a campaign.

_Decimate_ means to take away one-tenth. It is not properly used in a general way of the infliction of severe losses.

_Definite_ which means "well defined" should not be confused with _definitive_ which means "final."

_Demean_ is related to _demeanor_ and means "behave." It should be carefully distinguished from _degrade_ or _lower_.

_Die._ We die _of_ a certain disease, not _with_ or _from_ it.

_Differ_ in the sense of disagree is followed by _with_. "I _differ with_ you." _Differ_ as indicating unlikeness is followed by _from_.

_Different_ should be followed by _from_ never by _with_, _than_, or _to_.

_Directly_ should not be used for _as soon as_.

_Discover_, "to find something which previously existed" should be distinguished from _invent_ something for the first time.

_Disinterested_ means "having no financial or material interest in a thing." It should be carefully distinguished from _uninterested_ which means "taking no interest in" a thing.

_Dispense_, "to distribute" should not be confused with _dispense with_, "to do without."

_Disposition_ is not the same as _disposal_.

_Distinguish_ which means "to perceive differences" should not be confused with _differentiate_ which means "to make or constitute a difference."

_Divide_ should be carefully distinguished from _distribute_.

_Don't_ is a contraction of do not. _Doesn't_ is the contraction for does not. _I don't_, _they don't_, _he doesn't_.

_Due_ should not be used for _owing to_ or _because of_.

_Each_ is distributive and is always singular. _Each other_ which is applicable to two only should not be confused with _one another_ which is applicable to more than two.

_Egotist_, a man with a high or conceited opinion of himself, should not be confused with _egoist_ which is the name for a believer in a certain philosophical doctrine.

_Either_ is distributive and therefore singular and should never be used of more than two.

_Elegant_ denotes delicacy and refinement and should not be used as a term of general approval.

_Else_ should be followed by _than_, not by _but_. "No one else _than_ (not _but_) he could have done so much."

_Emigrant_, one who goes out of a country should not be confused with _immigrant_, one who comes into a country.

_Enormity_ is used of wickedness, cruelty, or horror, not of great size, for which _enormousness_ should be used. We speak of the _enormity_ of an offence but of the _enormousness_ of a crowd.

_Enthuse_ should not be used as a verb.

_Equally as_ well; say _equally well_, or _as well_.

_Every place_ used adverbially should be _everywhere_.

_Except_ should never be used in the sense of _unless_ or _but_.

_Exceptional_ which means "unusual," "forming an exception" should not be confused with _exceptionable_ which means "open to objection."

_Expect_ which involves a sense of the future should not be confused with _suppose_ and similar words, as in the phrase "I _expect_ you know all about it."

_Factor_ is not to be confounded with _cause_.

_Falsity_ applies to things, _falseness_ to persons.

_At fault_ means "at a loss of what to do next." _In fault_ means "in the wrong."

_Favor_ should not be used in the sense of _resemble_.

_Female_ should not be used for _woman_. The words _female_, _woman_, and _lady_ should be used with careful attention to their respective shades of meaning.

_Few_, which emphasizes the fact that the number is small should be distinguished from _a few_ which emphasizes the fact that there is a number though it be small. "_Few_ shall part where many meet." "_A few_ persons were saved in the ark."

_Fewer_ applies to number; _less_ to quantity.

_Firstly_ should not be used for _first_ although secondly and thirdly may be used to complete the series.

_Fix_ should not be used in the sense of _repair_, _arrange_, or _settle_.

_Former_ and _latter_ should never be used where more than two things are involved.

_Frequently_ should be distinguished from commonly, _generally_, _perpetually_, _usually_. _Commonly_ is the antithesis of _rarely_, _frequently_ of _seldom_, _generally_ of _occasionally_, _usually_ of _casually_.

_Funny_ should not be used to mean _strange_ or _remarkable_.

_Gentleman Friend_ and _Lady Friend_ are expressions which should be avoided, say "man or woman friend" or "man or woman of my acquaintance" or even "gentleman or lady of my acquaintance."

_Good_ should not be used in the sense of _well_. "I feel _good_."

_Got_ is said to be the most misused word in the language. The verb means to secure by effort and should be used only with this meaning, e. g., "I have _got_ the contract." _Have got_ to indicate mere possession is objectionable. Mere possession is indicated by _have_ alone. Another common mistake is the use of _got_ to express obligation or constraint. "I have _got_ to do it."

_Guess_ should not be used in the sense of _think_ or _imagine_.

_Handy_ should never be used to express nearness.

_Hanged_ should be used to express the execution of a human being. _Hung_ is the past participle in all other uses.

_Hardly._ "I _can hardly_ see it," not "I _can't hardly_ see it."

_Healthy_ which means "possessed of health" should be distinguished from _healthful_ and _wholesome_ which mean "health giving."

_High_ should not be confused with _tall_.

_Home_ is not a synonym for _house_. A beautiful _house_ is a very different thing from a beautiful _home_.

_Honorable_ as a title should always be preceded by _the_.

_How_ should not be used for _what_, or for _that_. It means "in what manner."

_How that_ should not be used when either one will do alone. Such a sentence as "We have already noted how that Tillotson defied rubrical order...." is very bad.

_If_ should not be used in the sense of _where_ or _that_.

_Ilk_ means "the same" not _kind_ or _sort_.

_Ill_ is an adverb as well as an adjective. Do not say illy.

_In_ should not be used for _into_ when motion is implied. You ride _in_ a car but you get _into_ it.

_Inaugurate_ should not be used for _begin_.

_Individual_ should not be used for _person_.

_Inside of_ should not be used as an expression of time.

_Invaluable_, meaning "of very great value" should not be confused with _valueless_, meaning "of no value."

_Invite_ should not be used for _invitation_.

_Kind_ is not plural. Do not say "These" or "those" _kind_ of things. _Kind of_ should never be followed by the indefinite article. "What _kind of_ man is he?" not "What _kind of a_ man is he?" _Kind of_ or _sort of_ should not be used in the sense of _rather_ or _somewhat_.

_Kindly_ is often misused in such expressions as "You are _kindly_ requested to recommend a compositor." Undoubtedly the idea of kindness is attached to the recommendation not to the request and the sentence should be so framed as to express it.

_Last_ is often misused for _latest_. "The _last_ number of the paper" is not the one that appeared this morning but the one that finally closes publication.

_Latter_ applies only to the last of two. If a longer series than two is referred to, say _the last_.

_Lay_, which is a transitive verb, should not be confused with _lie_. _Lay_ is a verb which expresses causitive action; _lie_ expresses passivity. "He _lays_ plans." "He _lies_ down." The past tense of _lay_ is _laid_, that of _lie_ is _lay_.

_Learn_ should not be used in place of _teach_.

_Lengthy_ is a very poor substitute for _long_, which needs no substitute.

_Liable_ should not be used for _likely_. _Liable_ means an unpleasant probability. _Likely_ means any probability. _Liable_ is also used to express obligation. He is _liable_ for this debt.

_Like_ must never be used in the sense of _as_. "Do _like_ I do" should be "Do _as_ I do."

_Literally_ implies that a statement to which it is attached is accurately and precisely true. It is frequently misused.

_Loan_ is a noun, not a verb.

_Locate_ should not be used in the sense of _settle_.

_Lot_ or _lots_ should not be used to indicate a _great deal_.

_Love_ expresses affection or, in its biblical sense, earnest benevolence. _Like_ expresses taste. Do not say "I should _love_ to go."

_Lovely_ means "worthy of affection" and, like _elegant_, should never be used as a term of general approbation.

_Luxuriant_ which means "superabundant in growth or production" should not be confounded with _luxurious_ which means "given over to luxury." Vegetation is _luxuriant_, men are _luxurious_.

_Mad_ means _insane_ and is not a synonym for _angry_.

_Means_ may be either singular or plural.

_Meet_ should not be used in the sense of _meeting_ except in the case of a few special expressions such as "a race meet."

_Mighty_ should not be used in the sense of _very_.

_Mind_ should not be used in the sense of _obey_.

_Minus_ should not be used in the sense of _without_ or _lacking_.

_Most_ should not be used instead of _almost_, as in such expressions as "It rained _most_ every day."

_Must_ should not be used for _had to_ or _was obliged_. In its proper use it refers to the present or future only.

_Necessities_ should be carefully distinguished from _necessaries_.

_Negligence_, which denotes a quality of character should be distinguished from _neglect_ which means "a failure to act."

_Neither_ denotes one of two and should not be used for _none_ or _no one_. As a correlative conjunction it should be followed by _nor_ never by _or_.

_New beginner_. _Beginner_ is enough; all beginners are new.

_News_ is singular in construction.

_Never_ is sometimes used as an emphatic negative but such usage is not good.

_Nice_ should not be used in the sense of _pleasant_ or _agreeable_.

_No how_ should not be used for _anyway_.

_No place_ should be written as _nowhere_.

_None_ should be treated as a singular.

_Not_, like _neither_, must be followed by the correlative _nor_, e. g., "Not for wealth nor for fame did he strive."

_Not_ ... _but_ to express a negative is a double negative and therefore should not be used, e. g., "I have _not_ had _but_ one meal to-day."

_Nothing like_ and _nowhere near_ should not be used for _not nearly_.

_O_ should be used for the vocative and without punctuation.

_Oh_ should be used for the ejaculation and should be followed by a comma or an exclamation point.

_Obligate_ should not be used for _oblige_.

_Observe_ should not be used for _say_.

_Observation_ should not be used for _observance_.

_Of_ is superfluous in such phrases as _smell of_, _taste of_, _feel of_.

_Off_ should never be used with _of_; one or the other is superfluous.

_Other._ After _no other_ use _than_, not _but_.

_Ought_ must never be used in connection with _had_ or _did_. "You _hadn't ought_ or _didn't ought_ to do it" should be "You ought not to have done it."

_Out loud_ should never be used for _aloud_.

_Panacea_ is something that cures all diseases, not an effective remedy for one disease.

_Partake of_ should not be used in the sense of _eat_. It means "to share with others."

_Party_ should never be used for _person_ except in legal documents.

_Per_ should be used in connection with other words of Latin form but not with English words. _Per diem_, _per annum_, and the like are correct. _Per day_ or _per year_ are incorrect. It should be _a day_, or _a year_.

_Perpendicular_, which merely means at right angles to something else mentioned, should not be used for _vertical_.

_Plenty_, a noun should not be confused with the adjective _plentiful_.

_Politics_ is singular.

_Post_ does not mean _inform_.

_Predicate_ should not be used in the sense of _predict_ or in the sense of _base_ or _found_.

_Premature_ means "before the proper time." It should not be used in a general way as equivalent to _false_.

_Pretty_ should not be used in the modifying sense, nor as a synonym for _very_ in such phrases as "pretty good," "pretty near," and the like.

_Preventative_, no such word, say _preventive_.

_Promise_ should not be used in the sense of _assure_.

_Propose_, meaning "to offer" should not be confused with _purpose_ meaning "to intend."

_Proposition_ should not be confounded with _proposal_. A _proposition_ is a statement of a statement or a plan. A _proposal_ is the presentation or statement of an offer.

_Providing_ should not be used for _provided_.

_Quality_ should never be used as an adjective or with an adjective sense. "Quality clothes" is meaningless: "Clothes of quality" equally so. All clothes have quality and the expression has meaning only when the quality is defined as good, bad, high, low, and so forth.

_Quit_, "to go away from" is not the same as _stop_.

_Quite_ means "entirely," "wholly," and should never be used in the modifying sense as if meaning _rather_ or _somewhat_. "Quite a few" is nonsense.

_Raise_ is a much abused word. It is never a noun. As a verb it should be distinguished from _rear_ and _increase_, as in such phrases as "He was _raised_ in Texas." "The landlord _raised_ my rent."

_Rarely ever_ should not be used for _rarely_ or _hardly ever_.

_Real_ should not be used in the sense of _very_.

_Reference_ should be used with _with_ rather than _in_. Say _with_ reference to, not _in_ reference to. The same rule applies to the words _regard_ and _respect_. Do not say "_in regards to_," say "_with regard to_."

_Remember_ is not the same as _recollect_, which means "to remember by an effort."

_Rendition_ should not be used for _rendering_.

_Researcher_ has no standing as a word.

_Reside_ in the sense of live, and residence in the sense of house or dwelling are affectations and should never be used.

_Retire_ should not be used in the sense of "go to bed."

_Right_ should not be used in the sense of _duty_. "You _had a right_ to warn me," should be "It was your duty to warn me, or you ought to have warned me." _Right_ should not be used in the sense of _very_. Such expressions as _right now_, _right off_, _right away_, _right here_ are not now in good use.

_Same_ should not be used as a pronoun. This is a common usage in business correspondence but it is not good English and can be easily avoided without sacrificing either brevity or sense. _Same as_ in the sense of _just as_, _in the same manner_ should be avoided.

_Score_ should not be used for _achieve_ or _accomplish_.

_Set_ should not be confused with _sit_. To set means "to cause to sit."

_Sewage_, meaning the contents of a sewer, should not be confused with _sewerage_ which means the system.

_Show_ should not be used in the sense of _play_ or _performance_. _Show up_ should not be used for _expose_.

_Since_ should not be used for _ago_.

_Size up_ should not be used for _estimate_ or _weigh_.

_Some_ should not be used for _somewhat_ as "I feel _some_ better."

_Sort of_ should not be used for _rather_.

_Splendid_ means _shining_ or _brilliant_ and should not be used as a term of general commendation.

_Stand for_ means "be responsible for." Its recent use as meaning _stand_, _endure_, or _permit_, should be avoided.

_Start_ should not be used for _begin_, e. g., "He _started_ (began) to speak."

_State_ should not be used for _say_.

_Stop_ should not be used for _stay_.

_Such_ should not be used for _so_. Say "I have never seen _so_ beautiful a book before" not "I have never seen such a beautiful book before."

_Sure_ should not be used as an adverb. Say _surely_.

_Take_ is superfluous in connection with other verbs, e. g., "Suppose we _take_ and _use_ that type." _Take_ should not be confused with _bring_. _Take stock in_ should not be used for _rely_ or _trust in_.

_That_ should not be used in the sense of _so_. "I did not know it was _that_ big."

_Think_ should not have the word _for_ added, e. g., "It is more important than you _think for_."

_This_ should not be used as an adverb. "This much is clear" should be "Thus much is clear."

_Through_ should not be used for _finished_.

_To_ is superfluous and wrong in such expressions as "Where did you go _to_?"

_Too_ alone should not modify a past participle. "He was _too_ (much) excited to reply."

_Transpire_ does not mean _happen_. It means to come to light or become known.

_Treat_ should be followed by _of_ rather than _on_. This volume treats _of_ grammar, not _on_ grammar.

_Try_ should be followed by _to_ rather than _and_. "I will try _to_ go," not "I will try _and_ go."

_Ugly_ should never be used in the sense of _bad tempered_ or _vicious_. It means "repulsive to the eye."

_Unique_ does not mean _rare_, _odd_, or _unusual_. It means alone of its kind.

_Upward of_ should not be used in the sense of _more than_.

_Venal_ should not be confused with _venial_.

_Verbal_ should not be confused with _oral_. A _verbal_ message means only a message in words; an _oral_ message is a message by word of mouth.

_Very_ should be used sparingly. It is a word of great emphasis and like all such words defeats its purpose when used too frequently.

_Visitor_ is a human caller. _Visitant_ a supernatural caller.

_Want_ should not be used in the sense of _wish_, e. g., "I _want_ it" really means "I feel the want of it" or "I lack it." _Want_, _wish_, and _need_ should be carefully distinguished.

_Way_ should not be used in the sense of _away_ in such expressions as "_Way_ down East."

_Ways_ should not be used for _way_, e. g., "It is quite a _ways_ (way) off."

_What_ is often misused for _that_, e. g., "He has no doubt but _what_ (that) he will succeed."

_Whence_ means "from what place or cause" and should not be preceded by _from_. This applies equally to hence which means "from this place."

_Which_ should not be used with a clause as its antecedent, e. g., "He replied hotly, _which_ was a mistake" should be "He replied hotly; this was a mistake." _Which_ being a neuter pronoun should not be used to represent a masculine or feminine noun. Use who. Between the two neuter pronouns _which_ and _that_ let euphony decide.

_Who_ should not be misused for _whom_ or _whose_, e. g., "_Who_ (whom) did you wish to see?" "Washington, than _who_ (whose) no greater name is recorded." Impersonal objects should be referred to by _which_ rather than _who_.

_Without_ should not be used for _unless_, e. g., "I will not go _without_ (unless) you go with me."

_Witness_ should not be used for _see_.

_Worst kind_ or _worst kind of way_ should not be used for _very much_.

_Womanly_ means "belonging to woman as woman."

_Womanish_ means _effeminate_.

_Tables of Irregular Verbs_

Table 1 contains the principal parts of all irregular verbs whose past tense and perfect participle are unlike.

Most errors in the use of irregular verbs occur with those in Table 1. The past tense must not be used with _have_ (_has_, _had_). Do not use such expressions as _have drove_ and _has went_. Equally disagreeable is the use of the perfect participle for the past tense; as, _she seen_, _they done_.

TABLE I

Present Tense Past Tense Perf. Part.

arise arose arisen
be or am was been
bear, _bring forth_ bore born[1], borne
bear, _carry_ bore borne
beat beat beaten, beat
begin began begun
bid bade, bid bidden, bid
bite bit bitten, bit
blow blew blown
break broke broken
chide chid chidden, chid
choose chose chosen
cleave, _split_ {cleft, clove {cleft, cleaved,
{(clave)[2] {cloven
come came come
do did done
draw drew drawn
drink drank drunk, drunken
drive drove driven
eat ate (eat) eaten (eat)
fall fell fallen
fly flew flown
forbear forbore forborne
forget forgot forgotten, forgot
forsake forsook forsaken
freeze froze frozen
give gave given
go went gone
grow grew grown
hide hid hidden, hid
know knew known
lie, _recline_ lay lain
ride rode ridden
ring rang, rung rung
rise rose risen
run ran run
see saw seen
shake shook shaken
shrink shrank, shrunk shrunk, shrunken
sing sung, sang sung
sink sank, sunk sunk
slay slew slain
slide slid slidden, slid
smite smote smitten
speak spoke (spake) spoken
spring sprang, spring sprung
steal stole stolen
stride strode stridden
strike struck struck, stricken
strive strove striven
swear swore (sware) sworn
swim swam, swum swum
take took taken
tear tore torn
throw threw thrown
tread trod trodden, trod
wear wore worn
weave wove woven
write wrote written

TABLE II

This table contains the principal parts of all irregular verbs whose past tense and perfect participles are alike.

Present Tense Past Tense and Present Tense Past Tense and
Perf. Part. Perf. Part.

abide abode mean meant
behold beheld meet met
beseech besought pay paid
bind bound put put
bleed bled read read
breed bred rend rent
bring brought say said
build built seek sought
burst burst sell sold
buy bought send sent
cast cast set set
catch caught shed shed
cling clung shoe shod
cost cost shoot shot
creep crept shut shut
cut cut sit sat
deal dealt sleep slept
feed fed sling slung
feel felt slink slunk
fight fought spend spent
find found spin spun (span)
flee fled spit spit (spat)
fling flung split split
get got (gotten) spread spread
grind ground stand stood
have had stick stuck
hear heard sting stung
hit hit string strung
hold held sweep swept
hurt hurt swing swung
keep kept teach taught
lay laid tell told
lead led think thought
leave left thrust thrust
lend lent weep wept
let let win won
lose lost wring wrung
make made

TABLE III

This table includes verbs that are both regular and irregular.

A

Verbs in which the regular form is preferred.

Present Tense Past Tense Perf. Part.

bend bended, bent bended, bent
bereave bereaved, bereft bereaved, bereft
blend blended, blent blended, blent
bless blessed, blest blessed, blest
burn burned, burnt burned, burnt
cleave, _stick_ cleaved (clave) cleaved
clothe clothed, clad clothed, clad
curse cursed, curst cursed, curst
dive dived (dove) dived (dove)
dream dreamed, dreamt dreamed, dreamt
dress dressed, drest dressed, drest
gild gilded, gilt gilded, gilt
heave heaved, hove heaved, hove
hew hewed hewed, hewn
lade laded laded, laden
lean leaned, leant leaned, leant
leap leaped, leapt leaped, leapt
learn learned, learnt learned, learnt
light lighted, lit lighted, lit
mow mowed mowed, mown
pen, _shut up_ penned, pent penned, pent
plead {pleaded (plead _or_ {pleaded (plead _or_
{pled) {pled)
prove proved proved, proven
reave reaved, reft reaved, reft
rive rived rived, riven
saw sawed sawed, sawn
seethe seethed (sod) seethed, sodden
shape shaped shaped, shapen
shave shaved shaved, shaven
shear sheared sheared, shorn
smell smelled, smelt smelled, smelt
sow sowed sowed, sown
spell spelled, spelt spelled, spelt
spill spilled, spilt spilled, spilt
spoil spoiled, spoilt spoiled, spoilt
stave staved, stove staved, stove
stay stayed, staid stayed, staid
swell swelled swelled, swollen
wake waked, woke waked, woke
wax, _grow_ waxed waxed (waxen)
wed wedded wedded, wed
whet whetted, whet whetted, whet
work worked, wrought worked, wrought

B

Verbs in which the irregular form is preferred.

Present Tense Past Tense Perf. Part.

awake awoke, awaked awaked, awoke
belay belaid, belayed belaid, belayed
bet bet, betted bet, betted
crow crew, crowed crowed
dare durst, dared dared
dig dug, digged dug, digged
dwell dwelt, dwelled dwelt, dwelled
gird girt, girded girt, girded
grave graved graven, graved
hang hung, hanged[3] hung, hanged
kneel knelt, kneeled knelt, kneeled
knit knit, knitted knit, knitted
quit quit, quitted quit, quitted
rap rapt, rapped rapt, rapped
rid rid, ridded rid, ridded
shine shone (shined) shone (shined)
show showed shown, showed
shred shred, shredded shred, shredded
shrive shrived, shrove shriven, shrived
slit slit, slitted slit, slitted
speed sped, speeded sped, speeded
strew strewed strewn, strewed
strow strowed strown, strowed
sweat sweat, sweated sweat, sweated
thrive throve, thrived thrived, thriven
wet wet (wetted) wet (wetted)
wind wound (winded) wound (winded)

The verbs of the following list also are irregular; but as they lack one or more of the principal parts, they are called defective verbs.

_Defective Verbs_

Present Past Present Past

can could ought .....
may might ..... quoth
must ..... beware .....
shall should methinks methought
will would

All the participles are wanting in defective verbs.

The verb _ought_, when used to express past duty or obligation, is followed by what is called the perfect infinitive--a use peculiar to itself because _ought_ has no past form.

_Example:_ I ought _to have gone_ yesterday.

Other verbs expressing past time are used in the past tense followed by the root infinitive.

_Example:_ I intended _to go_ yesterday.

SUPPLEMENTARY READING

Composition and Rhetoric. By Lockwood and Emerson. Ginn & Co., Boston.

The Art of Writing and Speaking the English Language. By Sherwin Cody. The Old Greek Press, Chicago.

The Writer's Desk Book. By William Dana Orcutt. Frederick Stokes Company, New York.

A Manual for Writers. By John Matthews Manly and John Arthur Powell. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

Any good Grammar.

Putnam's Word Book. By Louis A. Flemming. G. P. Putnam's Sons, Chicago. (For reference.)

QUESTIONS

In addition to the questions here given there should be constant and thorough drill in the use of grammatical forms and the choice of words. Frequent short themes should be required. In these themes attention should be given to grammatical construction, choice of words, spelling, capitalization, punctuation, sentence construction, and paragraphing.

1. Why is the subject important?

2. How many families of words are there, and what are they?

3. What is a noun?

4. What are the three things about a noun which indicates its relation to other words?

5. How many numbers are there, and what do they mean?

6. How do ordinary nouns form their plurals?

7. How do compound nouns form their plurals?

8. What is one very important use of number?

9. What can you say of the use of the verb with collective nouns?

10. What is case?

11. How many cases are there, and what does each indicate?

12. What can you say about the relation of a noun to a preposition?

13. Are prepositions ever omitted, and why?

14. How are the nominative and objective cases distinguished?

15. How is the possessive case formed in the plural?

16. Do possessive pronouns take an apostrophe?

17. What is _it's_?

18. How are compound nouns, appositives, etc., treated in the possessive?

19. What is an adjective?

20. What do degrees indicate, and how many are there?

21. How are adjectives compared?

22. When should the long form of comparison be used and when the short?

23. What danger attends the use of _most_?

24. Give two irregular adjectives and compare them.

25. Should the two methods of comparison ever be combined?

26. Why are some adjectives never compared?

27. What is an article?

28. How many articles are there?

29. What kinds of articles are there?

30. When should you use _a_?

31. When should you use _an_?

32. What is a verb?

33. Of what three parts does a simple sentence consist?

34. Name them and describe each.

35. What is the relation of the verb to the subject with regard to person and number?

36. What is voice?

37. How many voices are there, what is each called, and what does it indicate?

38. What is tense?

39. How many tenses are there, and what are they called?

40. What is the rule for tense in subordinate clauses?

41. What is the reason for the rule, and how can accuracy be determined?

42. What happens when the statement in the subordinate clause is of universal application?

43. What is mood?

44. How many moods are there, and what are they called?

45. How is the indicative mood used?

46. How is the subjunctive mood used?

47. How is the imperative mood used?

48. What is the potential mood?

49. What is the exact meaning of (a) _may_, (b) _can_, (c) _must_, (d) _ought_?

50. What is tense?

51. How are _shall_ and _will_ used in direct discourse (a) in simple statements, (b) in questions, (c) in other cases?

52. How are _shall_ and _will_ used in indirect discourse?

53. What are the exceptions in the use of _shall_ and _will_?

54. What is the general use of _should_ and _would_?

55. How are should and would used in subordinate clauses, in indirect discourse?

56. What exceptions are there in the use of _should_ and _would_?

57. Why do we make mistakes in the use of compound tenses?

58. What is the case of the object in participial construction?

59. What should be avoided in the use of prepositions?

60. Do passive verbs ever have objects?

61. What is a pronoun?

62. What common error occurs in the use of plural possessive pronouns?

63. What common error occurs in the use of cases in subordinate clauses?

64. What danger is there in the use of pronouns, and how can it be avoided?

65. What is an adverb?

66. What is the important distinction in the use of adverbs and adjectives?

67. What rule is to be observed in the use of negatives?

68. What is a preposition?

69. Where is it placed in the sentence?

70. What is a conjunction?

71. What is said of _and_ and _but_?

72. How should we pair _either_, _neither_, _or_, and _nor_?

73. What is the rule about placing correlatives?

74. What is an interjection?

75. Does it make much difference where words are put in a sentence? Why?

76. What is the general rule for placing words?

77. When may words be omitted?

78. What is the danger in such omission?

79. Mention some objectionable abbreviations of this sort.

80. What is the writer's task?

81. What three abuses are to be avoided?

82. What are Campbell's five canons?

83. What are the rules for the formation of sentences?

84. What are the rules for the formation of paragraphs?

GLOSSARY

AMBIGUITY--The possibility of more than one meaning.

APPOSITION--When the meaning of a noun or pronoun is made clear or emphatic by the use of another noun or pronoun the two are said to be in apposition, e. g., John, the old pressman.

AUXILIARY VERB--A verb used to help to express the meaning of another verb by showing its voice, mood or tense.

CLAUSE--A group of words consisting of a subject and predicate with their modifiers and forming a part of a sentence: a sentence within a sentence.

COLLECTIVE NOUN--A noun indicating a collection of units considered as a whole, e. g., _crowd_.

COMPOUND WORDS--Words made up of two or more words used together to express one idea.

CONTEXT--The entire writing from which a text or passage is taken.

CORRELATIVE--A term applied to pairs of conjunctions or other words or phrases which imply or involve each other.

DICTION--The choice and use of words.

GRAMMAR--The science that treats of the principles that govern the correct use of language in either spoken or written form; the science of the sentence and its elements.

HETEROGENEOUS SENTENCES--Sentences containing unrelated ideas or dealing with a variety of separate things.

HYPOTHESIS--A supposition, or imaginary state of things assumed as a basis for reasoning.

HYPOTHETICAL CLAUSE--A clause containing a supposition.

METAPHOR--A figure of speech in which one thing is likened to another by speaking of it as if it were that other, or calling it that other.

NOUN CLAUSE--A clause used as a noun.

OBJECT (OF A VERB)--The thing acted on.

PARTICIPIAL CONSTRUCTION--A participle and its modifiers used as the subject or object of a verb.

PHRASE--An expression, consisting usually of but a few words, denoting a single idea, or forming a separate part of a sentence.

PREDICATE (OF A SENTENCE)--That which is said of the subject. See subject.

PRINCIPAL VERB--The verb in the main statement of a sentence.

PRONOMINAL ADJECTIVE--An adjective used as a pronoun.

RHETORIC--The art of perfecting man's power of communicating to others his mental acts or states by means of language: art of discourse.

SUBJECT (OF A SENTENCE)--The thing spoken about in the sentence. See predicate.

SUBJECT (OF A VERB)--The thing acting.

SUBORDINATE CLAUSE--A clause explaining or otherwise modifying the main statement of the sentence.

TYPOGRAPHIC TECHNICAL SERIES FOR APPRENTICES

The following list of publications, comprising the TYPOGRAPHIC TECHNICAL SERIES FOR APPRENTICES, has been prepared under the supervision of the Committee on Education of the United Typothetae of America for use in trade classes, in course of printing instruction, and by individuals.

Each publication has been compiled by a competent author or group of authors, and carefully edited, the purpose being to provide the printers of the United States--employers, journeymen, and apprentices--with a comprehensive series of handy and inexpensive compendiums of reliable, up-to-date information upon the various branches and specialties of the printing craft, all arranged in orderly fashion for progressive study.

The publications of the series are of uniform size, 5 x 8 inches. Their general make-up, in typography, illustrations, etc., has been, as far as practicable, kept in harmony throughout. A brief synopsis of the particular contents and other chief features of each volume will be found under each title in the following list.

Each topic is treated in a concise manner, the aim being to embody in each publication as completely as possible all the rudimentary information and essential facts necessary to an understanding of the subject. Care has been taken to make all statements accurate and clear, with the purpose of bringing essential information within the understanding of beginners in the different fields of study. Wherever practicable, simple and well-defined drawings and illustrations have been used to assist in giving additional clearness to the text.

In order that the pamphlets may be of the greatest possible help for use in trade-school classes and for self-instruction, each title is accompanied by a list of Review Questions covering essential items of the subject matter. A short Glossary of technical terms belonging to the subject or department treated is also added to many of the books.

These are the Official Text-books of the United Typothetae of America.

Address all orders and inquiries to COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, UNITED TYPOTHETAE OF AMERICA, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, U. S. A.