59. EXERCISE IN GRAMMAR

A. Case of Pronouns

1. It is (I, me).
2. No one knows better than (she, her).
3. Then came the whistle for Gerald and (I, me).
4. It was (they, them).
5. Alice can drive a car as well as (he, him).
6. It was (she, her) (who, whom) you saw on the car.
7. John, you may go with Dan and (I, me).
8. If I were (she, her), I could not think of accepting the questionable honor.
9. One evening four of (we, us) girls decided to go to the theater.
10. Others are older than (we, us).
11. (Who, Whom) do you imagine will be our next president?
12. He does not approve of (our, us) walking on the grass.
13. Counsel will be given to (they, them) who ask for it.
14. That seems strange to you and (I, me).
15. Her mother has more regular features than (she, her).
16. Women (who, whom) some people would call "quiet" are often the wisest.
17. Between you and (I, me), I'm hungry.
18. The thought of (it, its) coming by parcel post never entered my mind.
19. He never discovered (who, whom) his enemy was.
20. In case of a fumble, the ball is given to (whoever, whomever) recovers it.

B. Agreement

1. He (don't, doesn't) care for music.
2. The swimming, boating, and fishing (is, are) good.
3. Each one of the two hands of the clock (is, are) made of gold.
4. The ore is sorted and the cars having good ore (is, are) hauled to the smelter.
5. A deck of ordinary playing cards consisting of fifty-two cards (is, are) used.
6. It is safe to say that only one out of every ten of the great number of students (realizes, realize) the value of economy.
7. In spite of all obstacles, the construction of the three hundred trestles and the twenty scaffolds (was, were) completed.
8. Some nights may seem still, yet there (is, are) always noises.
9. The exact meaning of such words as inspiration, prophecy, and orthodox (puzzles, puzzle) laymen.
10. Hard roads (is, are) an important matter to all country people.
11. There (has, have) been many lives lost in Arctic exploration.
12. Personal gifts inspired by good will and directed by careful thought (is, are) the very best kind of charity.
13. In Lincoln's replies to Douglas there (is, are) no flights or oratory.
14. The conciseness of these lines (is, are) to be admired.
15. A constant stream of wagons and horses (was, were) passing as the circus was unloaded.
16. Nevertheless there (exists, exist) a certain class of students who are socially submerged.
17. She (doesn't, don't) care for olives.
18. "Current Events" (is, are) a very useful department of this magazine.
19. No people (lives, live) in that house.
20. The corporal, together with two other members of the patrol, (was, were) captured by the enemy.

C. Shall and Will, Should and Would

1. Perhaps I (shall, will) be able to go.
2. I tell you, I (shall will) not allow that dog in the car.
3. It is odd what a person (shall, will) do in a time of excitement.
4. They have never seen anything like it, and probably they never (shall, will).
5. "Johnny, you (shall, will) not go!" Johnny knew that further begging was useless.
6. As we (shall, will) find by investigation, our coast fortifications are few.
7. I (shouldn't, wouldn't) do that for anything.
8. I (should, would) think you (should, would) enjoy your bicycle.
9. (Shall, will) you go driving with us?
10. Do you think it (shall, will) rain?
11. Where (shall, will) I hang my hat?
12. (Should, would) you go if I (should, would) ask you?
13. Rover (should, would) stay in the house all the time, if we (should, would) let him.
14. I promised that I (should, would) be at the station early, lest we (should, would) miss the train.
15. You (shall, will) have much trouble with that cold, I'm afraid.

D. Lie, lay; sit, set; rise, raise

Fix in mind the following principal parts:

I lie	I lay	I have lain
I lay	I laid	I have laid
I sit	I sat	I have sat
I set	I set	I have set
I rise	I rose	I have risen
I raise	I raised	I have raised

Lie, sit, rise are used intransitively; lay, set, raise are used transitively. Lay, set, raise are causatives; that is, to lay means to cause to lie, etc.

1. I —— here and watch the clouds. My dog is ——ing at my feet.
2. In the evening I —— aside all cares. I —— down on the couch and read. Yesterday I —— there an hour.
3. The children have —— in bed until seven o'clock. John has —— his coat on a chair. He —— there asleep now.
4. —— the shovel down. The garden is now —— out in rows. —— down and take a little rest.
5. Smoke —— along the horizon. Snow was ——ing here yesterday. He is ——ing plans for the future.

1. Jerome —— the box on the floor. Then he —— on the box.[class="transnotes" this list should start from 6...]
2. Four people are ——ing at the table. Who —— the lamp there?
3. I had —— there an hour. They had —— the pitcher outside the door.
4. I often —— up late. Last night I —— up late. I must ——the alarm clock.
5. —— the package down. —— down and rest. While we are ——ing there the gardener is ——ing out the plants.

1. —— up and speak! —— the window.
2. He quickly —— his head. The cork had gone under, but now it —— again to the surface.
3. During the night the bread —— to the top of the pan.
4. The invalid slowly —— himself in his bed.
5. The river has already —— and overflowed its banks.

E. Principal Parts of Verbs

1. He —— (past tense of come) to this country in 1887.
2. He has —— (past participle of eat) breakfast and —— (past participle of go) to the office.
3. Have you —— (past participle of ride) far? I have ——(past participle of drive) ten miles.
4. I am sure it was Henry who —— (past tense of do) it, for I —— (past tense of see) him running away as fast as he could go.
5. The wind has —— (past participle of tear) down the chimney and —— (past participle of blow) down the tree.
6. After he —— (past tense of lie) down, he remembered he had left his books —— (present participle of lie) in the orchard.
7. He —— (past tense of throw) the ball so hard that the window was —— (past participle of break) into a hundred pieces.
8. The man —— (past tense of give) warning before we had —— (past participle of go) too far.
9. After we had —— (past participle of ride) about ten miles we —— (past tense of come) upon a stretch of hard road.
10. Where —— (past tense of be) you? You ——n't (past tense of be) at home when I —— (past tense of ring) the bell.
11. The harness was —— (past participle of break or burst) beyond repair. Who —— (past tense of break) it?
12. I —— (past tense of take) four shots at the rabbit, but every shot —— (past tense of go) wild.
13. He has —— (past participle of swim) across the harbor, and has —— (past participle of break) the record.
14. I had —— (past participle of drink) buttermilk for several weeks. I —— (past tense of begin) to gain weight.
15. When we had —— (past participle of sit) there an hour and —— (past participle of eat) all we wanted, Jim —— (past tense of draw) out his purse and —— (past tense of give) the waiter a dollar.

F. General

1. Those kind of lamps are ugly.
2. It don't interest me any more.
3. Nobody may enter the hall tonight without their admittance cards.
4. One does not need to strain their ears while at the movies.
5. Nearly all people eat too much, too fast, and too irregular.
6. Don't take this letter too serious.
7. He done the best he could with these kind of tools.
8. Every person with a cold was blowing their nose.
9. It would help considerable if you would speak to the manager about existing conditions.
10. If I were the mayor, I could not do as good as he does.
11. Talk polite to your customers.
12. It is important that a salesman has a good memory.
13. Each tube must be capable of withstanding a pressure of five hundred pounds per square inch before they are lowered into place.
14. She is as tall, if not taller, than he is.
15. He always has and always will say that.
16. He is one of the worst, if not the very worst, player on the team.
17. Final examinations require time and study that would not otherwise be done.
18. I feel badly. He talks rude. It smells fragrantly.

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DICTION

Wordiness

60. Avoid wordiness. Strike out words not essential to the thought.

• Roundabout impersonal construction: There are many interesting things which may be seen in New York. [12 words.]
• Better: Many interesting things may be seen in New York. [9 words.]
• Clause to be reduced to a phrase: The skeleton which stood in the office of Dr. Willard was terrifying to little Cecil. [15 words.]
• Right: The skeleton in Dr. Willard's office was terrifying to little Cecil. [11 words.]
• Clause and phrase each to be reduced to a word: Men who cared only for their individual interests were now in a state of discouragement. [15 words.]
• Right: Selfish men were now discouraged. [5 words.]
• Separate predication in excess: That day I was shocking wheat behind the binder. Shocking wheat behind the binder was my usual job in harvest. That day while I was working at this job, I found a nest full of partridge eggs. [37 words.]
• Right: That day, while shocking wheat behind the binder, my usual job in harvest, I found a nest full of partridge eggs. [21 words.]
• Ponderous scientific terms for simple ideas: Since, according to the physicists, the per cent of efficiency of a machine is equal to the amount of energy put in, divided by the amount of useful work performed, it naturally follows that in all human activities, unnecessary friction, since it lowers the amount of nervous energy, is going to lower the per cent of efficiency. While we may never reach an astonishing degree of efficiency by economizing nervous energy, nevertheless, if we consistently and perseveringly try to spare ourselves all unnecessary labor and exertion, we shall have an abundant supply of energy to direct into channels of usefulness. [100 words.]
• Right: If we economize our strength, we can make our actions more efficient and useful. [14 words.]
• Inflated writing: She was supreme in beauty among the daughters of Eve whom his ravished eyes had hitherto beheld. [17 words.]
• Right: She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. [10 words.]

Note.—A special form of wordiness is tautology—the useless repetition of an idea in different words.

• Gross tautology: He had an entire monopoly of the whole fruit trade. [This is like saying "black blackbird."]
• Right: He had a monopoly of the fruit trade.
• Tautological expressions:
  • this here
  • where at
  • return back
  • ascend up
  • repeat again
  • biography of his life
  • good benefits
  • fellow playmates
  • Hallowe'en evening
  • important essentials
  • indorse on the back
  • connect up
  • meet up with
  • combined together
  • perfectly all right
  • utter absence of
  • quite round
  • absolutely annihilated
  • still continue to
  • absolutely new creation
  • necessary requisite
  • total effect of all this

Exercise:

1. The people who act the parts in a play want the people who witness the performance to applaud them.
2. There is an oily grass which is found on the prairie, and which is called mesquite grass, and it covers the prairie.
3. You wish to call the operator. You take the receiver from the hook. By taking the receiver from the hook you call the operator.
4. At last the employer of the men, and those who were employed by him, having compromised their difficulties, effected a settlement, and reached an amicable understanding agreeable to both parties.
5. The two merchants joined up their forces together in order to secure a monopoly of the entire trade of the village. There was one absolutely essential preliminary which they thought must necessarily precede everything else. It was that they should take all the old shop-worn articles and dispose of them by selling them as bargains at a reduced rate.

Triteness

61. Avoid trite or hackneyed expressions. Such expressions may be tags from everyday speech (the worse for wear, had the time of my life); or stale phrases from newspapers (taken into custody, the officiating clergyman); or humorous substitutions (ferocious canine, paternal ancestor); or forced synonyms (gridiron heroes, the Hoosier metropolis); or conventional fine writing (reigns supreme, wind kissed the tree-tops); or oft-repeated euphemisms (limb for leg, pass away for die); or overworked quotations from literature (monarch of all I survey, footprints on the sands of time).

Exercise:

1. Halleck returned from his trip considerably the worse for wear.
2. The baby whom she had promised to keep quiet proved to be a foeman worthy of her steel.
3. I first saw the light of day in New Orleans. It was in the Crescent City also that my dear mother passed away.
4. Americans come off second best in a vocalizing encounter with umlauted u, while Germans and Frenchmen wage sanguinary battles with our th.
5. The daily scramble for dear life to get aboard a trolley was like taking arms against a sea of troubles. Even standing room was conspicuous by its absence. Sheridan began to think along the line of getting to the office in some other way.

The Exact Word

62. Find the exact word. Do not be content with a loose meaning. Seek the verb, the noun, the adjective, the adverb, or the phrase which expresses your thought with precision. Such words as said, proposition, and nice are often used too loosely. Observe the possible gain in definiteness by substitution.

• For said (verb): declared, related, insisted, exclaimed, added, repeated, replied, admitted, commented, corrected, protested, explained, besought, interrupted, inquired, stammered, sighed, murmured, or thundered.
• For proposition (noun): transaction, undertaking, venture, recourse, suggestion, overture, proposal, proffer, convenience, difficulty, thesis, or doctrine.
• For nice (adjective): discriminating, precise, fastidious, dainty, neat, pretty, pleasant, fragrant, delicious, well-behaved, good, or moral.
• Inexact verb: He had not sufficiently regarded the difficulties of the task [Use considered].
• Inexact noun: Promptness is an item which a manager should possess [Use quality].
• Inexact adjective: He looked awfully funny when I told him he had made a mistake [Use surprised].
• Inexact phrasing throughout: Health is first in every line of activity. A man who has it does not hold it with enough respect, and make efforts enough to keep it.
• Right: Health is indispensable to success in any work. Even those who have it do not realize its value.

Exercise:

1. He was proud of the honorable record he had gained.
2. He resolved that some day he would be a banker, and I shall tell you how he tried to do so.
3. Isn't the sunset grand? Isn't it nice to be out of doors?
4. The mystery as to which ones of the piano keys to play was hard for him to acquire.
5. If the package comes by freight, you must negotiate the proposition of getting it home; but if it comes by express, the delivery is done free.

Concreteness

63. Concrete words are often more effective than vague, general, or abstract words.

• Not specific: She held herself aloof from her brothers' games and amusements.
• Concrete: She never played soldier or sailed paper boats with her brothers.
• No appeal to the senses: I liked to watch the servant girl as she moved about the kitchen, preparing our morning repast.
• Concrete: I liked to watch Norah as she fried our crisp breakfast bacon and browned our buckwheat cakes.
• Flat, not readily visualized: The first inhabitants overcame the barriers to settlement about a century ago.
• Concrete: Rough backwoodsmen broke through the underbrush and swamp-land a century ago.

Exercise:

1. The scientist discovered a bird in a tree.
2. Our hostess set before us many good things to eat.
3. The sailor was carving queer figures on a piece of soft wood.
4. The night watchman heard something that made him suspicious.
5. I stood at the door of the shop to watch the astonishing things the blacksmith was doing.

Sound

64. Avoid the frequent repetition of a sound, especially if it be harsh or unpleasant.

• Bad: He is an exceedingly orderly secretary.
• Better: As a secretary he is very systematic. [Or] The secretary is very systematic.
• Bad: Immediately the squirrel hid himself behind the hickory tree.
• Better: Immediately the squirrel dodged behind the hickory tree.
• Unfortunate rime: Bert did not dare to go home with wet hair.
• Better: Bert did not dare to go home with his hair wet. [Or] Bert was afraid to go home with wet hair.

Exercise:

1. That Christmas happened to be unusually happy.
2. I fear we must sit near the rear of the room.
3. The Jackies went clambering and scurrying up the rigging.
4. The ship slips anchor while the idlers sip tea on the deck.
5. The third treasure-seeker heard a thud. His pick had struck an obstruction.

Subtle Violations of Good Use: Faulty Idioms, Colloquialisms

65. Avoid subtle violations of good use, particularly (a) faulty idioms and (b) colloquialisms.

a. Make your expression conform to English idiom. A faulty idiom is an expression which, though correct in grammar and general meaning, combines words in a manner contrary to usage. Idioms are established by custom, and cannot be explained by logical rules. "I enjoy to read" is wrong, not because the words offend logic or grammar, but merely because people do not instinctively make that combination of words. "I like to read" and "I enjoy reading" are good idioms.

Faulty Idioms	Correct Idioms
in the city Toledo	in the city of Toledo
in the year of 1920	in the year 1920
I hope you a good time	I wish you a good time
the Rev. Hopkins	the Reverend Mr. Hopkins
possessed with ability	possessed of ability
stay to home	stay at home
different than	different from
independent from	independent of
in search for	in search of

Observe that many idioms are concerned with prepositions. Make sure that a verb or adjective is accompanied by the right preposition. Study the following list of correct idioms:

• accused of (a theft)
• accused by (a person)
• accord with (a person)
• agree with (a person)
• agree to (a proposal)
• agreeable to
• angry at (things or persons)
• angry with (a person)
• careful about (an affair)
• careful of (one's money)
• comply with
• convenient to (a person)
• convenient for (a purpose)
• correspond to (things)
• correspond with (persons)
• dissent from
• enamored of
• entrust to
• free from
• listen to
• part from (a person)
• part with (a thing)
• pleased with
• resolve on
• sympathize with
• take exception to

b. Do not carry the standards of conversation into formal writing. Colloquial usage is more free than literary usage. The colloquial sentence That's the man I talked with becomes in writing That is the man with whom I talked. The colloquial sentence It was a cold day but there wasn't any wind blowing is a loose string of words. Written discourse requires greater tension and more care in subordinating minor ideas: The day, though cold, was still. Contractions are proper in conversation, and in personal or informal writing. In formal writing they are not appropriate. And do not let such expressions as He doesn't, We aren't, It's proved, used in talk by careful speakers, mislead you into expressions like He don't, We ain't, It's proven, which violate even colloquial good use.

Exercise:

1. He confessed of his inability to comply to the demand.
2. Is he from Irish descent? Is humor characteristic with the Irish?
3. She was not to home, but I was reluctant against leaving.
4. He dissented to the opinion of the committee's majority, for his ideas were utterly different than theirs.
5. He got a few jobs as a carpenter that summer, but they didn't pay him much, and so he went to loafing around, and he's been at it ever since.

Gross Violations of Good Use: Barbarisms, Improprieties, Slang

66. Avoid gross violations of good use, particularly (a) barbarisms, (b) improprieties, and (c) slang.

a. Barbarisms are distortions of words in good use, or coinages for which there is no need. Examples: to concertize, to burgle or burglarize, to jell, alright, a-plenty, most (for almost), performess, fake, pep, tasty, illy, complected, undoubtably, nowheres, soph, lab, gents.

b. Improprieties are words wrenched from one part of speech to another, or made to perform an unnatural service. Examples: to suspicion, to gesture, to suicide, a steal, a try, a go, an invite, the eats, humans, some or real or swell (as adverbs), like (as a conjunction).

c. Slang is speech consisting either of uncouth expressions of illiterate origin, or of legitimate expressions used in grotesque or irregular senses. Though sometimes (witness eighteenth century mob, and nineteenth century buncombe) it satisfies a real need and becomes established in the language, in most instances it is short-lived (witness the thieves' talk in Oliver Twist, or passages from any comic opera song popular five years ago). Vicious types of slang are:

• Expressions of vulgar origin (from criminal classes, the prize ring, the vaudeville circuit, etc.): get pinched, down and out, took the count, bum hunch, nix on the comedy stuff, get across.
• Language strained or distorted for novel effect: performed the feed act at a bang-up gastronomic emporium, bingled a tall drive that made the horsehide ramble out into center garden.
• Blanket expressions used as substitutes for thinking: corking, stunning, ain't it fierce?, can you beat it?, going some, just so I get by with it.

The use of the last-named type is most to be regretted. It leads to a mental habit of phonographic repetition, with no resort to independent thinking. If a man really desires to use slang, let him invent new expressions every day, and make them fit the specific occasion.

Exercise:

1. I disremember what sort of an outfit he wore.
2. Helen's as light-complected a girl as you'll run across, I calculate.
3. His ad brought a first-rate gent to hold down the job.
4. Thompson hasn't stability, or it seems like it. He ain't got no gumption. He's too easy enthused.
5. The grub was to of cost us two bits, but we didn't have the dough. We gets outside the food, and when the cashier ain't lookin', we runs out the door and beats it.

Words Often Confused in Meaning

67. Do not confuse or interchange the meanings of the following words:

Accept and except.

Accept means to receive; except as a verb means to exclude and as a preposition means with the exception of.

Affect and effect.

Affect is not used as a noun; effect as a noun means result. As verbs, affect means to influence in part; effect means to accomplish totally. "His story affected me deeply." "The Russians effected a revolution." Affect also has a special meaning to feign. "She had an affected manner."

Allusion and illusion.

Allusion means a reference; illusion means a deceptive appearance. "A Biblical allusion." "An optical illusion."

Already and all ready.

Already means by this time or beforehand; all ready means wholly ready. "I have already invited him." "Dinner is all ready." "We are all ready for dinner."

Altogether and all together.

Altogether means wholly, entirely; all together means collectively, in a group. "He is altogether honest." "The King sent the people all together into exile."

Can and may.

Can means to be able; may means to have permission. Can for may has a certain colloquial standing, but is condemned by literary usage.

Emigrate and immigrate.

Emigrate means to go out from a country; immigrate means to enter into a country. The same man may be an emigrant when he leaves Europe, and an immigrant when he enters America.

Healthy and healthful.

Healthy means having health; healthful means giving health. "Milk is healthful." "The climate of Colorado is healthful." "The boy is healthy."

Hanged and hung.

Hanged is the correct past tense of hang in the sense put to death, hanged on the gallows; hung is the correct past tense for the general meaning suspended.

Hygienic and sanitary.

Both words mean pertaining to health. Hygienic is used when the condition is a matter of personal habits or rules; sanitary is used when the condition is a matter of surroundings (water supply, food supply, sewage disposal, etc.) or the relations of numbers of people.

Instants and instance.

Instants means small portions of time; instance means an example.

Later and latter.

Later means more late; latter means the second in a series of two. "The latter" is used in conjunction with the phrase "the former."

Lead and led.

Led is the past tense of the verb to lead. Lead is the present tense.

Learn and teach.

Learn means to get knowledge of; teach means to give knowledge of or to. "The instructor teaches (not learns) me physics." "He learns his lessons easily."

Leave and let.

Leave means to abandon; let means to permit.

Less and fewer.

Less refers to quantity; fewer refers to number. "He has fewer (not less) horses than he needs."

Liable, likely, and apt.

Likely merely predicts; liable conveys the additional idea of harm or responsibility. Apt applies usually to persons, in the sense of having natural capability, and sometimes to things, in the sense of fitting, appropriate. "It is likely to be a pleasant day." "I fear it is liable to rain." "He is liable for damages." "He is an apt lad at his books." "That is an apt phrase."

Lie and lay.

Lay, a transitive verb, means to cause to lie. "I lay the book on the table and it lies there." "Now I lay me down to sleep." A source of confusion between the two words is that the past tense of lie is lay:

I lie down to sleep.	I lay the book on the table.
I lay there yesterday.	I laid it there yesterday.
I have lain here for hours.	I have laid it there many times.

Like and as or as if.

Like is in good use as a preposition, and may be followed by a noun; as is in good use as a conjunction, and may be followed by a clause. "He is tall like his father." "He is tall, as his father is." "It looks as if (not like) it were going to rain."

Lose and loose.

Lose means to cease having; loose as a verb means to set free, and as an adjective, free, not bound.

Majority and plurality.

In a loose sense, majority means the greater part. More strictly, it means the number by which votes cast for one candidate exceed those of the opposition. A plurality is the excess of votes received by one candidate over his nearest competitor. In an election A receives 500 votes; B, 400 votes; and C, 300 votes. A has a plurality of 100, but no majority.

Practical and practicable.

Practical means not theoretical; practicable means capable of being put into practice. "A practical man." "The arrangement is practicable."

Principal and principle.

Principal as an adjective means chief or leading; principle as a noun means a general truth. Principal as a noun means a sum of money, or the chief official of a school.

Proof and evidence.

In a law court, proof is evidence sufficient to establish a fact; evidence is whatever is brought forward in an attempt to establish a fact. "The evidence against the prisoner was extensive, but hardly proof of his guilt." In ordinary speech, proof is sometimes loosely used as a synonym for evidence.

Pseudo- and quasi-.

As a prefix, pseudo- means false; quasi- means literally as if, hence seeming, so-called. "Phrenology is a pseudo-science." "A quasi-evolutionary doctrine."

Quiet and quite.

Quiet is an adjective meaning calm, not noisy; quite is an adverb meaning entirely.

Respectfully and respectively.

Respectfully means in a courteous manner; respectively means in a way proper to each. "Yours respectfully" (not respectively). "He handed the commissions to Gray and Hodgins respectively."

Rise and raise.

Rise is an intransitive verb; raise is a transitive verb. "I rise to go home." "I raise vegetables." "I raise the stone from the ground."

Sit and set.

Set, a transitive verb, means to cause to sit. "He sets it in the corner and it sits there." The past tense of sit is sat.

I sit down.	I always set it in its place.
He sat in this very chair.	I set it in its place yesterday.
He has sat there an hour.	I have always set it just here.

Stationary and stationery.

Stationary is an adjective meaning fixed; stationery is a noun meaning writing material.

Statue, stature, and statute.

Statue means a carved or moulded figure; stature means height; statute means a law.

Exercise:

1. Insert affect or effect: Noise does not —— my studying. It has little —— on me. By the exercise of will power I was able to —— a change.
2. Insert healthy or healthful: New Mexico has a —— climate, Graham bread is ——. You will be —— if you take exercise.
3. Insert later or latter: I will see you ——. Here are two plans: the former is complex; the —— is simple. Sooner or —— you will learn the rule.
4. Insert less or fewer: They have —— money than we; we have —— pleasures than they. It seems to me there are —— accidents.
5. Insert principal or principle: The —— part of a clock is the pendulum, which swings regularly, according to a —— of science. My —— reason for trusting him is that he is a man of ——. He is the —— of the high school. The widow spends the interest on the money, but keeps the —— intact.

Glossary of Faulty Diction

68. Avoid faulty diction.

Ad

(for advertisement). Avoid in formal writing and speaking.

Ain't.

Never correct. Say I'm not, you [we, they] aren't, he [she, it] isn't.

All the farther, all the faster.

Crude. Use as far as, as fast as, in such sentences as "This is all the farther I can go."

As.

(a) Incorrect in the sense of that or whether. "I don't know whether (not as) I can tell you." "Not that (not as) I know." (b) As ... as are correlatives. Than must not replace the second as. Right: "As good as or better than his neighbors." "As good as his neighbors, or better [than they]." See 57.

Auto.

An abbreviation not desirable in formal writing.

Awful.

Means filling with awe or filled with awe. Do not use in the sense of uncivil, serious, or ludicrous, or (in the adverbial form) in the sense of very, extremely.

Balance.

Incorrect when used in the sense of remainder.

Because.

Not to be used for the fact that. "The fact that (not because) he is absent is no reason why we should not proceed." See 5.

Between.

Used of two persons or things. Not to be confused with among, which is used of more than two.

Blame on.

A crudity for put the blame on or blame. Faulty: "Don't blame it on me." Better: "Don't blame me."

Borned.

A monstrosity for born. "I was born (not borned) in 1899."

Bursted.

The past tense of burst is the same as the present.

Bust or busted.

Vulgar for burst. Right: "The balloon burst." "The bank failed."

But what.

That is often preferable. "I do not doubt that (not but what) he is honest."

Canine.

An adjective. Not in good use as a noun.

Cannot help but.

A confusion of can but and cannot help. "I can but believe you"; or "I cannot help believing you"; not "I cannot help but believe you." See 34.

Caused by.

To be used only when it refers definitely to a noun. Wrong: "He was disappointed, caused by the lateness of the train." The noun disappointment should be used instead of the verb disappointed. Then caused will have a definite reference. Right: "His disappointment was caused by the lateness of the train." See 23.

Claim.

Means to demand as a right. Incorrect for maintain or assert.

Considerable.

An adjective, not an adverb. "He talked considerably (not considerable) about it."

Could of.

An illiterate form arising from slovenly pronunciation. Use could have. Avoid also may of, must of, would of, etc.

Data.

Plural. The singular (seldom used) is datum. Compare stratum, strata; erratum, errata.

Demean.

Means to conduct oneself, not to lower or to degrade.

Different than.

Different from is to be preferred. Than is a conjunction. The idea of separation implied in different calls for a preposition, rather than a word of comparison.

Disremember.

Not in good use.

Done.

A gross error when used as the past tense of do, or as an adverb meaning already. "I did it (not I done it)." "I've already (not done) got my lessons."

Don't.

A contraction for do not; never to be used for does not. The contraction of does not is doesn't. See 51d.

Drownded.

Vulgar for drowned.

Due to.

To be used only when it refers definitely to a noun. Faulty: "He refused the offer, due to his father's opposition." Right: "His refusal of the offer was due to his father's opposition." The noun refusal should be used instead of the verb refused. Then due will have a definite reference. See 5.

Enthuse.

Not in good use.

Etc.

An abbreviation for the Latin et cetera, meaning and other [things]. Et means and. And etc. is therefore grossly incorrect. Do not write ect.

Expect.

Means to look forward to. Hardly correct in the sense of suppose.

Fine.

Use cautiously as an adjective, and not at all as an adverb. Seek the exact word. See 62.

Former.

Means the first or first named of two. Not to be used when more than two have been named. The corresponding word is latter.

For to.

Incorrect for to. "I want you (not for you) to listen carefully." "He made up his mind to (not for to) accept."

Gent.

A vulgar abbreviation of gentleman.

Good.

An adjective, not an adverb. Wrong: "He did good in mathematics." Right: "He did well in mathematics." "He did good work in mathematics."

Gotten.

An old form now usually replaced by got except in such expressions as ill-gotten gains.

Guess.

Expresses conjecture. Not to be used in formal composition for think, suppose, or expect.

Had of.

Illiterate. "I wish I had known (not had of known) about it."

Had ought.

A vulgarism. "He ought (not had ought) to have resigned." "We oughtn't (not hadn't ought) to make this error."

Hardly.

Not to be used with a negative. See 34.

Home.

Do not use when you mean simply house.

Human or humans.

Not in good use as a noun. Say human being. Right: "The house was not fit for human beings (not humans) to live in."

If.

Do not use for whether. "I can't say whether (not if) the laundry will be finished today."

In.

Often misused for into. "He jumped into (not in) the pond."

It's.

Means it is; not to be written for the possessive its.

Kind of.

(a) Should not modify adjectives or verbs. "He was somewhat (not kind of) lean." "She partly suspected (not She kind of suspected) what was going on." (b) When using with a noun, do not follow by a. "That kind of man"; not "That kind of a man."

Like.

To be followed by a substantive; never by a substantive and a verb. "He ran like a deer." "Do as (not like) I do." "She felt as if (not like) she was going to faint." Like is a preposition; as is a conjunction.

Literally.

Do not use where you plainly do not mean it, as in the sentence, "I was literally tickled to death."

Loan.

Lend is in better use as a verb.

Locate.

Do not use for settle or establish oneself.

Lose out.

Not used in formal writing. Say lose.

Lots of.

A mercantile term which has a dubious colloquial standing. Not in good literary use for many or much.

Might of.

A vulgarism for might have.

Most.

Do not use for almost. "Almost (not most) all."

Myself.

Intensive or reflexive; do not use when the simple personal pronoun would suffice. "I saw them myself." "Some friends and I (not myself) went walking."

Neither.

Used with nor, and not with or. "Neither the man whom his associates had suspected nor (not or) the one whom the police had arrested was the criminal." "She could neither paint a good picture nor (not or) play the violin well."

Nice.

Means delicate or precise. Nice is used in a loose colloquial way to indicate general approval, but should not be so used in formal writing. Right: "He displayed nice judgment." "We had a pleasant (not nice) time." See 62.

Nowhere near.

Vulgar for not nearly.

Nowheres.

Vulgar.

O and Oh.

O is used with a noun in direct address; it is not separated from the noun by any marks of punctuation. Oh is used as an interjection; it is followed by a comma or an exclamation point. "Hear, O king, what thy servants would say." "Oh, dear!"

Of.

Do not use for have in such combinations as should have, may have, ought to have.

Off of.

On, upon, or some equivalent expression is usually preferable.

Ought to of.

A vulgarism for ought to have.

Over with.

Crude for over.

Pants.

Trousers is the approved term in literary usage. Pants (from pantaloons) has found some degree of colloquial and commercial acceptance.

Party.

Not to be used for person, except in legal phrases.

Phone.

A contraction not employed in formal writing. Say telephone.

Plenty.

A noun; not in good use as an adjective or an adverb. "He had plenty of (not plenty) resources." "He had resources in plenty (not resources plenty)."

Proposition.

Means a thing proposed. Do not use loosely, as in the sentence: "A berth on a Pullman is a good proposition during a railway journey at night." See 62.

Proven.

Prefer proved.

Providing.

Prefer provided in such expressions as "I will vote for him provided (not providing) he is a candidate."

Quite a.

Colloquial in such expressions as quite a while, quite a few, quite a number.

Raise.

Rear or bring up is preferable in speaking of children. "She reared (not raised) seven children."

Rarely ever.

Crude for rarely, hardly ever.

Real.

Crude for very or really. "She was very (not real) intelligent." "He was really (not real) brave."

Remember of.

Not to be used for remember.

Right smart and Right smart of.

Extremely vulgar.

Same.

No longer used as a pronoun except in legal documents. "He saw her drop the purse and restored it (not the same) to her."

Scarcely.

Not to be used with a negative. See 34.

Seldom ever.

Crude for seldom, hardly ever.

Shall.

Do not confuse with will. See 53.

Sight.

A sight or a sight of is very crude for many, much, a great deal of. "A great many (not a sight) of them."

So.

Not incorrect, but loose, vague, and often unnecessary. (a) As an intensive, the frequent use of so has been christened "the feminine demonstrative." Hackneyed: "I was so surprised." Better: "I was much surprised." Or, "I was surprised." (b) As a connective, the frequent use of so is a mark of amateurishness. See 36 Note.

Some.

Not to be used as an adverb. "She was somewhat (not some) better the next day." Wrong: "He studied some that night." Right: "He did some studying that night."

Somewheres.

Very crude. Use somewhere.

Species.

Has the same form in singular and plural. "He discovered a new species (not specie) of sunflower."

Such.

(a) To be completed by that, rather than by so that, when a result clause follows. "There was such a crowd that (not so that) he did not find his friends." (b) To be completed by as, rather than by that, who, or which, when a relative clause follows. "I will accept such arrangements as (not that) may be made." "He called upon such soldiers as (not who) would volunteer for this service to step forward."

Superior than.

Not in good use for superior to.

Sure.

Avoid the crude adverbial use. "It surely (not sure) was pleasant." In answer to the question, "Will you go?" either sure or surely is correct, though surely is preferred. "[To be] sure." "[You may be] sure." "[I will] surely [go]."

Suspicion.

A noun. Never to be used as a verb.

Take and.

Often unnecessary, sometimes crude. Redundant: "He took the ax and sharpened it." Better: "He sharpened the ax." Crude: "He took and nailed up the box." Better: "He nailed up the box."

Tend.

In the sense to look after, takes a direct object without an interposed to. Attend, however, is followed by to. "The milliner's assistant tends (not tends to) the shop." "I shall attend to your wants in a moment."

That there.

Do not use for that. "I want that (not that there) box of berries."

Them.

Not to be used as an adjective. "Those (not them) boys."

There were or There was.

Avoid the unnecessary use. Crude: "There were seventeen senators voted for the bill." Better: "Seventeen senators voted for the bill."

These sort, These kind.

Ungrammatical. See 51b.

This here.

Do not use for this.

Those.

Do not carelessly omit a relative clause after those. Faulty: "He is one of those talebearers." Better: "He is a talebearer." [Or] "He is one of those talebearers whom everybody dislikes."

Those kind, those sort.

Ungrammatical. See 51b.

Till.

Do not carelessly misuse for when: "I had scarcely strapped on my skates when (not till) Henry fell through an air hole."

Transpire.

Means to give forth or to become known, not to occur. "The secret transpired." "The sale of the property occurred (not transpired) last Thursday."

Try.

A verb, not a noun.

Unique.

Means alone of its kind, not odd or unusual.

United States.

Ordinarily preceded by the. "The United States raised a large army." (Not "United States raised a large army.")

Up.

Do not needlessly insert after such verbs as end, rest, settle.

Used to could.

Very crude. Say used to be able or once could.

Very.

Accompanied by much when used with the past participle. "He was very much (not very) pleased with his reception."

Want to.

Not to be used in the sense of should, had better. "You should (not You want to) keep in good physical condition."

Way.

Not to be used for away. "Away (not way) down the street."

Ways.

Not to be used for way in referring to distance. "A little way (not ways)."

When.

(a) Not to be used for that in such a sentence as "It was in the afternoon that the races began." (b) A when clause is not to be used as a predicate noun. See 6.

Where.

(a) Not to be used for that in such a sentence as "I see in the paper that our team lost the game." (b) A where clause is not to be used as a predicate noun. See 6.

Where at.

Vulgar. "Where is he? (not Where is he at?)"

Which.

Do not use for who or that in referring to persons. "The friends who (not which) had loved him in his boyhood were still faithful to him."

Who.

Do not use unnecessarily for which or that in referring to animals. Do not use the possessive form whose for of which unless the sentence is so turned as practically to require the substitution.

Will.

Do not confuse with shall. See 53.

Win out.

Not used in formal writing or speaking.

Woods.

Not ordinarily to be used as singular. "A wood (not A woods)."

Would have.

Do not use for had in if clauses. "If you had (not would have) spoken boldly, he would have granted your request."

Would of.

A vulgarism for would have.

You was.

Use You were in both singular and plural.

Yourself.

Intensive or reflexive; do not use when the personal pronoun would suffice. "You (not Yourself) and your family must come."

Exercise:

1. Be sure the gun works alright. I was already when you came.
2. He talked considerable, but I couldn't scarcely remember what all he said.
3. I never suspicioned that John could of been guilty of forging his father's note. It don't seem hardly possible.
4. The island was not inhabited by humans. It was different than any place I ever remember of. One sailor and myself climbed a sand hill, but we couldn't see any signs of life anywheres.
5. Hawkeye walked a ways into a woods. He was a right smart at ease, for he had Kildeer with him.

69. EXERCISE IN DICTION

A. Wordiness