THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 A GUIDE TO 
 
 GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 BY 
 
 ROBERT PALFREY UTTER, Ph.D. 
 
 ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH 
 IN AMHERST COLLEGE 
 
 HARPER y BROTHERS PUBLISHERS 
 
 NEW YORK AND LONDON
 
 COPYRIGHT 191 4. BY HARPE R a BROTHERS 
 PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
 
 
 } 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 PAoa 
 
 Introduction v 
 
 Symbols Used in Coreecting Themes xi 
 
 PART I 
 WORKMANSHIP 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 I. Good Use 1 
 
 II. Manuscript 3 
 
 III. Punctuation 5 
 
 IV. Capitalization . 16 
 
 V. Spelling 21 
 
 VI. Division of Words — Syllabication 27 
 
 VII. Abbreviations 31 
 
 VIII. Figures 33 
 
 IX. Grammar and Idiom 35 
 
 X. Sentences 42 
 
 XI. Paragraphing . 61 
 
 XII. Diction — Choice of Words 67 
 
 XIII. LETTER-WlUTINa 82 
 
 PART II 
 METHOD 
 
 Collecting Material 93 
 
 Intellectual Honesty 93 
 
 Form of References 94 
 
 iii 

 
 CONTENTS 
 
 CHAP. PAQB 
 
 How TO Find Material 96 
 
 Note-Taking 98 
 
 I. Form 98 
 
 II. Lectures 100 
 
 III. Recitations 103 
 
 IV. Reading 104 
 
 II. Organizing Material 107 
 
 I. The Expository Outline 107 
 
 II. The Argumentative Outune or Brief . . . 112 
 The Three Parts op the Brief 114 
 
 PART III 
 PROSODY AND GRAMMAR 
 
 I. Prosody 121 
 
 Kinds op Feet 123 
 
 Kinds of Lines 125 
 
 Practice of Versification 128 
 
 Kinds of Stanzas 130 
 
 The Sonnet 135 
 
 Blank Verse 136 
 
 Free Verse 136 
 
 II. Outline for Review op Grammar 138 
 
 Inflection 140 
 
 Syntax 146 
 
 III. Paradigm of a Strong Verb 159 
 
 IV. Classified Exercises 165 
 
 V. Miscellaneous Examples of Faulty Engush . . 172 
 Index 181
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 This book is ofiFered with the sympathy of a 
 fellow-craftsman to all who seek self-expression 
 through words. It is based on the experience of a 
 number of years spent in handling the manuscript 
 that comes into the office of the newspaper, the 
 magazine, the book publisher, and that which is 
 written in college classes of all sorts, from those 
 composed of Freshmen to those composed of more 
 or less practised writers and teachers who seek from 
 the college special help of some kind. On the basis 
 of such experience I have selected the material for 
 this book. In it I have tried to give answers to the 
 questions which arise oftenest. It is not intended to 
 be a compendium of all knowledge relating to our 
 work, but merely a useful arrangement of the prin- 
 ciples, and a few rules, which we must use every 
 day, and which we must have either at our fingers' 
 ends or at our elbows. In general I have presented 
 principles as well as rules, and have tried to steer as 
 free a course as one can between dogmatism and 
 prolixity. Sometimes, however, to avoid discussion 
 which would be out of place in a mere handbook, I 
 have been content to point a safe path without 
 explanation.
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 For all readers I hope the index at the end of the 
 volume will make readily accessible all the mate- 
 rial the book contains. For beginners in academic 
 classes, who often cannot find what they need because 
 they do not know it by any name, the special value 
 of the book is supposed to lie in the indexing of the 
 common faults under the symbols which teachers 
 commonly use in pointing them out. The symbol 
 which points out the student's error will, I hope, 
 almost automatically direct him to the passage in 
 the book which will diagnose the fault and indicate 
 the remedy. The plan is intended to relieve teachers 
 of the burden of composition work too elementary 
 for college classes, and to save time from the dis- 
 cussion in full convocation of the class of errors into 
 which sixty per cent, never fall, but which the rest 
 exemplify year after year with unfailing regularity. 
 Beyond these hardy perennials of our ''decomposi- 
 tion and illiterature " I have not attempted to go. 
 This is not a complete collection of all the seventy 
 times seven deadly sins of English composition, but 
 merely those vulgar errors which experience has 
 shown me are the true pseudodoxia epidemica of the 
 writer's craft, so put together and explained that the 
 seeker may easily find what he wants, and find it 
 practically helpful. 
 
 Without prejudice to any useful purpose which 
 the book may be made to serve, I suggest in what 
 follows the work I have designed it to perform in 
 college classes. 
 
 Let the teacher begin with the assimiption that in 
 so far as sins against elementary principles are con- 
 
 vi
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 cerned, each student is innocent untU he has proved 
 himself guilty. Change the character of the pre- 
 scribed course in English for Freshmen from one in 
 composition to one which emphasizes primarily the 
 study of literature. Choose literary material which 
 is stimulating, study it intensively with reference to 
 the ideas it contains, and hold students to exactness 
 of comprehension, thought, and expression. At each 
 meeting of the class have a written recitation of 
 five or ten minutes, answering some question on the 
 day's lesson, usually a textual question or a question 
 of fact, with the object of finding out whether the 
 student has read the assignment and understood it. 
 Then, having had a recitation from each student, 
 the teacher may feel free to devote the rest of the 
 hour to a discussion of the ideas in the lesson, or to 
 any exercise which will make the students feel the 
 value of what they are reading. Once in two or 
 three weeks there may be written a theme, prefer- 
 ably in class, on topics that demand thought, some- 
 thing more than mere exercise of memory. As many 
 as possible of his papers should be returned to the 
 student, who should be left to study the mistakes 
 marked in his papers by the passages in the book 
 to which the symbols point him. The burden of 
 training himself in elementary matters which he 
 should have learned in school should be thrown on 
 him. His progress should be measured by his 
 improvement rather than by his skill in rewriting 
 after specific errors have been pointed out to him. 
 On the basis of these papers pick out as early as 
 
 possible the students who are "deficient in spelling, 
 
 vii 
 
 i>
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 punctuation, sentence and paragraph structure," and 
 organize them into a special class, meeting once a 
 week at least for drill on elementary matters. At 
 the end of the first half-year discharge as many of 
 these as are cured, but continue work with the rest 
 by means of a fifteen-minute conference for each man 
 once a fortnight on a theme which he writes for the 
 purpose, or on any of his written work. 
 
 Classes and conferences for delinquents ought to be 
 used for all men in college who need the work, even 
 for those who are not taking courses in English. 
 Papers written in other classes should be periodically 
 examined by teachers of English, and the writers who 
 habitually write inaccurately should be summoned 
 to conferences or placed in the extra class until they 
 show improvement. Accuracy in English should be 
 required for graduation even more strictly than a 
 reading knowledge of French and German. 
 
 The effect of this should be to make the student 
 
 himself strive to correct the deficiencies of his earlier 
 
 education and to master English as a subject rather 
 
 than to pass it *'off" (his mind) as a course. The 
 
 plan tends to concentrate the effort of the teacher on 
 
 those who need it and to inculcate the art of orderly 
 
 thought, and hence of clear and accurate expression, 
 
 in the whole class, along with the inspirational 
 
 teaching of literature. I, for one, prefer to spend 
 
 time in class on literature rather than on dangling 
 
 participles and pathetic fallacies. To dwell for ever 
 
 on these is too much like the ''Philadelphia Claver- 
 
 house" of Mr. E. S. Martin, who declares of young 
 
 people brought up according to his ideas: 
 
 viii
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 " They'll be true, they'll be brave, they'll be gentle and kind, 
 Because they'll have Satan for ever in mind." 
 
 I hope also that this book will have real value to 
 teachers of literature courses who cannot give special 
 attention to the form and workmanship of the papers 
 which their students write. 
 
 Robert Palfrey Utter. 
 
 Amherst College, June, 1914.
 
 SYMBOLS USED IN CORJaECTING THEMES 
 
 The numbers are those of pages on which the 
 faults are explained and methods suggested for 
 correcting them. 
 
 C Fault in coherence, 38, 44, 45-51, 52, 53. 
 
 cap. Change to a capital letter; capital letter 
 
 needed, 16-20. 
 ch. Fault in choice of words. See C.W. 
 
 Co. Fault in coherence. See C. 
 
 Coll. CoUoquial, 70, 71, 79, 81. 
 
 Con. or Cst. Faulty construction, 40, 41, 42, 43, 48, 
 
 49, 50, 56. 
 C.W. Fault in choice of words, 39, 67-81. 
 
 Diet. Fault in choice of words, or diction. 
 
 See C.W. 
 E Not English, 35, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 
 
 78, 79, 80, 81. 
 E or Em. Fault in emphasis, or mass, 44, 53-58. 
 
 Fig. Fault in use of figurative language, 69, 70. 
 
 F. W. Fine writing, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74. 
 
 G. or Gr. Fault in grammar, 35-41, 42, 43, 71, 72, 
 
 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 80. 
 Hack. Trite or hackneyed diction. See Trite. 
 
 I Impropriety, 35. 
 
 I or 111. Illogical. 
 
 Ital. Italics needed, 14, 15. 
 
 K Awkward, clumsy, harsh. 
 
 L Impropriety in language. See E. 
 
 xi
 
 SYMBOLS USED IN CORRECTING THEMES 
 
 L 
 
 l.c. 
 
 Lo. 
 
 M 
 
 Mass 
 
 MS. 
 
 no cap. 
 
 O 
 
 P 
 
 quotes 
 
 R 
 
 S 
 S.C. 
 
 See diet. 
 
 Sp. 
 
 S.U. 
 
 T 
 
 T or Tenses 
 
 Tg. 
 
 tr. 
 
 Trite 
 
 U 
 
 V 
 
 w 
 w 
 
 Who? Which? What? 
 
 A 
 
 X 
 
 [] 
 
 IfU 
 
 Bad, loose sentence, 44, 54. 
 Lower case; change to small letter, 16-20. 
 Bad, loose sentence. See L. 
 Metaphor; fault in the use of figurative 
 
 language, 69, 70. 
 Fault in emphasis, or mass, 44, 53-58. 
 Bad or illegible manuscript, 3, 4. 
 Change to small letter, 16-20. 
 Obscure. 
 
 Fault in punctuation, 5-15, 42. 
 Fault in the use of quotation marks, or 
 
 quotation marks needed, 14, 15. 
 Redundancy, or repetition, 53, 58-60. 
 Faulty sentence, 42, 43. 
 Sentence lacks coherence, 44, 45-51, 52, 
 
 53. 
 Consult the dictionary on this word, 1, 
 
 2, 21. 
 Fault in spelling, 21-26, 77. 
 Sentence lacks unity, 44, 45, 49, 50, 51-53. 
 Bad taste, 71. 
 
 Fault in the use of tenses, 152-154. 
 Tautological, 58-60. 
 Transpose, change order, 27, 28, 50, 53, 
 
 55. 
 Trite or hackneyed diction, 67-69. 
 Lack of unity, 44, 49, 50, 51-53. 
 Vague, 69. 
 Weak, 39, 56. 
 Wordy, 58-60. 
 Obscure or ambiguous use of pronouns, 
 
 38. 
 Printer's "dele," omit. 
 Something omitted. 
 Obvious fault. 
 
 Passage in brackets to be omitted. 
 Begin a paragraph here, 61-63. 
 Paragraph lacks unity, 63. 
 
 XII
 
 SYMBOLS USED IN CORRECTING THEMES 
 
 ^ C or Co. Paragraph lacks coherence, 64. 
 
 i[ E, Em., or Mass Paragraph lacks emphasis, or mass, 66. 
 
 = ? Means what? Query as to meaning. 
 
 II Cst. Violation of parallel structure, 49. 
 
 1, 2, 3, etc. Used to point out better order of words, 
 
 clauses, sentences, or paragraphs. 
 
 ? Query as to facts. 
 
 H Leave more space here. 
 
 I - 1 Insert hyphen, 28-30.
 
 Part I 
 
 WORKMANSHIP
 
 A GUIDE 
 TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 GOOD USE 
 
 The principles discussed in the following pages 
 are based on what is known as ''good use." It 
 is usually defined as "the usage of a majority of 
 the best writers and speakers." Inasmuch as it is 
 easier to determine what such writers and speakers 
 do 710^ say than what they do say, good use is most 
 often set down in negative terms. The general 
 principle is that of avoiding criticism by doing noth- 
 ing to which those whom you wish to please might 
 object. In the attempt to determine good use with- 
 out a guide, it is easy to go astray. Most of us feel 
 that no right-minded person ought to object to the 
 forms to which we have been accustomed. Many 
 feel that any form of expression which they have 
 seen in print must be correct, or that the mere in- 
 clusion of a word in a dictionary gives it the sanction 
 of good usage. But no one person, however well 
 educated, is absolutely pure in written or spoken 
 diction. Newspapers are habitually glaring in their 
 ofifenses, and much other printed matter, including 
 
 many classes of books, is scarcely better. A dictionary 
 
 1
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 la a good guide so far as it goes provided its use is 
 understood, but it is necessary to be sure whether or 
 not it characterizes a word as "colloquial," ''slang," 
 "obsolete," or "local U. S.," or something equally 
 undesirable. The mere inclusion of a word in a dic- 
 tionary indicates nothing more than that it exists; 
 read what is said of it to find out how it should or 
 should not be used. 
 
 To violate the rules of good usage in spoken or 
 written discourse is to place a barrier between yourself 
 and those whose attention you probably wish most 
 to gain. To avoid such violations entirely in writing 
 the first draft is hardly possible for the most experi- 
 enced writer, even though habitual observance of the 
 rules tends to a high degree of accuracy. But in 
 revision the rules may be consciously and carefully 
 applied, with the hope of making the work as accurate 
 as is humanly possible. For this, hardly less impor- 
 tant than knowledge of the rules is the ability to pick 
 out violations of them in your own work. To do so 
 requires unremitting vigilance, which is the secret of 
 the "proof-reader's eye." At the second reading the 
 work is altogether too likely to slip smoothly through 
 the groove in the brain that it made for itself in its 
 creation, without catching at any point, however 
 rough and unfinished. The typewriter is a help in 
 preventing this; its work is less a part of you than 
 is that of your pen. It may be helpful to lay the 
 work aside, when you can, until you have so far 
 forgotten it that it looks new when you return to it. 
 There is no real safeguard, however, except unflagging 
 attention in revision.
 
 n 
 
 MANUSCRIPT 
 
 ^ MS. 
 
 Manuscript is most often criticised on the score 
 of illegibility. For this there is no excuse, not even 
 haste, for he who writes illegibly in order to write 
 rapidly wastes all the time he spends on the task. 
 Anyone who can write at all can write legibly if he 
 will take time to do so. If your writing is ''natu- 
 rally" illegible, learn to use the typewriter, and there- 
 after write nothing with the pen which you can 
 possibly write on the machine. Three months' 
 daily practice will enable you to write faster with the 
 machine than you could before with the pen, and 
 your work will always be neat and legible. If you 
 must write with a pen, avoid all flourish and orna- 
 ment; strive for plainness, neatness, and uniformity. 
 Be generous in spacing words, sentences, lines, para- 
 graphs, and margins. 
 
 On everything you write leave a margin on the left 
 
 of from an eighth to a quarter of the width of the 
 
 sheet, never less than an inch, and usually nearer two 
 
 inches. Indent paragraphs uniformly about half an 
 
 inch beyond the margin. Between the end of one 
 
 sentence and the beginning of the next leave three 
 
 times the space you leave between words in the 
 
 3
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 sentence. If a sentence ends before the end of the 
 line, do not leave the rest of the line blank except at 
 the end of a paragraph. 
 
 Always, if you have the choice, use unruled paper. 
 Begin your work about a third of the distance from 
 the top of the sheet, and let your title stand in the 
 middle of the space above the first line. 
 
 Use pencil if you must for jottings of your own, 
 but never ofifer manuscript so written to anyone else.
 
 Ill 
 
 PUNCTUATION 
 
 Marks of punctuation are aids to expression; they 
 ehould be written with the sentence as an integral 
 part of it, not inserted as an afterthought as if in 
 unwilhng deference to an arbitrary convention. 
 Ease and accuracy in punctuation cannot be acquired 
 by memorizing rules. Learn rather in what ways 
 the marks aid expression, and take advantage of 
 them, as the speaker takes advantage of voice in- 
 flection, intonation, facial expression, gesture, which 
 the writer cannot use. To read a sentence aloud as 
 you wish it to be read will often help to determine the 
 punctuation, not only by showing where the pauses 
 are, but by showing, through voice inflection, the 
 distinction (essential to correct punctuation) between 
 the restrictive and the modifying clause. In speech, 
 ''The-man-who-had-the-rifle killed the deer," and 
 "The man, who had the rifle, killed the deer," are 
 expressions so different that they would never be con- 
 fused. 
 
 Terminal Punctuation for All Sentences 
 
 The end of a declarative sentence is marked by a 
 period; that of an interrogative sentence by an in-
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 terrogation mark; that of an exclamatory sentence by 
 an exclamation mark. A long complex or compound 
 sentence containing interrogative or exclamatory as 
 well as declarative clauses, should end with the mark 
 of punctuation which to the writer seems to express the 
 purport of the whole. In many cases such sentences 
 are best separated into two or more which may be 
 logically punctuated. 
 
 What a state of affairs is this, when the ad- 
 ministration of justice rests with an ignorant, 
 petty-minded boor, whose only idea of the power 
 of the law is the opportunity to serve his own 
 • interests by persecuting his opponents on the 
 merest technicalities, while at the same time he 
 allows his friends to violate every principle of 
 right, and every law in the commonwealth. 
 
 What a state of affairs is this! The adminis- 
 tration of justice rests . . . 
 
 Will you kindly send me by way of New York, 
 as soon as possible, three hundred and fifty feet 
 of galvanized iron pipe, extra heavily galvanized, 
 in twenty-foot lengths, threaded at each end, 
 and with one coupler for each length? 
 
 Note that this sentence is technically interrogative, 
 and may be closed with an interrogation mark if the 
 writer feels its interrogative force. If he means it 
 as an order, only disguised by courtesy as a question, 
 he will end it with a period. 
 
 Internal Punctuation — Compound Sentences 
 
 All compound sentences except very short ones 
 must have a mark of punctuation between the clauses.
 
 PUNCTUATION 
 
 A very short compound sentence may be left un- 
 divided, especially if the two verbs are simultaneous 
 in time, or describe what is essentially a single act: 
 if they form what is sometimes called a compound 
 verb. 
 
 I ran and jumped. 
 
 She started and screamed. 
 
 In all other classes of compound sentences the 
 clauses are separated, by the comma, by the semi- 
 colon, or by the colon. Rules may be given for the 
 choice which will cover most cases, but there remain 
 others in which it is partly a matter of meaning and 
 partly a matter of taste, for even among careful 
 writers the usage is not uniform. 
 
 Short simple clauses, even in very short sentences 
 in which the two verbs have two different subjects, 
 should be separated by at least a comma. 
 
 I saw him run, and Jim started after him. 
 
 The bark of apple-trees should be scraped in 
 the spring, and the trees sprayed at the right 
 time for the codiin-moth. 
 
 The semicolon marks a longer pause. It is used 
 when the conjunction is omitted between the clauses, 
 making them more like separate sentences, and when 
 there are minor pauses within them indicated by 
 commas. 
 
 Only one cane should be allowed to grow ; this 
 should be kept tied to the stake, all laterals 
 
 being rubbed oflf as soon as started. 
 
 7
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 You will need for cutting off the large branches 
 a large saw with rather large teeth, the teeth 
 pointing forward a little, like the splitting saw, 
 and set rather wide; and for small branches a 
 smaller saw with fine teeth. 
 
 The colon may be used between the clauses of a 
 compound sentence when either or both clauses are 
 subdivided by semicolons, or when an expression 
 like "that is" or "namely" might be used to join 
 them. 
 
 Mendoza thus achieved the impossible: he 
 surrounded his enemy's entire position with his 
 tiny force. 
 
 Simple Sentences 
 
 In a simple sentence, a long, complex subject may 
 be set off by a comma from the verb. 
 
 The house that stands at the foot of the street 
 facing south across the downs to the distant sea, 
 is the hero's birthplace. 
 
 Complex Sentences 
 
 A very short complex sentence may be left un- 
 divided, especially when the order is normal (the 
 main clause preceding the subordinate one). 
 
 He left as soon as he had finished his work. 
 
 In complex sentences, clauses or sentence elements 
 
 out of the normal order are separated by commas 
 
 from the main clause unless they are very short. 
 
 8
 
 PUNCTUATION 
 
 If you will go by way of Keene, I will go with 
 you. 
 
 If you go I shall go. 
 
 By cross-questioning the janitor of the apart- 
 ment house in which she lived, he learned the 
 facts. 
 
 Restrictive and Non-Restrictive Clauses 
 
 In complex sentences a fundamental principle of 
 punctuation rests on the distinction between the re- 
 strictive and the non-restrictive or modifying clause. 
 The restrictive clause is essential to the meaning of 
 the noun to which it belongs, and cannot be sepa- 
 rated from it. The modifying clause adds an idea 
 which limits but is not essential to the idea it modifies. 
 
 Restrictive: The book which we are studying now 
 
 is much more interesting than the 
 
 old one. 
 Modifying: Jim Smith, who had been fast asleep 
 
 all the time, suddenly began to 
 
 applaud. 
 
 The restrictive and the modifying clause may 
 answer in the same words two entirely different 
 questions. 
 
 1. Restrictive: Q. Who killed the deer? 
 
 A. The man who had the rifle 
 (killed the deer). 
 
 2. Modifying: Q. What did the man do? 
 
 A. The man (who had the rifle) 
 killed the deer, 
 9
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Note that in 1 the predicate may be left out, but 
 the clause must be retained, whereas in 2 the predi- 
 cate is essential and the clause may be omitted. In 
 speech the restrictive clause is made one with the 
 noun as if they formed a compound noun,"the-man- 
 who-had-the-rifle. ' ' 
 
 A subordinate clause which is restrictive in mean- 
 ing is never set off by commas. 
 
 Wrong: Athletes, who are of low mental power, 
 are useful only in subordinate posi- 
 tions. 
 
 Right: Athletes who are of low mental power 
 are useful only in subordinate posi- 
 tions. 
 
 Wrong: Students, who do not attain high rank, 
 are seldom successful in business. 
 
 Clauses, phrases, and modifiers which are not re- 
 strictive are set off by commas as elements which 
 might conceivably be omitted from the sentence. 
 
 Restrictive. The large granite building south of 
 
 the City Hall is the Post Office. 
 
 Explanatory. The large granite building, south 
 
 of the City Hall, is the Post 
 
 Office. 
 
 A restrictive adjective is placed next the noun 
 without the comma. 
 
 I followed for miles over a long, narrow, wind- 
 ing, sandy road. 
 
 iO
 
 PUNCTUATION 
 
 Note that this does not mean a road which is 
 sandy, long, and narrow ; but a sandy road which is 
 long, narrow, and winding. If the order of the 
 adjectives can be changed without alteration of 
 meaning, there should be a comma between the last 
 adjective and the noun. 
 
 Words in Series 
 
 Words in series not separated by the comma, 
 whether or not they are joined by and, are to be 
 taken as more closely related than those which are so 
 separated. If the name of a firm is written ''Smith, 
 Jones, Robinson & Company," it has ostensibly 
 three members: 1, Smith; 2, Jones; 3, Robinson 
 & Company. Unless Robinson and the Company 
 taken together are no more than either of the others, 
 the name should be written Smith, Jones, Robinson, 
 & Company.^ The use of the comma before and in 
 such a series is determined by the meaning. "Wet 
 and cold, tired and hungry, sad and discouraged," 
 suggests kinship between external sensations, internal 
 ones, and emotions. "Wet, cold, tired, hungry, sad, 
 and discouraged," suggests no more than if the ad- 
 jectives were arranged in any other order, as: "wet, 
 tired, hungry, sad, cold, and discouraged." 
 
 If the members of the series contain elements 
 separated by commas, the members are separated by 
 semicolons. 
 
 When he saw, he laughed; when he heard, he 
 wept; and when he felt, he perished. 
 
 *In this case as in some others, a general principle ia given, 
 though good usage does not demand its rigorous application. 
 
 11
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Interpolated and Parenthetical Expressions 
 
 Any expression which may be set aside without 
 destroying the integrity of the sentence is paren- 
 thetical in nature, and is set off by commas. 
 
 No, I never saw the man before. 
 
 Come, Martha, it is time for us to go. 
 
 I thank you, sir. 
 
 This, as I understand the matter, is the whole 
 story. 
 
 He, I think, will run at the first fire. 
 
 "I saw," said he, ''the whole action from be- 
 ginning to end." 
 
 Matter still more obviously foreign to the sentence, 
 interpolated as an afterthought after the sentence is 
 begun, is inserted between dashes or parentheses, or, 
 at the end of the sentence, after a comma and a dash. 
 
 The man actually — this is in the strictest con- 
 fidence — filled his pocket with my cigars when he 
 thought I was not looking. 
 
 We shall start (unless, of course, it should 
 rain) at eleven o'clock precisely. 
 
 He escorted us two miles down the road, — 
 which was no more than I should have expected 
 of him. 
 
 Parentheses may be used for an expression which 
 might be set off with commas when commas have 
 already been used in the sentence for other purposes. 
 
 12
 
 PUNCTUATION 
 
 Omitted Words — Quotations 
 
 Words omitted leave a gap or pause which should 
 be niarked by a comma. 
 
 Fee, ten dollars. 
 
 On the right you see the river; on the left, the 
 forest. 
 
 Sentences or expressions quoted directly are usually 
 objects of verbs of saying in the sentences in which 
 they stand, and are so punctuated. 
 
 « 
 
 He Cometh not," she said. 
 
 Note that although the words within the quotation 
 marks would form a complete sentence if they stood 
 by themselves, in the sentence as it stands they are 
 set off by a comma as the object of the verb. 
 
 "They will never come," she declared, "un- 
 less I ask them." 
 
 Here the end of the quotation is also the end of the 
 sentence. 
 
 "He is not a coward. I have seen him do 
 brave things," I asserted. 
 
 "Well," Corey assented, "it might do. I 
 suppose what you wish is to give them pleasure." 
 
 "What a shame!" exclaimed Helen. 
 
 "What is it then, that you wish?" asked the 
 
 old man. 
 
 13
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 A quotation which is long or formally introduced, 
 or any passage which is appropriately introduced by 
 such expressions as namely, as follows, the following, 
 to wit, viz., is preceded by a colon. 
 
 He yielded the floor to his opponent, who 
 spoke as follows: 
 
 Then Bildad the Shuhite spake and said: 
 The list contained seven items, namely: 
 
 Quotes 
 
 Quotation marks are placed at the beginning and 
 the end of any direct quotation of a paragraph or less. 
 
 If a quotation contains more than one paragraph 
 or indented line (except in the case of quotations 
 from the drama or stanzas of poetry) quotation 
 marks are placed at the beginning of each indented 
 line, and at the end of the quotation. 
 
 Letters quoted including the date line, etc., may ap- 
 pear without quotation marks; they should be set off 
 from the context by a blank line at beginning and end. 
 
 A quotation within a quotation takes single quo- 
 tation marks. A quotation within this receives dou- 
 ble quotation marks again. 
 
 In quoting poetry, place quotation marks at the 
 beginning of each stanza and at the end of the last. 
 In quoting plays, put quotation marks only at the 
 beginning and the end of the selection. 
 
 Italic or Quotes 
 
 Words which are to be printed in Italic type are in- 
 dicated in manuscript by a single line of underscoring. 
 
 14
 
 PUNCTUATION 
 
 Italic and quotation marks are used to mark 
 words and phrases which are to be distinguished 
 from the context, as titles of books, poems, plays, 
 articles, pieces of music, and the like, names of ships, 
 and phrases or words in foreign languages. The 
 distinction between Italics and quotation marks is not 
 uniform in the practice of good writers and printers, 
 but the following rules afford a safe guide : 
 
 Put in quotation marks (not in Italic) titles of 
 articles, chapters in books, operas, plays, poems, 
 songs, paintings, pieces of sculpture. Characters in 
 plays and other literature are alluded to as if they 
 were real persons, — their names not quoted. Pen 
 names of authors need not be quoted. 
 
 Put in Italics (without quotation marks) the titles 
 of books, newspapers, magazines, and names of ships. 
 Words and phrases from foreign languages, when not 
 in conversation or other quoted matter, are in Italics. 
 There is, however, a list of common foreign words 
 to which we have become so accustomed that we do 
 not distinguish them from English words. Among 
 those which may appear without Italics are the fol- 
 lowing: ad valorem, a la carte, a priori, apropos, 
 attach^, belles-lettres, bona fide, boutonniere, charge 
 d'affaires, chateau, coup d'etat, debris, decollete, 
 41ite, en route, entree, entrepot, expos6, fagade, fac- 
 simile, fete, fianc^, fiancee, mel^e, naivete, neglige, 
 papier mach^, prot^g^, prot^g^e, regime, r^sum^, role, 
 sang-froid, sotto voce, status quo, table d'hote, terra 
 firma, tete-a-tete, verbatim, via, vice versa, etc.
 
 IV 
 
 CAPITALIZATION 
 
 Cap. No cap. 1. c. 
 
 The first word of a sentence begins with a capital 
 letter. 
 
 The first word of a fine of poetry begins with a 
 capital letter. 
 
 The first word of a direct quotation begins with a 
 capital if it is so in the original. 
 
 He opened the book and read, "The Lord is 
 my shepherd." 
 
 The sentence shall be amended to read, 
 " — whenever and wherever the president shall 
 determine." 
 
 All proper names begin with capitals. If the 
 proper name consists of several words, all are 
 capitalized except articles, prepositions, and con- 
 junctions. 
 
 San Diego, Burton on Trent, the Grand Army 
 of the Republic. 
 
 Titles of books, newspapers, plays, and the like, 
 are written with capitals beginning the important 
 words, most commonly nouns, principal verbs, ad- 
 
 16
 
 CAPITALIZATION 
 
 jectives, and adverbs. The word the is capitalized 
 as part of the title if the title is quoted exactly. 
 
 Professor Gummere says in his Beginnings of 
 Poetry . . . 
 
 See The Beginnings of Poetry, F. B. Gummere, 
 etc. 
 
 A personal title which immediately precedes the 
 name of the holder begins with a capital. 
 
 Cardinal Newman, General Schurz, President 
 Eliot, etc. 
 
 Such a title standing without the name of the 
 holder has no capital unless it means the holder of 
 the title, not any holder of the title. 
 
 The president of a college is not necessarily 
 the president of the board of trustees. 
 
 The President called the Cabinet together, and 
 explained to them the situation of the Army of 
 the Potomac. 
 
 All words standing as the equivalent of the name of 
 the Deity, usually including personal pronouns, may 
 be capitalized. 
 
 "My Life, my Portion, Thou, 
 Thou all-sufficient art; 
 My Hope, my heavenly Treasure now, 
 Enter and keep my heart." 
 
 Names of the points of the compass are not capi- 
 talized unless they designate geographical sections. 
 
 17
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 The woods lie west of the house. 
 In the West, there is supposed to be more freedom 
 from conventionahty. 
 
 The names of the seasons need not be capitalized 
 unless they are personified. 
 
 The best time for transplanting them is in the 
 spring. 
 
 "Come, gentle Spring! ethereal Mildness! come." 
 
 Other abstract nouns are capitalized when the 
 qualities they name are personified. 
 
 "Here rests his head upon the lap of earth, 
 A youth to Fortune and to Fame unknown. 
 Fair Science frowned not on his humble birth, 
 And Melancholy marked him for her own." 
 
 The pronoun / and the interjection are cap- 
 italized. 
 
 Capitalize Christmas Day, New-Year's Day, Lin- 
 coln'' s Birthday, Washington's Birthday, Good Friday, 
 Decoration Day or Memorial Day, Fourth of July, 
 Labor Day, Election Day, Thanksgiving Day, etc.; 
 a noted day, as Black Friday, etc. ; but blue Monday. 
 
 Capitalize city only when part of the corporate 
 name, New York City, Washington City. 
 
 Capitalize Northerner, Southerner, Northern gentle- 
 man, Southern blood, etc. 
 
 Capitalize names of important events and periods; 
 as, the Creation, the Fall, the Flood, the Reformation, 
 
 IS
 
 CAPITALIZATION 
 
 the Revolution (French or American), Civil War 
 (American), the Middle Ages, the Union, Reconstruc- 
 tion. 
 
 Capitalize the names of political parties; as, 
 Republican Party, Democratic Party, Progressive 
 Party, etc. 
 
 When title, with or without Christian name, pre- 
 cedes "de," use lower-case ''d"; this rule applies 
 also to ''la," *'di," "von," "van," etc.: Marquis de 
 Lafayette, Di Cesnola, Prince von Moltke, Von Hum- 
 boldt, Dr. la Mond, De Chaulnes, Mr. van Renssalaer. 
 '' When a character in a story is known by a title, 
 such as Colonel, Judge, Captain, Doctor, Professor, 
 etc., use capital. 
 
 Capitalize Government when referring to the insti- 
 tution; as, Government of the United States, the 
 Government, at the seat of Government, the Confederate 
 States Government, the State Government. Do not 
 capitalize it where it is used as an adjective; as, 
 government bonds, government control. 
 
 Capitalize the names of all branches of the Govern- 
 ment : the Executive, the Cabinet, Congress, Senate, the 
 Upper House, the Capitol, War Department, Secretary 
 (of a Cabinet office), the Treasury. 
 
 Capitalize Supreme Court when it means the 
 Federal court, the Constitution, the Confederacy, 
 Federal Government, National Government. 
 
 Capitalize State only when referring to one of the 
 United States. 
 
 Capitalize Army when referring to the entire 
 
 Army of the United States, the Regular Army, the 
 
 Volunteer Army; but not when used as an adjective, 
 
 19
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 as army hoard, army oficer, etc., but use Regular Army 
 officer. Names of portions of the Army are not 
 capitalized; as, the army in the field, the Philippine 
 army, etc. Branches of the service are named with- 
 out capitals; as, the infantry, the cavalry, etc.; so also 
 organizations bearing names of persons: Robinson's 
 brigade, Wheat's regiment. Capitalize the names of 
 foreign military organizations. 
 
 Capitalize Navy when referring to the whole Navy; 
 as, the Navy, an offix^er of the Navy. A part of the 
 Navy may be named without capitals; as, the navy in 
 the Philippines. Used as an adjective the term has 
 no capital; as, a navy officer, navy cloth, navy blue. 
 Capitalize its organizations; as. Engineer Corps, etc. 
 
 Capitalize Monsieur, Madame, Signor, etc. 
 
 Capitalize church only when used as a part of a 
 proper name or when referred to as a denomination 
 or as an institution; as, Methodist Episcopal Church, 
 St. Mark's Church, Church and State, etc. It is 
 without the capital always when used alone or when 
 meaning congregation or building; as, a Methodist 
 church in Hoboken. 
 
 In by-laws, proceedings, or other publications of 
 a college, club, society, company, etc., capitalize 
 College, Club, Society, etc., when referring to that 
 particular body. 
 
 In compound words, as Vice-President, etc., cap- 
 italize the second half if such word would be capital- 
 ized when standing alone, but do it invariably in 
 chapter-heads, title-pages, etc.
 
 SPELLING 
 
 Sp. 
 
 When your attention is called to a misspelled 
 word in your manuscript, look it up in the dictionary 
 unless you are absolutely certain that the error is one 
 of carelessness rather than ignorance. Do not as- 
 sume that if a word is not spelled as you first 
 thought, there can be but one other way. Look it up. 
 
 Habitual misspelling may be overcome by bending 
 all the faculties to the task. 
 
 1. Keep a list of the words you habitually mis- 
 spell, and resolutely memorize the spelling of them. 
 When you have accumulated a number of them 
 classify them under the rules given below ; you may 
 find that the learning and practice of one or two rules 
 will correct most of your errors. 
 
 2. Train the eye by habitual reading in order to 
 stock the mind with a series of trustworthy visual 
 images of words. 
 
 3. Train the ear by the practice of careiul pro- 
 nunciation. 
 
 4. Study so far as possible the history of difficult 
 words, and take advantage of the help offered by 
 resemblances to Latin or other origins, or to variant 
 forms from the same origin. If you think of the 
 
 21
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Latin words that give us sacrilege and privilege you 
 can remember how to spell them. If you cannot 
 remember what the vowels are in the unaccented 
 syllable of ridicule, think of ridiculous. 
 
 5. Use the dictionary freely, even vrhen you are 
 almost sure that you know. Look a word up in 
 preference to asking some one about it ; the diction- 
 ary is more apt to be right, and makes a more lasting 
 impression. 
 
 Rules for Spelling 
 
 Although most rules for English spelling have many 
 exceptions, there are some which cover large enough 
 classes of words to be very useful. One of the most 
 troublesome of these classes is that of words in 
 ei and ie. 
 
 Most words in the ei-ie class are spelled ie. 
 
 In words in which the diphthong is preceded by 
 soft c or I the order of consonant and vowel is the 
 same as in the word lice; that is, e follows soft c, 
 and i follows Z. 
 
 Exception: financier. 
 
 In words in which the diphthong has a sound other 
 than that of long e it is most commonly spelled ei. 
 
 Exceptions: inveigle (when pronounced e), seize, 
 weird, ceiling, leisure (when pro- 
 nounced c). 
 Examples: a: eight, weight, heinous, neighbor, 
 sleigh, reign, inveigle (when 
 pronounced «). 
 d : heir 
 
 '22
 
 SPELLING 
 
 i: sieve, mischief, counterfeit, sur- 
 feit 
 
 T: heigiit, sleight 
 
 e: leisure (when pronounced e), 
 heifer, foreign. 
 
 An unstressed vowel may sometimes be determined 
 by another form of the same word in which the vowel 
 is stressed. 
 
 Hygiene, hygienic; ridicule, ridiculous; paren- 
 thesis, parenthetic; infinite, finite. 
 
 Words ending in quy or in y preceded by a conso- 
 nant form the plural by changing y to i and adding es. 
 
 Sohloquy, soliloquies; lily, lilies. 
 
 Most words ending in o preceded by a consonant 
 have plurals in oes. 
 
 Examples: tomatoes, negroes, cargoes, etc. 
 Exceptions: halos, lassos, mementos, pianos, 
 quartos, solos, sopranos, frescos, etc. 
 
 A single silent e at the end of a word is generally 
 dropped before a suffix beginning with a vowel. 
 
 Ravage, ravaging; college, collegiate; erase, 
 erasure; etc. 
 
 A final silent e which indicates the soft pronuncia- 
 tion of c or ^ is retained before a suffix beginning with 
 
 a vowel. 
 
 23
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Peace, peaceable; service, serviceable; out- 
 rage, outrageous; courage, courageous. (Note 
 that the final e in agree is not silent; hence, 
 'Ogreeahle.) 
 
 A final silent e in monosyllables and final accented 
 syllables usually indicates the long pronunciation of 
 the preceding vowel. It is retained before suffixes 
 beginning with a consonant. 
 
 Spite, spiteful (but spiting, where suflix begins 
 with a vowel). 
 
 Short vowels are sometimes found before single 
 consonants (as in triple), but long vowels do not 
 occur before double consonants. There is such a 
 word as riffle, but it is not the same word as rifle. 
 In such words the double consonant is retained before 
 suffixes, but no consonant is tripled. 
 
 In monosyllables and final stressed syllables end- 
 ing in a consonant preceded by a single vowel, the 
 final consonant is doubled before a suffix beginning 
 with a vowel. 
 
 Flit, flitting; permit, permitting; etc. 
 
 Suffixes like -ness and -ly are added without change 
 even where they double the consonant, except, of 
 course, where the consonant is already double. 
 
 Mean, meanness; thankful, thankfully; full, 
 
 fully. 
 
 24
 
 SPELLING 
 
 The prefixes mis-, dis-, and the like, do not change 
 the spelHng of words to which they are added. 
 
 Dissimilar, mtsspell, mistake. 
 
 Final y after a consonant becomes i before a 
 suffix. 
 
 Ready, readiness; bounty, bountiful; etc. 
 
 LIST OF WORDS OFTEN MISSPELLED 
 
 abbreviate 
 
 existence 
 
 meant 
 
 accident 
 
 explanation 
 
 necessary 
 
 accidentally 
 
 fascinate 
 
 noticeable 
 
 across 
 
 formally 
 
 occasion 
 
 agreeable 
 
 formerly 
 
 occur 
 
 all right 
 
 forty- 
 
 occurred 
 
 almost 
 
 gauge 
 
 occurrence 
 
 already 
 
 guard 
 
 parallel 
 
 amateur 
 
 height 
 
 paraphernalia 
 
 Apollo 
 
 incident 
 
 parliament 
 
 argmnent 
 
 independent 
 
 passed 
 
 athletic 
 
 indispensable 
 
 past 
 
 beginning 
 
 its 
 
 phenomenon 
 
 business 
 
 laboratory 
 
 Philip 
 
 concede 
 
 later 
 
 possess 
 
 deseriptive 
 
 latter 
 
 practice 
 
 dining 
 
 lead 
 
 practise 
 
 disappear 
 
 led 
 
 precede 
 
 dissatisfied 
 
 hvelihood 
 
 preparation 
 
 dissipated 
 
 loose 
 
 principal 
 
 e'er 
 
 lose 
 
 principle 
 
 eighth 
 
 loyalty 
 
 privilege 
 
 embarra,s.s 
 
 Macaulay 
 
 proceed 
 
 ere 
 
 manceuver 
 
 professor 
 
 exceed 
 
 marriage 
 25 
 
 prophecy
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 LIST OF WORDS OFTEN UlSSFELLED— Continued 
 
 prophesy 
 
 satire 
 
 squirrel 
 
 quiet 
 
 satyr 
 
 studying 
 
 quite 
 
 seize 
 
 succeed 
 
 rabbit 
 
 sentence 
 
 suit 
 
 recommend 
 
 separate 
 
 suite 
 
 remember 
 
 shepherd 
 
 therefore 
 
 rhyme 
 
 siege 
 
 tiU 
 
 rhythm 
 
 skilful 
 
 tragedy 
 
 rhythmic 
 
 skilfully 
 
 until 
 
 ridicule 
 
 sohloquies 
 
 villain 
 
 sacrilege 
 
 Sophomore 
 
 wierd 
 
 sacrilegious 
 
 speech 
 
 writing
 
 VI 
 DIVISION OF WORDS— SYLLABICATION 
 
 tr. 
 
 Do not divide a word at the end of a line un- 
 less you are sure of the syllabication. In doubtful 
 cases, carry over the whole word, or consult a 
 dictionary. 
 
 Never divide a word except between syllables. 
 
 Never divide a monosyllable, or a word in which 
 two syllables are pronounced almost as one, like 
 flower or heaven. 
 
 Never divide a word into unpronounceable groups 
 of letters. 
 
 Divide between the prefix and the word (as mis' 
 take), between the suffix and the word (as soul-less), 
 and usually between double letters. 
 
 Never divide a word so as to leave a single letter 
 standing as a syllable at the beginning or the end 
 of a line. 
 
 Printers' Rules for Division of Words 
 
 Printers, who must divide words to make lines of 
 equal length, use such rules as the following: 
 
 Not more than three consecutive divisions shall 
 be allowed. 
 
 27
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 The turning over of two letters should be avoided 
 if possible. 
 
 Avoid the division of proper names where good 
 spacing is possible without it. 
 
 The addition of s to form the plural of a word — 
 as, cases, horses, etc. — does not form another syllable, 
 and such word must not be divided. 
 
 Do not divide compound words, except at the 
 compounding hyphen, in any but extreme cases. 
 
 Never divide a short word at the end of a paragraph. 
 
 Compound Wards — Use of the Hyphen 
 
 For the compounding of words and use of the 
 hyphen there are no complete rules which cover 
 all cases. One can hardly do more than depend 
 on the memory for the form of a number of words of 
 frequent occurrence, and look up all others in a 
 trustworthy dictionary or a list of such words. Good 
 usage is divided in many cases, but it is safe to follow 
 a good set of printers' rules like the following: 
 
 Compound adjectives take the hyphen; as, cast- 
 iron box, twenty-ton gun, two-wheeled carriage, two- 
 thirds vote, third-rail system, three-year-old colt, well- 
 known fact, and the like. 
 
 Adverbs are not hyphenated with the adjectives 
 which they qualify; as, a divinely inspired book, a 
 nicely kept lawn. 
 
 An of or of the relationship between two nouns 
 may be indicated by a hyphen when the two 
 form a noun-compound; as, novel-reader, nature- 
 study, office-holder, story-writing. The commonest of 
 
 28
 
 DIVISION OF WORDS— SYLLABICATION 
 
 of these, however, have dropped the hyphen; as, 
 taxpayer, bookkeeper, landholder, householder, stock- 
 holder. 
 
 Any two or more words (except those which form 
 a proper name in themselves) joined to form an 
 adjective-compound are joined by hyphens; as, 
 special-rate ticket, soon-forgotten favors, up-country 
 dialect, up-to-date affair, end-of-the-century swagger; 
 but: New York family. Middle English spelling, 
 Old Testament doctrine. 
 
 By as the first member of a compound is usually 
 followed by the hyphen; as, by-play, by-path, by- 
 product, by-name. 
 
 Adjectives of color in ish are not hyphenated to 
 names of colors (yellowish red, brownish gray), but a 
 descriptive noun is usually hyphenated to the name 
 of a color; as, olive-green, slate-blue, pearl-gray. 
 
 The following are usually hyphenated when joined 
 with other words: 
 
 dealer 
 
 elect 
 
 ex 
 
 god (when it comes second, as in river-god) 
 
 great (in compounds like great-grandfather, 
 great-aunt) 
 
 half (when with nouns; as, half-pay, half-year) 
 
 life (except in lifetime, lifelike, and lifelong) 
 
 maker 
 
 master 
 
 quarter (when with nouns; as, quarter-interest, 
 
 guarter-mdle) 
 
 vice (with titles ; as vice-admiral) 
 
 29
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Latin prefixes like ante, anti, co, inter, pre, re, sub, 
 super, are joined without the hyphen unless its 
 omission would give the wrong meaning to the word. 
 Re-collect means collect again, whereas recollect means 
 remember; re-create means create again, whereas 
 recreate means commonly divert or amuse. 
 
 Fold is joined without hyphen to words of one 
 syllable; as, twofold, threefold, fourfold. With words 
 of two or more syllables write as two words; twenty 
 fold, seventy fold, hundred fold. 
 
 Like in ordinary words is joined without the 
 hyphen; but the hyphen is used with words ending 
 in II and in unusual compounds; bell-like. Apache- 
 like, fresco-like. 
 
 Points of the compass are written, northeast, north- 
 east by east, east-northeast, east by north, and so on. 
 
 Words with -room are usually hyphenated except 
 bedroom, ballroom, anteroom. 
 
 Self is hyphenated except in selfsame. 
 
 Way is joined without the h3^phen; as, doorway, 
 hallway, waybill.
 
 VII 
 ABBREVIATIONS 
 
 Military and civic titles may be abbreviated 
 when a Christian name or initials are given; as, 
 Dr. John Smith, Gen. U. S. Grant. Spell them out 
 when Christian name or initials are omitted; as, 
 Doctor Smith, Colonel Bryan. 
 
 The character & may be used in firm names; as, 
 Brown & Jones. 
 
 Abbreviate Company when character & is used; 
 as, A. J. Johnson & Co. When & is not used, spell 
 out Company ; as, Pawley Publishing Company. 
 
 Monsieur, etc., when followed by a surname may be 
 either spelled out or abbreviated ; when not followed by 
 a surname, spell out. In writing conversation spell out. 
 
 Spell out names of States and Territories, even if 
 preceded by the name of a city; but in tabular mat- 
 ter, or when required to abbreviate, use the following: 
 
 Ala. 
 
 Kan. 
 
 Nev. 
 
 S. D. 
 
 Ariz. 
 
 Ky. 
 
 N. C. 
 
 Tenn. 
 
 Ark. 
 
 La. 
 
 N. D. 
 
 Tex. 
 
 Cal. 
 
 Md. 
 
 N. H. 
 
 Va. 
 
 Colo. 
 
 Me. 
 
 N. J. 
 
 Vt. 
 
 Conn. 
 
 Mass. 
 
 N. M. 
 
 Wash. 
 
 D. C. 
 
 Mich. 
 
 N. Y. 
 
 Wis. 
 
 Del. 
 
 Minn. 
 
 Okla. 
 
 W.Va. 
 
 Fla. 
 
 Miss. 
 
 Ore. 
 
 Wyo. 
 
 Ga. 
 
 Mo. 
 
 Pa. 
 
 
 111. 
 
 Mont. 
 
 R. I. 
 
 
 I. T. 
 
 Neb. 
 
 S. C. 
 
 
 3 
 
 < 
 
 31 

 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Titles of courtesy and professional titles preceding 
 names may be contracted or spelled according to the 
 following List: 
 
 Professor (with surname only) MUe. (Mademoiselle) 
 
 Prof, (with Christian name 
 
 Mgr. (Monseigneur) 
 
 or initials) 
 
 Sig. (Signor) 
 
 Rev. 
 
 Signora 
 
 Right Rev. 
 
 Signorina 
 
 Very Rev. 
 
 Senor 
 
 Hon. 
 
 Seiiora 
 
 Right Hon. 
 
 Senorita 
 
 M. (Monsieur) 
 
 Senorito 
 
 MM. or Messrs. (Messieurs) 
 
 Herr 
 
 Mme. (Madame) 
 
 
 Roman numerals (I, II, III, etc.), when used 
 alone or in text, require no periods; but should 
 have periods when used in titles (as, Charles /., 
 Henry IV.), and in numbering parts, chapters or 
 volumes of books (as, vol. i., pt. ii., chap. iv.). 
 
 The different sizes of books (4to, 8vo, 12mo) 
 require no periods. 
 
 Use etc., not &c. 
 
 The abbreviations used in the metric system of 
 weights and measures are as follows: 
 
 cubic centimeter, c.c. kilometer, km. 
 
 centigram, eg. hter, 1. 
 
 centimeter, cm. meter, m. 
 
 gram, gm. millimeter, mm. 
 
 hectogram, hg. myriagram, myg. 
 
 hectoliter, hi. myrialiter, myl. 
 
 hectometer, hm. myriameter, mym. 
 kiloliter, kl.
 
 VIII 
 FIGURES 
 
 In ordinary numerical statements spell out num- 
 bers, but in statistical groups use figures. Three or 
 more amounts, when used in proximity, may be con- 
 sidered statistical. 
 
 In conversational matter numbers should be 
 spelled out. When spelled out, use form forty-three 
 hundred rather than four thousand three hundred; but 
 three thousand, etc. 
 
 Numbers containing decimals or fractions may be 
 put in figures. 
 
 Never begin a sentence with figures, even if figures 
 are used elsewhere in the sentence. 
 
 Time of day should be put in figures when followed 
 by A.M. or P.M., using a period between hours and 
 minutes; as, 10.15 a.m. Spell out when ''o'clock" 
 is used; as, two o^ clock, half-past three o^ clock. 
 
 Put a period between minutes and seconds; as, 
 2.30 class. 
 
 When B.C. and a.d. are used with year, write as 
 follows: 600 B.C. a.d. 1891. 
 
 Periods of time, ages, and the like should be spelled 
 out; as, twenty-four hours, ten years old, etc. 
 
 In dates, omit "d," "th," and "st" when the year 
 is given; as, October 9, 1908. Use them when the 
 year is omitted; as, October 20th. Use 2d and 3d, 
 not 2nd and 3rd. 
 
 33
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 In designating a lapse of time in years, express 
 it thus: 1913-14, not 1913-4. 
 
 When numbers are used frequently and are com- 
 plicated, they should be put in figures. 
 
 Insert comma in four or more figures, except in 
 dates, or when used as the number of a place or 
 thing (1345 Fifth Avenue; Policy 123456). 
 
 An expression like "10 per cent." should be written 
 as here.
 
 IX 
 GRAMMAR AND IDIOM 
 
 The sj-mbols G and E are used in correcting 
 manuscript to mark offenses against the grammar 
 and idiom of the language. Grammar represents 
 the custom of our speech which has existed so 
 long that it has been written down, analyzed, 
 and explained. Idioms are forms of speech which 
 seem to be exceptions to, or violations of, the ordinary 
 rules of grammar, but which are none the less in 
 good use, as, if you please, you had better, as though. 
 An expression may be marked E, "not English," if 
 it is not according to English idiom, either because 
 the words are not EngUsh, in which case it is a 
 barbarism; because the words are not used in an 
 English sense, in which case the expression is called 
 an impropriety; or because the construction is not 
 Enghsh, in which case the expression is called a 
 solecism. In practice these distinctions hardly go 
 beyond the difference between grammar and idiom, 
 and even that is not always clear-cut. 
 
 The principles involved in the constructions dis- 
 cussed here, and definitions of the terms used, may 
 be found in the ''Outline for Re\'iew of Grammar," 
 
 page 158- 
 
 35
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 ''ShalV and ''Will" 
 
 G 
 
 The auxiliaries shall, will, should, and would are 
 used to express two kinds of future action; first, 
 ''simple futurity," that which "is going" to happen 
 in the natural course of events; second, ''volition," 
 that which is to be made to happen through consent, 
 desire, compulsion, or prophecy. 
 
 To express simple futurity in direct discourse the 
 auxiliary is conjugated: 
 
 I shall 
 
 we shall 
 
 you will 
 
 you will 
 
 he will 
 
 they will 
 
 To express volition in direct discourse the forms 
 are: 
 
 I will we will 
 
 you shall you shall 
 
 he shall they shall 
 
 In a question, use the form Expected in the answer. 
 If the question is as to what is going to happen 
 (simple futurity) use the form which the person who 
 replies would use to indicate simple futurity. If you 
 expect a promise, or consider that the person who 
 answers has any control over the course of the event, 
 use the form he would use to express volition. 
 
 The question "Will I?" ("Will I scrub the kitchen 
 floor now, ma'am?") is always a conundrum, for 
 when you ask it, you ask some one else about your 
 
 36
 
 GRAMMAR AND IDIOM 
 
 intentions, a matter on which you yourself hold the 
 only certain knowledge. It is correctly used only 
 as an echo, usually ironical, of another speaker's 
 words, as: 
 
 You will now, if you please, do as I told you 
 to in the first place 
 Will I, indeed! 
 
 If the question is not ironical, the auxiliary in the 
 answer is likely to be shall. 
 
 You will find spherical trigonometry a very 
 difl&cult study. 
 Shall I? 
 
 If the second speaker expected any answer, it 
 would be, ''You will," and he would use will in his 
 question. If he uses shall, he expects no answer; 
 his question is perfunctory, and means no more than 
 "Indeed?" 
 
 A direct command from one who might rightly 
 use terms of volition (compulsion) is often put in 
 terms of mere futurity as a matter of courtesy. 
 
 You will proceed at once with your entire com- 
 mand to the support of General McVickar. 
 
 The forms indicating volition are used in in- 
 spired and prophetic language, perhaps because the 
 speaker as a prophet is supposed to feel some sort of 
 control over future events, or because he is indicating 
 
 37
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 some degree of compulsion on the part of some power 
 which has such control. 
 
 "And the desert shall blossom as the rose." 
 "And no one shall work for money, and no one 
 shall work for fame." 
 
 "And there shall be no more death." 
 
 In indirect discourse ' use should where the direct 
 form has shall, and would where the direct form has 
 will. 
 
 Direct: I shall go, and Tom will go, and as for 
 Ned, he shall go or I will know the 
 reason why. Shall you go? 
 
 Indirect: Jack said he should go, and Tom would, 
 and that Ned should or he would 
 know the reason why, and he asked 
 whether I should go. 
 
 Common Grammatical Errors 
 
 It is sometimes incorrectly used without an ante- 
 cedent. 
 
 Incorrect: It says in the book that action and re- 
 ^^^^'^ action are equal in opposite direc- 
 
 ^^T tions. 
 
 Correct: The book says that, etc. 
 
 * Direct discourse is the exact quotation of the words of the speaker; 
 as, "/ suppose you vrish to see me fall in." Indirect discourse is the 
 quotation of the speaker in substance but not in form; as, "Mr. Smith 
 said he supposed I unshed to see him fall into the water." 
 
 38
 
 GRAMMAR AND IDIOM 
 
 Certain expressions of this type are in good use; 
 for example, idiomatic indefinite expressions in re- 
 gard to the weather: '^It is not going to rain"; 
 and others, as, ^'It is not worth while to discuss the 
 matter now." Such a sentence as the last may be 
 made more periodic and formal by reversing the order: 
 *'To discuss the matter now is not worth while." 
 G. Myself, yourself, himself, herself are intensive and 
 
 c. w. reflexive pronouns correctly used for emphasis or to 
 denote reflexive action. They are not to be used as 
 personal pronouns. 
 
 Incorrect: Mrs. Smith and myself will be glad to 
 eome. 
 
 We expect yourself and friends. 
 Correct: Mrs. Smith and I will be glad to come. 
 
 We expect you and your friends. 
 
 G. This or that limiting kind is often attracted into 
 
 the plural by the following noun. 
 
 Wrong: These kind of beans are best. 
 Right: This kind of bean is best. 
 
 Beans of this kind are best. 
 
 G- One of a pair of correlatives may be weak or 
 
 ^' ungrammatical if used without the other. 
 
 Weak: He was driving one of those balky horses 
 
 {which, etc.) 
 She cried because her tooth was aching 
 
 so {that, etc.) 
 
 He always sells sxLch good apples {that, 
 
 etc.) 
 
 39
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Such sentences may be corrected by supplying the 
 second correlative, as indicated in the parentheses 
 above, or changing the first to the indefinite article. 
 They are poorly expressed when the second member 
 cannot be easily understood. A such at the beginning 
 of a sentence clearly referring to something in the 
 preceding sentence does not necessarily need the as. 
 Whether need not be followed by or if the or means 
 simply or not. 
 
 An adjective modifier should not be made to do 
 duty as an adverb. 
 
 Wro7ig: He could not see, due to the darkness. 
 Right: He could not see because of the darkness. 
 The darkness was due to the cloud over 
 the moon. 
 
 The noun modifying a gerund should be in the 
 possessive case. In a sentence like, ''Our tardiness 
 was due to my being slow," the gerund phrase my 
 being slow is the object of the preposition to, and my 
 limits being, whereas in the sentence, "Our tardiness 
 was due to me," me is the object of to. Do not 
 confuse the two constructions. 
 
 The practice of "splitting" infinitives, putting a 
 modifier between the infinitive and its sign, to, is not 
 yet in good use. 
 
 The object of a verb should be in the objective 
 case. 
 
 Whom did you see? (Whom is object of see.) 
 
 Who did you think went? (Who is subject of 
 
 went: "Who went, think you?") 
 
 40
 
 GRAMMAR AND IDIOM 
 
 G. The object of a preposition should be in the 
 
 objective case. 
 
 He goes before me. 
 
 G. Distinguish between the object of a preposition 
 
 ^^'* and the subject of an implied verb introduced by a 
 conjunction. 
 
 He shook hands with every one but me. {Me is 
 object of hut.) 
 
 Every one had gone but I. ("But I had not 
 gone.") 
 
 You are taller than I (am). 
 
 You are as good as she (is).
 
 masen* 
 tence 
 
 X 
 
 SENTENCES 
 
 S. 
 
 The mark S for "faulty sentence" is most com- 
 monly used to indicate faults in sentence structure 
 which are supposed to be obvious to the writer when 
 his attention is called to them. More specifically, 
 they may be indicated by such symbols as Cst., G., 
 U., L., and others discussed below. 
 £*'■ A sentence is sometimes written as if it were a 
 "Com- clause of the preceding sentence, separated from it 
 only by a comma. 
 
 Wrong: The title of the book indicates its char- 
 acter, practical information for the 
 gardener may be found in it. 
 
 Right: The title of the book indicates its char- 
 acter. Practical information for the 
 gardener may be found in it. 
 
 A clause is often left standing as a sentence. 
 
 Wrong: Nights in the mountains are cold and 
 dry. Especially in high altitudes. 
 
 Grammatical Faults 
 
 g'*- Do not leave words or phrases hanging without 
 ^ any discoverable grammatical construction. 
 
 42 
 
 Cst. 
 
 s.
 
 SENTENCES 
 
 Wrong: He built a house exactly like the one he 
 used to live in Fort Dodge. 
 
 Right: He built a house exactly like the one in 
 which he used to live in Fort Dodge. 
 
 Cat. In revision look out for constructions inadvertently 
 ^' left unfinished somewhere in the mazes of a series of 
 loosely connected dependent clauses. 
 
 The case was that of a student who, coming to 
 college from a country town, the son of a local 
 physician, a man of limited means, but with the 
 highest ideals for the future of his son. 
 
 Cat. Sometimes a sentence begun on one construction is 
 finished on another. 
 
 I have a dear little sister that ever was. 
 
 cst. In definitions and other sentences, do not try to 
 °' make an adverbial clause do duty as a predicate 
 noun. 
 
 Wrong: The pathetic fallacy is when inanimate 
 objects are given human feelings. . 
 
 Right: The pathetic fallacy is the attribution 
 of human feelings to inanimate ob- 
 jects. 
 
 G. Subject and verb sometimes disagree when the 
 
 *^''' verb is attracted to the number of an intervening 
 noun. 
 
 Wrang: A large bouquet of roses and lilies were 
 
 presented to the president's wife. 
 43
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH ' 
 Looseness of Structure 
 
 A loose sentence is one which is grammatically 
 complete before the end, usually having a series of 
 clauses after the main verb. A periodic sentence is 
 one which holds the mind in suspense by reserving 
 to the end some essential element of structure and 
 meaning, usually the predicate. 
 
 The mark L for ''bad, loose sentence" may be 
 used to call attention to a sentence which, though 
 not incorrect, would be better for a more periodic 
 structure, or to one in which looseness of structure 
 has led to faults in unity, coherence, or emphasis. 
 
 Looseness of structure may be a fault if it gives an 
 effect of informality or colloquialism where an op- 
 posite effect is desired. 
 
 Since the end of a sentence is the most emphatic 
 part of it (see page 53), a loose sentence is not likely 
 to be well arranged for emphasis, because the im- 
 portant elements come at the beginning. 
 
 Unity and Coherence — their Relation to Structure 
 
 Unity in the sentence is singleness of thought and 
 structure. 
 
 Coherence in the sentence is the clear expression of 
 
 the logical relationship between the clauses. 
 
 L. Faults in unity and coherence may be corrected 
 
 au. even when they are not clearly understood by 
 
 making a sentence periodic in structure, because the 
 
 periodic sentence must be more or less consciously 
 
 44 
 
 L. 
 
 Bm. 
 
 C. 
 S.C
 
 SENTENCES 
 
 planned beforehand, and moves to a foreseen end. 
 In the following typical ''bad, loose sentence" 
 violations of the principles of unity and coherence 
 would almost inevitably be corrected by changing it 
 to periodic form. 
 
 The climax answers the question or questions 
 which that part of the story which goes before it 
 has raised in the reader's mind, and these ques- 
 tions are of vital importance to the successful 
 short story, since by raising these questions, or by 
 getting the leading characters into difficult posi- 
 tions, the reader's interest is aroused in the out- 
 come of the story, thus preventing him, in a 
 story with a good climax, from laying aside the 
 story until he has reached the climax. 
 
 Sentences of this type are particularly likely to 
 violate the principles of unity and coherence; of 
 unity, because the addition of clause after clause 
 leads the writer away from the main verb rather 
 than toward it ; of coherence, because the idea of the 
 relationship between the clauses is lost in the mul- 
 tiplicity of their number. If the sentence be recast 
 in periodic form with the verb at the end — ''The 
 question or questions . . . are answered at the 
 climax" — it would be almost impossible to retain 
 any clauses which did not bear a clearly indicated 
 relationship with subject or verb. 
 
 Coherence 
 
 The conamonest violation of the principle of co- 
 herence is in compound sentences with two or more 
 
 45
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 clauses joined by and, in which the and does not 
 express the relationship between the clauses. The 
 precise meaning of such a sentence as, ''I went to the 
 city and saw Dr. West," is determined by the con- 
 text, not by the sentence itself. By itself it might 
 express : 
 
 Purpose: I went to the city to see Dr. West. 
 Time: When I went to the city I saw Dr. West. 
 Place: I went to the city, where I saw Dr. 
 
 West. 
 Cause: Because I was in the city I saw Dr. 
 
 West. 
 
 or any variation or combination — "Inasmuch as I 
 was in the city I saw Dr. West " ; "While I was in the 
 city I saw Dr. West"; "Although I was in the city I 
 saw Dr. West"; etc. 
 
 The remedy for this fault is to study the relation- 
 ship between the clauses, and to find the connective 
 which exactly expresses it. In almost all cases it 
 will be found that if the meaning is fully expressed 
 one of the two clauses will be subordinate to the 
 other, that is, dependent on it for its meaning — in 
 exposition, at least, it is comparatively seldom that 
 and expresses truly the comparative rank of the 
 clauses. In revision, scrutinize every and used as 
 a sentence connective, analyze the thought, and 
 choose the connective which fits it exactly. En- 
 large your stock of connectives until you are un- 
 willing to use the least expressive of them. Study 
 the following lists of connectives, and practise the 
 
 46
 
 SENTENCES 
 
 use of them until you have made them a part of 
 your ordinary vocabulary. 
 
 Co-ordinating ^ 
 
 Additive: and, also, moreover, indeed, in the 
 first place, secondly, lastly, both . . . and. 
 
 Adversative, disjunctive, and contrasting: but, 
 still, however, nevertheless, notwithstanding, none 
 the less, not the less, either, neither, or, nor, after 
 all, conversely, on the one hand ... on the other 
 hand, either ... or, neither , . . nor, whether ... or. 
 
 Subordinating 
 
 Of time: when, whenever, while, now, then, 
 ere, since, henceforward, thenceforward, hence- 
 forth, thenceforth, whereon, whereupon. 
 
 Of place: where, wherever, whence, there, 
 thither, hither, thence, hence, whereon, where- 
 upon. 
 
 Of cause: because, since, as, for. 
 
 Of purpose: Jto (with infinitive), that, in order 
 that. 3 
 
 Of reason or consequence: then, therefore, hence, 
 thence, since, for, on that account, whereas . . . 
 therefore. 
 
 Of means or method: whereby, thereby, thus, 
 so, however, so . . . as. 
 
 ^"Co-ordinate" means of the same order or rank, performing 
 the same office, standing in the same construction. A co-ordinating 
 conjunction as a sentence connective may join two independent 
 clauses or two dependent clauses, but not a dependent and an 
 independent clause. 
 
 4 47
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Relative: relative adverbs of time and place, 
 relative pronouns. 
 
 Conditional : if, granting that, supposing that, 
 on condition that, if . . . then. 
 
 Concessional: if, though, although, assuming 
 that, admitting that, as, indeed, though . . . yet, 
 although . . . nevertheless, inasmuch as, in so far 
 as. 
 
 Of supposition, possibility, apprehension: though, 
 if, supposing, it may be that, granting that, lest. 
 
 Of doubt, question: whether, if, whether ... or. 
 
 Restrictive: except, provided, on condition that, 
 so that, unless, at least. 
 
 Of omission, exception, exclusion: but, except, 
 unless, without, barring. 
 
 Of comparison, equality, proportion: than, as, 
 so, as ... as, so ... as, as ... so, as if. 
 
 Of illustration, representation: as, so, for ex- 
 ample, for instance. 
 
 c, A relative clause is sometimes incorrectly joined 
 
 wteh-with the main clause by and, but, or some other 
 ^'' co-ordinating conjunction. 
 
 The yacht was a large one with yawl rig, and 
 which had once been a sloop. 
 
 The head of the colony was Ezra Hoopeiy 
 scarcely more than twenty-five years old, yet 
 who had often shown his ability and sound 
 judgment. 
 
 This was the fall of McGuire, the political boss 
 of Ashaway, and who is now serving a term in 
 State's Prison. 
 
 Directly before me the Stamford Light ap- 
 peared like a sleeping dog basking in the sun, 
 
 48
 
 SENTENCES 
 
 but which would later blaze forth to warn ap- 
 proaching vessels. 
 
 And introduces a clause of equal rank with the 
 main one, whereas a relative clause is subordinate. 
 The clause is either co-ordinate or subordinate, but 
 not both. Most often the fault may be easily cor- 
 rected by striking out the and. Occasionally the 
 remedy is to make both clauses relative, or otherwise 
 subordinate to some other clause. 
 II cst. A needless shift of construction within the sen- 
 u, tence often destroys both unity and coherence. The 
 principle of parallel construction (or structure) de- 
 mands that clauses serving the same purpose in the 
 sentence shall be in the same construction. 
 
 Wrong: To have endurance and being speedy 
 are necessary for the game. 
 
 Right: Endurance and speed are necessary for 
 the game. 
 
 Wrong: Positive opinions, keeping oneself in- 
 formed, to vote at every election, 
 these are the requisites for member- 
 ship. 
 Right: To have positive opinions, to keep one- 
 self informed, to vote at every elec- 
 tion, these are the requisites for 
 membership. 
 
 c. An "absolute" construction^ is likely to lead to 
 
 c^i. incoherence or lack of unity, because it never ex- 
 
 "• presses its relationship to other parts of the sentence. 
 
 It is correct when it refers without ambiguity to the 
 
 * For a definition of the absolute construction, see " Outline for 
 Review of Grammar." page 138. 
 
 49
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 subject of the principal verb, and can logically be 
 placed after that subject. 
 
 A German by birth, he served in the Federal 
 army in the Civil War, 
 
 He, a German by birth, served in the Federal 
 army in the Civil War. 
 
 It is incorrect when it refers to any other noun 
 in the sentence, and cannot logically be placed after 
 the subject of the main verb. 
 
 Fat and lazy, we could hardly make the 
 horses move at all. 
 
 It is incorrect when it refers to a substantive idea 
 implied but not expressed. 
 
 When eight years old, my parents moved to 
 Enid, Oklahoma. 
 
 Dang- When a participle is left so hanging without a 
 iJ^u- noun to which it can logically be attached, it is called 
 cipie ^ ''dangling" or "suspended" participle. 
 
 Walking across the yard, a noise was heard. 
 
 Looking down the valley, the view is charming. 
 
 Wallowing in the mud, we saw the pigs. 
 
 After walking ten miles, the hotel came in 
 sight. 
 
 At last my seeds sprouted. Being in a flower- 
 pot, I could watch them grow. 
 
 u. The unity and coherence of a sentence may be 
 
 cit. destroyed by pronouns or other words referring to 
 
 nouns implied rather than expressed. 
 
 50
 
 SENTENCES 
 
 I went mushroom-hunting, but succeeded in 
 gathering only a handful of them. 
 
 Flintwinch was her business partner, although 
 the lady was its real head. 
 
 Unity 
 
 The principle of unity is violated when the idea of 
 one sentence is torn apart and made to furnish forth 
 two or, even, three sentences. 
 
 Bad: The cold weather has arrived at last. 
 This is the coldest weather we have had 
 this winter. The thermometer has gone 
 below zero. 
 
 Right: For the first time this winter the ther- 
 mometer has gone below zero. 
 
 The principle of unity is violated when the ideas of 
 two or more sentences are crowded into one. 
 
 A book of an entirely new type, the author 
 has endeavored to prevent the ignorant and idle 
 wasting of time and opportunity during the first 
 six months of college life. 
 
 The bearer of the message was in great haste, 
 and was very poorly dressed. 
 
 If the second of these examples is intended to 
 express the haste of the messenger, it lacks unity of 
 thought; the appearance of poverty is an irrelevant 
 detail. If the two ideas have any connection, the 
 sentence is incoherent, lacks ''unity of expression," 
 
 51
 
 u 
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 which is to be attained by expressing the connection 
 between the two ideas, as: 
 
 The appearance of the messenger denoted both 
 haste and poverty. 
 
 Or in the case of the first example: 
 
 The author has made an entirely new attempt, 
 namely, to prevent the ignorant and idle waste of 
 time, . . . etc. 
 
 When a sentence is marked as lacking unity, decide 
 first whether or not the apparently irrelevant de- 
 tails have any real connection with the thought. If 
 not, leave them out. If they belong in the sentence, 
 express their relationship to the main idea. In other 
 words, test the unity of the sentence by trying to 
 give it coherence. 
 
 A needless shift of subject in a sentence which 
 ^' contains two or more verbs violates unity as well as 
 coherence. (See page 57.) 
 
 Wrong: The Democrats nominated Smith, but 
 the party refused to vote for him at 
 the polls. 
 
 Right: The Democrats nominated Smith, but 
 refused to vote for him at the polls. 
 
 Wrong: At last we arrived at the Mansion House, 
 and a hearty dinner was eaten. 
 
 Right: At last we arrived at the Mansion 
 House, where we ate a hearty dinner. 
 (See discussion of passive construc- 
 tion, page 56.) 
 52 
 
 u
 
 SENTENCES 
 
 The childish habit of joining a series of clauses by 
 successive ands almost inevitably leads to lack of 
 unity. (See page 46.) 
 
 The maiden wanders in the wood, and he finds 
 her lost in the forest, and so makes her think 
 he is a shepherd, and brings her to his palace, and 
 tempts her in every way possible, and she al- 
 ways gives him an answer, and he cannot over- 
 throw it. 
 
 Mass or Emphasis 
 
 The principle of emphasis calls for the arrange- 
 ment of the sentence in such a way that emphatic 
 words shall be where emphasis naturally falls. It 
 has been named **mass" because it concerns the just 
 distribution in the sentence of the weighty or im- 
 portant elements.^ As emphasis is given to words 
 by stress and pause, the emphatic places in the 
 sentence are the end, the ends of clauses, and the 
 beginning of the sentence. 
 
 Bad: I decided at last to go to Blank 
 
 College, because it was best adapted 
 to my needs on the whole, I thought. 
 
 Emphatic: At last I decided to go to Blank 
 College, because it was on the 
 whole, as I thought, best adapted 
 to my needs. 
 
 A word repeated before more than one of the 
 pauses in the sentence acquires unusual emphasis. 
 
 ^See chapter on "Maes" in Prof. Barrett Wendell's English 
 Composition. 
 
 53
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 " As they came down to breakfast that morning, 
 early in the dark January morning, he observed 
 that his mother was dressed in deep mourning." 
 "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." 
 " And the Spirit and the Bride say ' Come' ; and 
 let him that heareth say 'Come'; and whomso- 
 ever will, let him come, and drink of the waters 
 of Life freely." 
 
 Note that in the first of these examples it is not the 
 repetition, but the emphasis on the repeated word 
 that is disagreeable. The effect of the repetition 
 may be made less obvious by concealing the repeated 
 word in unemphatic places. 
 
 As they came down that morning to break- 
 fast, in the early-morning, January darkness, he 
 observed that his mother was dressed in deep 
 mourning. 
 
 The emphasis of a ''bad, loose sentence" may be 
 unproved by making the sentence periodic, a process 
 which will bring at least one of the important ele- 
 ments into an emphatic position. 
 
 At last, because it was on the whole, as I 
 thought, best adapted to my needs, I decided 
 to go to Blank College. 
 
 The emphasis of a loose sentence may be improved 
 by arrangement for climax.^ 
 
 *" Climax" is the arrangement of words, sentence elements, sen- 
 tences, paragraphs, or any units of discourse, in progressive order 
 from the weakest to the most impressive. The arrangement ending 
 with the weakest is called "anticlimax." 
 
 54
 
 SENTENCES 
 
 Bad: The matter was referred to the com- 
 
 mittee with power, who decided 
 that the first plan would best pro- 
 mote the true religious spirit, and 
 would satisfy the greater number, 
 and would get more people to go to 
 church, probably. 
 
 Emphatic: The matter was referred with power 
 to the committee, who decided that 
 the first plan would probably in- 
 duce more people to go to church, 
 would satisfy the greater number, 
 and would best promote the true 
 religious spirit. 
 
 Emphasis is helped by balance in sentence struc- 
 ture (correspondence in sound between clauses) and 
 antithesis (contrast in meaning between parts which 
 correspond in sound). 
 
 "But though he had far more quarrels, he had 
 far fewer compromises, and he was of that temper 
 which is tortured more by compromise than by 
 quarrel." 
 
 Our efforts have seldom been in vain; yours 
 have never been successful. 
 
 "They are for hazarding all for God at a clap, 
 and I am for taking all advantages to secure my 
 life and estate." 
 
 A word may be emphasized by placing it out 
 of its normal order, provided that the perversion 
 of the normal order is not so violent as to call 
 
 55
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 attention to itself rather than to the emphatic 
 word. 
 
 Cbme, then, I will, as fast as steam will bring 
 me. 
 
 "Meanwhile, the faster, O ye black-aproned 
 smiths, smite; with strong arm and willing 
 heart." 
 
 On let us go; backward we cannot turn. 
 
 Weak Passive Construction 
 
 Cst. W (weak). "Avoid the passive," 
 
 Do not use the passive voice where it is possible to 
 use the active without destroying the meaning or 
 coherence of the sentence. 
 
 Bad: In the evening there were refreshments, 
 dancing, boat-riding, and music, and 
 an enjoyable time was had. 
 
 Better: ... all present had a delightful time. 
 
 Writers sometimes use the passive construction in 
 describing the setting of a story before they have 
 introduced any characters. 
 
 Late on a wild November evening in 17 — , a 
 solitary horseman might have been seen wending 
 his way over the illimitable plain. 
 
 In such cases it is better to establish a point of 
 view by introducing some one who can see the 
 horseman, or to leave out the idea of seeing. 
 
 Inexperienced writers often use the passive con- 
 
 56
 
 SENTENCES 
 
 struction when the subject is vague, general, or col- 
 lective, as in the first example of the construction 
 given above. Usually a little thought will supply 
 an appropriate subject. 
 
 It is sometimes used to preserve the unity of 
 structure of a sentence by avoiding different sub- 
 jects for two or more verbs. 
 
 He adhered to the faith of his fathers, and was 
 abundantly blessed by God. 
 
 In such a sentence the theoretical unity of struc- 
 ture is better sacrificed to the more emphatic form. 
 
 He adhered to the faith of his fathers, and God 
 blessed him abundantly. 
 
 The objections to the unnecessary use of the 
 passive are: 
 
 First: a passive verb is always weak because it is 
 quiescent, it does no active work in the sentence. 
 
 Second: when placed at the end of the sentence 
 (where an active verb is so often well placed) it is the 
 weakest word in the most emphatic position. (See 
 the first example of the construction given above.) 
 
 Third: it is often an artificial, unnecessary perver- 
 sion of the normal form of speech. We do not say 
 "Dinner was eaten by me," but, "I ate dinner." 
 
 Fourth: it may make an absolute or participial 
 construction doubly absurd by leaving both par- 
 ticiple and verb without subject, as, "Walking across 
 the yard, a noise was heard." 
 
 57
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Fifth: It tends rather to violate than to preserve 
 the principle of unity of structure; as, "They went to 
 the theater in the evening, and a delightful play was 
 
 seen." 
 
 Repetition — Redundancy — Tautology 
 R. Tg. W (wordy). 
 
 The disagreeable repetition of a word in a sentence 
 or paragraph is a fault hard to guard against in a 
 first draft, but usually possible to remedy in revision. 
 Sometimes it is better to let the repetition stand 
 than to run into obscurity or awkwardness in the 
 attempt to find synonyms or circumlocutions. 
 Sometimes the fault may be remedied by concealing 
 the repeated word in unemphatic places in the sen- 
 tence. (See page 54.) 
 
 Sometimes an idea is repeated in the vain attempt 
 to make a paragraph of it because it is the only idea 
 the writer has. 
 
 The fellow who plays the gsi^}^ fairly is gener- 
 ally one who is respected a great deal. If he 
 plays as hard as he can, and shows that he is 
 always trying to do the square thing, he will have 
 the respect of every one who knows him. Every- 
 body will think well of him if he does what he 
 believes to be the right thing to do even if he does 
 not win the game. 
 
 The remedy is to put one of the sentences into good 
 form, as, "The man who plays the game fairly is 
 always respected even though he does not win," and 
 
 58
 
 SENTENCES 
 
 to use it as the topic sentence of the paragraph, de- 
 veloping the paragraph by bringing forth evidence, 
 citing instances, or any appropriate method. 
 
 A common form of tautology is the putting to- 
 gether of synonymous words in couplets or triplets, 
 such as proud and haughty; brave and fearless; brave 
 and courageous; brave and valiant; fortitude, courage, 
 and bravery. If there is any difference in your mind 
 between proud and haughty, use terms that will make 
 it clear; if not, ase either one term or the other, but 
 not both. 
 
 Redundancy often takes the form of a complete 
 disproportion between the number of words and the 
 idea they express. 
 
 Redundant: The man who goes into an office at 
 eighteen has not the advantage of 
 fresh air, since his business com- 
 pels him to remain indoors, and 
 therefore he does not get a chance 
 to walk in the country to obtain 
 fresh air. 
 
 Concise: The man who is confined in an office 
 from the age of eighteen often suffers 
 from the lack of abundant fresh air. 
 
 An effect of dilution is produced by the insertion 
 in the sentence of unnecessary monosyllabic words. 
 
 Redundant: It is not that I wish to deny what it 
 
 is obvious must be the fact. 
 
 Concise: I will not deny what is obviously the 
 
 fact. 
 
 59
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Note the redundancy of prepositions in the follow- 
 ing common expressions: 
 
 add up 
 
 figure up 
 
 out riding 
 
 back up 
 
 finish off 
 
 out West 
 
 beat up 
 
 finish up 
 
 over on 
 
 break up 
 
 follow on 
 
 pack up 
 
 break down 
 
 follow up 
 
 rise up 
 
 burn up 
 
 from off 
 
 round out 
 
 cool off 
 
 from out 
 
 save up 
 
 cook up 
 
 hang up 
 
 sell off 
 
 connect up 
 
 heap up 
 
 sit down 
 
 cut down 
 
 hurry up 
 
 stand up 
 
 cut up 
 
 in swimming 
 
 study up 
 
 down East 
 
 lay down 
 
 start up 
 
 down South 
 
 lie down 
 
 stir up 
 
 eat up 
 
 lose out 
 
 use up 
 
 enter in 
 
 measure up 
 
 up north 
 
 fail up 
 
 meet up with 
 
 up on 
 
 feed up 
 
 mix up 
 
 up on to 
 
 fill out 
 
 on to 
 
 warm up 
 
 figure out 
 
 out on 
 
 win out
 
 XI 
 
 PARAGRAPHING 
 
 IF Noli 
 
 Correct paragraphing is a matter of logical 
 thinking. Faults in paragraphing cannot be cor- 
 rected by giving the mechanical appearance of a 
 paragraph to a collection of words or sentences which 
 do not compose a logical division of the thought. 
 
 A paragraph logically consisting of only one sen- 
 tence occurs only in directly quoted conversation 
 where a paragraph is given to each speaker; in the 
 form of a transition paragraph to indicate a division 
 of the subject longer than one paragraph; and oc- 
 casionally for emphasis in narration. Ordinarily 
 paragraphs of a sentence in length indicate incom- 
 plete thought, as in the following: 
 
 Should the Faculty Supervise Athletics? 
 
 I think the faculty ought to supervise athletics 
 because it is one of the most important things in 
 college. 
 
 A man cannot study unless he is in good health, 
 and unless his health is good he is a poor speci- 
 men of a physical man. 
 
 I think athletics is as important as Latin or 
 
 61
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 English for a man to know, and a man who was a 
 good athlete in college can get a position afterward 
 quicker than a man who ruins his health over 
 books, so I think the faculty ought to teach it. 
 
 Athletics is a fine thing, so I think the faculty- 
 ought to be interested in it so as to keep the 
 standard up as high as possible for the college. 
 
 "A sound mind in a sound body" is a good old 
 rule, and I don't think any faculty could ever 
 make a better one. 
 
 Therefore I think athletics should be a part of 
 the college course, and should be supervised by 
 the faculty. 
 
 It is evident that the trouble with this composition 
 is not that the writer does not know the difference 
 between a sentence and a paragraph, but that he is 
 exerting pressure on an empty and reluctant mind, 
 from which he is squeezing his material drop by drop. 
 He writes a sentence, or perhaps only a clause, and 
 then chews his pen in an agonized effort to evolve 
 another, which when it comes may or may not have 
 any connection implied or expressed with the previ- 
 ous one. The result, if it is anything, is a series of 
 topic sentences. In some cases the topics of two 
 paragraphs are represented in a single sentence, in 
 others the sentence is a repetition of a clause or 
 sentence above. The remedy is to pick out from 
 among the clauses and sentences the topics of the 
 various paragraphs, arrange them in logical order, and 
 then develop each one into a paragraph by citing 
 evidence, by definition, by explanation, by citing 
 examples or illustrations, by showing contrast, or by 
 
 62
 
 PARAGRAPHING 
 
 whatever means is appropriate to the individual case. 
 The first clause of the second sentence in the theme 
 quoted above might, for example, be developed as 
 follows : 
 
 A man cannot study unless he is in good 
 health — an ordinary man, that is. I know that 
 there are many instances of powerful minds that 
 have done effective and great work in imperfect 
 or feeble bodies, as in the cases of Stevenson, 
 Heine, Scott, Lord Byron. I believe, however, 
 that those minds were great enough to triumph 
 over the difficulty of the unsound body, whereas 
 the ordinary man who finds it hard to use his 
 mind effectively under any circumstances would 
 be completely prevented from so doing by any 
 bodily weakness. It is well worth while for us 
 to remove from our path as many difficulties as 
 we can. 
 
 A whole composition written illogically as one 
 paragraph may be corrected by picking out the topic 
 sentences, arranging them in logical order, and writ- 
 ing the paragraph that belongs to each. To at- 
 tempt to remedy the fault by chopping the com- 
 position into lengths and indenting the first line of 
 each will almost inevitably fail because the writer 
 who does not write paragraphs does not think 
 paragraphs, and if the thought and arrangement are 
 not logical, the mechanical division will not make 
 them so. 
 
 Paragraph Unity 
 
 n u. Unity may be obtained in a paragraph which lacks 
 it by careful attention to the topic and the topic 
 5 63
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 sentence. Try to summarize the paragraph in a 
 single sentence. If this is difficult or impossible, if it 
 cannot be done in a unified sentence, decide whether 
 the elements which make it difficult have any logical 
 place in the paragraph. Write the summarizing sen- 
 tence first, as the topic sentence; then the other 
 sentences, expressing by connectives the relationship 
 of the idea of each sentence to the main idea. As 
 in the case of the sentence, test the unity of the 
 paragraph by the attempt to give it coherence. 
 
 Paragraph Coherence 
 
 tc. Lack of coherence in a paragraph is remedied by 
 '^°' studying the relationships between the sentences 
 and supplying the connective words and phrases 
 which express them. Although these relationships 
 are in some cases apparent from a logical arrangement 
 of the sentences, both clearness and ease are better 
 served by the use of connective words and phrases 
 which express and emphasize the relationship. Note 
 the effect of omitting the italicized connectives in the 
 following paragraph: 
 
 "A sound mind in a sound body" — the ready- 
 made catchword of irrational athletes who cling 
 to prejudices because they cannot form opinions, 
 — is responsible for the present low tide of intel- 
 lectual interests in American colleges. In the 
 first place, it is not true in the sense in which it 
 passes current, namely, that "a man can't 
 study unless he is in good health." For a man 
 
 who can study at all can, and thousands of men 
 
 64
 
 PARAGRAPHING 
 
 do, use the mind constantly and effectively in 
 the face of bodily weakness and pain, varying in 
 seriousness from headache to paralysis or con- 
 sumption. These, moreover, are not the con- 
 spicuous exceptions which test the rule, but the 
 army of unassuming, every-day thinkers who 
 supply more of the mental illumination of the 
 world than do the few really dazzling lights. 
 Indeed, bodily weakness would seem to offer 
 better stimulus to mental activity than does the 
 bodily strength of the man who, pleasantly tired 
 from exercise and replete from the satisfaction 
 of the consequent appetite, can give no more 
 exercise to his mind than is involved in dozing 
 over a worthless magazine. In the second place, 
 if it is true that the mind is sounder in a sound 
 body than in a weak one, it will never be the 
 better, nor will it ever be of use in the world, 
 if it lies fallow for the four years meant for its 
 training, while the body is developed to the 
 strength of an Atlas and the endurance of a 
 Hercules to no better end than the bearing of 
 other men's burdens and the doing of other 
 men's labors. 
 
 Transitions between paragraphs, coherence of the 
 whole composition, are usually expressed by the 
 topic sentences. In these sentences the connectives 
 usually express the relationship between the ideas of 
 the paragraphs. If these connectives refer directly 
 to the last sentence of the preceding paragraph, the 
 paragraphs are closely knit together. 
 
 End of 1st ^: 
 
 . . . the recent pronouncement 
 
 ^5
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 . . . was dictated by common 
 sense. 
 
 Beginning ofSd^: And common sense is always 
 
 bound to make itself heard 
 under such circumstances . . . 
 
 End oj 2d ^: experience must always re- 
 
 main as one of the tests for 
 legislation dealing with the 
 intimacies of life. 
 
 Beginning ofSd^: Conmaon sense applied to this 
 
 question denotes something 
 far different from a philosophy 
 of hard facts. . . . 
 
 Emphasis 
 
 Emphasis in the paragraph, as in the sentence, is 
 obtained by putting important ideas in important 
 places. The topic Sentence is usually placed at the 
 beginning for emphasis; it is important because it 
 shows what the paragraph is intended to accomplish. 
 At the end is often an important sentence which 
 shows what the paragraph has accomplished. If 
 other ideas are more important than these, they 
 should be given the emphatic positions. 
 
 Ideas may be emphasized by giving them more 
 space than others. In the paragraph on the preced- 
 ing page, the idea introduced by the connective in the 
 first place is developed in four sentences, whereas the 
 following one {in the second place) has but one.
 
 XII 
 
 DICTION— CHOICE OF WORDS 
 Diet. C.W. 
 
 Most of the faults discussed under this heading 
 are those usually marked Diet, or C.W. Other 
 marks used to indicate them are given in the margin. 
 
 Triteness 
 
 Much-used phrases and expressions are to be care- 
 fully avoided. They are shabby and shopworn, and 
 make your reader feel either that you are ignorant 
 yourself, or consider him so. They are like ''ready- 
 made" clothes in that being made for the average 
 case they fit no individual case exactly. Among the 
 worst offenses in this way are the following: 
 
 In evidence; along these lines; along the 
 lines of; in touch with ; meets the eye; falls upon 
 the ear; bursts upon the vision; winds like a 
 silvery ribbon; stands like a guardian sentinel; 
 silhouetted sharply against the sky; the mirror- 
 like surface; feathered songsters; all Nature 
 seemed; order out of chaos; a home replete 
 
 with every comfort; a long-felt want; the last 
 
 67
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 sad rites had been performed; doomed to dis- 
 appointment; the sun sank slowly down in the 
 west; method in his madness; an indescribable 
 something; at one fell swoop; dull, sickening 
 thud; no sooner said than done; the light, fan- 
 tastic toe; sadder but wiser; drowned his sor- 
 rows in the flowing bowl; sought his downy 
 couch; the next thing on the program. 
 
 TritJ' Pompous circumlocutions, usually introduced to 
 avoid the repetition of a word, are offensive, some- 
 times in themselves and sometimes for their trite- 
 ness. 
 
 The birds were singing in the alders; the 
 brook was singing too, but not so loudly as 
 the feathered songsters. 
 
 This fault may usually be remedied by recasting 
 the sentence. 
 
 The brook was singing, and in the alders the 
 birds were singing even more loudly. 
 
 It is better to use no quotations at all than to use 
 hackneyed ones, such, for example, as the following: 
 
 Shuffle off this mortal coil. The path of true 
 
 love never did run smooth. The light, fantastic 
 
 toe. Procrastination is the thief of time. God 
 
 tempers the wind to the shorn lamb. There is 
 
 a tide in the affairs of men. In the spring the 
 
 young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of 
 
 love. Some are born great. Bring his gray 
 
 68
 
 DICTION— CHOICE OF WORDS 
 
 hairs in sorrow to the grave. Where ignorance 
 is bliss. 
 
 Avoid platitudes, generalities, trite sayings, and 
 proverbs. 
 
 Trite Better late than never. All men are not alike. 
 
 Honesty is the best policy. It is the first step 
 that counts. Somebody has to be the first. 
 
 ^■^- Such phrases are even worse when in foreign lan- 
 guages. They gain nothing in force, and suggest 
 affectation of learning and an assumption of inferior- 
 ity of English. Do not use such expressions as : 
 
 C'est le premier pas qui cout. Mens sana in 
 corpore sano. Tempusfugit. Alma mater. Cha- 
 cun a son gout. Au contraire. 
 
 Figurative language includes all expressions which 
 are not literally true, but which are used as a device 
 to emphasize, make clear, or beautify an idea. 
 
 A simile is a figure of speech expressing a com- 
 parison; as: 
 
 "Where London's column, pointing at the skies, 
 Like a tall bully, lifts its head and lies." 
 
 A metaphor is a figure of speech which implies 
 
 comparison by calling one thing by the name of 
 
 another; as, "Life is a vapor," or assuming it to be 
 
 another; as, ''Shoot folly as it flies." 
 
 J?g A metaphor or any figure of speech is a touch-and- 
 
 69
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 go affair; to dwell on it or attempt to sustain it will 
 usually reduce it to the absurd. The difficulty most 
 often arises from the use of a figure without regard to 
 the literal sense of the words, or an unconscious shift 
 from one figure to another which ''mixes" the meta- 
 phor. Absurdities are most likely to arise in the use 
 of hackneyed metaphors, so common that we have 
 lost our sense of the literal meaning of the words. 
 
 He never opened his mouth but that he put his 
 foot in it. 
 
 That drawback is easily settled. 
 
 A forester is my goal. 
 
 Combining these three factors, the sum makes 
 a strong reason. 
 
 We plunge into the sea of life having a divine 
 hand at the helm. 
 
 c. w. Slang is an extension of figurative language into the 
 realm of the vulgar and the grotesque. It is objec- 
 tionable in the first place because of its air of vul- 
 garity, and in the second place because the instant 
 its freshness has worn off it becomes almost mean- 
 ingless in its application on the vulgar tongue to 
 things fit and unfit. 
 
 Cou. Avoid slangy abbreviations which have not passed 
 
 into good use, such as auto, phone, gent, pants, exam. 
 
 Particularly offensive is the use of the slang 
 
 nickname of a city to avoid repetition of the real 
 
 name. 
 
 I was particularly glad to get to Boston, as I 
 had never seen the Hub before. 
 
 70
 
 DICTION— CHOICE OF WORDS 
 
 Coll. Contractions such as haven't, doesn't, isn't, and the 
 like, give an effect of informality, and should be used 
 in written discourse only when such an effect is de- 
 sired. Ain't is under the ban of vulgarity. Don't 
 
 G.f means do not, and must not be used for does not. 
 
 F.w. Stilted, affected, artificial diction — "the display 
 
 T. of the verbal wardrobe" — is sometimes called "fine 
 writing." It is always in bad taste. 
 
 Listen, please, to a little of my own personal 
 experience. In my girlhood days, when attend- 
 ing school, I studied books ('twas the fashion) to 
 the best of my ability; then when I graduated 
 from the life of school into the school of life I 
 seemed to take a turn and find myself delving 
 into knowledge of the human race, and for many 
 years my reading has been of the peoples on this 
 great terrestrial ball, the different nationalities, 
 their homes, customs, and the like, and I find 
 myself much interested in humanity at large. 
 So it is we gain our knowledge of books from a 
 secular standpoint, and then, as it were, we plunge 
 into the sea of life having a divine hand at the 
 helm. 
 
 What object in nature is frailer than a withered 
 leaf adhering to the bough by a single thread, 
 ready to be carried away by the first and fleetest 
 breath of wind? Not more frail than the babe in 
 the arms of its mother. O, how sad would be 
 your heart if that farewell kiss were to swell upon 
 the air and sigh on and on for ever. Thank God 
 it is not so. 
 
 71
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 SPECIFIC ERRORS IN DICTION ALPHABETICALLY 
 
 ARRANGED 
 
 The following errors are usually marked ''C.W." 
 or "Diet.," as being errors in choice of words, or 
 diction. Some of them may be indicated by other 
 marks, which are given in the margin. 
 
 Above is an adverb, not an adjective. Say "The 
 address given above," not "The above address"; 
 the "foregoing section," not the "above section." 
 
 Aggravate means to heighten, intensify, or make 
 worse. Do not use it for annoy or provoke. 
 
 Allude means to refer to indirectly, and is not the 
 same as mention. "By mentioning his lifelong com- 
 panion he alluded to his wife." 
 w. Alma mater means cherishing mother, and should 
 never be used where some such words are not en- 
 tirely appropriate. The phrase has been so much 
 abused that it is as well to avoid it entirely. "My 
 preparatory alma mater" is absurd. 
 
 All right is never a single word. It is slang in such 
 expressions as "He will win all right," and is some- 
 times spoken of as an Americanism in any sense. 
 Very well makes a satisfactory substitute. 
 
 And should not be used instead of to in such sen- 
 tences as "I'm going to go and get it," for "I'm going 
 to get it"; "Try and do it," for "Try to do it." 
 
 Appreciate means to estimate justly. "I appre- 
 ciate his ill-will," means "I am fully aware of the 
 extent and intensity of his ill-will." 
 
 Apt means quick or skilful. "He is apt to learn," 
 means that he learns readily. "He is likely to
 
 DICTION— CHOICE OF WORDS 
 
 learn," means that he will probably learn. *'He is 
 liable to learn," is incorrect. Liable for means 
 responsible for; liable to means subject to. "He is 
 liable for the entire sum, and liable to imprisonment 
 if he does not pay." 
 
 As does not mean because, but is rather an 
 elliptical expression for inasmuch as. " (I must ask 
 you, if you) please (to) excuse Johnny's absence, 
 (inasmuch) as I needed him at home." This sen- 
 tence is fully as clear if a semicolon is substituted for 
 as. "Please excuse Johnny's absence; I needed him 
 at home." 
 
 As ... as (correlatives) become so ... as after 
 a negative. "The new laboratory is not so good as 
 the old one in some respects." 
 E. Back of in the sense of behind is better avoided. It 
 
 is comparatively blameless in itself, but it leads to 
 such vulgarisms as in back of and side of for behind 
 and beside. 
 
 Because should not be used instead of that to intro- 
 duce a predicate substantive clause giving a reason. 
 "The reason was that 1 didn't have enough money." 
 
 Because of is an adverbial modifier, du£ to is an 
 adjective modifier. "The disturbance is due to the 
 discontent of the people." "The people are dis- 
 contented because of high taxes." 
 
 G. Can but (think). 
 
 B. Cannot but (think). 
 
 Cannot help but (think). 
 
 These expressions are probably all three elliptical; 
 they might be expressed in full, as: 
 
 73
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 I can (do naught else) but think. 
 
 I cannot (help thinking,) but (I must) think. 
 
 I cannot help (thinking,) but (I must) think. 
 
 The second is attacked as illogical on the ground 
 that when we say we can not but think we really 
 mean we can but think. The third is called an 
 absurd confusion between / cannot hut think and 
 / cannot help thinking. The question is not one of 
 logic, but of good use. Criticism may be avoided 
 by saying either / can hut think or / cannot help 
 thinking. 
 
 Commence is a more formal word than hegin. To 
 use it of small affairs is to give them a pompous air. 
 
 Cunning means crafty. It does not mean pretty, 
 attractive, engaging, comic, quaint, or lively. 
 
 Cute is slang and has no legitimate use. For 
 possible substitutes see Cunning. 
 
 Demean means to conduct (oneself). It has no 
 connection except in popular error with mean (small, 
 contemptible), and does not mean debase or degrade. 
 
 Different is followed by from, never than. Different 
 than is gaining ground in England, but it is far from 
 being in good use in the United States. 
 
 Doubt takes for its object a substantive clause 
 introduced by that (not what). "I doubt that he will 
 go." ''I do not doubt but that he will stay." 
 
 Du£ to; see Because of. 
 
 Each other probably meant originally the same as 
 one another, but to-day it is generally used as apply- 
 ing to two persons or things, and one another of 
 
 three or more. 
 
 74
 
 DICTION— CHOICE OF WORDS 
 
 G. Either should not be used to refer to one of three 
 
 possibilities. In such a sentence as ''Either you, or 
 I, or nobody will do it," either is best omitted. 
 
 Element means a component part. It should not 
 be used to name a process or an action, or anything 
 that is not considered distinctly as a part of a larger 
 whole. 
 a. Enthuse is not in good use. 
 
 G. Equally should not be followed by as. If a thing is 
 
 as good as something else, it is equally good. Do 
 not try to use both expressions at once. 
 
 Etc. is an abbreviation for et cetera, in which et 
 means and; and etc. is therefore tautological. The 
 abbreviation should be used sparingly, because it is 
 an abbreviation, and because it is so often loosely 
 used to mean nothing. Anything real that it stands 
 for is often better specified; if it means nothing, omit 
 it. As an abbreviation it may be avoided by the use 
 of and so forth or and the like. 
 
 Exit means "he (she or it) goes out." Exeunt 
 means "they go out." He exits and they exeunt are 
 tautological, and they exit is ungrammatical. 
 
 Factor means one of the numbers which when 
 multiplied together give a certain product. It is not 
 properly used of anything which cannot at least 
 figuratively be considered as contributing to a 
 result. 
 
 Farther refers to space; further to time, degree, 
 and extensions of thought. The distinction is not a 
 necessary one, but it is now very generally observed. 
 
 Fix means to attach or make firm. In the sense 
 
 of repair it is an Americanism, and highly colloquial. 
 
 75
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 In various senses from repair to punish it is slang 
 or vulgarity indicating a deplorable poverty of vo- 
 cabulary. 
 
 Go is often used followed by and with a finite verb 
 to indicate purpose where the infinitive would be more 
 coherent. Say, "I shall go to see him to-morrow," 
 not "go and see." In a sentence like "He went and 
 bought a book," went and is redundant. "He went 
 and threw a stone at me " is a mere puerility. 
 
 Gtiess is correctly used only to express conjecture. 
 "I guess it is dinner-time" is correct if the speaker 
 does not know the time of day or the dinner-hour. 
 If he merely wishes to make a suggestion, it would 
 be more correctly made in another form. 
 
 Good in such phrases as good and warm, good and 
 sweet (so also nice and strong), meaning very or some- 
 thing less, may be idiomatic, but it is so vague a 
 phrase of commendation that something more specific 
 had better be used. Good and plenty is slang. 
 
 Got is to be preferred to the obsolescent gotten. 
 It is redundant with have to denote possession or 
 compulsion, as have got for have, have got to for have to, 
 have got to get for have to get. It does not mean 
 go {get over the road), become {get to be — "What 
 time is it getting to be?"), or find opportunity {get 
 to go). 
 
 Handicap does not mean merely a hindrance, but 
 a hindrance to the best man purposely devised to 
 equalize the chance among competitors. 
 
 Hardly is in itself a negative ; not hardly is incorrect, 
 because it is a double negative which, when scruti- 
 nized, has the force of an affirmative. 
 
 76
 
 DICTION— CHOICE OF WORDS 
 
 Healthy and healthful should be distinguished, as 
 in the sentence, "Bread and milk is a healthful food 
 which makes healthy children." 
 G. Home as an adverb is used without a preposition 
 
 only after verbs of motion; ''I am going home," but 
 not "I am home." 
 
 Home as a noun is not synonymous with house. 
 
 Individual does not mean merely person, but in- 
 dividual person. It should not be used except to 
 indicate individuality or entity. 
 
 It is properly used to introduce impersonal verbs, 
 as "It is impossible to say whether or not it will 
 E. rain," but is vulgar or slangy in such phrases as 
 "You will catch it," "He is going it pretty fast," 
 "Which is coming it strong." 
 sp. It, her, and other personal pronouns take no 
 apostrophe in the possessive. 
 
 After kind of and sort of the article a is redundant ; 
 say "that kind of," "this sort of," and the like. 
 Kind of a and sort of a as weak modifiers are con- 
 fessions of inadequate vocabulary. The remedies 
 are: 1, omit the phrase; 2, substitute very or some 
 other modifier; 3, put the a before kind and then 
 ask and answer the question "What kind?" Not 
 till then is the expression complete. 
 G. Lay is the causative verb from lie, and means to 
 
 make to lie. Only with the reflexive does it mean 
 the same as lie, as in "Now I lay me (myself) down 
 to sleep." The principal parts of lie are lie, lay, lain; 
 of lay, lay, laid, laid. Lay is necessarily transitive. 
 
 Liable; see Apt. 
 Q- Like has the force of an adjective, whereas as is 
 
 77
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 adverbial. "I can run like John" is acceptable 
 when it means "I, like John, can run." If it is to be 
 completed by the repetition of the verb (I can run 
 like John can run) the phrase is adverbial, describes 
 the action of the verb, and requires as. The speaker 
 may be like John, or look like John, but he does as 
 John does. 
 B. Mad means angry only by metaphor, insane with 
 
 anger, as: 
 
 "It will inflame you, it will make you mad." 
 
 "... it made me mad 
 
 To see him shine so brisk ..." 
 
 Myself; see page 39. 
 5. Nerve may be correctly used to mean courage (by 
 
 metaphor from sinew and strength), but in the sense 
 of impudence it is nothing but slang. 
 
 Only is best placed immediately before the word 
 it modifies. In case there can be no ambiguity it 
 may be placed immediately after the word it modifies. 
 
 Only I wrote to him to-day. (No one else 
 wrote.) 
 
 I only wrote to him yesterday. (I did not 
 telephone.) 
 
 I wrote only to him to-day. (I wrote to no 
 one else.) 
 
 I wrote to him only to-day. (No longer ago 
 than to-day.) 
 
 I wrote him to-day only. (I had not written 
 before.) 
 
 This car for members only. (For none but 
 
 members.) 
 
 78
 
 DICTION— CHOICE OF WORDS 
 
 Per should be followed by a Latin word, not Eng- 
 lish. If you must use Latin, say ''three meals 
 per diem"; better say ''three meals a day." "One 
 thousand dollars per annum" is correct, but "a 
 thousand dollars a year" is English. Per with no 
 word following is slang: "He is still working for one 
 fifty per." 
 Coll. Pretty for fairly or rather is colloquial. 
 
 A proposition is a subject for debate or a basis of 
 negotiation. To apply the term indiscriminately to 
 a girl, a golf -ball, a dress-suit, or a transatlantic liner 
 is either slang or the result of ignorance. 
 
 Quit in the sense of stop is colloquial. Among 
 its various meanings, the commonest is abandon or 
 leave. 
 
 Quite means either entirely or greatly. It is in- 
 correctly used for the weak sense of very. 
 Coll. Quite a, as in "quite a while," "quite a number," 
 is colloquial. Quite a Jew and quite a little are incor- 
 rect for a good many, and quite some is vulgar. 
 
 Reason should be followed by a predicate substan- 
 tive clause introduced by that, not by a causal clause. 
 Say "The reason was that I had a cold," not "The 
 reason was because I had a cold." 
 K. Reverend, honorable, and the like, when used with 
 
 names of persons, must be preceded by the and 
 followed by Mr. Say "The Reverend Mr. Smith," 
 not "Rev. Smith"; "The Honorable Mr. Jones," 
 not "Hon. Jones." 
 
 Said as an adjective meaning "already mentioned " 
 is a bit of technical, legal phrasing which in ordinary 
 discourse is either redundant or slangy. 
 
 6 79
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Same should never be used as a pronoun, as, "I 
 have ordered the ammunition, and will advise you 
 of the receipt of the same." 
 
 Same as is an adjective phrase which should never 
 be used adverbially. Do not say ''He thinks the 
 same as I do," but "He thinks just as I do," or, if it 
 is what you mean, "His thoughts are the same as 
 
 mine." 
 
 Seldom if ever and seldom or never are correct. 
 Seldom ever and seldom never are ellipses not idio- 
 matic nor in good use. 
 
 Set is a causative verb from sit (see lie and lay) 
 and means to make to sit. Set is transitive and sit 
 intransitive. The principal parts are sit, sat, sat; 
 set, set, set. 
 
 Start means (among other things) to cause to be- 
 gin, but it does not mean begin. It is not correctly 
 used with an infinitive, nor with reference to any- 
 thing which has no power of motion. One may 
 start an engine, but not a book. 
 
 Take and is usually redundant. "He took the 
 board and sawed it in two" says no more than "He 
 sawed the board in two." Habitual use of the ex- 
 pression leads to such puerilities as "He took and 
 hit me." 
 
 Team means a set or group, usually of animals 
 harnessed together; it is not correctly used of one 
 horse, or of a wagon, or of one horse and wagon. 
 
 Tend (in the sense of look after) differs from attend 
 
 in that it takes a direct object, not an indirect object 
 
 with to: "In tending his shop he was obliged to 
 
 attend to the wants of many customers." 
 
 80
 
 DICTION— CHOICE OF WORDS 
 
 Transpire does not mean to occur; it means to 
 become known: "The marriage took place six months 
 before it transpired." 
 
 Do not use they indefinitely instead of every one, as, 
 "They are always in a hurry in the city"; better 
 say "Every one is in a hurry in the city." 
 
 Avoid want in the sense of "ought" or "had 
 better," as, "You want to hurry if you are going to 
 catch the car"; better say "You had better hurry 
 if you expect to catch the car." 
 E. Way should not be used for away. "I saw him 
 
 away (not way) down the road." 
 
 In the sense of distance it is singular in form. 
 "The post-office is a httle way (not ways) farther to 
 the south." 
 Coll. You in the indefinite sense gives the effect of spoken 
 rather than formal written discourse, and is monoto- 
 nous if used continuously for any length of time. It 
 is colloquial to say "You don't wear a silk hat south 
 of Main Street." The formal expression is, "No one 
 wears a silk hat south of Main Street" or "Do not 
 wear a silk hat south of Main Street." 
 
 Yourself; see page 39.
 
 XIII 
 
 LETTER-WRITING 
 
 Form of BiLsiness and Personal Letters 
 
 The date line of a letter informs the reader when 
 and where the letter was written. The place should 
 be given in the form of the writer's post-office address, 
 and the date should be given in full, including the 
 year. It may be written at the head of the letter 
 on the right of the sheet, or at the close on the left of 
 the sheet, but should not be separated — that is, with 
 the date in one of these positions and the place in the 
 other. It is written and punctuated as follows: 
 
 3131 Prairie Avenue, 
 Chicago, Illinois, 
 
 December 30, 1900. 
 
 Amherst, Massachusetts, 
 10 October, 1913. 
 
 Camp Whippoorwill, 
 
 West Pelham, Massachusetts, 
 12 July, 1913. 
 
 In business letters and all dictated letters the 
 
 name and address of the recipient are written above 
 
 the salutation, as: 
 
 82
 
 LETTER-WRITING 
 
 Mr. Vivian Crewe, 
 212 Fifth Avenue, 
 New York City. 
 
 Dear Sir: 
 
 Mr. Robert Wilson, 
 
 812 Pine Boulevard, 
 Fort Dodge, Iowa. 
 
 Dear Robert, 
 
 In personal letters the name and address of the 
 recipient are sometimes written below the signature 
 on the left, but in personal letters not dictated they 
 are unnecessary. 
 
 Salutations properly used in business letters are 
 as follows: 
 
 Dear Sir: Gentlemen: 
 
 My dear Sir: Dear Madam: 
 
 Dear Sirs: My dear Madam: 
 My dear Sirs: 
 
 Madam is used in addressing a woman whether 
 married or unmarried. The abbreviation Messrs, is 
 not used as a salutation. 
 
 In both business and personal letters it is appro- 
 priate to address one whom you know by the name 
 by which you are accustomed to call him. 
 
 Salutations beginning with My {My dear Sir, 
 My dear Mr. Lewis) are a degree more formal than 
 the same forms without the My. 
 
 Such salutations as Dear Friend, Friend John, are 
 not in good use. 
 
 83
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 A colon or colon and dash is used after the saluta- 
 tion in business letters, a comma or comma and dash 
 in informal letters. 
 
 Do not use abbreviations. As a matter of courtesy 
 to your correspondent, give him the impression that 
 you can spare to him even the precious seconds 
 necessary to write out in full the name of the month, 
 the name of the State, and the words ''Street" and 
 "Avenue." Never use the sign & unless it be in 
 names of firms of which it seems customarily a part. 
 Abbreviate Mr., Mrs., Dr., U. S. A., and D. C, and 
 certain titles following names, as K.C.B., LL.D., 
 Ph.D., F.R.S., Esq., and the like. When the title 
 Esquire follows a name, no title should precede it, 
 not even Mr. 
 
 Do not omit pronouns and other words after the 
 fashion of a telegram. 
 
 Ready-made phrases are in bad taste either in 
 business or personal letters. 
 
 Bad: Yours received and contents noted; in 
 
 reply would say . . . 
 Good: I have received your letter of January 
 
 sixth, and wish to say in reply . . . 
 Bad: I take my pen in hand to say . . . 
 
 . . . and hope you are the same. 
 
 Forms of complimentary close appropriate for 
 
 business letters are Yours truly; Yours very truly; 
 
 Very truly yours. Yours respectfully is appropriate 
 
 only in cases in which for a definite reason respect is 
 
 due, as in a letter to an official or dignitary from one 
 
 below him in rank. 
 
 84
 
 LETTER-WRITING 
 
 Forms of the complimentary close appropriate for 
 personal letters are Sincerely yours; Cordially yours; 
 Faithfully yours; Affectionately yours, and the like. 
 
 The complimentary close stands in a line by itself, 
 and begins with a capital letter, even when gram- 
 matically it forms a part of a sentence. 
 
 Trusting that you will consider this request 
 reasonable, and find no difficulty in granting it, 
 I remain, 
 
 Sincerely yours, 
 
 The signatm-e belongs below the complimentary 
 close and a little to the right. Nothing else should 
 be placed in this position except any necessary indi- 
 cation of ojBfice or rank which may be a part of the 
 official signature, as: 
 
 Wilton Dix, Secretary. 
 
 Thomas J. Smith, Collector. 
 
 U. S. Grant, Lieutenant-General. 
 
 A woman signing a business letter should indicate 
 how she is to be addressed in reply, as: 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 (Miss) Annette Ripley. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 Mary Ware. 
 Mrs. Elton Ware, 
 
 209 F Street, 
 
 Elkhorn, 
 
 Indiana. 
 
 85
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Impersonal Letters 
 
 Formal invitations and replies are written in the 
 third person and the present tense throughout, and 
 without salutation, complimentary close, or signature. 
 
 The reply to a formal invitation should be dated 
 below at the left. The writer's address may be 
 omitted, and the year is usually omitted. The day 
 of the month is written in full. 
 
 In an acceptance, repeat the day and hour men- 
 tioned in the invitation. In declining, it is unneces- 
 sary to mention more than the day. 
 
 Examples: 
 Formal invitation: 
 
 Mrs. George Hemshaw requests the pleasure 
 of Miss Anna Hamilton's company at dinner on 
 Thursday, January fifth, at seven o'clock. 
 
 36 Ray Street. 
 
 Formal reply accepting: 
 
 Miss Anna Hamilton accepts with pleasure 
 Mrs. Hernshaw's kind invitation for Thursday, 
 January fifth, at seven o'clock. 
 
 December 28. 
 
 Formal reply declining: 
 
 Miss Hamilton regrets that she is unable to 
 accept Mrs. Hernshaw's kind invitation for 
 Thursday, January fifth, at seven o'clock. 
 
 December 28. 
 
 Business Letters 
 
 The rule for business letters is a rule of three: 
 Clearness, Conciseness, Courtesy. The successful 
 
 86
 
 LETTER-WRITING 
 
 writer of business letters is he who gains all three, 
 no one at the expense of the others. 
 
 The following letter is an attempt at conciseness. 
 It is reasonably clear, but barely courteous. 
 
 (Letter Head) 
 
 Boston, Mass., January 5th. 1911. 
 Mr. J. P. Blank, 
 
 Smith\alle, Ga. 
 Dear Sir: — 
 
 In reply to your letter, of the 3rd. would say, 
 that your order and check was received by us on 
 the 14th of December. 
 
 The order was entered and shipped via. Ex- 
 press by us on the 14th. 
 
 We regret to report that the box was marked 
 for the Smithville School, Smithville Ga. and 
 your name did not appear on the box at all. 
 
 The box you will no doubt find at the school, 
 and if you are put to any extra expense in getting 
 the same, you can charge it to us. 
 We regret the mistake in marking the box. 
 
 Yours very truly 
 
 World Lamp Co. 
 
 This letter may seem acceptable at first glance, 
 but it will not bear a second. Note that 
 
 1. The date line should have been written "Janu- 
 ary 5," etc. 
 
 2. *'In reply . . . would say" is trite, telegraphic, 
 questionable as to syntax, and wrongly punctuated. 
 
 3. ''Order and check was received by us" — is 
 ''order and check" one document or two? Why the 
 awkward passive construction? (See page 56.) 
 
 87
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 4. This and all other sentences in the letter a\e 
 written as separate paragraphs; not one actually is a 
 paragraph. 
 
 5. The second sentence repeats the awkward pas- 
 sive construction (which might be better if the ''by 
 us" were omitted), and uses the Latin via with the 
 English word "express." ''By" is the English 
 word, and "Express" should have no capital. 
 
 6. "The box was marked" — passive again; who 
 marked it? Note the repetition in three successive 
 lines of "the box." Regardless of the number of 
 words involved, the repetition gives the effect of 
 prolixity. 
 
 7. "The same"; a bit of legal phrasing which has 
 crept into the business dialect at the expense of con- 
 ciseness and purity. "It" is usually the right 
 word. 
 
 8. The slight rebate for transportation and the 
 perfunctory regret are tossed to the customer as one 
 might toss a bone to a stray cur. In any case, 
 "may" should take the place of "can." 
 
 9. There should be a comma after "truly." 
 
 The letter when put into good form is no longer, 
 and is more courteous: 
 
 We have traced the goods you inquire about 
 in your letter of January 3d. We find that we 
 received the order and the check, entered the 
 order, and sent the lamps by express, on Decem- 
 ber 14th. We are sorry to say, however, that 
 we marked the box, "Smith School, Smithville, 
 Ga." We have no doubt that you will find the 
 
 box at the school building, and assure you that 
 
 88
 
 LETTER-WRITING 
 
 we shall be glad to pay for its transportation to 
 your house. 
 
 We are sincerely sorry for the mistake, and 
 hope to be able to serve you better another time. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 The more courteous form of this letter is almost 
 exactly the length of the other — if anything, it is a 
 little more concise. 
 
 (Letter Head) 
 
 Springfield, Mass. 11/25/14 
 Mr. R. P. Utter, 
 Amherst, Mass. 
 
 Dear Sir: 
 
 Referring to your recent request for advertising 
 matter for the Leyland and Donaldson Lines. 
 I have been unable to secure Lejiand line 
 sailings for the month of June as I am just 
 advised by the company that these have not as 
 yet been made up. The Leyland Line will this 
 year carry but one class of passengers which will 
 be designated as second class and the rate will be 
 very moderate and much cheaper than last year; 
 I judge ranging from $50.00 upwards. I will 
 bear your request in mind and send you sailing 
 lists just as soon as I receive same. The Donald- 
 son Line people advise me that their printed 
 matter for next year is now in preparation and 
 we shall be supplied within a short time. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 Note in this letter that 
 
 1. The sentences fairlv gasp with haste. This 
 
 89
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 effect is probably due to the complete absence of 
 commas. 
 
 2. The date line written in numbers is out of 
 place anywhere except in a penciled memorandum. 
 In any case, it should end with a period. 
 
 3. The opening words form a clause, not a sen- 
 tence. The second ''for" should be ''of." 
 
 4. In the second sentence there should be a semi- 
 colon after "June"; "as" should be "in fact" or its 
 equivalent; "I am advised" should be "I have been 
 told." 
 
 5. In the next to the last sentence "same" should 
 be "them." 
 
 6. In the last sentence ' ' people " should be omitted, 
 and "advise" should be "tell me." 
 
 7. The writer has no sentence-connective but 
 "and," with the exception of "as," of which he does 
 not know the meaning. 
 
 8. This letter was signed with an illegible scrawl 
 in copying-pencil ; it should have been signed legibly 
 in ink.
 
 Part II 
 METHOD
 
 COLLECTING MATERIAL 
 
 INTELLECTUAL HONESTY 
 
 In work which is chiefly compilation, inexperi- 
 enced students, through ignorance and carelessness, 
 often present as their own ideas and words which 
 should be attributed to others. This occurs through 
 ignorance as to what ideas are the commonplaces of 
 the subject — the general fund and common property 
 of all workers in it: ideas to which no one would 
 think of advancing any claim to originality — and 
 what ideas are those to which property rights should 
 be attached. It occurs through carelessness in note- 
 taking, by which words and sentences belonging to 
 others are not distinguished by quotation marks 
 and references, and so pass undistinguished into the 
 finished work. 
 
 Students sometimes assume that because the com- 
 mon fund of information on a subject is used without 
 quoting, everything is common property. The dis- 
 tinction between what is common property and what 
 is not cannot be made by a student who reads noth- 
 ing but an encyclopedia article on a subject and 
 makes a summary of it for his theme or essav^ He 
 
 93
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 must read many books and articles on a subject, 
 study it until it becomes a part of his own knowledge, 
 then lay all books aside and write on the subject as he 
 knows it, with a general acknowledgment of sources 
 and specific acknowledgments of quotations. Un- 
 less the task is nothing more or less than the sum- 
 marizing of a particular book or article, three sources 
 at the very least should be carefully studied, and no 
 student should be satisfied with so few as three if 
 time and the importance of the task will allow him 
 to consult more. The ideas that the three or more 
 have in common are probably, so far as they go, the 
 fundamentals, the commonplaces, the ones the student 
 will retain in his own general fund of information. 
 They may be safely covered by the general reference 
 to the sources which the student has consulted. All 
 other ideas not the student's own should be scrupu- 
 lously acknowledged. 
 
 FOEM OF REFERENCES 
 
 All references should be given in such form that 
 they may be readily found and identified. General 
 references may stand together at the beginning or 
 end of the essay in some such form as the following: 
 
 General References 
 
 Gummere, Beginnings of Poetry, New York, 1901. 
 
 ' ' Handbook of Poetics, Boston, 1892. 
 
 Greenough and Kittredge, Words and Their 
 
 Ways in English Speech, New York, 1902. 
 
 94
 
 COLLECTING MATERIAL 
 
 Specific references should be as precise as they can 
 be made, but may be vague and informal where the 
 source cannot be traced by the reader, and the 
 important matter is to point out that the idea is not 
 original with the writer. Such references are usually 
 made by more or less informal phrases in the text, 
 such as the following: 
 
 I remember reading once in a magazine . . . 
 
 It was suggested to me the other day in con- 
 versation that . . . 
 
 Professor Blank told us the other day in class 
 something to the effect that . . . 
 
 More formal and exact references may be given in 
 the text, as: 
 
 Professor G. H. Palmer says on this point (in 
 his Nature of Goodness, Boston, 1904, p. 52) ... 
 
 The entire reference, or any part of it which in- 
 terrupts the flow of a sentence, may be given in a 
 foot-note. In manuscript, a foot-note is indicated by 
 a reference mark, symbol, or figure, above the line at 
 the word in the sentence to which the note belongs, 
 and a similar reference mark above the line at the 
 beginning of the note at the bottom of the page. 
 
 This quality has been defined as " . . .' 
 
 ' G. H. Palmer, The Nature of Goodness, Boston, 1904. 
 p. 52. 
 
 When a reference is given to the pages of a book 
 
 the edition is indicated by the place and date of 
 
 7 95
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 publication, and often the name of the pubhsher, 
 because the paging might not be the same in other 
 editions. 
 
 HOW TO FIND MATERIAL 
 
 ''If we think of it," says Carlyle, "all that a 
 University or final highest School can do for us, is 
 still but what the first School began doing, — teach 
 us to read. . . . The place where we are to get 
 knowledge, even theoretic knowledge, is the Books 
 themselves." Yet to many students this place is as 
 inaccessible as a vein of gold to a savage who has 
 only a stick wherewith to open it, because they do not 
 know how to make a collection of books, or even a 
 single book, reveal its treasure. 
 
 Learn first of all the nature of the catalogue system 
 of whatever library you are privileged to use. Very 
 likely you will find confronting you as you enter the 
 building a large card-catalogue in little drawers with 
 alphabetical labels. If you look in it for ''swim- 
 ming" and f.nd nothing between "Swift" and 
 "Swinburne," you are not justified in assuming that 
 the library has nothing on "swimming." It is more 
 probable that the catalogue is one of authors, and 
 not, as many card-catalogues are, one of authors and 
 subjects together. Look about for a subject cata- 
 logue, and if you do not find it, ask an attendent about 
 it. He may refer you to another card-catalogue, or 
 to a catalogue in the form of a book. If you are 
 privileged to enter the "stacks," as the floors de- 
 voted to book-shelves are called, learn the system 
 
 96
 
 COLLECTING MATERIAL 
 
 of classification of your library, so that you can find 
 books readily for yourself. 
 
 Starting from the beginning with some topic on 
 which you wish information, you may consult first 
 the catalogues of the library, including any indexes 
 there may be to periodical literature. These will 
 refer you to books and magazines in the library which 
 may give you what you want. You may consult 
 general reference books, such as dictionaries and 
 encyclopedias, which, in addition to general (or 
 possibly more detailed) information on your subject, 
 will give also a list of authorities. Look for these in 
 the author catalogue to see how many of them are 
 in your library. One of them may be a bibliography, 
 or complete list of books on the subject. Nearly 
 every book you find will give the names of others, 
 either scattered through the text, in foot-notes, or in 
 the form of a list. When you have found out what 
 the library contains on your subject, you should, if 
 it is a possible thing, at least take every book on your 
 list down from the shelf, and open it to "see what it 
 looks like," before you decide which ones you are to 
 read, if you cannot read them all. Never choose the 
 fiirst book on the list merely because you are terrified 
 by the prospect of so many. 
 
 Every well-printed modern book contains an index 
 which should enable you to find in it any idea or 
 passage about which you know anything at all. If 
 you do not find it at first, look for it under every 
 possible word or phrase which might conceal it; 
 if it is not indexed under ** college," look under 
 "school," "university," "education," "student," 
 
 97
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 "teaching," and every other word that might set 
 you on its trail. If the book has no index, look at the 
 table of contents, which may be analytical or contain 
 summarizing chapter headings. There may be sum- 
 maries at the beginnings of chapters, running- titles 
 (at the tops of right-hand pages), marginal or cen- 
 tered paragraph headings, or something of the sort. 
 Failing all these, you may practise the art of "skim- 
 ming" the book, turning the pages with an eye to the 
 beginnings and ends of paragraphs, which will enable 
 you to follow closely enough to find what you want. 
 It is safe to say that there is not a passage in 
 existing literature which cannot be found promptly 
 if the seeker has in mind a scrap of the wording or a 
 semblance of the idea of it. AH recorded thought 
 has been indexed back and forth and up and down, 
 and fairly riddled with cross-references. There are 
 indexes, dictionaries, encyclopedias, concordances, 
 check lists, bibhographies, and compendiums of 
 every subject, from the Bible or Shakespeare to the 
 *Hheory of tittlebats." If you fail to find anything 
 you want in your library, the chances are a hundred 
 to one that you fail, not because what you seek is 
 not there, but because you do not understand the 
 apparatus that has been made ready to your hand 
 for that very purpose. 
 
 NOTE-TAKING 
 
 /. Form 
 
 All notes on lectures, recitations, reading, and 
 conferences should be taken on a uniform size of 
 
 98
 
 COLLECTING MATERIAL 
 
 paper, cards, or slips. Use either a loose-leaf note- 
 book of a size that can be carried conveniently with 
 other books or in the pocket, or else cards or slips 
 large enough to be useful and small enough to be 
 filed in drawers or trays in the manner of a card- 
 catalogue — a fairly stiff bond paper cut four by six 
 inches is good for the purpose. 
 
 Of the two systems, the note-book is the easier for 
 the untrained student to keep in orderly fashion, and 
 is a flexible enough system for one who does his work 
 by courses rather than by subjects, and who may not 
 refer to his notes again after he has reviewed them 
 for an examination. Each page in the note-book as 
 it is written should be marked at the top with the 
 name of the course or the subject. Each page of 
 lecture notes should be marked in some such way as, 
 "Geology 4— Prof. Shaler— Nov. 23, 1894." By 
 this system all notes are taken in one book, but in 
 such a way that they may be sorted afterward by 
 subjects or courses into separate binders, envelopes, 
 or file-cases. 
 
 For one who is collecting material in various sub- 
 jects from a variety of sources, the card system 
 is more useful, especially for material that must 
 always be readily available. It requires a little 
 more time and attention to keep it in order, but 
 this time is more than saved in referring to the notes. 
 Shps of the proper size — say four by six inches — may 
 be carried in packs in the pocket or any of the 
 convenient cases or covers made for the purpose. 
 The same size should be used for all notes, what- 
 ever the subject or the source of the note, and each 
 
 99
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 slip marked at the top with the subject, and the 
 source of the idea written on it. Thus, for example, 
 part of a lecture on Poe might be represented by 
 such cards as these : 
 
 Poe — " Lije ' 
 
 Lecture, B. W.—Jan. SO, 1900 
 
 Poe — " Early Tales " 
 
 Woodberry and Stedman — Introduction 
 
 Poe — " Fall of the House of Usher " 
 
 Woodberry, ••Life," p. 120 
 
 Superior to "Ligeia" in unity of design — artistic 
 constrv^tion called perfect — note the nice adaptation of 
 parts to their purpose — absolute harmony of total effect — 
 skill in bringing out sympathy between the house and 
 the family — there had been no sv^h art before in America. 
 
 II. Lectures 
 
 Inaccuracy in note-taking is a common fault among 
 students as well as among reporters. The most 
 prevalent faults in note-taking are: first, failure to 
 understand what the speaker says; second, failure 
 to discriminate between main and subordinate ideas ; 
 third, failure to discriminate between fact and 
 opinion; fourth, illegible handwriting or unintelli- 
 gible abbreviations which render the notes useless 
 after they are made. 
 
 100
 
 COLLECTING MATERIAL 
 
 Be sure that you get the speaker's words. Many- 
 students habitually misreport the most explicit 
 statements; they cannot even get a correct note of 
 the assignment of the next lesson, and on other mat- 
 ters their notes have about the same relation to the 
 speaker's thought that black has to white. When 
 you are aware of a mistake, it is, of course, a simple 
 matter to ask the speaker what he said, either at the 
 time or afterward. Usually the trouble arises from 
 the unconscious lapse of attention. For this there 
 is no remedy but insistence on conscious effort of 
 attention until it becomes habitual. 
 
 If the reporter or student writes down the first 
 sentence he hears, and follows it by the sentence he 
 hears as he is finishing the first, he is very sure to 
 have a useless set of notes, because his selection of 
 topics depends on mere chance. Subordinate ideas 
 will be represented in the notes without the main 
 ideas which make them intelligible. Learn to pick 
 out the topic sentences of the speaker's paragraphs. 
 This is easier to do with some speakers than with 
 others, but the method, or lack of it, of any speaker 
 can soon be learned by a little attention at the 
 start. Even if the speaker gives three sentences in 
 succession which must be noted, he will usually 
 follow them with subordinate matter enough to give 
 the reporter time to note them if he can remember 
 them long enough. 
 
 After writing a topic sentence, note under it 
 whatever subordinate matter you can while listening 
 for the next topic. The simplest way to indicate 
 divisions is to write in paragraphs, with the topic 
 
 101
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 sentences indented, one at the beginning of each 
 paragraph. If for any reason the topic sentences 
 are not so placed, they may be marked by under- 
 scoring the first few words, by numbers, or by any 
 other convenient device. Subordination is some- 
 times indicated by indention, as in a brief, but it 
 requires long practice in rapid analysis to make the 
 successive indentions tally accurately with the sub- 
 ordination of ideas. 
 
 If you find in your notes contradictory statements 
 dogmatically asserted, it is probable that you have 
 failed to distinguish between theory and generally 
 accepted fact, or between theories of different per- 
 sons. The note ''Hamlet is certainly insane," fol- 
 lowed by 'Hhe theory of Hamlet's insanity is un- 
 tenable," should probably be amended to read, 
 "Jones thinks Hamlet was certainly insane. . . . 
 Smith finds theory of Hamlet's insanity untenable." 
 Never note as accepted fact an idea put forward by 
 the speaker as his own theory or opinion ; indicate it 
 by his initials, as, "M. thinks Schlegel was not well 
 fitted for his task," or ''Mad scenes in 'Lear' may 
 have had comic effect on Sh.'s audience (B. W.)" 
 
 Listen carefully for transitions, connectives, and 
 summaries, and note them even if you think you have 
 them already. Guide-post as well as map may be 
 necessary for the identification of an unfamiliar 
 turning. 
 
 Write legibly whether in short-hand or long-hand. 
 Time saved in writing abbreviations and symbols is 
 more than wasted if effort is demanded to decipher 
 them. 
 
 103
 
 COLLECTING MATERIAL 
 
 All references to books and other material should 
 be noted with especial care. They are often the 
 most valuable part of a lecture, and mean hours of 
 wasted time if they are incorrectly noted. 
 
 ///. Recitations 
 
 Notes on reading or recitations in foreign languages 
 and in English literature may often be made most 
 conveniently in the margin of the text. If more 
 room is needed, the book may be interleaved with 
 blank paper by a binder, or with sheets of thin 
 paper with gummed edges, made for the purpose. 
 These may be inserted here and there as space is 
 needed. 
 
 If, however, notes on lectures and reading are 
 made on cards or slips, it is better to take notes on 
 recitations in that form also. Textual notes on 
 individual words, on phrases, on lines, and all other 
 matters that come up in the class, may be recorded 
 on cards and classified for convenient reference as a 
 card-dictionary of words or phrases, or under the 
 names of the texts or authors read. 
 
 The recitations on which it is most difficult to take 
 notes are those which take the form of a general 
 discussion of ideas, or an attempt to teach the student 
 to use the facts he has acquired from text-books and 
 lectures. Until the student sees the drift of the dis- 
 cussion, he finds nothing to record but the desperate 
 guesses and impromptu theories of his fellow-students, 
 and when the discussion has taken shape it seems 
 
 too late to map the course it has followed. The way 
 
 103
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 to catch it while it is going on is to note the questions 
 which are raised, the data from which answers may 
 be formed, and, if any are developed, the answers 
 themselves — but more important than the answers 
 themselves are the data for forming them. Part of a 
 recitation on the first lecture of Carlyle's Heroes and 
 Hero Worship, for example, might be represented by 
 such a card as this: 
 
 Carlyle, "Hero as Divinity" — Recitation, Feb. 6, 'I4. 
 
 Whcd does Carlyle mean by a hero? — in first sentence he 
 says merely "great men" — leader, -pattern, modeler , creator , 
 {in what sense?) — later speaks of him as a thinker — but the 
 process he describes seems to be mostly imaginative — note 
 his list of heroes — What has Mohammed in common with 
 Dr. Johnson? — Is Biirns's power imaginative or intellec- 
 tual? — CromwelVs ? — Luther's ? 
 
 IV. Reading 
 
 Notes on reading may be made for reference, for 
 use in further study of the subject, or by way of 
 preparation for writing an exercise or essay. In any 
 case the notes should be in the same general form as 
 notes on lectures or recitations. When reading keep 
 cards or slips in the pocket or at hand. Make a note 
 of each useful idea found in the text or suggested by 
 it, being careful to distinguish scrupulously between 
 the two. 
 
 VvTien reading in preparation for writing, copy at 
 
 104
 
 COLLECTING MATERIAL 
 
 once, if you can, in final form (on the size of paper 
 you intend to use) all quotations which you think 
 you will want to use in the finished work, so that 
 they may be inserted without recopying. Copy all 
 quotations with absolute fidelity to the original in 
 such matters as spelling, capitalization, punctuation, 
 and the like, and indicate all omissions of material 
 unnecessary to your purpose by the insertion of three 
 or four dots or periods. 
 
 Example: "That the constraining power of 
 drama is just this sense of urgence 
 ... is but confirmation of this view." 
 
 If you do not copy the quotation at once, make an 
 exact reference to it on a card which may be filed 
 with others or left as a bookmark for the ready 
 finding of the passage. The form of the reference 
 should be such that the card wherever found will 
 show at once its place in your work or in your files. 
 
 Example: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 "Drama" 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Constraining 
 
 power of : 
 
 
 
 
 
 " The Psychology 
 
 of 
 
 Beauty," 
 
 E. 
 
 D. 
 
 Puffer 
 
 {Boston, 
 
 1905), p. 56. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 105
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Pages on which notes are taken may be identified 
 by a brief topic and number at the head ; as, ''Drama 
 — 3 "or ''Commission Government — 5." A series of 
 numbered pages may be expanded indefinitely by the 
 use of decimal numbers; after page 3, pages may be 
 inserted numbered 3.1, 3.2, and so on; following 
 3.2 may be 3.21, 3.22, and so forth. The final num- 
 bering of the pages of the finished manuscript is best 
 left till the very end. 
 
 From the outset train yourself to the highest 
 possible degree of accuracy and consistency. It 
 is better to spend time in getting minor details 
 right the first time than in going back to verify 
 them afterward, or to fail because you have 
 them wrong. 
 
 Learn as soon as possible to use the typewriter, and 
 thereafter write nothing with the pen that you can 
 write on the machine. Three months daily practice 
 will enable you to write as fast with it as you can 
 with the pen. For the time so spent you will be 
 amply compensated afterward by the rapidity and 
 accuracy of your work.
 
 II 
 
 ORGANIZING MATERIAL 
 
 I. THE EXPOSITORY OUTLINE 
 
 The value of the outline is not only to preserve 
 your ideas, but to organize them, to correlate them, 
 put them in such form that you or any one may see 
 exactly what the relationship of each part is to every 
 other part. To this end, the outline is made of 
 headings and subheadings each of which must ex- 
 press exactly and fully the idea it represents. It 
 must also show by notation and position exactly 
 what its correlation is. 
 
 A mere topical jotting may serve an immediate 
 purpose, but it is not a safe thing on which to depend. 
 If you find in your notes a topic like "Legislature 
 may remove judges 'for cause' — what the cause 
 actually is in cases of recall," it may suggest nothing 
 to you except that you once had an excellent idea 
 which you cannot remember, or, if you do remember 
 it, you have forgotten what it had to do with the 
 main point. Properly expressed, however, it is 
 clear: 
 
 By the Legislature, a judge may constitutionally 
 
 be removed "for cause." 
 
 107
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 By the people (recall) a judge would be removed 
 for unpopularity. 
 
 Remember that the outline to serv^e its purpose 
 should be clear to any one, not only to the writer, 
 but to readers or hearers who have only general 
 knowledge of the subject. 
 
 Clearness and correlation are obtained together by 
 making each main heading the principal clause of a 
 sentence, and each subheading under it a subordinate 
 clause which will grammatically complete the sen- 
 tence. (See example, page 109.) The series of sub- 
 ordinate clauses any one of which will complete 
 the sentence begun in the main clause should be 
 parallel in phrasing. 
 
 Headings of equal rank throughout the outline 
 should be indented the same distance from the margin 
 of the page. Each topic should be indented about 
 half an inch farther than the one to which it is sub- 
 ordinate, and all co-ordinate topics should be indented 
 to the same distance from the margin. For topics 
 more than a line in length use the arrangement (called 
 ''hanging indention ") shown in the following example : 
 
 o. In a number of American cities modern lan- 
 guage instruction, mainly in German, has 
 already been introduced in the primary 
 grades of the public schools, and the pro- 
 priety and value of such instruction have 
 been warmly debated in the newspapers 
 and in local educational circles. 
 
 Correlation is indicated not only by indention, but 
 also by notation, the use of letters and numbers to 
 
 108
 
 ORGANIZING MATERIAL 
 
 mark the heads and subheads. Main heads are 
 usually marked by Roman numerals (or capital let- 
 ters), secondary ones by capital letters (or Roman 
 numerals). Next use Arabic numerals, small let- 
 ters, letters and figures in parentheses, a', a", 1', 1", 
 Greek letters, etc. It makes no difference what sys- 
 tem of notation you use, but it is important that 
 you keep consistently to a single system throughout 
 your outline. Do not use the same figure or letter 
 for sets of headings of different rank; it is certain to 
 lead to confusion. 
 
 Exam-ple: 
 
 I Elizabethan stage conditions affect the drama of 
 the period, in that 
 A They give greater freedom and variety, 
 because 
 
 1 The dramatist is not limited as to the 
 number of scenes he may use, for 
 a It was possible to have many 
 scenes indefinitely local- 
 ized, as 
 
 1 "A Street." 
 
 2 "A Garden Outside the 
 
 City." 
 6 Intervals between scenes were 
 not long, for 
 
 1 There was no heavy 
 scenery to be moved. 
 B They lead to looseness of effect and concise 
 stage construction: 
 
 1 The great number of scenes used de- 
 stroyed unity of construction, 
 a As in Antony and Cleopatra. 
 109
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 2 An act or a play could not end with 
 a climax, for 
 a There was no front curtain. 
 C Absence of scenery gives us some of the 
 best poetry in the Elizabethan drama, for 
 1 Dramatists resorted to verbal de- 
 scription. 
 
 Note that the sentence begun in I is finished in 
 either A, B, or C; that the sentence begun in B is 
 finished in either 1 or 2; that the sentence begun in 
 1 is finished in either a or h, etc. 
 
 Double notation always indicates a fault in cor^ 
 relation, usually incomplete analysis. 
 
 Example (incorrect): 
 
 B, 1. Elizabethan drama lost unity of effect. 
 2. Acts and plays could not end on a 
 climax. 
 
 By notation, 1 is subordinate to B; therefore the 
 heading cannot be both 1 and B, since it cannot be 
 subordinate to itself. Usually the topic so numbered 
 proves to be the subordinate one, and the main one 
 is not expressed. (See B in example above for cor- 
 rect form.) 
 
 The fact of subordination of one topic to another, 
 and its exact degree, is indicated by the notation and 
 indention of the outline. The nature of the relation- 
 ship between the headings is indicated by their 
 wording. Words which indicate the relationship 
 of ideas are called connectives. In exposition the 
 relationship between the ideas may be any which the 
 
 110
 
 ORGANIZING MATERIAL 
 
 language is capable of expressing. A classified list 
 of useful connectives may be found on pages 47, 48. 
 
 Note that and shows nothing as to the relationship 
 of the ideas it joins except that they are co-ordinate, 
 equal in rank and value. For this reason it is seldom 
 useful in outlines. (See page 46.) 
 
 It is often the case that the last part of your work 
 to be outlined or written is the part that comes to the 
 reader first — the introduction. Often, too, it is the 
 hardest part of your work, because you are not 
 clearly conscious of its purpose; you cannot do it 
 because you do not know what you are trying to 
 do. Ordinarily the purpose of the introduction to a 
 piece of exposition is to arouse interest and to turn 
 the mind of the reader or hearer from some other 
 channel into the one you are to follow. 
 
 ''Beginning distantly and far away" with prefa- 
 tory platitudes and vague generalities which do not 
 even glitter, or beginning abruptly as with a slap in 
 the face, will not serve the purpose. If the writing 
 of generalities is helpful to you by way of working 
 into your subject, write them, but do not inflict them 
 on others. Find the point at which your work 
 really begins, and resolutely cross out everything 
 that goes before. If your subject is a familiar one 
 to all, or to all your readers, you may step firmly and 
 quickly into it without fear that they cannot follow 
 you. In general, if your subject does not offer you 
 a ready introduction, you can find one by one of the 
 following methods, or some combination of one or 
 more of them. 
 
 1. Show the importance or interest of yoiu* subject. 
 8 111
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 2. Show its relationship with some matter of 
 universal interest. 
 
 3. Name yom- subject and define it. 
 
 4. Mention the most interesting fact or important 
 result to which your subject leads. 
 
 5. Give a concrete instance, by narration or de- 
 scription, of the conditions you are to discuss. 
 
 6. Tell some anecdote or story which is entirely 
 apropos. (Do not try this unless you have something 
 especially apt. Misplaced humor at the outset ia 
 particularly difficult to recover from.) 
 
 II. THE ARGUMENTATIVE OUTLINE OR BRIEF 
 
 In argument you convince your opponent by sup- 
 porting your proposition with proof, that proof with 
 further proof, and continuing the process until the 
 case rests on a proposition which is not subject to a 
 reasonable doubt. A is 6 because c is d; c'lsd because 
 e is /; and that e is / is a matter of common knowl- 
 edge. Each bit of proof becomes a fresh proposition 
 until conunon sense calls a halt. It follows that the 
 only relationship between heading and subheading 
 in the brief is that between proposition and proof. 
 The apparent necessity for any other connective than 
 for or because indicates faulty correlation. 
 
 The first step in any argument, formal or informal, 
 written or oral, is to find out exactly what it is you 
 are trying to prove. Be sure that you have a propo- 
 sition and not merely a term. ''The tariff" or 
 ''woman suffrage" may be the colloquial names of 
 
 highly debatable questions, but they are not debat- 
 
 112
 
 ORGANIZING MATERIAL 
 
 able until they are phrased as something more than 
 terms. As propositions, they must be phrased in 
 the form of definite assertions or questions; as, "Is 
 the present tariff the best one for the United States?" 
 or, ** Granting the suffrage to women in the United 
 States would purify municipal politics," or any of a 
 hundred others. You cannot argue the term x, but 
 you can argue the question ''Isxyf or the assertion 
 "a; is ?/" or ''Resolved, that x is y." 
 
 The second step is the definition of terms. What 
 do you mean by ''the best tariff," by "purifying," 
 by ' ' municipal politics ' ' ? The analysis by which you 
 arrive at your definitions brings you to your "special 
 issues," the series of propositions which you must 
 prove in order to prove your main proposition. The 
 process may be illustrated symbolically. 
 
 Proposition: x is y. 
 Definition: y is a, b, and c. 
 
 If, then, X is a, h, and c, x is y. 
 Special issue: The question then becomes, is 
 X a, b, and c? 
 
 Your definition of y gives you three propositions 
 which will logically establish your main proposition 
 if you can prove them. Now you have no further 
 concern with the main proposition, but turn wholly 
 to the subordinate one x is a. Marshal your proof 
 for this until common sense or your opponent tells 
 you you have proved it. Then turn to x is b; then 
 to X is c. 
 
 The structure of the entire brief may be symboli- 
 cally shown as follows: 
 
 113
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 Proposition: Resolved, that x is y. 
 
 Introduction 
 
 Definition: y is a, b, and c. 
 
 If X is a, b, and c, x is ?/. 
 Special issiLe: The question then becomes, is 
 X o, 6, and cf 
 
 Brief Proper 
 
 A. a: is a for 
 
 I for 
 
 o for 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 b for 
 
 1 
 
 B. X is 6 for 
 
 I etc. 
 
 C. X is c for 
 
 I etc. 
 
 Conclusion 
 
 Since, then, x is a, b, and c, and since it was 
 admitted at the outset that y is a, b, and c, x is y. 
 
 The Three Parts of the Brief 
 
 1. The Introduction is an expository outline, the 
 main purpose of which is the analysis and definition 
 which leads to the determination of the special issue. 
 It is the preliminary agreement between the two 
 parties to the argument as to exactly what they are 
 and are not to discuss. It must contain no debatable 
 matter; everything in it must be agreed to by both 
 
 114
 
 ORGANIZING MATERIAL 
 
 sides. If there is any point necessary to your case 
 to which your opponent does not agree it must be 
 incorporated in your proposition or special issue and 
 proved in the brief proper. For this reason it is best 
 not to use in the introduction the argumentative con- 
 nectives/or and because, lest you find yourself fighting 
 before you have reached the battle-ground. The in- 
 troduction ordinarily contains the following divisions : 
 
 a. The origin of the question. This serves the pur- 
 poses of the introduction mentioned under exposi- 
 tion, and forestalls any such objection to the subject 
 as is heard in the colloquial retorts, ''Who said it 
 wasn't?" or ''Who cares if it is?" 
 
 6. The exclusion of matter agreed upon hy both sides 
 as irrelevant. This is often necessary to save arguing 
 at cross purposes. The introduction to a brief on the 
 advisability of electing United States senators by 
 direct popular vote might, for example, contain some 
 such provision as, "It is agreed that the constitu- 
 tionality of electing senators by popular vote need 
 not be discussed." 
 
 c. Facts admitted by both sides on which evidence rests. 
 These are like the axioms of geometry or the rules of a 
 game ; they must be explicitly understood beforehand. 
 
 d. Definitions of terms. 
 
 e. The special issue. This is drawn, as has been 
 shown, from the definitions, or from the definitions or 
 axioms together. 
 
 2. The Brief Proper is the real battle-ground, and 
 contains all the argument. As has been said, it 
 takes up the special issues one by one, supporting 
 them by whatever evidence is necessary to establish 
 
 115
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 them. Each item of evidence becomes in turn a 
 fresh proposition to be supported by further evidence 
 until shown to rest on an obvious truth or something 
 your opponent has admitted. 
 
 3. The Conclusion recalls the bearing of the special 
 issues, now proved, on the main proposition as ex- 
 pressed in the introduction. It mentions the fact 
 that the special issues have now been proved, and 
 that your opponent admitted that to prove them 
 was to prove the main proposition. In one form or 
 another it says; "I have proved, then, that x is a, 
 b, and c. You admitted at the start that y is a, h, 
 and c. You must admit, then, that a: is ?/." 
 
 Argumentation does not change the nature of 
 things ; it attempts merely to find out what they are. 
 It is a process of analysis by which we arrive at the 
 truth. The proposition is in the introduction un- 
 twisted like a rope ; in the brief proper each strand is 
 examined throughout its length; in the conclusion 
 the rope is restored to its original form. Nothing 
 is changed but our knowledge of its composition. 
 The relation of this process to the parts of the brief 
 may be shown by such a diagram as this : 
 
 Introduction 
 
 Brief Proper 
 X is a 
 
 Conclusion 
 
 — L^vw 
 
 2 13 y if it is ^^^ h \ 
 
 a; is 6 
 
 I and 6^ x \s y 
 
 ^\i 
 
 X is c 
 
 y^ 
 
 
 
 
 116
 
 ORGANIZING MATERIAL 
 
 If in arranging your material in the brief proper 
 you come to a relationship which can only be ex- 
 pressed by ''hence" or ''therefore" as a connective, 
 you may know certainly that you have reversed the 
 true order, and placed the proof before the proposi- 
 tion. This is a possible order in the written or 
 spoken argument, but it does not serve the purpose 
 of the brief. 
 
 Example (incorrect): 
 
 A. The Elizabethan stage had no front curtain, 
 hence 
 
 1. An act or play could not end on a 
 climax. 
 
 The remedy is to reverse the order. 
 
 Example: 
 
 A. The Elizabethan dramatist could not end 
 an act or a play on a climax, for 
 The stage had no front curtain. 
 
 Be sure that your analysis in search of evidence 
 does not carry you into the realm of mere explanation. 
 
 Example (incorrect): 
 
 A. Most of the income of the town goes to road 
 improvement, for 
 
 1. Most of the taxpayers "work out" 
 their taxes, for 
 a. They have very little cash, for 
 (1) They grow very little be- 
 yond what they con- 
 sume themselves. 
 117
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Note that a tells us the reason why the farmers 
 work out their taxes, but not the reason why we 
 should believe that they do. To supply a possible 
 motive for an act is to supply the weakest sort of 
 argument for believing that the act has been per- 
 formed. The reason why we believe it would prob- 
 ably be more as follows: 
 
 Example: a. The town accounts for last year 
 show that 62 per cent, of the town 
 tax was paid in labor on the roads.
 
 Part III 
 
 PROSODY AND GRAMMAR
 
 ! , 
 
 PROSODY 
 
 Prosody is the science of versification, the mechan- 
 ics of poetry, the facts which have to do with its form. 
 
 Poetry has never been defined scientifically. The 
 term is commonly apphed to language which is 
 rhythmic, metrical, emotional, imaginative — Carlyle 
 calls it musical speech. 
 
 Verse as distinguished from poetry is language 
 which is metrical or rhythmic, but not necessarily 
 emotional or imaginative. Poetry is verse, but 
 verse need not be poetry. 
 
 Meter is the measure of verse. It is the arrange- 
 ment of language in even time-divisions marked off 
 in general by accented syllables.^ 
 
 Rhythm is an arrangement like that of meter but 
 less regular; the divisions are not so even in length 
 nor so regular in recurrence. Metrical language is 
 rhythmic, but rhythmic language need not be met- 
 rical. 
 
 1 Or by time-beats which fall where there are no syllables. In the 
 following lines the time-beats which mark the divisions are indicated. 
 
 / III 
 
 "Where have you been this while away, 
 
 / II I 
 
 Johnny, Johnny?" 
 
 121
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Scansion is any metrical reading; any reading 
 which makes the time -parts of the verse even 
 in length. Dismemberment of words and over- 
 emphasis on special syllables are not necessary 
 parts of the process. 
 
 The foot is the rhythmic unit of the verse. The 
 term is sometimes applied to the time-part of the 
 meter, but more often to the small group of syl- 
 lables of which usually one is accented and one 
 or more unaccented, the order of the accented 
 and unaccented syllables in the group determining 
 the type of the foot and the movement of the 
 verse. 
 
 A line is any number of feet or syllables which the 
 poet chooses to set off from others. 
 
 A verse is a line. The use of the term to mean 
 stanza is colloquial. 
 
 A stanza is an arrangement of lines more or 
 less regular, sometimes corresponding to the prose 
 paragraph as a division of thought, more often ar- 
 ranged in a preconceived form with little regard to 
 divisions of thought. 
 
 The canto is a larger division corresponding to the 
 chapter in prose. It may contain any number of 
 lines or stanzas. Its length is not a matter of pre- 
 conceived form, but is a logical division of the 
 material or thought. 
 
 Accent means merely emphasis, or stress. The 
 verse-writer must so arrange his words that when 
 they are normally pronounced the time divisions of 
 the verse will be marked off by accented syllables. 
 The less the correspondence is between these accents 
 
 122
 
 PROSODY 
 
 and the time-beats of the verse, the less metrical is the 
 verse. 
 
 Rhyme is identity of sound in one or more syllables 
 of two or more words. 
 
 Internal rhyme is rhyme between words in the line ; 
 as, ''Still may I heo,r with equal ear^ 
 
 Alliteration is identity of consonant sound at the 
 beginnings of words; as, "During the whole of a dull, 
 dark, and soundless day," and, "The /lorn of the 
 /lunter is /leard on the /lill." 
 
 A cesura is a pause within the line. 
 
 KINDS OF FEET 
 
 Groups of syllables are named according to the 
 arrangement within them of accented and unaccented 
 syllables.^ 
 
 The iamb or iambus has an unaccented syllable 
 followed by an accented syllable. 
 
 "Now fades | the glim|mering land [scape on [ the 
 
 sight." 
 
 The trochee has also two syllables; it has the 
 accent on the first syllable. 
 
 "When the ] evening | sun is j red." 
 
 ^ The sjonbols used here to indicate meter are ^ to mark an 
 unaccented syllable, — to mark an accented syllable, and | to mark 
 the division into feet. 
 
 123
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 The dactyl has three syllables, of which the first 
 syllable is the only one accented. 
 
 X X X X 
 
 "Land of the | heroes who | won us a | heritage." 
 
 The anapest has three syllables, of which the last 
 is the only one accented. 
 
 X X X X X X X 
 
 "But the lost I bride of Neth|erby ne'er [ did 
 X — 
 they see." 
 
 The spondee, consisting of two accented syllables, 
 occurs only as a variant in lines composed of other 
 types. 
 
 X X X X X 
 
 "Sing I the | arms and the | man who \ first from 
 
 X 
 
 the I shores," etc. 
 
 Metrists sometimes attempt to lay down rules to 
 define the possibilities of substitution of one of these 
 groups in a line ostensibly made up of groups of 
 another type. We are told, for example, that in 
 certain feet of a dactylic hexameter line a spondee 
 may be "substituted" for a dactyl; or in certain feet 
 of an iambic pentameter line an anapest may be 
 substituted for an iamb. An examination of the 
 facts, however, shows that the poet may go as far 
 as he likes in this direction provided he writes lines 
 which the ordinary reader will naturally read as the 
 
 124
 
 PROSODY 
 
 poet wishes them to sound — will read them metri- 
 cally, and harmoniously with the other Unes. He may 
 not make his line so irregular that it ceases to be 
 metrical at all and becomes prose. Nor may he, 
 ordinarily, ''substitute" so many feet that the line 
 becomes of another meter from the rest; though this 
 has been done without reproach in the case of the 
 trochaic line 
 
 — X — X — X X — X 
 
 "Thea, | Thea, | Thea, | where is [ Saturn?" 
 
 in a poem otherwise iambic. Iamb and trochee are 
 always harmonious, because the distinction between 
 them cannot be made unless the reader remembers 
 the arbitrary point from which he begins his count of 
 the syllables, and the same is true of dactyl and 
 anapest. 
 
 KINDS OF LINES 
 
 Lines are commonly named with two words, the 
 first of which indicates the character of the groups of 
 which the line is composed, and the second, the 
 number of beats in the line. Thus the line in 
 
 "Live thy | life. 
 Young and | old, 
 
 X — 
 
 Like yon | oak," 
 
 would be trochaic dimeter, dimeter meaning "two- 
 measure." The number of possible kinds of line is 
 
 125
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 theoretically infinite, and practically very large, but 
 the commonest of them are three-, four-, and five- 
 beat measures composed of the types of groups al- 
 ready described. A three-beat measure is called 
 trimeter; a four-beat measure, tetrameter; and a 
 five-beat measure, pentameter. Hexameter, or six- 
 beat measure, occurs often, but has not proved so 
 useful in English as the others. 
 
 The last beat of any line is likely to fall on a single 
 accented syllable irrespective of the character of the 
 previous groups of syllables in the line. A line ending 
 in an unaccented syllable is said to have a feminine 
 ending. 
 
 Examples of various types of lines have already 
 been given, and others will be found among the 
 examples of stanzas following. Some of them may 
 be classified by name as follows : 
 
 IAMBIC 
 
 Trimeter: "'He comleth not,' | she said" 
 
 X — X X X 
 
 Tetrameter: "And ev|er when \ the moon | was 
 
 low" 
 
 X— 
 
 X — 
 
 Pentameter: "The qualjity | of merlcy is | not 
 
 strained" 
 
 X X X X — 
 
 Hexameter: "For loss | of thou|sand lives j to die | 
 X — X — 
 
 at her [ desire" 
 126
 
 PROSODY 
 
 TROCHAIC 
 
 Dimeter: "While I | live" 
 
 X — X 
 
 Trimeter: "Never | any | more" 
 
 X X — X 
 
 Tetrameter: "Need I | hope to | see his | face" 
 
 X X X — X 
 
 Pentameter: "Set your | love be|fore me | as a 
 shield" 
 
 Hexameter: "Never | dreamed, though | right 
 
 X X X 
 
 were | worsted, | wrong would | 
 
 X 
 
 triumph"' 
 
 DACTYLIC 
 
 X X 
 
 Dimeter: "Wake thy wild | voice anew" 
 
 X X 
 
 Trimeter: "Swords on their [ shields clashed 
 
 X X X 
 
 tri|umphantly" 
 
 X X X X X 
 
 Tetrameter: "The sun was a | shadow with | thee 
 to the I fore " 
 
 X X 
 
 Pentameter: "Saw his calm | eyes as he | rode on 
 
 X X X X 
 
 his 1 way to the | battle" 
 Hexameter: "Truly, 1 1 thank you for | this; how| 
 
 X X X X 
 
 kind you have | been to me | 
 
 always!" 
 127
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Dimeter: 
 Trimeter: 
 
 ANAPESTIC 
 X X X X 
 
 "As I ride, | as I ride" 
 
 X X X X 
 
 "Having faith | that thy face I I 
 
 X 
 
 should see 
 
 X X X X X 
 
 Tetrameter: "Fleeing swift 1 from the preslence 
 
 X X X 
 
 of him I he had cursed" 
 
 X X X X 
 
 Pentameter: "Brightly gleamed | on the face I 
 
 X X X X 
 
 of the sea | whence the tern I 
 
 X X 
 
 pest had fled" 
 
 Practice of Versification 
 
 The best way to gain a comprehension of any 
 meter is to practise writing it. A practical under- 
 standing of our commonest meter, iambic pentam- 
 eter, may be quickly gained by such exercises as the 
 following: 
 
 1. Divide the following passage into iambic pen- 
 tameter lines: 
 
 " Have I not hideous death within my view, re- 
 taining but a quantity of life, which bleeds away, 
 even as a form of wax resolveth from his figure 
 'gainst the fire? What in the world should make 
 me now deceive, since I must lose the use of all 
 deceit? Why should I then be false, since it is 
 true that I must die here, and live hence by 
 truth? I say again. If Lewis do win the day, he 
 
 128
 
 PROSODY 
 
 is forsworn if e'er those eyes of yours behold 
 another day break in the east; but even this 
 night, whose black contagious breath already 
 smokes about the burning crest of the old, 
 feeble, and day-wearied sun, even this ill night, 
 your breathing shall expire, paying the fine of 
 rated treachery even with the treacherous fine 
 of all your lives, if Lewis by your assistance 
 win the day." — Shakespeare, King John, Act V., 
 Scene IV. 
 
 2. Turn the following passage into blank verse, 
 making any necessary changes in the wording: 
 
 "Beneath, the unsulUed sea drew in deep 
 breathing, to and fro, its eddies of green wave. 
 Deep-hearted, majestic, terrible as the sea, — the 
 men of Venice moved in sway of power and war; 
 pure as her pillars of alabaster, stood her 
 mothers and maidens; from foot to brow, all 
 noble, walked her knights; the low bronzed 
 gleaming of sea-rusted armour shot angrily under 
 their blood-red mantle-folds. Fearless, faithful, 
 patient, impenetrable, implacable — every word 
 a fate — sate her senate. In hope and honour, 
 lulled by flowing of wave around their isles of 
 sacred sand, each with his name written and the 
 cross graven by his side, lay her dead." — Ruskin, 
 Modern Painters, Vol. V., Part IX., Chap. IX. 
 
 3. Write ten lines of blank iambic pentameter 
 
 verse on any subject you choose — a passage from any 
 
 newspaper, magazine, or book may supply you with 
 
 subject matter. Let it be sense or nonsense, so long 
 
 as it is metrical. 
 
 129
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 KINDS OF STANZAS 
 
 The Couplet 
 
 The simplest form of stanza is the couplet. It 
 consists of two similar lines rhyming together. The 
 lines may be of any character or length. 
 
 "Honey flowers to the honeycomb 
 And the honey-bee's from home." 
 
 The "Heroic Couplet" is composed of iambic 
 pentameter lines. 
 
 "True wit is Nature to advantage dressed, 
 What oft has been, but ne'er so well expressed." 
 
 Three-Line Stanzas 
 
 Three-line stanzas are often made of three lines 
 rhyming together. A more interesting one some- 
 times used in English is the terza rima of Dante, a 
 series of three-line stanzas with interwoven rhyme, 
 a b a — h c b — c d c, and so on. Shelley used it in his 
 "Ode to the West Wind." 
 
 "O wild West Wind, thou breath of Autumn's 
 
 being, 
 
 Thou from whose unseen presence the leaves 
 
 dead 
 
 Are driven like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing, 
 
 Yellow and black and pale and hectic red. 
 
 Pestilence-stricken multitudes! O thou 
 
 Who chariotest to their dark wintry bed " 
 
 130
 
 PROSODY 
 
 The Quatrain 
 
 Perhaps the commonest form of stanza is the four- 
 line stanza or quatrain. The lines may be of any 
 character and rhyme according to any possible 
 scheme, or not rhyme at all. The lines may contain 
 three beats, as in 
 
 "0 wat, wat, 
 
 O wat and weary. 
 Sleep can I get nane 
 
 For thinkin' o' my dearie!" 
 
 A common hymn stanza is called short meter. 
 
 "Ye servants of the Lord, 
 Each in his office wait, 
 Observant of His heavenly word, 
 And watchful at His gate." 
 
 Long meter in hymns consists of four-foot iambic 
 lines. 
 
 "O timely happy, timely wise. 
 Hearts that with rising morn arise! 
 Eyes that the beam celestial view, 
 Which ever more makes all things new!" 
 
 Ballad meter has alternate four- and three-foot 
 iambic lines. 
 
 "Late, late yestere'en I saw the new moon 
 
 Wi' the auld moon in her arm; 
 
 And I fear, I fear, my dear master, 
 
 That we shall come to harm." 
 131
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 The '"Elegiac Stanza" has four iambic pentameter 
 lines rhyming alternately. 
 
 "Full many a gem of purest ray serene 
 
 The dark, unfathomable caves of ocean bear; 
 Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, 
 And waste its sweetness on the desert air." 
 
 Tennyson used and made his own, in "In Memo- 
 riam," a quatrain rhyming abba: 
 
 "I hold it true, whate'er befall; 
 I feel it, when I sorrow most; 
 'Tis better to have loved and lost 
 Than never to have loved at all." 
 
 The quatrain of Fitzgerald, in his translation of 
 the "Rubaiyat," has still another rhyme scheme. 
 
 ''When you and I behind the veil have passed, 
 Oh but the long, long time the world shall last. 
 
 Which of our coming and departure heeds 
 As the Seven Seas should heed a pebble cast." 
 
 Five-Line Stanzas 
 
 Five-line stanzas are less common, but they occur 
 with every possible variation in length of line and 
 rhyme scheme. 
 
 "The Pilgrim said: 'Where is your house? 
 
 I'll rest there, with your will.' 
 
 'You've but to climb these blackened boughs. 
 
 And you'll see it over the hill. 
 
 For it burns still.'" 
 132
 
 PROSODY 
 
 Six-Line Stanzas 
 
 Six-line stanzas are less rare, especially in the 
 following form: 
 
 " Her robe, ungirt from clasp to hem, 
 No wrought flowers did adorn, 
 
 But a white rose of Mary's gift. 
 For service meetly worn; 
 
 Her hair that lay along her back 
 Was yellow like ripe corn." 
 
 It was a six-line stanza with two short lines which 
 Burns used so characteristically that we think of it 
 as his. 
 
 "Wee, modest, crimson-tipped flower, 
 Thou's met me in an evil hour; 
 For I maun crush amang the stour 
 
 Thy slender stem: 
 To spare thee now is past my power, 
 
 Thou bonnie gem." 
 
 Common Forms of Longer Stanzas 
 
 The commonest seven-line stanza is called Rime 
 Royal or Chaucerian, from its use by James I. of 
 Scotland and Chaucer. It rhymes ab abb cc. 
 
 "But in effect, and shortly for to say. 
 This Diomed, all freshly new again 
 
 Gan to press on, and fast her mercy pray; 
 And after this, the truth for to make plain, 
 Her glove he took, of which he was full fain, 
 
 And finally, when it was waxen eve, 
 
 And all was well, he rose and took his leave." 
 
 133
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 To this stanza Chaucer added a line in one of his 
 tales, making the rhyme ababbcbc. 
 
 "Zenobia of Palmyra was the Queen, 
 
 As write the Persians of her nobleness, 
 In arms so worthy was she and so keen. 
 
 That no wight passed her in hardiness, 
 Nor lineage, nor other gentleness. 
 
 Of the Kings' blood of Persia she descended; 
 I do not say that she had most fairness, 
 
 But of her shape she might not be amended." 
 
 To this Spenser later added another line, making the 
 widely used stanza now called Spenserian. 
 
 "Nought is on earth more sacred or divine, 
 That gods and men do equally adore, 
 Than this same virtue that doth right define: 
 For th' heavens themselves, whence mortal 
 
 men implore 
 Right in their wrongs, are ruled by right- 
 eous lore 
 Of highest Jove, who doth true justice deal 
 
 To his inferior gods, and evermore 
 Therewith contains his heavenly commonweal: 
 The skill whereof to Princes' hearts he doth 
 reveal." 
 
 Note that in this stanza the last line contains six 
 iambic feet, instead of five as do the others. It is 
 called an Alexandrine. 
 
 134
 
 PROSODY 
 
 Ottava Rima is an eight-line stanza rh3miing 
 ahab abcc. 
 
 "Why were they proud? Because their marble 
 founts 
 Gushed with more pride than do a wretch's 
 tears? — 
 Why were they proud? Because fair orange 
 mounts 
 Were of more soft ascent than lazar stairs? — 
 Why were they proud? Because red-Uned 
 accounts 
 Were richer than the songs of Grecian 
 years? — 
 Why were the}' proud? again we ask aloud, 
 Why in the name of glory were they 
 proud?" 
 
 The Sonnet 
 
 The sonnet is not a stanza, but a complete poem in 
 itself, though sometimes in a "sonnet sequence" a 
 series of more or less closely related sonnets may 
 carry on the thought as continuously as do the 
 quatrains in the "Rubaiyat." The sonnet has four- 
 teen lines which the rhyme scheme divides into groups 
 of eight and six, called respectively the octave and 
 the sestette. There are several variations of the 
 rhyme scheme. The Shakespearian form rhymes 
 ahab cdcdefefg g. The Petrarchan or Italian 
 scheme is abbaabba-cdcdcd, with a distinct 
 break between the octave and sestette. English 
 poets frequently use the Italian form without the 
 break after the octave, as did Keats in his sonnet 
 
 "On First Looking into Chapman's Homer." 
 
 135
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 "Much have I traveled in the realms of gold, 
 And many goodly states and kingdoms seen; 
 Romid many western islands have I been 
 Which bards in fealty to Apollo hold. 
 Oft of one wide expanse had I been told 
 That deep - browed Homer ruled as his 
 
 demesne; 
 Yet did I never breathe its pure serene 
 Till I heard Chapman speak out loud and bold : 
 Then felt I like some watcher of the skies 
 When a new planet swims into his ken; 
 Or like stout Cortez when with eagle eyes 
 
 He stared at the Pacific — and all his men 
 Looked at each other with a wild surmise — 
 Silent, upon a peak in Darien." 
 
 Blank Verse 
 
 Blank verse is simply unrhymed verse, whatever its 
 form. The form most widely useful in English is the 
 iambic pentameter, to-day almost inevitably used in 
 poetic drama and long narrative poems. It is too 
 familiar in our ears to need illustration. Blank verse 
 may occur in regular stanza form. 
 
 " The last sunbeam 
 Lightly falls from the finished Sabbath, 
 On the pavement here — and there beyond, it is 
 looking, 
 Down a new-made double grave." 
 
 Free Verse 
 
 Free verse is a term applied to verse which is 
 rhythmic but free from the strict rules of meter. It 
 
 136
 
 PROSODY 
 
 cannot be strictly distinguished from rhythmic prose. 
 Its time divisions are commonly longer than those of 
 the strict meters, and it allows much freedom in the 
 arrangement of unaccented syllables. 
 
 "The heavens declare the glory of God, 
 And the firmament showeth His handiwork. 
 Day unto day uttereth speech, 
 And night unto night showeth knowledge." 
 
 "Shine! shine! shine! 
 Pour down your warmth, great Sun! 
 While we bask — we two together. 
 Two together! 
 
 Winds blow south, or winds blow north. 
 Day come white, or night come black, 
 Home, or rivers and mountains from home, 
 Singing all time, minding no time. 
 While we two keep together."
 
 n 
 
 OUTLINE FOR REVIEW OF GRAMMAR 
 
 Grammar is the science of inflection and syntax. 
 Inflection deals with the forms of words ; syntax deals 
 with their relations to one another, or construction. 
 
 Words are divided on the basis of the purposes 
 they serve into classes called parts of speech. Those 
 most coromonly distinguished are, noun, pronoun, 
 verb, adjective, adverb, conjunction, preposition, 
 interjection, article. 
 
 A noun is a word which stands as the name of 
 something. A common noun is one which designates 
 an object merely as a member of a class, not as an 
 individual; as, man, laborer, farm. A proper noun 
 names an object as an individual without necessarily 
 referring it to its class; as, James Quinn, Hillside 
 Acres, Memorial Day. An abstract noun is one 
 which names something which is not apprehended 
 by the senses; as, justice, sanctity. A concrete noun 
 names a concrete thing; as, water, tree. 
 
 A pronoun is a word used instead of a noun; its 
 function is to designate an object without naming it. 
 The classes of pronouns will be discussed when their 
 functions are described.' The term substantive, as 
 
 ' The noun which is the name of the object which the pronoun 
 designates is called ita antecedent; as the word mark in the sentence, 
 / shot at the mark but did not hit il. 
 
 138
 
 OUTLINE FOR REVIEW OF GRAMMAR 
 
 noun or adjective, applies to things which have the 
 nature of a noun, as nouns themselves, pronouns, 
 noun-phrases, noun-clauses. 
 A verb is a word which asserts or declares. 
 
 I read. 
 
 You know him. 
 
 An adjective is a word used to modify or describe 
 a noun. 
 
 The huge monster. 
 
 An adverb is a word used to limit or modify a verb, 
 adjective, or other adverb. 
 
 Go quickly. 
 
 You are very^ kind. 
 
 A conjunction is a word used to connect words or 
 groups of words. It may connect any words, clauses, 
 or sentences. 
 
 Proud and saucy. 
 Poor but honest. 
 Yes, but you don't go. 
 
 A preposition is a word which connects a sub- 
 stantive called its object with other words in the 
 sentence. 
 
 * The use of very as an adverb as well as adjective is long estab- 
 lished in English (for example, in early ballads), while the true 
 adverbial form, verily, remains; still, in good usage, very is not 
 used with verbs, nor, in good American usage, with participles, 
 though good modern English writers are accustomed to the latter 
 use. Possibly this is one of many instances of colonial retention 
 of seventeenth-century usage. 
 
 1.39
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Come to me. 
 
 The general itrith his aides. 
 
 An interjection is a word "thrown in" without 
 grammatical relation with others, and with hardly 
 more than an implied meaning, to express emotion; 
 as, oh, alas, pshaw, hurrah, and the like. 
 
 The article is the part of speech represented by 
 a or an as the indefinite article, and the as the definite 
 article. Like the adjective, the article attaches to 
 the noun, but with little or no limiting or modifying 
 power. 
 
 The Same Word as Different Parts of Speech 
 
 A word may be one part of speech in one sense or 
 one construction, and be another in another. 
 
 J do not like to travel. (Verb.) 
 
 Travel is recreation. (Noun.) 
 
 He shook hands with every one but me. 
 (Preposition.) 
 
 Every one had gone hut I. (Conjunction. 
 See page 41.) 
 
 INFLECTION 
 
 In English the parts of speech which show changes 
 of form according to their function are nouns, pro- 
 nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. 
 
 Nouns 
 
 Nouns change their form slightly to indicate their 
 case and number. The case of a noun is its relation- 
 
 140
 
 OUTLINE FOR REVIEW OF GRAMMAR 
 
 ship to verbs, prepositions, and other nouns. As the 
 subject of a verb, its case is nominative. As the 
 object of a verb or preposition, its case is objective. 
 If it names the possessor of an object named by a 
 noun or pronoun, its case is possessive. 
 
 Nouns have but one case-form, the possessive, 
 formed by adding an apostrophe and s ('s) to the 
 singular form for the singular possessive, and an 
 apostrophe or an apostrophe and s (' or 's) to the 
 plural form for the plural possessive. 
 
 Sing. Poss.: man's, city's, woman's, Smithers', 
 
 Burns's. 
 Plu. Poss.: men's, cities', women's, boys , 
 
 Joneses'. 
 
 Nouns have two forms to indicate number: 
 singular when the noun is the name of one object; 
 plural when the noun is the name of more than one 
 object. The plural form is made from the singular by 
 adding s or es, or by other vowel and consonant 
 changes too varied and too familiar to need discus- 
 sion. (See certain rules for plurals, page 23.) 
 
 Classification and Inflection of Pronouns 
 
 The pronouns, like the nouns, exhibit forms for 
 case and number, and in addition forms for person 
 and gender. A pronoun in the first person designates 
 the speaker, in the second person designates the per- 
 son addressed, in the third person designates any one 
 but the speaker or the one addressed. A masculine 
 pronoun designates a male being, a feminine pronoun 
 
 141
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 desigliates a female being, a neuter pronoun desig- 
 nates an inanimate object or a being of sex unknown 
 or indeterminate. 
 
 Inflectional forms of the personal pronouns are: 
 
 
 Singular 
 
 Plural 
 
 Nom. 
 
 I 
 
 First Person 
 
 we 
 
 Poss. 
 Obj. 
 
 my or mine ^ 
 me 
 
 our or ours ^ 
 us 
 
 Nom. 
 Poss. 
 Obj. 
 
 thou 
 thy 01 
 thee 
 
 Second Person 
 • thine ^ 
 
 Third Person 
 
 you or ye 
 your or yours ^ 
 you or ye 
 
 Nom. 
 Poss. 
 Obj. 
 
 Masc. 
 he 
 his 
 him 
 
 Fern. Neuter 
 she it 
 her or hers ' its 
 her it 
 
 they 
 
 their or theirs ^ 
 
 them 
 
 The demonstrative pronouns this and that change 
 their forms only in the plurals these and those. 
 
 Relative pronouns, pronouns used as connectives 
 to indicate grammatical relation, are who, which, 
 what, and that. Who has the possessive form whose 
 and the objective whom. Modern usage applies who 
 commonly to persons, and which to animals or in- 
 animate objects. What and that are not inflected. 
 
 ^ Note here the distinction between the possessive pronoun and 
 the possessive adjective: 
 
 This is mine. (Pronoun, used as a noun.) 
 
 This is my knife. (Adjective limiting knife.) 
 
 Other possessives of various classes may be adjectives or pronouns 
 without change of form. (This is his book. The book is his.) 
 
 142
 
 OUTLINE FOR REVIEW OF GRAMMAR 
 
 Interrogative pronouns are not inflected. They 
 are who, what, and which. Whether in the now 
 practically obsolete sense of ''which of the two" 
 (''Whether will ye choose the better way or the 
 worse?") is sometimes included among them. 
 
 The so-called indefinite pronouns are words which 
 are sometimes pronouns and sometimes adjectives. 
 The class includes such words as all, any, any one, 
 aught, both, each, either, every, few, many, naught, none, 
 nobody, neither, one, other, some, something, somewhat, 
 such. They have no inflections worth noting. 
 
 Reflexive and intensive pronouns are those com- 
 pounded of the personal pronouns with self (myself, 
 yourself, himself, etc.). These are intensives when 
 used to emphasize the simple forms; as, "He himself 
 hath said it." When used to indicate that the 
 action of the verb is exerted on the subject of the 
 verb, they are reflexives; as, "He hurt himself." 
 
 Adjectives; Comparison 
 
 Adjectives change form to indicate the degree 
 (amount or intensity) of the qualities they name. 
 The positive form is the ordinary form of the adjec- 
 tive, and indicates no special de^^ree. The compara- 
 tive indicates a higher degree of the quality in the 
 object named than in some other object. The su- 
 perlative indicates the highest degree of the quality. 
 The comparative and superlative forms are usually 
 made by adding er and est to the positive form. 
 
 Positive: high. 
 Comparative: higher. 
 Superlative: highest. 
 10 143
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 (The comparison of adjectives by the use of more 
 and most can hardly be said to involve any change of 
 form.) 
 
 Irregular forms of comparison appear in familiar 
 words; as: 
 
 good 
 
 better 
 
 best 
 
 bad 
 
 worse 
 
 worst 
 
 much 
 
 more 
 
 most 
 
 little 
 
 less 
 
 least 
 
 far 
 
 farther 
 
 farthest 
 
 Adverbs form comparatives and superlatives in the 
 same way; for example, fast, faster, fastest; likely, 
 likelier, likeliest; and irregular forms; as, ill, worse; 
 well, better; and the like. 
 
 Clauses and Phrases as Parts of Speech 
 
 A clause or a phrase may be used in the sentence 
 in the construction of a noun, adjective, or other part 
 of speech. 
 
 Noun or substantive clause: 1 saw that he could not 
 
 do it. (Obj. of saw.) 
 Adjective clause: The king, who had three beautiful 
 
 daughters — (Modifies king.) 
 Adverbial clause: They found him where the fight 
 
 was fiercest. (Limiting /ow/wi.) 
 
 Verbs 
 
 In English, verbs exhibit greater variety of inflec- 
 tional forms than is to be found in other parts of 
 
 144
 
 OUTLINE FOR REVIEW OF GRAMMAR 
 
 speech. These forms may be seen in the paradigm of 
 a strong verb shown on pages 160 to 164. 
 
 A strong verb is one which changes its vowel to 
 indicate changes of tense; as, ride, rode, ridden; 
 drink, drank, drunk; sing, sang, sung; and the like. 
 
 A weak verb is one which forms its preterite or past 
 tense by adding the suffix -ed to the present form, as 
 contain, contained; hate, hated; and the like. 
 
 The verb changes its form to indicate person and 
 number in agreement with its subject. 
 
 The verb makes a series of changes in form called 
 tense, which indicate the time of the action as past, 
 present, or future; or (in the perfect tenses) action 
 completed or thought of as past, present, or future 
 in reference to the time of some other action; as, 
 "I shall have finished when you come." 
 
 The verb makes a series of changes in form called 
 mode, to indicate the manner of the action. The 
 mode which indicates that the action is thought of as 
 fact is called indicative; that which marks the action 
 as possibly not fact is subjunctive. Other so-called 
 modes are not properly inflectional forms. (See note 
 on page 159.) 
 
 The forms indicating the voice of the verb express 
 the relation of the subject of the verb to the action 
 which the verb expresses. They show whether the sub- 
 ject acts (active voice) or is acted upon (passive voice). 
 
 Adive: I hold. 
 Passive: 1 am held. 
 
 A finite verb is one of the forms of the verb which 
 are limited to certain times or conditions of action 
 
 145
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 (any forms which indicate mode or tense), or to use 
 with expressed subjects. 
 
 The forms of the verb which are not finite are the 
 infinitive and the gerund. The infinitive expresses 
 action without subject or condition; as, "To err is 
 human; to forgive, divine." The gerund is the verbal 
 noun in ing. It is unhmited in its use, and is some- 
 times called an infinitive: ''Working (i. e., to work) 
 all day is hard." (See pages 157, 158.) 
 
 The participles are the forms in ing and ed, and the 
 corresponding forms in more or less irregular verbs, 
 which are used as adjectives. (See page 158.) 
 
 He was astonished and angry, but still smiling 
 his set smile. 
 
 An auxiliary verb is a helping verb, which is added 
 to another to express tense, mode, or state or condi- 
 tion of action. The common auxiliary verbs are: 
 he, can, do, have, shall, will, should, would, could, may, 
 murst, might. 
 
 The principal parts of a verb are the present 
 infinitive, the preterite, and the past participle. 
 They are used as index of the changes of form for 
 tense; as, go, went, gone; write, wrote, written; walk, 
 walked, walked. 
 
 SYNTAX 
 
 Syntax deals with the construction of words; their 
 relationship in the sentence. 
 
 A sentence is a group of words expressing a com- 
 plete idea. It is the smallest complete or independent 
 
 unit of discourse. 
 
 146
 
 OUTLINE FOR REVIEW OF GRAMMAR 
 
 A clause is a group of words containing subject and 
 predicate combined with other such group or groups 
 to form a sentence. A clause which would form a 
 complete sentence if it stood by itself is called an 
 independent clause. One which would not so form 
 a sentence is called a dependent clause. 
 
 A phrase is grammatically a group of related words 
 not containing subject and predicate; loosely the 
 term is applied to any small group of words. 
 
 Elements of the Sentence 
 
 The essential elements of the sentence are two: 
 the subject, or what one talks about; and the predi- 
 cate, or what one says of it. The subject is a nomina- 
 tive noun, pronoun, or substantive phrase or clause, 
 and the predicate is a verb. 
 
 He spoke. 
 
 Modifiers of Subject and Predicate 
 
 The subject may have adjective modifiers and the 
 predicate adverbial ones. These may be in the form 
 of words, phrases, or clauses. 
 
 The old gentleman spoke as soon as he saw me. 
 
 The Object 
 
 A third element of the sentence is the object. It 
 is a noun, pronoun, or substantive phrase or clause, 
 naming that upon which the action of the verb is 
 exerted. 
 
 I threw the hall. 
 
 147
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 A verb which takes an object is called a transitive 
 verb ; as, take, bring, persuade. A verb which takes 
 no object is called intransitive; as, walk, rejoice, fly. ^ 
 
 The verb may have an indirect object; a noun or 
 substantive element naming the object toward which 
 the action of the verb is directed. 
 
 I brought him the money. 
 
 Direct and indirect objects may have adjective 
 modifiers in the form of adjective words, phrases, or 
 clauses. 
 
 He ate his hastily 'prepared meal. 
 I brought him, who was ready to receive it, the 
 money he asked. 
 
 Predicate Adjective 
 
 Some verbs require an adjective called the predi- 
 cate adjective to complete the meaning. 
 
 The yard looks better. 
 The price is high. 
 
 Predicate Nominative 
 
 Some verbs of being, seeming, becoming, and the 
 like require to complete the meaning a noun or sub- 
 stantive element belonging or referring to the subject. 
 It is called the predicate nominative. 
 
 'Such expressions as " walk a mile," " walk the plank," "rejoice 
 the heart," " fly the kite," do not exhibit direct objects for these 
 verbs — they mean " walk for a mile," " walk on the plank," " cause 
 the heart to rejoice." " make the kite fly." The fact that in Enghsh 
 we do not distinguish dative from accusative, obscures the distinc- 
 tion between transitive and intransitive. 
 
 148
 
 OUTLINE FOR REVIEW OF GRAMMAR 
 
 The Prince became Emperor. 
 Chaucer was a poet. 
 
 Cognate Object 
 
 An object which repeats in substantive form the 
 idea expressed in the verb is called a cognate object, 
 or cognate accusative. 
 
 "He smiled a sickly sort of smile." 
 
 "And fired the shot heard round the world." 
 
 The Copula 
 
 The verb to be in all its forms when it merely con- 
 nects the subject with the predicate nominative or 
 the predicate adjective is called the copula. 
 
 Appositives 
 
 An appositive is a noun or substantive element in 
 the construction of an adjective modifier of another 
 noun, repeating for identification or limitation the 
 idea of the noun with which it is in apposition. 
 
 I mean Smith the engineer, not Smith the artist. 
 
 A noun in apposition is in the same case as the 
 
 noun it is in apposition with. In some constructions 
 
 the two are almost equivalent to a compound. In 
 
 the sentence "My classmate Smith's yacht won 
 
 the cup," both classmate and Smith are in the 
 
 possessive, but the sign of the possessive is attached 
 
 only to the second, as in the case of compounds like 
 
 brother-in-law^ s. 
 
 149
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Kinds of Sentences 
 
 Sentences are classified according to their meaning 
 as: 
 
 1. Declarative: a declarative sentence is one which 
 makes an assertion. 
 
 2. Interrogative: an interrogative sentence is one 
 which asks a question. 
 
 Has John come? 
 
 3. Imperative: an imperative sentence is one which 
 is a command. 
 
 Come, John! 
 
 4. Exclamatory: an exclamatory sentence is one 
 which expresses surprise or emotion as if spoken with 
 vehemence or emphasis. It may be declarative, 
 imperative, or interrogative in form. 
 
 Here he comes! 
 Did he, really! 
 Tell me now! 
 
 Sentences are classified according to their structure 
 as: 
 
 1. Simple: a simple sentence is one composed of a 
 single independent clause. It contains one subject 
 and one predicate. 
 
 The sun rose. 
 
 150
 
 OUTLINE FOR REVIEW OF GRAMMAR 
 
 2. Compound: a compound sentence is composed of 
 two or more independent clauses. It contains two 
 or more subjects and predicates. 
 
 The sun rose, and the wind began to blow. 
 
 3. Complex: a complex sentence is one which has 
 two or more clauses one or more of which must be 
 dependent or subordinate. 
 
 While we were getting up the mainsail, the 
 sun rose, and the wind began to blow. 
 
 Syntax of the Verb 
 Number 
 
 A verb agrees with its subject in number. 
 
 This rule causes no difficulty except in cases in 
 which there is doubt as to whether the subject is 
 singular or plural. Collective nouns may be fol- 
 lowed by either singular or plural verbs according as 
 the speaker thinks of the individuals or components 
 of the collection, or of the collection itself. We may 
 even have both constructions in the same sentence; 
 as, The crowd was moving; but they moved in different 
 directions. Similarly, subjects which are grammati- 
 cally plural but logically singular may take the singu- 
 lar form of the verb; as, Four hundred and forty yards 
 is a long sprint. Two or more nouns joined by and 
 may take a singular verb when one is thought of as 
 the real subject and the rest as afterthoughts; as, 
 The river is full, and the brooks and ponds. The 
 colonel with his two orderlies was seen from the 
 
 hilltop. 
 
 151
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Person 
 
 A verb agrees with its subject in person. 
 
 This rule is hard to follow in a sentence like 
 Either you or I {amor are) right, in which either form of 
 the verb seems wrong. In most such cases the forms 
 must be and may be ofifer a way out of the dilemma. 
 
 Tense 
 
 The mere naming and classification of the tenses 
 in the paradigm (page 160) is almost the only indica- 
 tion of their common uses which would not obscure 
 the matter by technical terms. Vulgar errors like 
 I seen and you was (if they involve tense at all) are 
 as a rule bad habits rather than misunderstandings. 
 Even the so-called sequence of tenses, often misun- 
 derstood, is a matter combined of idiom and common 
 sense. 
 
 Sequence of tenses is the relation of the time of 
 the two or more verbs in the main and subordinate 
 clauses of a complex sentence. The term is a misno- 
 mer if it is taken to imply that the tense of the main 
 verb "governs" the tense of the subordinate verb. 
 
 The tense of each verb in a complex sentence is 
 determined by the meaning of the clause in which it 
 stands. 
 
 I knew that he said it. This is the ordinary 
 sequence meaning "I knew it at the time." 
 
 / knew that he says it. This is possible as mean- 
 ing "I knew that he is in the habit of saying it," 
 in which the present indicates habitual action 
 or continued state; as, "I knew that he is an 
 inveterate liar," or "I knew that Gloucester is 
 
 the father of Edgar." 
 
 152
 
 OUTLINE FOR REVIEW OF GRAMMAR 
 
 I knew that he will say it. This form is possible 
 to indicate future time with reference to the 
 present (the time of speaking) rather than future 
 with reference to the time of the main verb. It 
 is conceivable in a dialogue which would make 
 this clear; as: 
 
 "He will say you are afraid; you knew that, 
 I suppose." 
 
 "Yes, I knew he will say it, but I knew nobody 
 will believe it." 
 
 / did not wish to go. This is the ordinary 
 sequence in which go is present with reference to 
 the past time of did, meaning, "I did not wish 
 to go at that time." 
 
 / did not wish to have gone. This is possible 
 only in the meaning "I did not wish (at the 
 time) to have gone (at some time still further in 
 the past)." 
 
 I coidd have wished to do it differently. The 
 time of the subordinate verb is present as dated 
 from the time of the main verb. 
 
 / could have wished to have done it differently. 
 The only possible meaning of this would be, "I 
 could have wished (at the time) to have done it 
 differently (at some time still further in the past) ." 
 
 May, might, and should in clauses of purpose have, 
 more or less idiomatically, a dependence for tense 
 on the main verb, may following present and future 
 tenses, and might following the preterite and plu- 
 perfect. 
 
 I warn you in order that you may be prepared. 
 
 I warned you that you might be prepared. 
 
 I decided that you should see him. 
 
 153
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Either may or might may be used after perfect 
 tenses, according to the meaning. 
 
 / have told him in order that he may he pre- 
 pared. (Looks definitely toward the future.) 
 
 / have told him in order that he might he 
 prepared. (A certain remoteness from fact in 
 present or future.) 
 
 Mode — The Subjunctive 
 
 The subjunctive is used in cases in which the action 
 is thought of as possibly not fact, ' expressing in the 
 various constructions varying degrees of remoteness 
 from actuality. Note that in many of the fellow- 
 ing examples the substitution of the indicative for 
 the subjunctive would not make the sentences un- 
 granunatical, but would change the meaning, much 
 as the meaning changes in the lines : 
 
 "Well — if it be so — so it is, you know; 
 And if it be so, so be it." 
 
 Conditions. — The subjunctive is used in clauses 
 expressing condition introduced by if and unless. 
 
 If the case he such, I shall act accordingly. 
 Here the present subjunctive indicates present 
 time and no more than an implication against the 
 possibility: it may or may not be the case. 
 
 // the case were such, I should act accordingly. 
 
 The change to the preterite subjunctive does not 
 
 indicate change of time (which is still present) 
 
 but more remoteness from fact: " I do not for a 
 
 moment think that it is such." 
 
 154
 
 OUTLINE FOR REVIEW OF GRAMMAR 
 
 Unless he be already gone, you may warn him. 
 This implies that very likely he has not gone. 
 
 Unless he were dead he would be here by now. 
 This is a strong implication that he must be 
 dead. 
 
 If he had been dead, she would have known it. 
 The pluperfect subjunctive indicates past time 
 and high degree of remoteness from fact: he 
 could not have been dead. 
 
 Were he dead, I should tell you. Here the con- 
 dition is expressed without if by the subjunctive 
 preceding the subject. 
 
 She looked as if she were pleased. Conditions 
 introduced by as if and as though are never 
 thought of as actual, and are in the preterite sub- 
 junctive. (Compare the second example above.) 
 Here the indicative would be wrong. 
 
 'Twere better to die than to suffer. This sub- 
 junctive is perhaps to be explained as depending 
 on a condition implied but not expressed; as, 
 "If one had the choice." 
 
 You had better go while you can. This and 
 similar constructions {had rather, had liefer) may 
 also depend on implied conditions; as, "If you 
 are going at all," or "If you wish to go." It 
 seems to be pluperfect subjunctive to indicate 
 that the state of affairs suggested is contrary to 
 fact: the person addressed is not going. So in 
 " (If you wish to be safe) You were best keep a 
 sharp lookout," the preterite subjunctive in- 
 dicates remoteness from fact. The more com- 
 mon expression, " It is time we were going," falls 
 in the same class; it implies that we are not 
 going. Had better, had rather, and the like are 
 
 in thoroughly good use, and have long been so. 
 
 155
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Concessions. — The indicative is used in conces- 
 sional clauses after though and although when the 
 concession is thought of as fact. 
 
 Though I am a fool, at least I know it. 
 
 The subjunctive is used in concessional clauses 
 when the concession is thought of as not fact. 
 
 "Though I walk through the valley of the 
 shadow of death, I will fear no evil." 
 
 Purpose. — The subjunctive is sometimes used to 
 express purpose in clauses introduced by before, lest, 
 that, until. 
 
 Flee, lest wrath overtake ye. 
 
 The stafif shall sustain thee, that thou fall not. 
 
 I stay until honor call me. 
 
 Prayers and WisJies. — The subjunctive is used in 
 prayers and wishes as after an implied may or / urish. 
 
 (May) God save the Commonwealth of 
 Massachusetts. 
 Heaven forgive us! 
 {I loish) O that 'twere possible! 
 
 Exhortations. — Exhortations such as are ordinarily 
 expressed by Let us, etc., may be expressed by the 
 first person plural of the subjunctive standing before 
 the pronoun which is its subject. 
 
 Sing we now a glad song. 
 
 156
 
 OUTLINE FOR REVIEW OF GRAMMAR 
 
 Voice 
 
 The change from active to passive voice needs no 
 comment in the case of ordinary transitive verbs, in 
 which the object of the active verb becomes the sub- 
 ject of the passive verb : / struck him; he was struck 
 by me. The indirect object does not so easily become 
 the subject of a passive verb. They gave him fifty 
 dollars and told him to go, is not satisfactory in the 
 form, He was given fifty dollars, etc., because he is not 
 given in the sense that the fifty dollars are given. 
 
 For further discussion of passive constructions, 
 see page 56. 
 
 The Infinitive 
 
 The infinitive is a verbal noun ; that is, it partakes 
 of both natures, verbal and substantive. 
 
 It partakes of the nature of the verb in that 
 
 1. Its modifier is an adverb; as, to ride swiftly. 
 
 2. It takes a direct object; as, to see a fine lady. 
 
 3. It is used in verb phrases with auxiliaries in the 
 formation of certain modes and tenses; as, I will 
 (to) go. 
 
 It partakes of the nature of the noun in that 
 
 1. It may be used as the subject of a verb; as, 
 to yield seems impossible. 
 
 2. It may be used as the object of a verb; as, I 
 have decided to go. 
 
 3. It may be used as the object of a preposition; 
 as, there is no course open except to go. 
 
 4. It may be used as a predicate nominative; as, 
 to admit so much is to yield. 
 
 The infinitive is used to express purpose or result; as: 
 
 157
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 I went to see the President. 
 The treaty served to open the entire province 
 to commerce. 
 
 To as the sign of the infinitive may be omitted, not 
 only in verb phrases like will go, but in such a sen- 
 tence as '^ Returning were as tedious as go o'er." 
 
 The Gerund 
 
 The gerund is the verbal noun ending in ing. It 
 is sometimes called an infinitive because like the 
 infinitive with to it is a verbal noun, and has the 
 same affiliations with both verb and noun as the 
 other form. Its syntax is so nearly the same that in 
 many cases one form may be substituted for the other. 
 Both forms are used in the same sentence in the last 
 example given above. It is often confused with the 
 present participle because of the identity of form. 
 
 Saying such things, he took leave of us. 
 (Participle in the construction of an adjective.) 
 
 Saying such things is preposterous. (Gerund 
 in the construction of a noun.) 
 
 The Participle 
 
 The participle is like an adjective in limiting 
 nouns, pronouns, or substantive phrases or clauses. 
 It is like the verb in that it expresses action or state, 
 and may take a direct object. 
 
 He went out, taking his papers with him. 
 
 Absolute Construction 
 
 The absolute construction is a noun or pronoun with 
 
 a participle standing without a connective, taking the 
 
 place of a clause. Its use is discussed on page 49. 
 
 158
 
 Ill 
 
 PARADIGM OF A STRONG VERB 
 
 A PARADIGM of a regular strong verb exhibits the 
 conjugation of modal and other auxiliaries. 
 
 Note that in the subjunctive forms the word if is 
 no part of the conjugation, but it is included merely 
 to indicate the difference between such forms as 
 we give, indicative, and we give, subjunctive. The 
 emphatic and progressive forms of the indicative, 
 and the so-called conditional, potential, and obligative 
 modes are really verb-phrases to indicate different 
 uses of the verb, and not genuine inflectional forms. 
 They bear about the same relation to the inflectional 
 forms that a noun-phrase indicating case, such a*- 
 of John, bears to the inflectional possessive, John's. 
 11
 
 
 
 
 
 A 
 
 GUIDE 
 
 TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 
 
 
 
 > 
 
 i»l 
 
 9 
 
 > 
 
 give 
 tgive 
 St give 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 P 
 
 •Ji 
 
 >^ -a 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 -< 
 
 MS .>J 
 
 -^ ": 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ■^s 
 
 ^5 3 
 
 wemus 
 youmu 
 they in 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 n 
 O 
 
 < 5 
 ^1 
 
 I mu 
 thou 
 
 hem 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 «, « 
 
 
 0) 
 
 
 
 
 
 J 
 
 ^? 
 
 ■W ID 
 
 <c >.2 
 
 O (1) i' 
 
 .t% . 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 S2 
 
 S o 
 
 ^1 
 
 I may give 
 thou mayee 
 
 give 
 he may giv 
 
 re may giv 
 ou may gi 
 ley may g 
 
 might giv 
 lou might 
 give 
 e might g 
 
 we might g 
 you might 
 
 they might 
 give 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 P >.*j 
 
 l-H .»» pQ 
 
 
 
 ?> 
 
 2 
 
 s- 
 
 I should give 
 thou wouldst 
 
 give 
 he would give 
 
 give 
 
 give 
 
 d give 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 a 
 
 ^2 
 
 0-C 
 
 bould 
 wouk 
 woul 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 we 8 
 
 you 
 they 
 
 
 
 
 
 > 
 
 t 
 
 P 
 
 
 I give 
 thou give 
 
 he give 
 
 we give 
 you give 
 they give 
 
 > 
 
 •gave 
 ugave 
 
 ey gave 
 
 > 
 
 J3 
 
 ou shalt 
 
 ve 
 
 shall give 
 
 W 
 
 O 
 
 > 
 
 
 
 1— 1 «d j3 
 
 P >) f 
 
 »— 4 
 
 5 -5.2 
 
 H 
 
 OQ 
 
 
 «— .*H *^ 
 
 ."2 It: .13 
 
 ^."S ?3 
 
 «^»M **-4 
 
 u-< 
 
 
 f^ 
 
 
 H 
 
 ? 
 
 a 
 
 .Bf^ 
 
 s giving 
 wert giv- 
 
 g 
 
 as giving 
 
 M 1 
 .Si > 
 
 1 
 
 > 
 
 t 
 > 
 
 O 
 
 o 
 
 Q 
 
 H 
 O 
 < 
 
 
 •o 
 
 31 
 
 
 giving 
 art giv 
 
 giving 
 
 re givin 
 
 are giyi 
 are giv 
 
 we wore giv 
 you were gi 
 
 ing 
 they were g 
 
 ing 
 
 'a 
 
 J3 
 
 g 
 
 wilt be 
 ving 
 ill be gi 
 g 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 Hi 
 
 3 
 
 I am 
 thou 
 
 he is 
 
 we a 
 
 you 
 they 
 
 01 2 a P 
 
 1— 1 -^ ^ 
 
 J3. 
 
 K4 
 
 1 - 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 CD 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ■< 
 O 
 
 a 
 
 X 
 
 ■< 
 a 
 a. 
 
 a 
 
 b 
 
 .-3 
 
 do give 
 
 ioU dost give 
 
 e does (doth) 
 give 
 
 e do give 
 ou do give 
 icy do give 
 
 did give 
 bou didst giv 
 
 e did give 
 
 we did give 
 you did give 
 
 they did give 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^— _= 
 
 P >,- 
 
 t-^ t^ ja 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 *s 
 
 ?! 
 
 +3 
 
 cn 
 
 
 =3 
 
 M 'I 
 
 
 
 
 CU 
 
 a 
 
 
 I give 
 thou gives 
 
 he gives or 
 giveth 
 
 we give 
 you (ye) g 
 they give 
 
 I gave 
 thou gave 
 
 he gave 
 
 we gave 
 you gave 
 
 they gave 
 
 
 give 
 thou wilt 
 
 (shalt) 
 he will (s 
 
 give 
 
 
 
 Singular 
 Ist per. 
 2d per. 
 
 3d per. 
 
 Plural 
 lat per. 
 2d per. 
 3d per. 
 
 Singular 
 Ist per. 
 2d per. 
 
 3d per. 
 
 Plural 
 1st per. 
 2d per. 
 
 3d per. 
 
 3 a 
 
 Mv> 
 
 .2.2 
 
 2d per. 
 3d per. 
 
 
 
 
 
 »g«»j; }u»a3Jj 
 
 1 3SU»X >»"</ 
 
 JO »;tMpjij 
 
 1 »su»j,»inrn^ 
 
 160
 
 PARADIGM OF A STRONG VERB 
 
 e SI 
 «3 e3 
 
 □ MOM M 
 
 O V Q 
 
 > > > 
 
 c6 ^ C3 
 M J3 M 
 
 S H 3 a 2 
 
 •J3 fl d oj :» f^ 
 1-^ .*^ ^ 
 
 0) > 
 
 ^ S « 
 
 ej ^ p c g 0^ 
 ff P XI 
 
 m a > 
 
 K 01 « 
 
 (U 
 
 9) 
 
 J3 
 
 J3 s a s «" 
 
 .S?.>; 3 «•§.>; 
 
 a 
 
 •g jq MS) 
 
 .ff V g V ca ^ 
 
 > ^ 11 3 
 cj 2 >ja 
 
 .^ g'M-O 
 
 2 a^ cs o 
 
 3 « « > O w 
 
 o E: 3 S-a.b 
 
 •as 
 
 
 a a 
 2 >1 > 
 
 3 M o M 
 
 a o j,ja ^ 
 
 GJ-a > to > 
 
 > « 
 
 cJ >j cS 
 
 
 s 
 e 
 
 I 
 I 
 
 o 
 
 *— t 
 
 o 
 
 O 
 
 < 
 
 > 
 
 a 
 
 C3 
 
 si 
 
 QQ 
 
 00 
 
 a 
 
 a; 
 
 > ? 
 
 ■ago 
 
 5 3 o S 4) 
 
 Ja r1— 4 0)*-^ 
 
 > «8 
 
 c: aja 
 •a « 3 
 u.S o — 
 
 0) 
 
 a-fa 
 
 > V > 
 
 ts 
 
 a 
 a « 
 
 •r 2 «* 
 
 a ja ^ 
 
 T3 3 a (S 
 
 ja ^ > o 
 
 13 
 a 
 
 •n 
 
 3 a) 
 
 ..Cja.l 
 
 
 a 
 
 J3 ^ •" 
 
 _ M_ M=3 M 
 
 "3 ars a'S a 
 
 "■ag'a&'a 
 
 
 M2 
 
 c;>-<>a 
 
 > £: 3 
 
 01 
 > 0! > 
 
 a-^'a 
 
 ja 
 
 a> 
 
 >.S S.H 2.2 
 
 „ Mg Mo M 
 
 a 
 01 a 
 
 X> 01 
 
 a « » 
 
 O CO X! 
 
 « Mt) m m 
 
 •«'> -'^^■> 
 
 ^•ag-M-^-a 
 « 5 -S 
 
 a 
 
 to 
 ^ XI 
 
 a 
 
 -D MT3 M'2 M 
 *« S 2 S^ S 
 
 ,,'m3"m3j'm 
 
 fe s •« 
 
 ^•x "^ S" 
 
 
 a 
 
 
 a a 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 a 
 
 (will 
 shai 
 (sha 
 
 a 
 
 o 
 
 M 
 
 2 
 
 c3 
 
 give 
 give 
 
 OJ 
 
 a 
 
 ^ > 
 
 a 
 
 a 
 > 
 
 'a 
 
 > 
 
 'm 
 
 — — 3 
 
 •a 
 
 s 
 
 5fl 
 
 we have 
 you have 
 
 c5 a 
 
 °M 
 
 "Sn'^ 
 
 a 
 
 T) 
 
 CS 
 
 wesha 
 give 
 
 youwi 
 give 
 
 they w 
 give 
 
 « 
 
 X3 
 
 m o 
 
 JS a 
 
 J3 St3 
 
 "2 
 
 
 A 
 
 
 3 
 
 o 
 ja 
 
 a > 
 
 ■a-a 
 
 &M 
 
 ja 
 >3 
 
 
 thou 
 
 giv 
 
 he ha 
 
 J3 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 o 
 
 & 
 
 5 
 
 ji i i 
 
 1^ 
 
 a 
 
 a 
 
 •gt R 
 
 
 li 
 
 a a 
 
 Si 
 
 "3 0. 
 
 o> 
 Q. 
 
 0) 
 
 O. 
 
 3 m T3 •« 
 
 Pl^ 
 
 -o 
 
 •a 
 
 3 to t) 
 
 •o 
 
 M.k:> 
 
 TS T3 
 
 3 a 
 
 T3 
 
 "a 
 
 ■z"^ M CO 
 
 
 N 
 
 m 
 
 C-'l c< 
 
 CO 
 
 .Sil 
 
 N CO 
 
 ^ *"' 
 
 C^ 
 
 CO 
 
 fc 
 
 in 
 
 
 
 pL, 
 
 
 CQ 
 
 
 CL| 
 
 
 
 »s«aj; 9m}nj 
 
 
 
 »su»x P>»/^J 
 
 
 
 »iU9X 
 
 }3»/j3dnjj 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 161 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 H 
 >» 
 
 &1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 < 
 
 :2s 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 O 
 
 ■J 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 O 
 
 ^ s 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^-v 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 J 
 
 >.s 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 < 
 
 >- cs 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 S 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 H 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 X o 
 
 3, ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 O 
 
 S° 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 PM 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 >J 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 < 
 
 >. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 f. 
 
 t.^^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ■S2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 H 
 
 ^"3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 » 
 
 M O 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Q 
 
 3.« 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2; 
 
 <" 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 U 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 •a 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 V 
 
 
 
 
 a> 
 
 <u 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 H 
 
 
 11 have 
 giving 
 shall 
 been 
 
 all hav 
 giving 
 
 all hav 
 giving 
 shall 
 been 
 
 shall 
 been 
 
 
 
 
 •S 
 
 
 > 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 D 
 
 •-a 
 
 n 
 
 
 I sha 
 been 
 thou 
 have 
 givin 
 he sh 
 been 
 
 « 0) a.i S 05. 2 
 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 
 CO 
 
 
 •4-1 *«-t «*.^ 
 
 tt^ 1*^ «*4 
 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 > 
 
 
 Ed 
 
 1 
 
 be? M) 60 
 
 gM?sa > M 
 
 
 ci 
 
 
 > 
 
 
 S 
 
 
 1 have 
 n givin 
 tvilt ha 
 n givin 
 
 ,1 have 
 n givin 
 
 ( shall ha' 
 been givin 
 u shall ha' 
 been givin 
 
 ey shall ha 
 been givin 
 
 a 
 
 'a 
 
 giving 
 ve beei 
 ing 
 
 a 
 
 M.2 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 § 
 tf 
 
 3 
 
 -^5 o ' o .■no 
 « o 3 «u So 
 -a.a oJa "^ja 
 
 J3 
 
 ® S > 
 .Q-a-a 
 
 a i- 
 
 
 
 0. 
 
 5 
 
 ^ 4) 
 
 
 
 22 
 
 J3 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 > 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 •< 
 
 n 
 
 .2 
 
 
 
 > 
 
 'a 
 
 o 
 
 
 
 
 a 
 
 S 
 
 ■« 
 
 
 
 ■a 
 
 
 
 
 y. 
 
 b] 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 <0 
 
 <u e 
 
 
 a 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 > 
 
 > g > 
 
 
 s> 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 © 3 © 
 
 d > «5 
 
 
 t» 
 
 0) 
 
 
 
 H 
 
 
 > -a > 
 
 jg 2 ■« 
 
 
 -a 
 
 > 
 
 
 
 >J 
 
 
 cs *j <a 
 
 -0 _^ 
 
 o 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 I shall h 
 given 
 
 thou wil 
 given 
 
 he will h 
 given 
 
 we shall 
 given 
 
 you will 
 given 
 
 they wii; 
 given 
 
 > 
 
 a 
 
 «) > 
 
 > OJ 
 
 ■a-a 
 
 o o 
 
 11 
 
 
 
 
 
 :ular 
 per. 
 
 per. 
 per. 
 
 •al 
 per. 
 
 per. 
 per. 
 
 
 ssent 
 rfect 
 
 ti- 
 
 esent 
 rfect 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 »»ti3^ P»/J3f/ 3^njnj 
 
 
 
 
 162
 
 PARADIGM OF A STRONG VERB 
 
 
 
 
 .2 S 
 
 'Si 
 
 Si 
 
 
 
 •a a 
 
 
 
 § 
 
 l! 
 
 J3 
 
 00 o 
 
 
 
 9 ? o 
 
 
 
 n 
 
 <; « 
 
 3 *j 
 
 
 
 e^^ 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 
 a« 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1-^ 
 
 
 
 1—4 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ,3 
 
 < 
 
 .2 
 
 a 
 > 
 '3 
 
 
 I 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 ?; 
 
 '^ t- 
 
 0) 
 
 
 
 ja 'D 
 
 
 
 H 
 
 
 
 X o 
 •^ e 
 
 Oj *J 
 
 
 si . 
 
 *S •"" .*^ 
 
 lis 
 
 
 
 Ph 
 
 ~^S 
 
 
 
 g M OJ 
 
 S-^ « 
 
 
 
 >J 
 
 
 
 
 
 <u 
 
 
 
 ■< 
 
 z 
 o 
 
 S 
 
 
 Is- 
 
 
 
 T3"a 
 
 3a 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 
 m M V 
 
 
 
 (D^ OJ 
 
 
 
 O 
 
 
 HH 
 
 
 
 t-H 
 
 
 
 H 
 
 
 a 
 
 
 a 
 
 S pa 
 
 
 
 
 
 « 
 
 
 0) 
 
 
 
 
 
 >- 
 
 o 
 
 > 
 
 have b( 
 iven 
 
 hou hav 
 ccn give 
 tc. 
 
 1— t 
 
 o 
 
 >• 
 
 
 o 
 
 D 
 
 n 
 
 
 •a 
 
 u 
 
 Is 
 
 Is . 
 
 •a 
 
 
 
 D 
 
 
 l_l o 
 
 HH M« 
 
 >-i a> 
 
 —1 M-^-J O 
 
 pq 
 
 
 CO 
 
 
 «*- 
 
 *«M 
 
 *-H 
 
 i_ ..^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 •-H 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 OD 
 
 
 a 
 
 e 
 >> 
 
 
 
 
 
 ro 
 
 
 > 
 
 
 
 
 
 < 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 [i3 
 
 cJ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 « 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 O 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 « 
 
 < 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^_^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 El 
 
 o 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 H 
 
 H 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 < 
 
 ■< 
 
 C3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 O 
 
 S 
 
 •"«] 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Cki 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 a 
 
 
 M 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 z 
 
 ^ 
 
 H 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 t-H 
 
 
 < 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 a _ a 
 
 a 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 > flS j; 
 
 > 
 
 d 
 
 a 
 
 
 
 u 
 
 J 
 
 
 S -as l-a-a 
 
 '3 
 
 > 
 
 a) 
 
 
 
 Cl« 
 
 
 •a -.^ """^^ 
 
 Si 
 
 •a 
 
 ■^a- 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 tH eJ tu « h c3 
 
 
 
 OJ <u . 
 
 
 
 S 
 
 
 I am 
 
 thou 
 he is , 
 
 we ar 
 you a 
 they : 
 
 "^i 
 
 Ps 
 
 > > a 
 
 
 
 
 
 J3 a 
 
 f <u 
 
 ^ M O 
 
 
 
 
 
 *-^ 
 
 l-<C 
 
 1—1 
 
 
 
 
 
 o S t" '-' S ^ ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 — 2; a; o-m Ss o <!' 
 
 3 a P.O.C- c-aa 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   -.-1 (NCCt-— iMro 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 CO Cl- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 »SV3X P13S»JLJ 
 
 ?sti3x 3xnpij 
 
 3SU3X »7}J^»-'d 
 
 asuaj pa/JSc/
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 3 
 
 "5 
 
 o 
 
 O 
 
 
 
 Oblioativb 
 
 (Auxiliary 
 must or might) 
 
 
 
 
 Potential 
 
 (Auxiliary 
 may or can) 
 
 I might have 
 been given, 
 etc. 
 
 
 
 Conditional 
 
 (Auxiliary 
 should) 
 
 
 
 
 
 if I had been 
 
 given 
 if thou had 
 
 been given, 
 
 etc. 
 
 if I shall have 
 
 been given 
 if thou shall 
 
 have been 
 
 given, 
 
 etc. 
 
 
 H 
 -< 
 O 
 
 a 
 
 z 
 
 progressive 
 (Auxiliary am) 
 
 
 
 Past 
 given 
 
 EMPHATIC 
 
 (Auxiliary do) 
 
 
 
 Perfect 
 
 to have been 
 given 
 
 having been 
 given 
 
 having been 
 given 
 
 3 
 
 I had been 
 given, 
 etc. 
 
 I shall have 
 been given, 
 etc. 
 
 Present 
 
 be given 
 
 to bo given 
 being given 
 
 being given 
 
 
 
 
 Im- 
 perative 
 
 Infinitive 
 Gerund 
 
 Parti- 
 ciple 
 
 
 
 3tu3j, foi/uidnjj 
 
 tnax f3»/-i»J '-tntnj 

 
 IV 
 
 CLASSIFIED EXERCISES 
 
 Fill the blanks in the following sentences with the 
 proper forms from the verbs to lie and to lay. 
 
 1. I down on the sofa. 2. He the book on 
 
 the table. 3. The apples were ing in the grass. 
 
 4. My hens more than yours did. 5. She is ing 
 
 away her furs. 6. He has the stone without mortar. 
 
 7. It has there now all day. 8. No one ought to 
 
 in bed so late. 9. He has left his overalls ing on the 
 
 floor; let them there. 10. I have out your 
 
 evening clothes on the bed. 11. down again. 
 
 12. WiUie left his hat ing in the rain all night. 
 
 13. It is just where you it yesterday. 
 
 Fill the blanks in the following sentences with the 
 proper forms from the verbs to sit and to set. 
 
 1. Come in and down. 2. Does my hat 
 
 straight? 3. Where did you the milk pitcher? 
 
 4. It has fallen down; it up again. 5. I can see her 
 
 ing on the porch. 6. I have on this same rock 
 
 before. 7. I told him he should have it on the 
 
 mantelpiece. 8. Sand may be used to make the pan 
 
 level. 9. She the baby in the high-chair. 10. Each 
 
 165
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 cup should in its own saucer. 11. Four desks 
 
 against the wall. 
 
 Cases of Pronouns. — Fill each blank in the fol- 
 lowing sentences with a word chosen from the 
 parenthesis at the end of the sentence. 
 
 1. I saw a man I thought was father, (who, whom) 
 
 2. He dresses better than . (I, me) 3. All had gone 
 
 but . (me, I) 4. I nominated Colonel Stark, , as 
 
 I believe, is most worthy of the honor, (who, whom) 5. I 
 
 nominated one I thought worthy of the honor, (who, 
 
 whom) 6. I nominated one 1 thought ought to have 
 
 the honor, (who, whom) 7. I spoke to every one except 
 
 . (he, him) 8. They accused Agnes nobody 
 
 would ever have suspected, (who whom) 9. No one could 
 be more conscientious than . (she, her) 10. The Sopho- 
 mores were clever, but the Freshmen were cleverer than 
 
 . (they, them) 11. Father bought tickets for my 
 
 brother and . (I, me) 12. The choice lies between 
 
 and . (I, me, he, him) 13. Send it to you 
 
 please, (whoever, whomever) 14. They were disputing as 
 
 to should walk, (who, whom) 15. Who, O my 
 
 master, is juster than ? (thee, thou) 16. The police- 
 man was hunting for and . (we, us, they, them) 
 
 Shall and Will.— Fill each blank in the following 
 sentences with the appropriate form, shall, will, 
 should, or would. Where possible, fill the blanks 
 first with forms to indicate futurity, and second to 
 indicate volition. 
 
 1. I do not think that I go. 2. Tell him that I 
 
 not go, but that you . 3. He told me that he 
 
 not be there, but that she . 4. If they do not help 
 
 him, he fall. 5. I starve if I do not find work. 
 
 166
 
 CLASSIFIED EXERCISES 
 
 6. He tell you. 7. I give you my word I not 
 
 lie to you. 8. I prefer to go to-morrow. 9. I   
 
 go, and Sam , and Mary if I have to bring her. 
 
 10. I told mother that I go, and Sam , and that 
 
 Mary if I had to bring her. 11. He feared that 
 
 he be too late. 12. You be in time if you 
 
 hurry. 13. He be paid when he have finished 
 
 the work. 14. You do as you are told if you value 
 
 your life. 15. I see you at church to-morrow? 
 
 16. you dine with me afterward? 17. I , with 
 
 great pleasure. 18. 1 weed the garden now? 19. 
 
 Yes, if you . 20. you ever have thought he 
 
 would look so old? 21. Who   have thought he 
 
 could do so well! 22. If I fail this couise, I 
 
 have to leave college. 
 
 Antecedents of Pronouns. — Correct the follow- 
 ing sentences. 
 
 1. I want a position with a publisher because it is a 
 literary career. 2. She went across the common, which is 
 shorter. 3. I gave him my shoes to clean because every 
 Freshman has to do it. 4. Every prisoner was made to 
 surrender his arms in the Provost's tent, whence they 
 were taken out and dumped in the river. 5. I tore up the 
 board walk, and used them to build my chicken-house. 
 6. Tom said he saw him but he did not know whether he 
 recognized him or not. 7. They wouldn't refund any of 
 the money he had lost, which is poor policy. 
 
 Dangling Clauses. — Correct the following sen- 
 tences. 
 
 1. After ringing the bell persistently, the door was at 
 last opened. 2. Our headlights falling upon a frightened 
 
 167
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 horse, the emergency brake was appUed at once. 3. Ar- 
 riving at the Grand Central, a taxicab took me to my 
 apartments. 4. Although very small, we found the room 
 sufficient for our needs. 5. Having seen your advertise- 
 ment, the position is one I am sure I can fill. 6. On 
 removing his coat, the wound proved serious. 7. If in 
 doubt as to the best type of engine, an expert should 
 be consulted. 8. Without any investigation of his 
 previous experience, the appointment was unanimously 
 offered him. 
 
 Coherence. — Turn the following compound sen- 
 tences into complex sentences. 
 
 1. The trains are always dirty, and no one likes to 
 travel on them. 2. I met Mr. Thomas at the Mansion 
 House, and he told me I was to give him my resignation at 
 once. 3. Just beyond is an inclosure which was once a 
 tennis-court, but now it is covered with weeds. 4. The 
 touring-car was zigzagging down the hill, and the driver 
 appeared to be drunk. 5. The trees were dying, and I 
 told him to plow the orchard, and prune them, and spray 
 them with lime and sulphur. 
 
 Make the following sentences coherent by sup- 
 plying proper connectives, by rearranging the order 
 of clauses, or by the use of parallel structure. 
 
 1. The poem tells how they started on a voyage, and 
 they didn't stop for any enticements, always pursuing a 
 vision, and some thought it was one thing and some 
 another, and how at last they were all lame or dead, but 
 they kept on. 2. Coherence is when you show the 
 relationship between ideas, or making the clauses hang 
 
 168
 
 CLASSIFIED EXERCISES 
 
 together. 3. He thought he got it near enough by 
 measuring to the last tree and then guess at the rest. 
 
 4. Thus they not only deceived Mr. Smith, but Mrs. 
 Smith and me also. 5. We were filled with the idea of 
 enjoying the day, and at the same time do a little good. 
 6. The Physical Education Department gives credit for 
 regular exercises, such as to play soccer, walking regular 
 distances, tennis, canoeing, and other games. 
 
 Punctuation. — Compound Sentences. — Punctuate 
 the following sentences correctly. 
 
 1. So said the physician in his prospectus and so said 
 all the citizens of the city and there was nothing more 
 urgent in men's hearts than to be properly inoculated 
 themselves and nothing they took more delight in than 
 to see others inoculated. 2. Now in the light of each 
 other all the touchstones lost their hue and fire and 
 withered like stars at morning but in the light of the pebble 
 their beauty remained only the pebble was the most 
 bright. 3. He made a gallant fight but it couldn't be 
 patched up he repeated his denial he retracted his ad- 
 mission he ridiculed my charge of which I freely granted 
 him moreover the indefensible extravagance. 4. Every- 
 thing in the facts was monstrous and most of all my 
 lucid perception of them the only thing allied to nature 
 and truth was my having to act on that perception. 
 
 5. She was assured when she came up to the spot where he 
 fell that there was no danger he had but dislocated his 
 shoulder and bruised his head a little. 6. Any coarse 
 organic matter like swamp hay brakes fine brush or forest 
 leaves may be used as a mulch but it must be drawn away 
 from the trunks of small trees in the fall to prevent mice 
 from feeding upon the bark. 
 
 169
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Restrictive and Non-Restrictive Clauses. — Punctuate 
 the following sentences correctly. 
 
 1. The codling-moth is the insect which makes the 
 wormy apples. 2. I got the whole story from Caroline 
 who in spite of all I could do was still afraid of me. 
 3. The pear-tree psylla is a minute brown aphis-like insect 
 that flies about the trees in early spring and lays its eggs 
 on the leaves and tender twigs. 4. The man wdth a 
 hooked nose who had not spoken before now put in a word 
 on my behalf. 5. Your friend whom you have known all 
 your life is much more likely to understand you. 6. From 
 the egg comes a small flattened aphis that feeds on the 
 juices of the tender tissues. 7. The Kiowan River which 
 cuts across the edge of the town has lately been deepened 
 at this point. 8. Once upon a time the devil stayed at an 
 inn where no one knew him for they were people whose 
 education had been neglected. 9. I had already bought 
 the book which he spoke of in his lecture. 10. Tom 
 handed him the rope which proved to be too short. 
 
 Miscellaneous Sentences. — Punctuate the following 
 sentences correctly. 
 
 1. Stunned and a good deal shaken I suppose the 
 mare's knees are terribly cut she said to Drummond who 
 merely nodded and Seymour remarked fifty guineas 
 knocked off her value. 2. Alas it was almost a demo- 
 cratic outcry they made her guilty of but she was driven 
 past patience. 3. Oil and paint being a little thicker 
 at this time will harden on the surface and not penetrate 
 the wood as much as in warm dry weather though it will 
 not spread as easily. 4. Isn't it a pity that when every 
 individual in the community can see the wrong as clearly 
 
 170
 
 CLASSIFIED EXERCISES 
 
 as can any outsider collectively they are quite incapable 
 of righting it even though it threatens them with destruc- 
 tion of their common welfare. 5. Well said Gary I sup- 
 pose you know what you are about he paused a moment 
 do you he insisted. 6. They stepped into the shallow 
 water and ran the boat high up on the white beach then 
 the boatswain received a bullet in the thigh and others 
 sent up spurts of sand and water all about them. 7. So 
 they came to the curtained wicket that gave upon the 
 court and there the vizier heard the travelers complaining 
 in all the cities of our route have we been treated like the 
 great of the kingdom and wine and meat have we had in 
 plenty but here have we naught but pulse and brackish 
 water and not so much as a straw to sleep on. 
 
 Spelling. — Collect one hundred misspelled words 
 from yom* own work, study them, and write the list 
 from dictation. Begin a new list with the words 
 you misspell in the first exercise, and continue the 
 practice until you can spell correctly all the words 
 in your vocabulary.
 
 MISCELLANEOUS EXAMPLES OF FAULTY 
 
 ENGLISH 
 
 For Discussion and Correction 
 
 Each was to within one year of the date when they were 
 fighting in the forest near Athens collect one hundred 
 knights. 
 
 Shakespeare could have straightened out the weak 
 points. 
 
 Such fun to hear the -wind rush by as you drop down, 
 and then the shower of snow that flies up as you reach the 
 bottom. 
 
 Up and down the coast for miles we go. Sailing when 
 there is wind or paddling when it is calm. 
 
 A sentence is a group of words with a verb and which 
 makes sense. 
 
 Flintwinch was her business partner, although the lady 
 was its real head. 
 
 The active voice is better where it can be used. Espe- 
 cially in useing the names of cities. 
 
 A well inclined young man, and whose good-breeding is 
 founded on principles of nature and virtue, must needs 
 take delight in being agreeable to his elders. 
 
 Any one anticipating having plans gotten out, buildings 
 overhauled or repaired, we would be glad to have you call 
 or write us. 
 
 At fifteen I was sent to the University and staid there 
 
 172
 
 EXAMPLES OF FAULTY ENGLISH 
 
 for some time ; but a drum passing by, being a lover of 
 music, I enlisted myself for a soldier. 
 
 Although near to Yale, there are reasons why a large 
 university is not desirable. 
 
 When three years old we moved from the farm to 
 New York. 
 
 The Earl had refused at the outset to help the poor 
 leper, thus refusing to do what Christ had commanded 
 to be done. 
 
 By giving my family names you would be none the wiser. 
 
 This year was the most enjoyable of any of the preceding 
 years. 
 
 It seems that Silas was subject to a decease. 
 
 Unity is that quality of a sentence which makes the 
 reader feel that the sentence is a unit. To do this 
 you should keep to the same thought throughout the 
 entire sentence. 
 
 During my summer vacations I have always worked on 
 the farm and driven a dairy wagon. 
 
 She went to that princess's chamber, whom she found 
 already dressed. 
 
 Being of a quiet disposition, my leisure was spent in 
 reading. 
 
 I was not conscience of having done wrong. 
 
 After drying our clothes on brush and trees near the 
 shore, and the wind had gone down sufficiently to go 
 safely across the lake, we decided to push off from 
 shore. 
 
 After this year I advanced study, and in the meanwhile 
 acquiring knowledge. 
 
 While yet an infant my parents moved into the suburbs. 
 
 I am by birth a New Englander, though a large part of 
 my life has been spent in the Middle West. 
 
 Later in the play when a letter supposedly from 
 Benedick is put into Beatrice's hands and how her friends 
 
 173
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 stuff her by telling her of Benedick's love in order to make 
 a match. 
 
 Growing older my tastes narrowed. 
 
 He had been able to get a place on the Glee Club as 
 first base. 
 
 The melodrama is a drama in which the action is such 
 that it stirs the mind to emotions by the use of vulgar, 
 stirring, and tragetic scenes. 
 
 Being in moderate circumstances the saving is a decided 
 help. 
 
 This only goes to show that just because we think 
 democracy is all right that it is. 
 
 Gareth when he first entered the service of King Arthur 
 was put in the kitchen to serve as a nave. 
 
 Also the article about the Bible where a man spends 
 three years looking through the bible to find if slaves are 
 not allowed. 
 
 Samuel Johnson was a protege of learning. 
 
 Perhaps one of the greatest problems of man is life. 
 For centuries different questions have tried to be answered 
 concerning this fact, but always a doubtful thought has 
 been left. 
 
 God strickens Job with boils, thus producing him to a 
 state of wretchedness. 
 
 He endeavored to cash the check at the drug store, but 
 the olerk refused to do so. 
 
 He drove away in the team with the sheriff. 
 
 The witches showed Macbeth three aberrations. 
 
 While he could not find a publisher who would intro- 
 duce him to the world complete he was cut to pieces 
 and produced limb by limb in Fraser's Magazine. 
 
 A new party had sprung up called Chartism. 
 
 His life ended at the Annan Grammar School, he came 
 
 home only to start out once more. 
 
 Carlyle's parentage dates far back. 
 
 174
 
 EXAMPLES OF FAULTY ENGLISH 
 
 How would a father who is sacrificing everything to give 
 his son a college education, if he should perceive that his 
 son's college education had been a failure because the 
 latter had made the fatal mistake of not choosing a profes- 
 sion or if he had chosen one, he should not desire to 
 devote himself to it when he left college because he 
 didn't like or because there was more money in some 
 other vocation. 
 
 Each helped themselves to whatever they saw. 
 
 I knew a great deal of the student life here and that 
 the faculty was an excellent one both of which are very 
 important questions in deciding a college. 
 
 Leaving the road the old observatory attracts the 
 attention. 
 
 Shakespeare does not have as much biblical illusion in 
 his work as Milton has. 
 
 I removed the period and replaced it by a coma. 
 
 The lines taken in pairs were rhythmatic. 
 
 The revels he refers to are namely the murders or rather 
 the deaths of that same night. 
 
 Clive possessed wonderful courage and an enervating 
 influence over his men. 
 
 In this poem the author has a madness which he calls 
 Maud. 
 
 Jenny Jones was accused of being the illegitimate mother 
 of Jones. 
 
 This story shows the effect on the family of a daughter 
 flirting with another man. 
 
 Dr. Johnson was a very bright purple at school. 
 
 Leaving the campus and strolling about the town, the 
 most interesting places are the Fraternity houses. 
 
 In the various poems with "Lucy" as the principle 
 theme, there is a peculiar charm that grips the reader 
 within himself, and almost makes him like to read them. 
 
 L' Allegro means a light, gay and brilliant poem. It 
 12 175
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 starts in the morning and spends the day joyfully and at 
 night listens to poetry and music. II Penseroso means a 
 sad, mournful poem, which starts in the evening and 
 spends the evening listening to the nightengale and in the 
 daytime sleeps in some quiet place. 
 
 Then she lays down within to dream sweatly of Au- 
 cassin. 
 
 We did not suppose that you would want nearly so 
 much time afforded you and so that in the event that you 
 could not make a cash payment and had to close it with a 
 note, that it would be for any longer time than three or 
 four months. 
 
 Presuming that you are not heavy buyers of imported 
 Scotch whisky, Irish whisky, and Jamaica rum, and no 
 Store, Club, or Sideboard, no matter how large or small 
 is complete and up-to-date without more or less of the 
 above at prices ranging from $3 to $6 per gallon according 
 to proof or age, we beg to say that we started some time 
 ago, being direct importers ourselves, to supply retailers, 
 clubs and families at bottom prices. 
 
 Owing to our having four clothing stores, and the large 
 amount of goods we dispose of. we are obliged to buy in 
 very large quantities. 
 
 Silas Marner was in a deep stooper over the lose of his 
 money. 
 
 If the mohair is of fine quality I do not think washing 
 will shrink if well pressed. 
 
 I am going to marry, but not a rich man, but he is so 
 good to me and I can trust him on land and sea. 
 
 Toward the end of his days Eppie convinced him to be- 
 lieve in God and mankind, and this she finnaly succeeded 
 to do and before long Silas was attending church regular. 
 
 I enjoyed your talk on teaching children how and when 
 to eat exceedingly. 
 
 In the second half the visitors tied the score t^\ace, but 
 
 176
 
 EXAMPLES OF FAULTY El\GLlSH 
 
 in the last ten minutes of play the institute five took a 
 brace, and coupled with an injury to Algie, rolled up a 
 large score. 
 
 One of the party asked him to let the child in his care. 
 
 In the first place Brutus performed a tragedical act by 
 first killing Caesar. Which would not have happened if 
 he had not been the man that all the rest of the men were 
 waiting for to start things for they needed some one at 
 their head. 
 
 While I am writing one of my kits is playing with a 
 mouse he has just caught, while the angora looks on in 
 envy. He follows my husband around so that he calls 
 him his dog. He keeps at his heels, and as soon as he 
 stops rubs against his leg and of course leaves great long 
 hairs. It is cute to hear him scold if he is displeased. 
 He is like a peevish child. 
 
 Also he was the last of the conspirators to die and he 
 saw all the rest die or saw them after they were dead and 
 in some cases it was because they though he had lost the 
 fight so they killed them selves rather than be taken pris- 
 oners. Then after all he killed himself to end things. 
 
 Lycidas was written because of the sorrow Milton felt 
 for a friend of his what had been crossing between England 
 and Ireland. 
 
 I have a damp cellar and I suppose the dampness rises to 
 my kitchen or would it be better to vacate as all my tins 
 and flat-irons are rusted so I cannot use some of them. 
 
 Saw your request for sea-sickness. I know how you 
 feel, for I was that way myself ever since I was a Uttle 
 girl until about two years ago. 
 
 The spirit was sent to guard the passers of the wood 
 from Comus' enchantment, that is the good people who 
 like by God for what they had done. 
 
 A few of the stones thrown in gives them a nice flavor, 
 
 but skim them out before you can the latter. Seal tight. 
 
 177
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Portia is like the good Samaritan, and at the same time 
 utters many witty and pathetic speaches such as, "How 
 far that little caudle throws its beans." 
 
 Macbeth sees how easy it is to get the thrown, but 
 becomes fearful that some one will come between him and 
 his rain. 
 
 Marner's life was bare and dessolute. 
 
 The Earl of Bridgewater was about to possession of a 
 grant that had been given him. His daughter was going to 
 see it take place. 
 
 Lycidas was written by Milton when he was blind in 
 memory of something he had constantly on his mind. 
 
 Emerson praised Sartor Resartus, but Carlyle still be- 
 lieved in its great worth, and did not become down- 
 hearted. 
 
 The Prince was edicted to wierd seizures. 
 
 First of all I read the play through a second time. 
 
 America was a large and growing continent. 
 
 The soil was well tiled, especially along the boarder 
 lands. 
 
 The result of the duel was to be the hand of the Princess. 
 
 This person is also a Jew by birth as well as by pro- 
 fession. 
 
 Burns had to found a literature of his own before he 
 could write. 
 
 Carlyle considers Shakespeare greater than Dante. 
 Because Dante fought the battle and did not come out 
 victor. Carlyle means by this that Dante did not enjoy 
 life as he had no home. Shakespeare lived at court and 
 had all the pleasures that could possible come to him. 
 Shakespeare did not realize that he was great. Carlyle 
 also says of Shakespeare that it is he that holds England 
 together. They could lose India, but could never lose 
 Shakespeare. 
 
 True, he is weak enough to fall into the pools which are 
 
 178
 
 EXAMPLES OF FAULTY ENGLISH 
 
 distributed about mother earth or he would not be the 
 man the author wishes him to be; he would be some 
 supernatural being whom we could in no wise address. 
 
 I wrote to that lady, Dell, but I know not how much or 
 little I helped her, for she said she could not tell me. 
 And there it rests. You say your little girl whines; a 
 disagreeable element. Do you know what I should do 
 with her? I should let her whine. Simply be firm. 
 When you say yes, stick to it. When you say no, stick to 
 it also. That is best and easiest way out of it. I believe 
 the more one talks to a child for whining, the firmer foot- 
 hold has the whine to keep step with the child. 'Tis just 
 a little switching of the branch yourself the trunk; like the 
 trunk stand firm. Then when old boreas from his mad- 
 dened fury subsides, there comes the inevitable calm, in 
 which we find the tree in all its natural beauty. Erect 
 (according to its natural bent), perfect in outline, trunk, 
 branch and leaf. A thing beautiful to behold — and 
 stronger for the switching. Strange comparison, is it not? 
 However, characteristic of Uberty. 
 
 Democracy began her reign by feeling the public pulse, 
 and trimming her sails so as not to collide violently v/ith it. 
 
 Letting my slave have my sword he cut off the fellow's 
 head. 
 
 Bidding good-bye to his wife and family, the trap door 
 opened beneath him. 
 
 Denis tried to explain, but the old man would listen to 
 none. 
 
 HONOR IN ATHLETICS 
 
 The fellow, who plays the game fairly, is generally a 
 
 person who is respected a great deal. If he shows people 
 
 that he does not lose his head and keeps on playing as 
 
 hard as he can, he can be depended upon to be a dear and 
 
 close friend. Never is he thought any less of if he says 
 
 179
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 that the ruhng of the umpire was wrong. Though it 
 means the loss of the game. He will be criticized, but 
 people will respect him more in the long run. It shows 
 that he is clean. 
 
 Dean Briggs says that one thing why he is against 
 baseball is because a certain amount of professionalism 
 has crept into it. This is shown by the catcher, who pulls 
 the ball down to make the umpire think it is a strike. 
 Why is tennis called a gentleman's game. Because every- 
 thing is clean in it all the way through. If a man is a 
 gentleman, he is able to rectify the mistake of an umpire 
 by hitting the next ball out of bounds. Golf is a game 
 where a man is put upon his honor, as he keeps his own 
 score and to make his score lower would be dishonest. 
 
 So what is the winning of a mere game when such great 
 odds are at stake as honor.
 
 INDEX 
 
 Abbreviation, of and, 31. 
 
 of company, 31. 
 
 of et cetera, 32. 
 
 of military and civic titles, 
 
 31. 
 
 of Monsieur, 31. 
 
 of names of States and Ter- 
 ritories, 31. 
 
 , of professional titles, 32. 
 
 of Roman numerals, 32. 
 
 of sizes of books, 32. 
 
 — — of terms used in metric sys- 
 tem, 32. 
 
 Abbreviations. 31, 32. 
 
 and symbols in note-taking, 
 
 102. 
 
 in letters, 84. 
 
 , slangy, 70. 
 
 , unintelligible, 100, 
 
 Above, 72. 
 
 Absolute construction, 49, 50, 
 158. 
 
 Abstract noun, 138. 
 
 Accent, in verse, 122. 
 
 Accuracy, and consistency in 
 note-taking, 106. 
 
 in copying quotations, 105. 
 
 Accusative, cognate, 149. 
 
 Acknowledgment of sources of 
 material, 94. 
 
 Active voice, change to passive, 
 157. 
 
 defined, 145. 
 
 Added pages, numbering of, lOo. 
 
 Adjective-compound, 29. 
 
 Adjective, defined, 139. 
 
 modifier not to be used aa 
 
 adverb, 40. 
 
 modifiers of subject, 147. 
 
 nature of participle, 158. 
 
 , possessive, 142, n. 
 
 , predicate, 148. 
 
 -, restrictive, punctuation, 10. 
 
 Adjectives, capitalized in titles, 
 16, 17. 
 
 , comparison of, 143, 144. 
 
 , compound, 28. 
 
 , degree of, 143. 
 
 , irregular comparison of, 
 
 144. 
 
 of color, 29. 
 
 , order of as determining 
 
 punctuation, 11. 
 
 Adverb defined, 139. 
 
 Adverbial clause incorrectly used 
 for predicate noun, 43. 
 
 Adverbial modifiers of predicate, 
 147. 
 
 Adverbs, capitalized in titles, 17. 
 
 , comparison of, 144. 
 
 — — , not hyphenated with ad- 
 jectives, 28. 
 
 Advise for tell in letters, 90. 
 
 Affected diction, 71. 
 
 Aggravate, 72. 
 
 Agreement in number of verb, 
 151. 
 
 Alexandrine, 134. 
 
 AlUteration, definition, 123. 
 
 AU right, 72. 
 
 Allude, 72. 
 
 Ahna mater, 72. 
 
 181
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Alphabetical list of errors in dic- 
 tion, 72-81. 
 
 Analysis, incomplete in outlines, 
 110. 
 
 Anapest, definition, 124, 
 
 Anapestic lines, 128. 
 
 And, clauses joined by, effect on 
 unity, 53. 
 
 , comma before, in series of 
 
 words, 11. 
 
 does not express relationship 
 
 between clauses, 45-48. 
 — not a useful connective in 
 outlining, 111. 
 
 not to be used instead of to, 
 
 72. 
 
 , when written &, 31. 
 
 And so forth, how abbreviated, 32. 
 
 "And which" construction, 48- 
 49. 
 
 Antecedent of pronoun, 138, n. 
 
 Ante, joined without hyphen, 30. 
 
 Anticlimax, definition, 54, n. 
 
 Anti, joined without hyphen, 30. 
 
 Antithesis, definition, 55. 
 
 help to emphasis, 55. 
 
 Apposition, noun in, 149. 
 
 Appositives, 149. 
 
 Appreciate, 72. 
 
 Apt, 72. 
 
 Arabic numerals, use of in out- 
 lining, 109. 
 
 Argumentation, process illus- 
 trated by diagram, 116. 
 
 Argumentative outline, 112-118. 
 
 Argument, phrasing of proposi- 
 tion, 113. 
 
   , method of, 112. 
 
 Artny, capitalization, 19. 
 
 Article, capitalized in titles, 16, 
 17. 
 
 , defined, 140. 
 
 Artificial diction, 71. 
 
 As, adverbial force of, 77. 
 
 , meaning of, 73. 
 
 As . . . as, 73. 
 
 As follows, quotations introduced 
 by, 14. 
 
 Author and subject catalogues, 
 96, 97. 
 
 Authors, pen names in quota- 
 tions, 15. 
 
 Auxiliaries, future, use of, 36-38. 
 
 Auxiliary verbs, 146. 
 
 B 
 
 Back of, 73. 
 
 Bad taste in diction, 71. 
 Balance in sentence structure, 
 definition, 55. 
 
 , help to emphasis, 55. 
 
 Ballad meter, 131. 
 
 Barbarism defined, 35. 
 
 Because used instead of that, 73. 
 
 Because of instead of due to, 40, 
 73. 
 
 Before subjunctive in clauses in- 
 troduced by, 156. 
 
 Begin, 74. 
 
 Beginning of sentence emphatic, 
 53. 
 
 Bibliographies, use of, 98. 
 
 Blank verse, defined, 136. 
 
 , exercises for practice in, 
 
 128, 129. 
 
 in stanza form, 136. 
 
 Books, faulty English of, 1. 
 
 of general reference, 98. 
 
 , titles of in Italic, 15. 
 
 Branches of government, capital- 
 ization of names of, 19. 
 
 Brief, or argumentative outhne, 
 112-118. 
 
 , conclusion of, 116. 
 
 , connectives in, 117. 
 
 , definition of terms in, 113, 
 
 115. 
 
 , diagram of, 116. 
 
 , exclusion of irrelevant mat- 
 ter from, 115. 
 
 , facts admitted by both 
 
 sides in, 115. 
 
 , introduction to, 114, 115. 
 
 , origin of question in, 115. 
 
 , parts of, 114, 116. 
 
 182
 
 INDEX 
 
 Brief, or argumentative outline, 
 phrasing of proposition in, 113. 
 
 proper, 115, 116. 
 
 — — , relation between headings 
 in, 112. 
 -, structure of illustrated, 114. 
 
 Burns, characteristic stanza of, 
 133. 
 
 Business and personal letters, 82- 
 85. 
 
 Business letters, form of salu- 
 tation for, S3. 
 
 , forms of complimentary- 
 close for, 84. 
 
 , examples discussed, 86-90. 
 
 By in compounds, 29. 
 
 Can but, 73. 
 
 Cannot but, 73. 
 
 Cannot help but, 73. 
 
 Canto, definition, 122. 
 
 Capital letters, use of in outlin- 
 ing, 108. 
 
 Capitalization, 16-20. 
 
 of abstract nouns, 18. 
 
 of army, 19. 
 
 of characters in books, 19. 
 
 of church, 20. 
 
 of club, 20. 
 
 of college, 20. 
 
 of compound words, 20. 
 
 of foreign proper names, 19. 
 
 of geographical sections, 17. 
 
 —   — of government and branches, 
 19. 
 
 of holidays, 18. 
 
 of /, 18. 
 
 of Madame, 20. 
 
 of Monsieur, 20. 
 
 of names of the Deity, 17. 
 
 of names of important 
 
 events, 18. 
 
 • of names of important peri- 
 ods, 18. 
 
 of names of political parties, 
 
 19. 
 
 of navy, 20. 
 
 Capitalization of O, 18. 
 
 of poetry, 16. 
 
 of points of the compass, 17. 
 
 of proper names, 16. 
 
 of qualities, 18. 
 
 of quotations, 105. 
 
 of sentence, 16. 
 
 of society, 20. 
 
 of special days, 18. 
 
 of state, 19. 
 
 of titles of books, 16. 
 
 of titles of newspapers, 16. 
 
 of titles of plays, 16. 
 
 Card catalogue, use of, 96, 97. 
 
 Card-dictionary of notes made in 
 recitations, 103. 
 
 Card system, use of, 99-105. 
 
 Card used for note-taking, ex- 
 ample of, 104. 
 
 Cards, for note-taking on read- 
 ing, 104. 
 
 , use of for notes on recita- 
 tions, 103. 
 
 , use of in note -taking, 99, 
 
 100, 104, 105. 
 
 Carelessness in note-taking lead- 
 ing to apparent dishonesty, 93. 
 
 Carlyle quoted, 96. 
 
 Cases of pronouns, exercises in, 
 166. 
 
 Catalogues, use of, 96, 97. 
 
 , author, 96, 97. 
 
 , subject, 96, 97. 
 
 Cesura, definition, 123. 
 
 Chapter headings, use of, 98. 
 
 Characters, names in quotation, 
 15. 
 
 Chaucer, stanzas of, 133, 134. 
 
 Chaucerian stanza, 133. 
 
 Choice of words, 67-81. 
 
 Church, capitalization, 20. 
 
 Circumlocutions, pompous, trite, 
 68. 
 
 Classes, grammatical, of words. 
 138. 
 
 Classified exercises, 165-171. 
 
 Clause, definition, 147. 
 
 , dependent, definition, 147. 
 
 183
 
 4 GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Clause, end of emphatic, 53. 
 
 , independent, definition, 147. 
 
 , sentence written as, 42. 
 
 written as sentence, 42. 
 
 Clauses, addition of, after main 
 verb, 45. 
 
 as parts of speech, 144. 
 
 , comparative rank of, 4.5-48. 
 
 -, correspondence in sound be- 
 
 tween, 55. 
 
 dangling. 
 
 168. 
 
 exercises, 167, 
 
 joined by and, effect on 
 unity, 53. 
 
 — not restrictive, punctuation, 
 10. 
 
 - — out of normal order, punc- 
 tuation, 8. 
 
 — , punctuation of restrictive 
 and non-restrictive, exercises, 
 170. 
 
 of purpose, subjunctive in, 
 
 156. 
 
 51. 
 
 of purpose, tenses in, 153. 
 , relationship between, 44— 
 
 separated by comma, 7. 
 
 separated by semicolon, 7. 
 
 separated by colon, 7. 
 
 , series of, after main verb, 
 
 44. 
 
 Clearness in outline, how ob- 
 tained, 108. 
 
 in paragraph obtained by 
 
 connectives, 64. 
 
 Climax, definition, 54, n. 
 
 in sentence, 54, 55. 
 
 Close, complimentary, forms of, 
 for business letters, 84. 
 
 Cluh, capitalization, 20. 
 
 Co, joined without hyphen, 30. 
 
 Cognate, accusative, 149. 
 
 , object, 149. 
 
 Coherence, common violation of 
 in compound sentences, 45—48. 
 
 , exercises iUj 168. 
 
   , faults in, arising from loose 
 
 sentence structure, 44. 
 
 Coherence, lost in long series of 
 
 clauses, 45. 
 
 of paragraph, 64-66. 
 
 of periodic sentence, 45. 
 
 , relation to unity, 64. 
 
 of sentence, 45-51. 
 
 of sentence, definition, 44. 
 
 of sentence destroyed by 
 
 misuse of participle, 50. 
 
 of sentence destroyed by 
 
 misuse of pronouns, 50, 51. 
 — of sentence, correction of 
 faults in, 44, 45. 
 
 of whole composition, 65. 
 
 Collecting material, 93-106. 
 
 Collective nouns with singular or 
 plural verbs, 151. 
 
 College, capitalization, 20. 
 
 Colloquial contractions, 71. 
 
 Colon, between clauses, 7. 
 
 , use of in compound sen- 
 tence, 8. 
 
 in salutations of letters, 
 
 84. 
 Comma, between clauses, 7. 
 
 in complex sentences, 8. 
 
 in short simple sentences, 8. 
 
 , use of in a series of words, 1 1 . 
 
 , use of with figm-es, 34. 
 
 where words are omitted, 13. 
 
 with interpolated and pa- 
 
 renthetical expressions, 12. 
 
 "Comma sentence," 42. 
 
 Commas, sentence elements set 
 off by, 10. 
 
 Commence, 74. 
 
 Common noun, 138. 
 
 Company, when abbreviated, 31. 
 
 Comparative degree of adjec- 
 tives, 143. 
 
 Comparative rank of clauses, ex- 
 pression of, 45-48. 
 
 Comparison, expressed, 69. 
 
 , implied, 69. 
 
 Comparison of adjectives, 143, 
 144. 
 
 , irregular, 144. 
 
 Comparison of adverbs, 144. 
 
 184
 
 INDEX 
 
 Compass, points of, capitaliza- 
 tion, 17. 
 Compilation, wrong methods in, 
 
 93. 
 Complex sentence, definition, 
 
 151. 
 
 , punctuation, 8, 9. 
 
 , interrogative or exclama- 
 tory, punctuation of, 6. 
 Complex subject, punctuation, S. 
 Complimentary close, forms of, for 
 
 business letters, 84. 
 , forms of, for personal bt- 
 
 ters, 85. 
 Composition, whole, coherence 
 
 of, 65. 
 written illogically as one 
 
 paragraph, 63. 
 Compound adjectives, 28. 
 Compound sentence, definition, 
 
 151. 
 , internal punctuation of, 6- 
 
 8. 
 Compound sentences, exercises in 
 
 punctuation, 169. 
 Compound verb, 7. 
 Compound words, capitalization, 
 
 20. 
 
 , use of hyphen, 28-30. 
 
 Compulsion, expression of, 37. 
 Concessions, indicative in, 156. 
 — — , subjunctive in, 156. 
 Conclusion of brief, 116. 
 Concrete noun, 138. 
 Condition implied, 155. 
 Conditions, use of subjunctive in, 
 
 154, 155. 
 Conjunction, co-ordinating, aa 
 
 sentence connective, 47. 
 
 , defined, 139. 
 
 omitted, 7. 
 
 Conjunctions not capitalized in 
 
 titles, 16. 
 Connectives, between paragraphs, 
 
 65. 
 
 in argumentation, 112. 
 
 in the brief, 117. 
 
 — — , choice of, 47. 
 
 Connectives, list of classified, 47, 
 
 48. 
 
 in note-taking, 102. 
 
 in outhning, 110, 111. 
 
 in paragraphs, 64. 
 
 Consistency and accuracy in 
 
 note-taking, 106. 
 Consonant, tinal, when doubled 
 
 before suffix, 24. 
 Consonants, double and single, 
 
 effect on preceding vowel, 24. 
 Construction, absolute, 158. 
 
 correction of, in revision, 
 
 43. 
 
 of clauses and phrases, 144. 
 
 parallel, 49. 
 
 , shift of, in sentence, 43. 
 
 — — unfinished, 43. 
 
 weak, passive, 56-58. 
 
 , words or phrases without, 
 
 42. 
 
 Contractions, colloquial, 71. 
 
 Contradictory statements iu 
 notes, 102. 
 
 Contrast, development of para- 
 graph by, 62. 
 
 Conversation, paragraphing of, 
 61. 
 
 Co-ordinate, definition, 47. 
 
 Co-ordinate topics, indention of, 
 108. 
 
 Co-ordinating conjunction aa 
 sentence connective, 47. 
 
 Co-ordinating connectives, Ust of, 
 47-48. 
 
 Copula, 149. 
 
 Correct paragraphing and logical 
 thinking, 61. 
 
 Correlation, in outline, how ob- 
 tained, 108. 
 
 of ideas by outlining, 107. 
 
 Correlatives, weak use of, 39, 
 
 40. 
 
 , whether . . . or, 40. 
 
 Couplet, 130. 
 
 , heroic, 130. 
 
 Couplets of synonymous words, 
 
 69. 
 
 185
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 C!ourte8y in expression of com- 
 mands, 37. 
 Cunning, 74. 
 Cute, 74. 
 
 D 
 
 Dactyl, definition, 124. 
 
 Dactylic lines, I'll. 
 
 Dangling clauses, exercises, 167, 
 168. 
 
 Dangling participle, 50. 
 
 Daah, use of, 12. 
 
 , with colon in salutation of 
 
 letters, 84. 
 
 Date line, of business letter, 87. 
 
 of letter, 82. 
 
 written in figures, 90. 
 
 Dates, how written, 33. 
 
 Days, names of, capitalization, 
 18. 
 
 de in proper names, capitaliza- 
 tion, 19. 
 
 Declarative clauses in interroga- 
 tive or exclamatory sentence, 6. 
 
 Declarative sentence, defined, loO. 
 
 , punctuation of, 5. 
 
 Definition, development of para- 
 graph by, 62. 
 
 Definition of terms in brief, 113, 
 115. 
 
 Definitions, adverbial clause for 
 predicate noun in, 43. 
 
 Degree of adjectives, 143. 
 
 Deity, words standing for the 
 name of, 17. 
 
 Demean, 74. 
 
 Demonstrative pronouns, 142. 
 
 Dependent clause, definition, 147. 
 
 Details, irrelevant in sentence, 
 52. 
 
 Development of paragraph from 
 topic sentence, 62. 
 
 di in proper names, 'capitaliza- 
 tion, 19. 
 
 Diagram of brief, 116. 
 
   of process of argumentation, 
 
 116. 
 
 Diction, 67-81. 
 
 Diction, bad taste in, 71. 
 
 , errors in, alphabetical list, 
 
 72-81. 
 
 , stilted, affected, artificial, 
 
 71. 
 
 Dictionaries as sources of ma- 
 terial, 98. 
 
 Dictionary, caution in use of, 1, 2. 
 
 , consult for syllabication, 27. 
 
 , use of, 21, 22. 
 
 Different from, not than, 74. 
 
 Dilution, efi'ect of, in sentence^ 
 59. 
 
 Dimeter, anapestic, 128. 
 
 , dactylic, 127. 
 
 , trochaic, 125, 127. 
 
 Direct discourse, definition, 38, n. 
 
 Direct quotation, as object of 
 verb of saying, 13. 
 
 , punctuation, 13. 
 
 (lis- added wiihout change, 25. 
 
 Disagreement of subject and 
 verb, 43. 
 
 "Display of the verbal ward- 
 robe," 71. 
 
 Division of words, 27-30. 
 
 Double notation in outlines, 110. 
 
 Doubt that, not what, 74. 
 
 Draft, first, 2. 
 
 Drama, quotations from, punc- 
 tuation, 14. 
 
 Due to, 40, 73. 
 
 E 
 
 e, silent before a suffix, 23, 24. 
 
 Each other, 74. 
 
 Ease in paragraph obtained by 
 
 connectives, 64. 
 ei and ic, spelling of words in, 22. 
 Either, 75. 
 
 Elegiac stanza, 132. 
 Eleiiitdt, 75. 
 
 Elements of the sentence, 147. 
 Emphasis, acquired by repeated 
 
 word, 53, 54. 
 
 , definition, 53. 
 
 on beginning of sentences. 
 
 53. 
 
 186
 
 INDEX 
 
 Emphasig, on end of clause, 53. 
 
 , faults in, ariaing from loose 
 
 sentence structure, 44. 
 
 given by stress and pause, 
 
 53. 
 
 — helped by balance and an- 
 tithesis, 55. 
 
 -on idea by giving it space, 66. 
 
 -of loose sentence improved, 
 
 54. 
 
 in the paragraph, 66. 
 in the sentence, 53-58. 
 
 from short paragraph in 
 
 narration, 61. 
 
 in verse, 122. 
 
 on word out of normal or- 
 der, 55, 58. 
 
 Emphatic places in sentence, 53. 
 
 Emphatic words in emphatic 
 places, 53. 
 
 Encyclopedia as source of ma- 
 terial, 98. 
 
 End of clause emphatic, 53. 
 
 End of sentence emphatic, 53. 
 
 English, examples of faulty, 172- 
 180. 
 
 English literature, notes on reci- 
 tations in, 103. 
 
 Enthuse, 75. 
 
 Equally as, 75. 
 
 Errors in diction alphabetically 
 arranged, 72-81. 
 
 Esquire, position of, 84. 
 
 etc., proper form of abbreviation, 
 32. 
 
 , use of, 75. 
 
 Events, names of, capitalization, 
 18. 
 
 Evidence, development of para- 
 graph by, 62. 
 
 in the brief, 116, 117. 
 
 Examples, development of para- 
 graph by, 62. 
 
 of faulty English, 172-180. 
 
 Exclamatory sentence, defined, 
 150. 
 
 , punctuation, 6. 
 
 Exercises, classified, 165-171. 
 
 Exercises, for practice of versifi- 
 cation, 128, 129. 
 
 in punctuation of miscel- 
 
 laneous sentence, 170, 171. 
 
 Exeunt, 75. 
 
 Exhortations, subjunctive in, 156. 
 
 Exit, 75. 
 
 Explanation, development of par- 
 agraph by, 62. 
 
 not evidence, 117. 
 
 Exposition, method of finding in- 
 troduction in. 111, 112. 
 
 , purpose of introduction in. 
 
 111. 
 
 Expository outline, 107-112. 
 , introduction, 111. 
 
 Expressions, much-used, trite, 
 67-69. 
 
 F 
 
 Factor, 75. 
 
 Fact to be distinguished from 
 
 theory in notes, 102. 
 Facts admitted by both sides in 
 
 brief, 115. 
 Father, 75. 
 Faulty English, examples, 172- 
 
 180. 
 Feet, in verse, how named, 123. 
 
 , kinds of, in verse, 123-125. 
 
 Feminine ending, 126. 
 Figurative language, 69. 
 Figures of speech, 69. 
 Figures, numerical, use of, 33, 34. 
 Final consonant, when doubled 
 
 before suffix, 24. 
 Final y before a suffix, 25. 
 "Fine writing," 71. 
 Finite verb defined, 145, 146. 
 Fitzgerald, stanza of the "Ru- 
 
 baiyat," 132. 
 Five-line stanzas, 132. 
 Fix, 75. 
 
 Fold, joined without hyphen, 30. 
 Foot, in verse, definition, 122. 
 Foot-notes, form of, 95. 
 I , references in, 95. 
 
 187
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Foreign languages, notes on reci- 
 tations in, 103. 
 
 , trite phrases in, 69. 
 
 Foreign proper names, capitali- 
 zation, 19. 
 
 Foreign words and phrases in 
 Italic, 15. 
 
 Foreign words, list of those not 
 Italicized, 15. 
 
 Form of business and personal 
 letters, 82-85. 
 
 Form of references, 94, 95. 
 
 Formal invitations, 86. 
 
 Formal references, in the text, 95. 
 
 in foot-notes, 95. 
 
 Formal replies to invitations, 86. 
 
 Forms of complimentary close, 
 for business letters, 84. 
 
 for personal letters, 85. 
 
 Four-line stanza, 131. 
 
 Free verse, 136, 137. 
 
 Friend in salutations of letters, 83. 
 
 Further, 75. 
 
 Future action, how expressed, 
 36-38. 
 
 G 
 
 Generalities, 69. 
 
 General references, 94. 
 
 General reference books, 98. 
 
 Geographical sections, capitah- 
 zation, 17. 
 
 Gerund, defined, 146. 
 
 distinguished from parti- 
 ciple, 158. 
 
 modified by possessive noun. 
 
 40. 
 
 , syntax of, 158. 
 
 Go, 76. 
 
 Good and, 76. 
 
 Good use, definition, 1. 
 
 , principle of, 1. 
 
 , result of violation of, 2. 
 
 set down in negative terms, 
 
 1. 
 Got, 76. 
 Government and its branches, 
 
 capitalization, 19. 
 
 Grammar and idiom, distinction 
 
 between them, 35. 
 Grammar, definition, 138. 
 
 outUne of, for review, 138- 
 
 158. 
 
 Group of syllables, the foot, 122. 
 Guess, 76. 
 
 H 
 
 Had liefer, 155. 
 
 Had rather, 155. 
 
 Hackneyed metaphors, 70. 
 
 Hackneyed quotations, 68. 
 
 Handicap, 76. 
 
 Hanging indention, 108. 
 
 Hardly, 76. 
 
 He, inflection, 142. 
 
 Headings and subheadings, out- 
 line composed of, 107. 
 
 , indention of, in outline, 108. 
 
 , main, in outline, phrasing 
 
 of, 108. 
 
 of chapters or paragraphs, 
 
 98. 
 
 — - — , subordinate, in outline, 
 phrasing of, 108. 
 
 Healthful, 77. 
 
 Healthy, 77. 
 
 Her, 77. 
 
 "Heroic Couplet," 130. 
 
 Herself, use of, 39. 
 
 Hexameter, dactyUc, 127. 
 
 , iambic, 126. 
 
 , trochaic, 127. 
 
 Himself, use of, 39. 
 
 Honesty in written work, 93. 
 
 Home, 77. 
 
 Honorable, 79. 
 
 House, 77. 
 
 How to find material, 96. 
 
 Hyphen, use of, 28-30. 
 
 / capitalized, 18. 
 
 , inflection of, 142. 
 
 Iamb, definition, 123. 
 Iambic lines, examples, 126. 
 
 188 
 
 I
 
 INDEX 
 
 Iambic pentameter, practice in 
 writing, 128, 129. 
 
 Iambus, definition, 123. 
 
 Idea, emphasized by giving it 
 space, 66. 
 
 repeated in paragraph, 58. 
 
 , too many words for, 59. 
 
 Ideas, correlation by outlining, 
 107. 
 
 , preservation by outlining, 
 
 107. 
 
 , subordination of, in note- 
 taking, 101. 
 
 Idiom, defined, distinguished 
 from grammar, 35. 
 
 Idiomatic indefinite expressions, 
 39. 
 
 ie and ei, spelling of words in, 22. 
 
 Illegible handwriting in note- 
 taking, 100. 
 
 Illegibihty, 3. 
 
 Illustrations, development of par- 
 agraph by, 62. 
 
 Imperative sentence defined, 150. 
 
 Impersonal letters, 86. 
 
 ImpUed condition, 155. 
 
 Imphed verb, after conjunction, 
 41. 
 
 Impropriety, defined, 35. 
 
 Inaccuracy in note-taking, 101. 
 
 Incomplete analysis in outUnes, 
 110. 
 
 Incomplete thought indicated in 
 paragraphing, 61. 
 
 Indefinite expressions, idiomatic, 
 39. 
 
 Indefinite pronouns, 143. 
 
 Indented fine, quotation marks at 
 beginning of, 14. 
 
 Indention, hanging, 108. 
 
 of headings in outUne, 108. 
 
 — • — in note-taking, 102. 
 
 ^^ of paragraphs, 3. 
 
 Independent clause, definition, 
 147. 
 
 Index, how to use, 97, 98. 
 
 to psriodicfal literature, 97. 
 
 to books, 97, 98. 
 
 Indicative mode, definition, 145. 
 
 in concessions, 156. 
 
 Indirect discourse, definition, 
 38, n. 
 -, use of future auxiliaries in. 
 
 38. 
 Indirect object, 148. 
 
 in change from active to 
 
 passive, 157. 
 
 Individual, 77. 
 Infinitive, defined, 146. 
 
 "spUt," 40. 
 
 , substantive characteristics 
 
 of, 157. 
 — — -, syntax of, 157, 158. 
 , to as sign of, 158. 
 
 used to express purpose or 
 
 result, 157, 158. 
 
 , verbal and substantive in 
 
 nature, 157. 
 
 verbal characteristics of. 
 
 157 
 
 Inflection, 140-146. 
 
 , definition, 138. 
 
 of nouns, 140, 141. 
 
 of personal pronouns ,142. 
 
 of pronouns, 141-143. 
 
 of verbs, 144-146. 
 
 InformaUty of effect of loose sen- 
 tence, 44. 
 
 "In Memoriam," stanza of, 132. 
 
 "In reply would say," 84, 87. 
 
 Inspired language, future auxil- 
 iaries in, 37, 38. 
 
 Intensive and reflexive pronouns, 
 use of, 39. 
 
 Intensive pronouns, 143. 
 
 Inter joined without hyphen, 
 30. 
 
 Interjection defined, 140. 
 
 Internal punctuation of sen- 
 tences, 6-15. 
 
 Internal rhyme, definition, 123. 
 
 Interpolated and parenthetical 
 expressions, punctuation of, 12. 
 
 Interrogation mark for interrog- 
 ative sentence, 6. 
 
 Interrogative pronouns, 143. 
 
 189
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Interrogative sentence, defined, 
 150. 
 
 , punctuation, 5. 
 
 Intransitive verb defined, 148. 
 
 Introduction to brief, 114, 115. 
 
 in exix)sition, method of 
 
 finding, 111, 112. 
 
 in expository outline. 111. 
 
 , purpose of in exposition. 111. 
 
 Invitations, formal, 86. 
 
 Irregular comparison of adjec- 
 tives, 144. 
 
 Irrelevant details in sentence, 52. 
 
 Irrelevant matter, exclusion of 
 from brief, 115. 
 
 -ish, color-adjectives in, 29. 
 
 It, in idiomatic indefinite expres- 
 sions, 39. 
 
 incorrectly used without 
 
 antecedent, 38. 
 
 , inflection, 140. 
 
 with impersonal verbs, 77. 
 
 -, possessive of, 77. 
 
 Italian sonnet, 135. 
 Italic, use of, 14, 15. 
 
 James I., stanza of, 133. 
 Jotting, topical, not trustworthy, 
 107. 
 
 K 
 
 Keats, sonnet of, 135, 136. 
 Kind limited by this or that, 39. 
 Kind of, 77. 
 Kinds, of feet in verse, 123-125. 
 
 of fines in verse, 125-128. 
 
 of sentences (grammatical). 
 
 150. 
 
 of stanzas, 130-136, 
 
 la in foreign proper names, cap- 
 italization, 19. 
 
 Language, figiu-ative, 69. 
 
 Latin prefixes, list of, joined with- 
 out hyphen, 30. 
 
 Lay, 77. 
 
 , exercise in the use of, 165. 
 
 Legibifity of notes, 102. 
 
 Liefer, 155. 
 
 Lest, subjunctive in clauses in- 
 troduced by, 156. 
 
 Letter, business, form of saluta- 
 tion for, 83. 
 
 , date line of, 82. 
 
 , signature of, 85. 
 
 Letters, abbreviations in, 84. 
 
 , business, examples dis- 
 cussed, 86-90. 
 
 , impersonal, 86. 
 
 -, personal, forms of compfi- 
 
 mentary close for, 85. 
 -, punctuation of salutation, 
 
 84. 
 
 , quoted, punctuation, 14. 
 
 , salutations of begirming 
 
 with My, 83. 
 Letter-writing, 82-90. 
 Liable, 73. 
 Liable for, 73. 
 Liable to, 73. 
 
 Library, how to use, 96, 97. 
 Lie, 77. 
 , exercises in the use of, 
 
 165. 
 Like, 77. 
 joined without hyphen, 
 
 30. 
 Line in verse, definition, 1*^*^. 
 Lines, anapestic, 128. 
 
 , dactylic, 127. 
 
 , notes on, made on cards, 
 
 103. 
 
 , poetic, how named, 125. 
 
 , spacing of, 3. 
 
 of verse, kinds of, 125-128. 
 
 List, alphabetical, of errors in 
 
 diction, 72-81. 
 of words often misspelled, 
 
 25, 26. 
 Literature, notes on recitations 
 
 in, 103. 
 Ix)cal usage, 2. 
 Long meter, 131. 
 
 190
 
 INDEX 
 
 Long stanzas, 133-135. 
 
 Long vowels do not occur before 
 
 double consonants, 24. 
 Loose-leaf note-book, 99. 
 Loose sentence, definition, 44. 
 , emphasis of, how improved, 
 
 54. 
 •ly added without change, 24. 
 
 M 
 
 Mad, 78. 
 
 Madam in salutations of letters 
 83. 
 
 Madame capitalized, 20. 
 
 Magazines, names in Italic, 15. 
 
 Main heading in outline, phras- 
 ing of, 108. 
 
 Manuscript, 3, 4. 
 
 Margins, 3. 
 
 Mass. See Emphasis. 
 
 Material, collecting, 93-106. 
 
 , how to find, 96. 
 
 May, tense of in clauses of pur- 
 pose, 153. 
 
 Measure of verse, 121. 
 
 Mention, 72. 
 
 Messrs. in salutations of letters, 
 83. 
 
 Metaphor, definition, 69. 
 
 , mixed, 69, 70. 
 
 Metaphors, hackneyed, 70. 
 
 Meter, definition, 121. 
 
 , time part of, 122. 
 
 Method of finding introduction in 
 exposition. 111, 112. 
 
 Metric system, abbreviations 
 used in, 32. 
 
 Might, tense of, in clauses of pur- 
 pose, 153. 
 
 mis- added without change, 25. 
 
 Misspelled words, list of, 25, 26. 
 
 Misspelling, habitual, overcom- 
 ing of, 21. 
 
 Mixed metaphor, 70. 
 
 Mode, indicative, 145. 
 
 , subjunctive, 145, 154-157. 
 
 , syntax of, 154-157. 
 
 of verb, 145. 
 
 Modifiers, not restrictive, puno 
 tuation, 10. 
 
 of object, 148. 
 
 of subject and predicate, 
 
 147. 
 
 Modifying clauses, 9-10. 
 
 , definition, 9. 
 
 , punctuation, 10. 
 
 Monosyllabic words, effect of, 
 unnecessary, 59. 
 
 Monsieur capitalized, 20. 
 
 , when abbreviated, 31. 
 
 My, salutations of letters begin- 
 ning with, 83. 
 
 Myself, use of, 39. 
 
 N 
 
 Namely, quotations introduced 
 
 by, 14. 
 Names, capitaUzation of, 18, 19. 
 
 of army and divisions, 19. 
 
 of days, 18. 
 
 of important events and 
 
 periods, 18. 
 of foreign 
 
 19. 
 
 proper names, 
 
 — of government and branch- 
 es, 19. 
 
 — of political parties, 19. 
 
 — of seasons, 18. 
 of States, when abbreviated. 
 
 31. 
 
 of States, proper abbreviar 
 tions for, 31. 
 Narration, emphasis in, 61. 
 Navy, capitalization, 20. 
 Nerve, 78. 
 -ness, added without change, 
 
 24. 
 Newspapers, faulty English of, 1. 
 , names of, in Italic, 15. 
 
 Nominative predicate, 148. 
 Non-restrictive clauses, 9-10. 
 
 , definition, 9. 
 
 exercises in punctuation of 
 
 170. 
 
 punctuation^ 10. 
 
 13 
 
 191
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Normal order, clauses or sentence 
 elements out of, 8. 
 
 , word out of, 55, 56. 
 
 Northerner capitalized, 18. 
 
 Notation, double, in outlines, 
 110. 
 
 to indicate correlation in 
 
 outline, 108, 109. 
 
 in outlines, importance of 
 
 single system, 109. 
 
 in outlining, method of, 108, 
 
 109. 
 
 , purpose in outlining, 107. 
 
 Note-book, loose-leaf, 99. 
 
 Notes, numbering pages of, 106. 
 
 on recitations made on 
 
 cards, 103. 
 
 Note-taking, 98-106. 
 
 , abbreviations and symbols, 
 
 in, 102. 
 
 , carelessness and dishon- 
 esty in, 93. 
 
 , consistency and accuracy 
 
 in, 106. 
 
 , illegible handwriting in, 
 
 100. 
 
 , inaccuracy in, 100, 101. 
 
 , indention in, 102. 
 
 on lectures, 100-103. 
 
 , paragraphing in, 101, 102. 
 
 , prevalent faults in, 100. 
 
 on reading, 104-106. 
 
 on reading, form of refer- 
 ences in; example, 105. 
 
 on recitation ; example, 104. 
 
 on recitations, 103, 104. 
 
 on recitations in hterature, 
 
 103. 
 
 , references in lectures, 103. 
 
 , subordination of ideas in, 
 
 101, 102. 
 , theory to be distinguished 
 
 from fact, 102. 
 
 , topic sentence in, 101. 
 
 , transitions, connectives, and 
 
 summaries in, 102 
 , unintelligible abbreviations 
 
 in, 100. 
 
 Note-taking, use of cards or shpa 
 
 in, 99-105. 
 
 , value of legibility in, 102. 
 
 Noun, in absolute construction. 
 
 158. 
 
 , abstract, 138. 
 
 , collective, agreement of 
 
 verb with, 151. 
 
 , common, 138. 
 
 , concrete, 138. 
 
 , defined, 138. 
 
 hyphenated to 
 
 name of 
 color, 29. 
 
 — , inflection of, 140, 141. 
 ■, personified, capitalization, 
 
 18. 
 
 — , possessive modifying ger- 
 und, 40. 
 — , proper, 138. 
 — , verbal, 146. 
 — , verbal, gerund as, 158. 
 , verbal, infinitive as, 157. 
 
 Noun-compound, 28. 
 Number of verb, 145. 
 , agreement of verb with 
 
 subject in, 151. 
 Number of words too great for 
 
 idea, 59. 
 
 O 
 
 capitalized, IS. 
 
 Object, cognate, 149. 
 
 , indirect, 148. 
 
 , indirect, in change from ac- 
 tive to passive, 157. 
 
 , modifiers of, 148. 
 
 of participle, 158. 
 
 of preposition in objective 
 
 case, 41. 
 
 of preposition distinguished 
 
 from subject of implied verb, 
 41. 
 
 of verb in objective case, 40. 
 
 of verb, defined, 147 
 
 _- . , — .J ,. 
 
 Objective case, for object of verb, 
 
 40. 
 , for object of preposition, 
 
 41. 
 
 192
 
 INDEX 
 
 Obsolete, 2. 
 
 Octave of sonnet, 135. 
 
 Omission of words in letter- 
 writing, 84. 
 
 Omissions in quotations, indica- 
 tion of, 105. 
 
 Omitted conjunction, punctua- 
 tion, 7. 
 
 Omitted words, punctuation, 13. 
 
 One another, 74. 
 
 Only, 78. 
 
 Or, omitted with whether, 40. 
 
 Order of adjectives, significance 
 in punctuation, 11. 
 
 , normal, word out of, 55, 56. 
 
 Organizing material, 107-118. 
 
 Origin of question, in brief, 115. 
 
 Ottava Rima, 135. 
 
 Outline, argumentative, 112-118. 
 
 , exp>oaitory, 107-112. 
 
 , clearness in, how obtained, 
 
 108. 
 
 , connectives in, 110, 111. 
 
 , correlation in, 108. 
 
 , double notation in, 110. 
 
 , expository introduction, 111. 
 
 , incomplete analysis in, 1 10. 
 
 , indention of co-ordinate 
 
 topics in, 108. 
 — , indention of headings in, 
 
 108. 
 — -, method of notation in, 108, 
 
 109. 
 
 — , parallel phrasing in, 108. 
 -, phrasing of subheading in. 
 
 108. 
 , phrasing of main heading 
 
 in, 108. 
 , position and notation of 
 
 headings, 107. 
 
 , purpose and value of, 107. 
 
 , value of, 107. 
 
 Outlining, 107-118. 
 
 Pages added, numbering of, 106. 
 of notes, numbering of, 106. 
 
 Paradigm of strong verb, 160- 
 
 164. 
 Paragraph, clearness and ease 
 
 obtained by connectives, 64. 
 
 , coherence of, 64r-66. 
 
 coherence, relation to unity, 
 
 64. 
 
 — , connectives in, 64. 
 — , development of, by, 62. 
 — , emphasis in, 66. 
 — of one sentence, 61. 
 — , position of topic sentence 
 in, 66. 
 
 — , quoted, punctuation of, 14. 
 — , repetition of idea in^ 58. 
 -, short, for emphasis m nar- 
 
 ration, 61. 
 -, simimarizing sentence of, 
 
 64. 
 
 61. 
 
 -, transition, of one sentence, 
 
 L. 
 
 -, unity of, 63, 64. 
 
 , whole composition written 
 
 as, 63. 
 Paragraphing, 61-66. 
 
 , correct, 61. 
 
 , incorrect, indication of in- 
 complete thought, 61. 
 
 in note-takingj 101, 102. 
 
 Paragraphs, connectives between, 
 65. 
 
 , spacing of, 3. 
 
 , transitions between, 65. 
 
 Parallel construction, 49. 
 Parallel phrasing in outline, 108. 
 Parallel structure, 49. 
 Parenthesis, use of, 12. 
 Parenthetical expressions, punc- 
 tuation, 12. 
 Participle, in absolute construc- 
 tion, 158. 
 
 , adjective nature of, 158. 
 
 , dangling or suspended, un- 
 attached to noun, 50. 
 
 , defined, 146. 
 
 , direct object of, 158. 
 
 -, distinguished from gerund, 
 
 158. 
 
 183
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Participle, syntax of, 158. 
 
 , verbal nature of, 158. 
 
 Parties, political, names capital- 
 ized, 19. 
 
 Parts of the brief, 114r-116. 
 
 Parts, principal, of verb, 146. 
 
 Parts of speech, 138-140. 
 
 , clauses and phrases as, 144. 
 
 named, 1.38. 
 
 Passive construction, how to 
 avoid, 56, 57. 
 
 J objections to, 57, 58. 
 
 Passive voice, change to, from 
 active, 157. 
 
 J defined, 145. 
 
 Passive, weak construction, 56- 
 58. 
 
 Pause, emphasis given by, 53. 
 
 Pencil, MS. written in, 4. 
 
 Pentameter, anapestic, 128. 
 
 , dactylic, 127. 
 
 , iambic, 126. 
 
 , iambic, practice of, 128, 129. 
 
 , trochaic, 127. 
 
 P&r, 79. 
 
 Per cent., form of expression with, 
 34. 
 
 Period at end of declarative sen- 
 tence, 5. 
 
 Periodic sentence, definition, 44. 
 
 Periodic structure of sentence 
 gives coherence, 45. 
 
 Periods, names of, capitaUzation, 
 18. 
 
 Periods of time, how written, 33, 
 34. 
 
 Person, agreement of verb in, 152. 
 
 , of pronouns, definition, 141. 
 
 , of verb, 145. 
 
 Personal letters, 82-85. 
 
 , forms of complimentary 
 
 close for, 85. 
 
 Personal pronouns, inflection, 
 142. 
 
 Personified nouns, capitalization, 
 18. 
 
 Personified qualities, capitaUza- 
 tion, 18. 
 
 Petrarchan sonnet, 135. 
 
 Phrase, definition, 147. 
 
 Phrases, foreign, in Italic, 15. 
 
 , not restrictive, punctua- 
 tion, 10. 
 
 , notes on, made on cards, 
 
 103. 
 
 — — • as parts of speech, 144. 
 
 , trite, 67, 68. 
 
 -, trite, in foreign languages, 
 
 69. 
 
 — and words without con- 
 struction in the sentence, 42. 
 and words to be put in 
 
 Italic, 15. 
 
 Phrasing, parallel, in outline, 108. 
 
 Places, emphatic, in sentence, 53. 
 
 Platitudes, 69. 
 
 Plural, formation of, 23. 
 
 , words in o, 23. 
 
 , words in quy and y, 23. 
 
 Poetry, capitalization, 16. 
 
 , nature of, 121. 
 
 , punctuation of quotations 
 
 from, 14. 
 
 Points of the compass, capitali- 
 zation, 17. 
 
 , how hyphenated, 30. 
 
 Political parties, names capital- 
 ized, 19. 
 
 Position of headings in outline, 
 107. 
 
 Position of topic sentence in para- 
 graph, 66. 
 
 Positive degree of adjectives, 
 143. 
 
 Possessive adjective, 142, n. 
 
 Possessive noun modifying ger- 
 und, 40. 
 
 Possessive pronoun, 142, n. 
 
 Prayers, subjunctive in, 156. 
 
 pre joined without hyphen, 30. 
 
 Predicate adjective, 148. 
 
 Predicate, definition, 147. 
 
 , modifiers of, 147. 
 
 nominative, 148. 
 
 noun, adverbial clause in- 
 correctly used for, 43. 
 
 194
 
 INDEX 
 
 Prefixes added without change, 
 25. 
 
 Preposition, defined, 139. 
 
 not capitalized in titles, 16. 
 
 , object of, in objective case, 
 
 41. 
 
 , object of, distinguished 
 
 from subject of implied verb, 
 41. 
 
 — - — •, redundancy of in common 
 phrases, 60 
 
 Pretty for rather, 79. 
 
 Principal parts of verb, 146. 
 
 Printers' rules for division of 
 words, 27. 
 
 Promise, future auxiliary in, 36. 
 
 Pronoun, in absolute construc- 
 tion, 158. 
 
 , defined, 138. 
 
   / capitalized, 18. 
 
 , possessive, 142, n. 
 
 — • — , referring to implied noun, 
 50, 51. 
 
 Pronouns, antecedents of, exer- 
 cises, 167. 
 
 , cases, exercises in, 166. 
 
 , classification and inflection, 
 
 141-143. 
 
 , demonstrative, 142. 
 
 , gender of, defined, 141, 142. 
 
 — — , indefinite, 143. 
 
 -, indefinite and reflexive, use 
 
 of, 39. 
 
 , intensive, 143. 
 
 , interrogative, 143. 
 
 , not to be omitted in letter- 
 writing, 84. 
 
 , person of, defined, 141. 
 
 , personal, inflection, 142. 
 
 — — -, reflexive, 143. 
 
 — — -, relative, 142. 
 
 "Proof-reader's eye," 2. 
 
 Proper names, foreign, capitali- 
 zation, 19. 
 
 Proper noun, 138. 
 
 Prophetic language, future auxil- 
 iaries in, 37, 38. 
 
 Proposition, 79. 
 
 Proposition, in argument, 112, 
 113. 
 
 Prosody, 121-137. 
 
 Proverbs, 69. 
 
 Punctuation, 5-15. 
 
 an aid to expression, 5. 
 
 of complex sentences, 8, 9. 
 
 , compound sentences, ex- 
 ercises, 169. 
 
 , where conjunction is omit- 
 ted, 7. 
 
 of declarative sentence, 5. 
 
 of exclamatory sentence, 6. 
 
 , internal, of sentences, 6-15. 
 
 of interpolated and paren- 
 
 thetical expressions, 12. 
 
 — of interrogative sentence, 5. 
 — , long, complex subject, 8. 
 
 — of modifying clauses, 10. 
 of non-restrictive modifiers. 
 
 10. 
 
 — of quotation within quota- 
 tion, 14. 
 
 — of quotations, 13, 14. 
 
 — in quotations, accuracy in 
 copying, 105. 
 
 of quotations from drama. 
 
 14. 
 
 — of quoted letters, 14. 
 
 — of quoted paragraph, 14. 
 
 — of quoted stanza, 14. 
 
 — of restrictive adjective, 10. 
 
 — of restrictive and non- 
 restrictive clauses, 9. 
 
 — of restrictive and non-re- 
 strictive clauses, exercises, 170. 
 
 — of salutation of letters, 
 
 84. 
 
 of sentence containing de- 
 clarative with interrogative or 
 exclamatory clauses, 6. 
 — of simple sentences, 8. 
 — , terminal, 5. 
 
 -, test by order of adjectives. 
 
 11. 
 
 13. 
 
 where words are omitted, 
 of words in series, 11. 
 
 195
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Purpose, expressed by infinitive, 
 
 157, 158. 
 , subjunctive in clauses of, 
 
 156. 
 , tenses in clauses of, 153. 
 
 Q 
 
 Qualities, personified, capitaliza- 
 tion, 18. 
 
 Quatrain, 131. 
 
 Question, future auxiliary in, 36, 
 37. 
 
 , origin of, in brief, 115. 
 
 Quit, 79. 
 
 Quite, 79. 
 
 Quotation, omission in, how in- 
 dicated, 105. 
 
 of paragraph, punctuation, 
 
 14. 
 
 within quotation, punctua- 
 tion, 14. 
 
 Quotation marks, honesty in use 
 of, 93. 
 
 for titles, etc., 15. 
 
 , use of, 14, 15. 
 
 Quotations, accuracy in copying, 
 105. 
 
 , capitalization, 16. 
 
 , copied in final form, 104, 
 
 105. 
 
 , hackneyed, 68. 
 
 -, punctuation, 13, 14. 
 
 Quoted conversation, paragraph- 
 ing, 61. 
 Quoted letters, punctuation, 14. 
 quy, plural of words in, 23. 
 
 R 
 
 Rank, comparative, of clauses, 
 
 47. 
 Re joined without hyphen, 30. 
 Reading, note-taking on, 104- 
 
 106. 
 Reason followed by that, 79. 
 Recitation, note on; example, 
 
 104. 
 
 Recitations, note-taking on, 103, 
 104. 
 
 in foreign languages, note- 
 
 taking on, 103. 
 Redundancy, 58. 
 
 of prepositions in common 
 
 phrases, 60. 
 
 Reference books, general, 98. 
 
 References, to be carefully noted 
 in lectures, 103. 
 
 , general, 94. 
 
 , form of, 94, 95. 
 
 , form of, in notes on read- 
 ing, 105. 
 
 , example, 105. 
 
 in the text, 95. 
 
 in foot-notes, 95. 
 
 , specific, 95. 
 
 -, vague and informal, 95. 
 
 Reflexive pronouns, 143. 
 Reflexive and intensive pronoxms, 
 
 use of, 39. 
 Relationship between clauses, 44- 
 
 51. 
 Relationship between head and 
 
 subhead in brief, 112. 
 Relative clause always subordi- 
 nate, 49. 
 Relative clause, incorrectly joined 
 
 by co-ordinating connective, 
 
 48. 
 Relative pronouns, 142. 
 Repeated word, emphasis on, 53, 
 
 54. 
 
 , remedy for, 54. 
 
 Repetition, 58-60. 
 
 of idea in paragraph, 58. 
 
 of word in sentence, 58. 
 
 Replies to formal invitations, 
 86. 
 
 Restrictive adjective, punctua- 
 tion, 10. 
 
 Restrictive clauses, &-10. 
 
 , definition, 9. 
 
 , punctuation, 10. 
 
 , punctuation, exercises, 170. 
 
 Result, expressed by infinitive, 
 157, 158. 
 
 196
 
 INDEX 
 
 Reverend, 79. 
 Revision, 2. 
 
 for correction of connec- 
 tives, 46-47. 
 
 of constructions, 43. 
 
 Rhyme, definition, 123. 
 
 scheme of sonnet, 135. 
 
 Rhythm, definition, 121. 
 
 Rime Royal, 133. 
 
 Roman numerals, as abbrevia- 
 tions, 32. 
 
 , use of, in outlining, 108. 
 
 -room, words in, how hyphenated, 
 30. 
 
 "Rubaiyat," stanza of, 132. 
 
 Rules for spelling, 22-25. 
 
 S 
 
 Said, meaning "already men- 
 tioned," 79. 
 
 Salutation, form of, for business 
 letters, 83. 
 
 Salutations of letters, beginning 
 with My, 83. 
 
 , punctuation of, 84. 
 
 Same for it in letters, 88. 
 
 Same as, 80. 
 
 Same as a pronoun, 80. 
 
 Sayings, trite, 69. 
 
 Scansion of verse, 122. 
 
 Seasons, names of, capitalization, 
 18. 
 
 Sections, geographical, capitali- 
 zation, 17. 
 
 Seldom with ever and never, 80. 
 
 Self joined with hyphen, 30. 
 
 Semicolon, between clauses, 7. 
 
 in series of words, 11. 
 
 Sentence, absolute construction 
 in, 49, 50. 
 
 , adverbial clause for predi- 
 cate noun in, 43. 
 
 , "and which" construction 
 
 of, 49. 
 
 , arrangement of, for climax, 
 
 54, 55. 
 
 , beginning of emphatic, 53. 
 
 Sentence, capitalization, 16. 
 
 , classification according to 
 
 structure, 150. 
 
 , clause standing as, 42. 
 
 , coherence of, 45. 
 
 -, coherence destroyed by 
 
 dangling participle, 50. 
 — , colloquial effect of loose 
 
 structure, 44. 
 — , "comma," 42. 
 — , compound, definition, 151. 
 -, compound, exercises in 
 
 punctuation of, 169. 
 
 — , compound, internal punc- 
 tuation of, 6, 8. 
 
 — , complex, definition, 151. 
 
 — , complex, punctuation, 8, 
 
 — , connectives, 47, 48. 
 
 — , declarative, defined, 150. 
 
 — , declarative, punctuation of, 
 
 5. 
 
 — , definition, 146. 
 — , disagreement of subject 
 
 and verb in, 43. 
 -, effect of unnecessary words 
 
 in, 59. 
 — , elements of, 147. 
 
 elements out of normal 
 
 order, 8. 
 — , emphasis helped by bal- 
 ance, 55. 
 -, emphasis helped by an- 
 
 tithesis, 55. 
 — , empahtic places in, 53. 
 — , end of emphatic, 53. 
 — , exclamatory, defined, 150. 
 — , exclamatory, punctuation 
 
 of, 6. 
 -, faults in arising from loose- 
 
 ness, 44. 
 
 — , imperative, defined, 150. 
 
 — , informality of loose struc- 
 ture, 44. 
 
 — , interrogative, defined, 150. 
 -, interrogtive, punctuation 
 
 of, 5. 
 — , irrelevant details in, 52. 
 
 197
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Sefltence, lacking unity, remedy 
 for, 52. 
 
 , loose, definition, 44. 
 
 , loose, emphasis improved, 
 
 54 
 
 , loose, not emphatic, 44. 
 
 , looseness of structure, 44. 
 
 , needless shift of construc- 
 tion in, 49. 
 -, needless shift of subject in, 
 
 52. 
 
 33 
 
 -, not to begin with figures, 
 
 5 
 
 -, a paragraph long, 61. 
 
 -, parallel structure of, 49. 
 
 -, periodic, definition, 44. 
 
 -, periodic structure of, 45. 
 
 -, predicate of, definition. 
 
 147. 
 
 — , rank of relative clause in, 
 
 49. 
 — , relationship between 
 
 clauses of, 44-51. 
 — , repetition of word in, 58. 
 — , shift of construction in, 
 
 43. 
 
 64. 
 
 -, simple, defined, 150. 
 -, simple, punctuation of, 8. 
 -, subject of, definition, 147. 
 -, summarizing, of paragraph. 
 
 — , suspense of meaning of, 44. 
 
 — , topic, development of para- 
 graph from, 62. 
 
 — , topic, in note-taking, 101. 
 
 — , topic, position of, in para- 
 graph, 66. 
 
 - — ■, topic, relation 
 
 to para- 
 graph unity, 63, 64. 
 -, unfinished constructions in. 
 
 43. 
 
 -, unity of, 45. 
 -, unity lost in 
 
 series of 
 clauses joined by ands, 53. 
 
 — , violation of unity in, 51-53. 
 
 — , words or phrases without 
 construction in, 42. 
 
 — , written as a clause, 42. 
 
 Sentences, 42-57. 
 
 , exercises in punctuation of, 
 
 170. 
 
 15. 
 
 -, internal punctuation of, 6- 
 
 -, kinds of ( grammatical ), 
 150. 
 - — -, spacing of, 3. 
 
 -, terminal punctuations of, 5. 
 
 Sequence of tenses, 152-154. 
 
 Series, words in, punctuation, 11. 
 
 Sestette of sonnet, 135. 
 
 Set, 80. 
 
 Set, exercises in the use of, 165, 
 166. 
 
 Seven-hne stanza, 133. 
 
 Shakespearian sonnet, 135. 
 
 Shall, exercises in the use of, 166. 
 
 and will, use of, 36-38. 
 
 She^ inflection, 142. 
 
 Shift of construction in sentence, 
 49. 
 
 Shift of subject in sentence, 52. 
 
 Ships, names in Italic, 15. 
 
 Short meter, 131. 
 
 Short sentences, complex, punc- 
 tuation, 8. 
 
 —, compound, punctuation, 7. 
 
 Short vowels, before single con- 
 sonants, 24. 
 
 , before double consonants, 
 
 24. 
 
 Shovld, use of to express futurity, 
 36, 38. 
 
 , tense in clauses of purpose, 
 
 153. 
 
 Signature of letter, position of, 
 85. 
 
 , form of, 85. 
 
 Signor capitalized, 20. 
 
 Silent e, when dropped before 
 suffix, 23. 
 
 , when retained before suf- 
 fix, 24. 
 
 Simile, definition, 69. 
 
 Simple futurity, defined, 36. 
 
 , how expressed, 36-38. 
 
 Simple sentence, defined, 150. 
 
 198
 
 INDEX 
 
 Simple sentences, punctuation 
 of, 8. 
 
 Singleness of thought and struc- 
 ture of sentence, 44. 
 
 Sit, 80. 
 
 , exercises in the use of, 165, 
 
 166. 
 
 Six-line stanzas, 133. 
 
 Sizes of boolcs, abbreviations of 
 names of, 32. 
 
 Slang, 2, 70. 
 
 Slangy abbreviations, 70. 
 
 So . . . as, 73. 
 
 So, weak use of, 39, 40. 
 
 Society, capitalization, 20. 
 
 Solecism, defined, 35. 
 
 Sonnet, 135, 136. 
 
 Sort of, 77. 
 
 Sources of material, acknowledg- 
 ment of, 94. 
 
 Southerner capitalized, 18. 
 
 Space given to idea for em- 
 phasis, 66. 
 
 Spacing, 3. 
 
 Speaker, paragraph to each in 
 conversation, 61. 
 
 Speakers and writers, best, 1. 
 
 Special issue, 113, 115. 
 
 Speech, figures of, 69. 
 
 , parts of, 138-140. 
 
 Spelling, 21-23. 
 
 in copying quotations, 105. 
 
 — — -, exercises in, 171. 
 
 , rules for, 22-25. 
 
 Spenserian stanza, 134. 
 
 "Split infinitive," 40. 
 
 Spondee, definition, 124. 
 
 Stacks, of library, 96. 
 
 Stanza, in blank verse, 136. 
 
 — of Burns, 133. 
 
 — — , Chaucerian, 133. 
 
 -, definition, 122. 
 
 -, elegiac, 132. 
 
 , five-hne, 132. 
 
 , four-hne, 131. 
 
 of "In Memoriam," 132. 
 
 , kinds of, 130-136. 
 
 , long, 133-135. 
 
 Stanza, punctuation of quoted, 
 14. 
 
 of the "Rubaiyat," 132. 
 
 , seven-line, 133. 
 
 , six-line, 133. 
 
 , Spenserian, 134. 
 
 Stanzas, three-line, 130. 
 
 Start, 80. 
 
 State, capitalization, 19. 
 
 Statements,contradictory in notes, 
 102. 
 
 States and Territories, names of, 
 when abbreviated, proper ab- 
 breviations for, 31. 
 
 Stilted diction, 71. 
 
 Stress, emphasis given by, 53. 
 in verse, 122. 
 
 Strong verb, definition, 145. 
 , paradigm of, 160-164. 
 
 Structure of brief illustrated, 114. 
 
 Structure, parallel, 49. 
 
 Sub joined without hyphen, 30. 
 
 Subheading in outline, phrasing 
 of, 108. 
 
 Subject catalogues, 96. 
 
 Subject, complex, punctuation, 8. 
 
 — — , disagreement with verb, 43. 
 
 of implied verb distin- 
 guished from object of preposi- 
 tion, 41. 
 
 , modifiers of, 147. 
 
 — — of sentence, definition, 147. 
 -, shift of, in sentence, 52. 
 
 Subjunctive, in clauses intro- 
 duced by before, lest, that, 
 until, 156. 
 
 ^ in clauses of purpose, 156. 
 
 in concessions, 156. 
 
 in conditions, 154, 155. 
 
 in exhortations, 156. 
 
 mode, 145. 
 
 in prayers, 156. 
 
 , use of, 154-157. 
 
 in wishes, 156. 
 
 Subordinate clauses, restrictive, 
 
 punctuation of, 10. 
 Subordinating connectives, Ust of, 
 
 47-48. 
 
 199
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Subordination of ideas in note- 
 taking, 101. 
 
 Substantive, 138, 139 
 
 "Substitution" in verse, 124, 125. 
 
 Sttch, weak use of, 39, 40. 
 
 Suffix, added to words in y, 25. 
 
 beginning with a vowel, 23. 
 
 beginning with consonant, 
 
 24. 
 
 Suffixes added without change, 
 24. 
 
 Summaries in note-taking, 102. 
 
 Summarizing sentence of para- 
 graph, 64. 
 
 Super joined without hyphen, 30. 
 
 Superlative degree of adjectives, 
 143. 
 
 Suspended participle, 50. 
 
 Suspense of meaning in sentence, 
 44. 
 
 Syllabication, 27-30. 
 
 Syllable, unaccented, hne ending 
 in, 126. 
 
 Syllables, group of, the metrical 
 foot, 122. 
 
 Symbols in note-taking, 102. 
 
 Synonymous words in couplets, 
 59 
 
 Syntax, 146-158. 
 
 , definition, 138. 
 
 of the verb, 151-158. 
 
 Table of contents, use of, 98. 
 
 Take and, 80. 
 
 Tautology, 58-60. 
 
 Team, 80. 
 
 Tend, 80. 
 
 Tennyson, stanza of "In Memo- 
 nam," 132. 
 
 Tense of verb, 145. 
 
 Tenses, sequence of, 152-154. 
 
 of verb, syntax, 152-154. 
 
 Terminal punctuation for all sen- 
 tences, 5. 
 
 Twins, definition of, in brief, 
 113, 115. 
 
 Terza rima, 130. 
 Tetrameter, anapestic, 128. 
 
 , dactylic, 127. 
 
 , iambic, 126. 
 
 , trochaic, 127. 
 
 Textual notes made on cards, 103. 
 That, after reason, 73. 
 
 limiting kind, 39. 
 
 omitted with correlative so, 
 
 39, 40. 
 omitted 
 
 with correlative 
 such, 39, 40. 
 -, subjunctive in clauses in- 
 
 troduced by, 156. 
 
 The, when to be capitalized in 
 titles, 17. 
 
 The following, quotations intro- 
 duced by, 14. 
 
 Theory to be distinguished from 
 fact in notes, 102. 
 
 They for everyone, 81. 
 
 This limiting kind, 39. 
 
 Those, weak use of, 39, 40. 
 
 Thou, inflection, 142. 
 
 Thought, incomplete, indicated 
 by paragraphing, 61. 
 
 Three-Une stanzas, 130. 
 
 Time-beats of verse, correspond- 
 ence with word-accent, 122, 
 123. 
 
 Time of day, how written, 33. 
 
 Time-divisions of verse, 121. 
 
 Time-part of meter, 122. 
 of verse, 122. 
 
 Title, of character in fiction, cap- 
 italization, 19. 
 
 , position of, 4. 
 
 Titles, abbreviations of, 31, 32. 
 , personal, capitalization of, 
 
 17. 
 
 in quotation marks, 15. 
 
 To as sign of infinitive, 158. 
 Topical jotting not trustworthy, 
 
 107. 
 Topics, co-ordinate, indention of, 
 
 108. 
 Topic sentence, development of 
 
 paragraph from, 62. 
 
 200
 
 INDEX 
 
 Topic sentence, in note -taking, 
 101. 
 
 , position in paragraph, 66. 
 
 , relation to paragraph uni- 
 ty, 63, 64. 
 
 to wit, quotations introduced by, 
 14. 
 
 Transition paragraph of one sen- 
 tence, 61 
 
 Transitions anJ connectives ia 
 note-taking, 102. 
 
 between paragraphs, 65 
 
 Transitive verb detined, 148. 
 
 Transitive verbs, change from 
 active to passive, 157. 
 
 Transpire, 81. 
 
 Trimeter, anapestic, 128. 
 
 , dactylic, 127. 
 
 , iambic, 126. 
 
 , trochaic, 127. 
 
 Trite phrases in foreign lan- 
 guages, 69. 
 
 — — , hst of, 67, 68. 
 
 Trite sayings, 69. 
 
 Triteness, 67-69. 
 
 Trochaic dimeter, 125, 127. 
 
 , hues, 127. 
 
 Trochee, definition, 123. 
 
 Typewriter, value of, 2, 3, lOG. 
 
 U 
 
 Unaccented syllable, Une ending 
 in, 126. 
 
 Unaccented vowels, determina- 
 tion of, in spelling, 22, 23. 
 
 Unemphatic places, words con- 
 cealed in, 54. 
 
 Unfinished constructions, 43. 
 
 Unintelligible abbreviations in 
 note-taking, 100. 
 
 Unity, destroyed by needless 
 shift of subject in sentence, 
 52 
 
 — — destroyed by too many 
 ideas in sentence, 51. 
 
 destroyed by too many sen- 
 
 tences to one idea, 51. 
 
 Unity, faults in arising from loose 
 
 sentence structure, 44 
 lost when idea is divided 
 
 between sentences, 51. 
 
 of paragraph, 63, 64. 
 
 of paragraph, relation to 
 
 coherence, 64 
 
 — of periodic sentence inevi- 
 table, 45 
 
 - — •, remedy for sentence lack- 
 ing, 52. 
 
 of sentence lost in series of 
 
 clauses joined by ands, 53. 
 
 — of sentence, 44, 45. 
 
 — of sentence, definition, 44. 
 
 — of sentence, correction of 
 faults in, 44, 45. 
 
 violated in sentence, 51-53. 
 
 Unnecessary words in sentence, 
 59. 
 
 Unruled paper preferable, 4. 
 
 Until, subjunctive in clauses in- 
 troduced by, 156. 
 
 Use of hyphen, compound words, 
 28-30. 
 
 Value of the outline, 107. 
 
 van, in proper names, capitaliza- 
 tion, 19. 
 
 Verbal nature of participle, 158. 
 
 Verbal noun, 146. 
 
 , gerund as, 158. 
 
 infinitive, as, 157. 
 
 "Verbal wardrobe," display of, 
 71. 
 
 Verb, agreement in number, 151. 
 
 , agreement in person, 152. 
 
 , compound, 7. 
 
 , defined, 139. 
 
 ■, disagreement with subject, 
 
 43. 
 
 41. 
 
 -, finite, defined, 145, 146. 
 implied after conjunction, 
 
 -, inflection, 144-146. 
 
 -, intransitive, defined, 148. 
 
 -, mode of, 145. 
 
 201
 
 A GUIDE TO GOOD ENGLISH 
 
 Verb, number ot, 145. 
 
 , object of, 147 
 
 . object of in objective case, 
 
 40. 
 
 , paradigm of, 160-164. 
 
 , person oi, 146. 
 
 , prmcipai parts of, 146. 
 
 , strong, definition, 145. 
 
 , syntax of, 151-158. 
 
 , tense of, 145. 
 
 , tenses, syntax, 152-154. 
 
 , transitive, defined, 148. 
 
 , voice of, 145. 
 
 , voice, syntax, 157. 
 
 , weak, definition, 145. 
 
 Verbs, auxiliary, 146. 
 
 , capitalized in titles, 16. 
 
 of saying, with quotation as 
 
 object, 13. 
 -, simultaneous in time, 7. 
 
 Verse, definition, 122. 
 
 , distinguished from poetry, 
 
 121. 
 , rhythmic unit of, the foot, 
 
 122. 
 
 , scansion of, 122. 
 
 , time-divisions of, 121. 
 
 -, time-parts of, 122. 
 
 Versification, 121-137. 
 
 , practice of, 128, 129. 
 
 Very as adverb and adjective, 
 139, n. 
 
 Very well, 72. 
 
 viz., quotations introduced by, 
 14. 
 
 Voice of verb, 145. 
 
   , syntax, 157. 
 
 Volition, defined, 36. 
 
 • , how expressed, 36-38. 
 
 von in proper names, capitaliza- 
 tion, 19. 
 
 Vowel, short, before single con- 
 sonant, 24 
 
 , short, before double con- 
 sonants, 24. 
 
 Vowels, unaccented, determina- 
 tion of in speUing, 22, 23. 
 
 W 
 
 Want in the sense of ought, 81. 
 
 Way, 81. 
 
 jomed without hyphen, 30 
 
 Weak passive construction, 56- 
 58. 
 
 Weak verb, definition, 145. 
 
 Went and, 76. 
 
 Whether . . . or, use of, 40. 
 
 Will, exercises in the use of, 166. 
 
 , use of, 36-38. 
 
 Wishes, subjunctive in, 156. 
 
 Words, capitalized in titles, 16. 
 
 , compound, 28-30. 
 
 , as different parts of speech, 
 
 140. 
 
 , division of, 27-30. 
 
 , emphatic, m emphatic 
 
 places, 53. 
 
 , foreign, in Italic, 15. 
 
 grammatically classified, 138. 
 
 , list of commonly hyphen- 
 ated, 29-30. 
 -, notes on, made on cards, 
 
 103. 
 
 84. 
 
 often misspelled, 25, 26. 
 omitted in letter-writing, 
 
 omitted, punctuation, 13. 
 — out of normal order em- 
 phatic, 55, 56. 
 
 and phrases to be put in 
 
 Italic, 15. 
 — or phrases without construc- 
 tion in sentence, 42. 
 -, repeated, concealed in im- 
 
 emphatic places, 54. 
 -, repetition of, in sentence, 
 
 58. 
 
 — in series, punctuation, 11. 
 — , spacing of, 3. 
 
 — standing for the name of the 
 Deity, capitalization of, 17. 
 
 -, synonymous in couplets. 
 
 59. 
 
 -, too many for the idea, 59. 
 - imnecessary in sentence, 59. 
 
 202
 
 INDEX 
 
 WovM, use of, to express futurity, 
 
 36,38 
 Writers and speakers, best, 1. 
 
 y, final before suffix, 25. 
 , plural of words in, 23. 
 
 You, indefinite, 81. 
 
 , inflection, 142. 
 
 Yourself, use of, 39. 
 
 & 
 
 &, use in firm names, 31. 
 &c for etc., 32. 
 
 THE END
 
 Los Angeles 
 This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. 
 
 DEC 1 194fl 
 
 
 MAY2ni964 
 
 HAYS im 
 
 S. FEB25«" 
 ^^y^3 198B 
 
 RECD LD-URU 
 
 APf> 
 
 O 
 
 Form L9-25m-8,'46 (9852)444 
 
 ■SlVEEsriY 
 
 LOS AT JGELES 
 
 ^ C;' c^LIFORNU
 
 Vl/*^' ■- - 
 
 untversity ol Ldiiii.xnid lo' Ang&ies 
 
 L 006 013 184 4 
 
 AA 000 352 177