| One of the ablest men that has attacked this problem. | One of the ablest men that have attacked this problem. |
Participle for verbal noun.
| Do you mind me asking a question? | Do you mind my asking a question? |
| There was little prospect of the Senate accepting even this compromise. | There was little prospect of the Senate's accepting even this compromise. |
In the left-hand column, asking and accepting are present participles; in the right-hand column, they are verbal nouns (gerunds). The construction shown in the left-hand column is occasionally found, and has its defenders. Yet it is easy to see that the second sentence has to do not with a prospect of the Senate, but with a prospect of accepting. In this example, at least, the construction is plainly illogical.
As the authors of The King's English point out, there are sentences apparently, but not really, of this type, in which the possessive is not called for.
I cannot imagine Lincoln refusing his assent to this measure.
In this sentence, what the writer cannot imagine is Lincoln himself, in the act of refusing his assent. Yet the meaning would be virtually the same, except for a slight loss of vividness, if he had written,
I cannot imagine Lincoln's refusing his assent to this measure.
By using the possessive, the writer will always be on the safe side.
In the examples above, the subject of the action is a single, unmodified term, immediately preceding the verbal noun, and the construction is as good as any that could be used. But in any sentence in which it is a mere clumsy substitute for something simpler, or in which the use of the possessive is awkward or impossible, should of course be recast.
People. The people is a political term, not to be confused with the public. From the people comes political support or opposition; from the public comes artistic appreciation or commercial patronage.
Phase. Means a stage of transition or development: “the phases of the moon;” “the last phase.” Not to be used for aspect or topic.
| Another phase of the subject | Another point (another question) |
Possess. Not to be used as a mere substitute for have or own.
| He possessed great courage. | He had great courage (was very brave). |
| He was the fortunate possessor of | He owned |
Prove. The past participle is proved.
Respective, respectively. These words may usually be omitted with advantage.
| Works of fiction are listed under the names of their respective authors. | Works of fiction are listed under the names of their authors. |
| The one mile and two mile runs were won by Jones and Cummings respectively. | The one mile and two mile runs were won by Jones and by Cummings. |
In some kinds of formal writing, as geometrical proofs, it may be necessary to use respectively, but it should not appear in writing on ordinary subjects.
Shall, Will. The future tense requires shall for the first person, will for the second and third. The formula to express the speaker's belief regarding his future action or state is I shall; I will expresses his determination or his consent.
Should. See under Would.
So. Avoid, in writing, the use of so as an intensifier: “so good;” “so warm;” “so delightful.”
On the use of so to introduce clauses, see Rule 4.
Sort of. See under Kind of.
Split Infinitive. There is precedent from the fourteenth century downward for interposing an adverb between to and the infinitive which it governs, but the construction is in disfavor and is avoided by nearly all careful writers.
| To diligently inquire | To inquire diligently |
State. Not to be used as a mere substitute for say, remark. Restrict it to the sense of express fully or clearly, as, “He refused to state his objections.”
Student Body. A needless and awkward expression meaning no more than the simple word students.
| A member of the student body | A student |
| Popular with the student body | Liked by the students |
| The student body passed resolutions. | The students passed resolutions. |
System. Frequently used without need.
| Dayton has adopted the commission system of government. | Dayton has adopted government by commission. |
| The dormitory system | Dormitories |
Thanking You in Advance. This sounds as if the writer meant, “It will not be worth my while to write to you again.” In making your request, write, “Will you please,” or “I shall be obliged,” and if anything further seems necessary write a letter of acknowledgment later.
They. A common inaccuracy is the use of the plural pronoun when the antecedent is a distributive expression such as each, each one, everybody, every one, many a man, which, though implying more than one person, requires the pronoun to be in the singular. Similar to this, but with even less justification, is the use of the plural pronoun with the antecedent anybody, any one, somebody, some one, the intention being either to avoid the awkward “he or she,” or to avoid committing oneself to either. Some bashful speakers even say, “A friend of mine told me that they, etc.”
Use he with all the above words, unless the antecedent is or must be feminine.
Very. Use this word sparingly. Where emphasis is necessary, use words strong in themselves.
Viewpoint. Write point of view, but do not misuse this, as many do, for view or opinion.
While. Avoid the indiscriminate use of this word for and, but, and although. Many writers use it frequently as a substitute for and or but, either from a mere desire to vary the connective, or from uncertainty which of the two connectives is the more appropriate. In this use it is best replaced by a semicolon.
| The office and salesrooms are on the ground floor, while the rest of the building is devoted to manufacturing. | The office and salesrooms are on the ground floor; the rest of the building is devoted to manufacturing. |
Its use as a virtual equivalent of although is allowable in sentences where this leads to no ambiguity or absurdity.
While I admire his energy, I wish it were employed in a better cause.
This is entirely correct, as shown by the paraphrase,
I admire his energy; at the same time I wish it were employed in a better cause.
Compare:
| While the temperature reaches 90 or 95 degrees in the daytime, the nights are often chilly. | Although the temperature reaches 90 or 95 degrees in the daytime, the nights are often chilly. |
The paraphrase,
The temperature reaches 90 or 95 degrees in the daytime; at the same time the nights are often chilly,
shows why the use of while is incorrect.
In general, the writer will do well to use while only with strict literalness, in the sense of during the time that.
Whom. Often incorrectly used for who before he said or similar expressions, when it is really the subject of a following verb.
| His brother, whom he said would send him the money | His brother, who he said would send him the money |
| The man whom he thought was his friend | The man who (that) he thought was his friend (whom he thought his friend) |
Worth while. Overworked as a term of vague approval and (with not) of disapproval. Strictly applicable only to actions: “Is it worth while to telegraph?”
| His books are not worth while. | His books are not worth reading (are not worth one's while to read; do not repay reading; are worthless). |
The use of worth while before a noun (“a worth while story”) is indefensible.
Would. A conditional statement in the first person requires should, not would.
I should not have succeeded without his help.
The equivalent of shall in indirect quotation after a verb in the past tense is should, not would.
He predicted that before long we should have a great surprise.
To express habitual or repeated action, the past tense, without would, is usually sufficient, and from its brevity, more emphatic.
| Once a year he would visit the old mansion. | Once a year he visited the old mansion. |
VI. SPELLING
The spelling of English words is not fixed and invariable, nor does it depend on any other authority than general agreement. At the present day there is practically unanimous agreement as to the spelling of most words. In the list below, for example, rime for rhyme is the only allowable variation; all the other forms are co-extensive with the English language. At any given moment, however, a relatively small number of words may be spelled in more than one way. Gradually, as a rule, one of these forms comes to be generally preferred, and the less customary form comes to look obsolete and is discarded. From time to time new forms, mostly simplifications, are introduced by innovators, and either win their place or die of neglect.
The practical objection to unaccepted and over-simplified spellings is the disfavor with which they are received by the reader. They distract his attention and exhaust his patience. He reads the form though automatically, without thought of its needless complexity; he reads the abbreviation tho and mentally supplies the missing letters, at the cost of a fraction of his attention. The writer has defeated his own purpose.
WORDS OFTEN MISSPELLED
- accidentally
- advice
- affect
- believe
- benefit
- challenge
- coarse
- course
- criticize
- deceive
- definite
- describe
- despise
- develop
- disappoint
- dissipate
- duel
- ecstasy
- effect
- embarrass
- existence
- fascinate
- fiery
- formerly
- humorous
- hypocrisy
- immediately
- impostor
- incident
- incidentally
- latter
- led
- lose
- marriage
- mischief
- murmur
- necessary
- occurred
- opportunity
- parallel
- Philip
- playwright
- preceding
- prejudice
- principal
- principle
- privilege
- pursue
- repetition
- rhyme
- rhythm
- ridiculous
- sacrilegious
- seize
- separate
- shepherd
- siege
- similar
- simile
- too
- tragedy
- tries
- undoubtedly
- until
- villain
Note that a single consonant (other than v) preceded by a stressed short vowel is doubled before -ed and -ing: planned, letting, beginning. (Coming is an exception.)
Write to-day, to-night, to-morrow (but not together) with a hyphen.
Write any one, every one, some one, some time (except in the sense of formerly) as two words.
VII. EXERCISES ON CHAPTERS II AND III
I. Punctuate:
1. In 1788 the King's advisers warned him that the nation was facing bankruptcy therefore he summoned a body called the States-General believing that it would authorize him to levy new taxes. The people of France however were suffering from burdensome taxation oppressive social injustice and acute scarcity of food and their representatives refused to consider projects of taxation until social and economic reforms should be granted. The King who did not realize the gravity of the situation tried to overawe them collecting soldiers in and about Versailles where the sessions were being held. The people of Paris seeing the danger organized militia companies to defend their representatives. In order to supply themselves with arms they attacked the Invalides and the Bastille which contained the principal supplies of arms and munitions in Paris.
2. On his first continental tour begun in 1809 Byron visited Portugal Spain Albania Greece and Turkey. Of this tour he composed a poetical journal Childe Harold's Pilgrimage in which he ascribed his experiences and reflections not to himself but to a fictitious character Childe Harold described as a melancholy young nobleman prematurely familiar with evil sated with pleasures and embittered against humanity. The substantial merits of the work however lay not in this shadowy and somewhat theatrical figure but in Byron's spirited descriptions of wild or picturesque scenes and in his eloquent championing of Spain and Greece against their oppressors. On his return to England in 1811 he was persuaded rather against his own judgment into allowing the work to be published. Its success was almost unprecedented in his own words he awoke and found himself famous.
II. Explain the difference in meaning:
III. Explain and correct the errors in punctuation:
4. This course is intended for Freshmen, who in the opinion of the Department are not qualified for military drill.
5. A restaurant, not a cafeteria where good meals are served at popular prices.—Advt.
6. The poets of The Nation, for all their intensity of patriotic feeling, followed the English rather than the Celtic tradition, their work has a political rather than a literary value and bears little upon the development of modern Irish verse.
7. We were in one of the strangest places imaginable. A long and narrow passage overhung on either side by a stupendous barrier of black and threatening rocks.
8. Only a few years ago after a snow storm in the passes not far north of Jerusalem no less than twenty-six Russian pilgrims perished amidst the snow. One cannot help thinking largely because they made little attempt to save themselves.
IV. Point out and correct the faults in the following sentences:
9. During childhood his mother had died.
10. Any language study is good mind training while acquiring vocabulary.
11. My farm consisted of about twenty acres of excellent land, having given a hundred pounds for my predecessor's lease.
12. Prepared to encounter a woman of disordered mind, the appearance presented by Mrs. Taylor at his entrance greatly astonished him.
13. Pale and swooning, with two broken legs, they carried him into the house.
14. Count Cassini, the Russian plenipotentiary, had several long and intimate conversations during the tedious weeks of the conference with his British colleague, Sir Arthur Nicholson.
15. But though they had been victorious in the land engagements, they were so little decisive as to lead to no important results.
16. Knowing nothing of the rules of the college or of its customs, it was with the greatest difficulty that the Dean could make me comprehend wherein my wrong-doing lay.
17. Fire, therefore, was the first object of my search. Happily, some embers were found upon the hearth, together with potato-stalks and dry chips. Of these, with much difficulty, I kindled a fire, by which some warmth was imparted to our shivering limbs.
18. In this connection a great deal of historic fact is introduced into the novel about the past history of the cathedral and of Spain.
19. Over the whole scene hung the haze of twilight that is so peaceful.
20. Compared with Italy, living is more expensive.
21. It is a fundamental principle of law to believe a man innocent until he is proved guilty, and once proved guilty, to remain so until proved to the contrary.
22. Not only had the writer entrée to the titled families of Italy in whose villas she was hospitably entertained, but by royalty also.
23. It is not a strange sight to catch a glimpse of deer along the shore.
24. Earnings from other sources are of such a favorable character as to enable a splendid showing to be made by the company.
25. But while earnings have mounted amazingly, the status of affairs is such as to make it impossible to predict the course events may take, with any degree of accuracy.
The following is a list of corrections made to the original. The first passage is the original passage, the second the corrected one.
- Page 5:
of his manuscript Mr. George McLane Wood has
of his manuscript. Mr. George McLane Wood has - Page 20:
Compare the sentence. “The export of gold was prohibited,”
Compare the sentence, “The export of gold was prohibited,” - Page 26:
under Rule 10. But apart from this, he should follow the
under Rule 9. But apart from this, he should follow the - Page 36:
in the sense, “ordered”) is bade.
in the sense, “ordered,” is bade. - Page 39:
Effect. As noun, means result; as verb, means to bring
Effect. As noun, means result; as verb, means to bring - Page 39:
they ma ybe, are not properly facts.
they may be, are not properly facts. - Page 42:
Acts of a hostile nature.
Acts of a hostile nature - Page 45:
Dayton has adopted the commission system of government
Dayton has adopted the commission system of government. - Page 48:
embarass
embarrass