PRACTICE
1. Them and us were not invited. (300)
2. Whom do you think ought to go? (301)
3. As to whom is best qualified, consult the dean. (302)
4. It was never them. (303)
5. Who is going, him and her? (304)
6. He made me as strong as they. (305)
7. How could you consider Mary going? (306)
8. He is one of art’s greatest contributors. (307)
9. The greatest duty lies toward the parents of the boy or girl who they send to college. (308)
10. Who did you think her to be? (309)
11. I thought the person to have been he. (310)
12. What about these sort of seeds? (311)
13. When one goes back to work they feel like accomplishing something. (312)
14. His explanations are very much in detail but does not hit the mark. (313)
15. If either are late to class, both receive a setback. (314)
16. Scraping and varnishing is necessary in this case. (315)
17. He thinks neither Byron nor Shelley are great poets. (316)
18. A number has already gathered about the jail. (317)
19. The lining of blankets keep the cold air out. (318)
20. There is too many open windows in the house. (319)
21. The football team, in addition to as many graduate players as can be reached, are invited. (320)
22. Neither Frank nor the Holliwells knows her. (321)
23. Everybody who were there was pleased. (322)
24. The fruit I like best are strawberries. (323)
25. Robert don’t read anything. (324)
26. I wonder what he has drank. (325)
27. He had ought to go. (326)
28. I raised up and shouted at them either to set down or lay down; it didn’t matter which they did. (327)
29. I will never forget the pleasant time we had at graduation. (328)
30. They should have gone, but it rained. (329)
31. Shall he be able to come? (330)
32. I shall speak to him about it; I insist upon it. (331)
33. He told me time after time and would insist that Percival had told the whole truth. (332)
34. He said the sun was 93,000,000 miles from the earth. (333)
35. I seldom remember the name of the book or of the author until I would see the book again. (334)
36. She wanted me to have gone before you came. (335)
37. Vanadium steel is used to make many parts of the Ford car which were made of various other kinds. (336)
38. If she was able to go, we should have a good time. (337)
39. It would of been better if the paint had dried slowly. (338)
40. They hadn’t ought to have tried that. (339)
41. The varsity basketball outlook is much brighter than was the case for football. Six letter men on the squad, four other candidates of outstanding ability, and a coach who says that he will stop at nothing short of a championship. (340)
42. They were a wonderful six weeks. Just full of happenings of all kinds. (341)
43. In the first year ancient history is taken up once or twice a week. The rest of the time being devoted to the study of rhetoric and composition. (342)
44. I arrived home late in the afternoon. After I had been riding an hour and a half. (343)
45. In the East, Boston, New York, Brooklyn, and Philadelphia. In the West, Chicago, St. Louis, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh make up the league. (344)
46. Frightened nearly to death, my friend ran into the house. And hid there for a long time before she was willing even to look out the window. (345)
47. The condition that arose, I was unable to meet my obligation. (346)
48. Up in the mountains there would be very few people to bother you, and would thus enable you to spend many hours alone. (347)
49. Dancing was the next on the program. (348)
50. This historical event has had a great deal to do with the books I have read and also many other students and persons of my age. (349)
51. It was dark and no other possible way to get there. (350)
52. We heard something exciting was sure to happen before the night was over. (351)
53. The next time over, the corn is plowed in the opposite direction from which it was planted. (352)
54. Barnes is as good a hitter and a much more consistent one than anyone else on the team. (353)
55. He was very surprised to see us. (354)
56. What you or he thinks makes no difference here. (355)
57. If you or he is going, it is time to start now. (356)
58. The science building is three stories high and constructed of brick. (357)
59. Drinking I have always avoided and always will. (358)
60. I went, while my father objected. (359)
61. More votes were cast than there were voters, and a new election was ordered. (360)
62. For instance, one theater we were in, everything inside of it was white. (361)
63. One of the saddest if not the saddest sight I ever saw met my eyes when I opened the door. (362)
64. Shiloh was a crucial moment in the Civil War. (363)
65. The story was made up of the hills of Hingham. (364)
66. Fraternities were not included with my thoughts of college. (365)
67. The demand and popularity of the gladiatorial games resulted in a number of uprisings against the government. (366)
68. I like reading books, but I enjoy even more to see a good play. (367)
69. The honors for high scoring for the afternoon spent in playing bridge were awarded to Mary Devoe. (368)
70. Justice is where each man gets his deserts. (369)
71. The reason I have for liking it was because of the way the part of Portia was played. (370)
72. Because you are ignorant is no excuse in the eyes of the law. (371)
73. Due to these facts, my reading was neglected. (372)
74. The size of my feet is because of what happened one summer when I was a bell hop. (373)
75. The observer turns to the east, and looking down a short residential street which leads to a well-kept cemetery. (374)
76. They say that fools’ names as well as faces are often seen in public places, but I prefer prose to poetry. (375)
77. I felt that of all the courses I ever took that the one in civics did the most for me. (376)
78. Parading up Jefferson street in the morning, we had a record-breaking crowd for the evening performance. (377)
79. Chicago’s burning proved to be the making of the middle western metropolis. (378)
80. The constant offering excuses enraged me. (379)
81. Every morning except one I have either military drill or physical training, these serve to break the monotony of being cooped up in a class room the rest of the time. (380)
82. I also like scout books and detective stories, also a good love story once in a while. (381)
83. We stayed a few days in Boston and a day in Chicago, then we arrived at our destination on a rainy Monday morning two hours before breakfast time. (382)
84. Strong is he and brave. (383)
85. I wouldn’t take no insolence from him. (384)
86. The vassal had to swear that he would not injure his lord nor betray his secrets. (385)
87. I don’t hardly see what else I could have done. (386)
88. He does not go so deep into details as to bore his students. (387)
89. The new bell sounds harshly. (388)
90. Among the eight instructors which I have are two which I abhor. (389)
Chapter VIII
SENTENCE CLEARNESS
Sentences exist for the purpose of conveying thought from one mind to another. The manner of their expression must, therefore, be such that the thought expressed is obvious and unmistakable. Otherwise, sentences not only fail of their purpose but often lead to confusion, to misunderstanding, and even to disaster. The quality which renders their meaning obvious and unmistakable is called clearness.
400. Definite pronouns (he, she, it, this, that, who, which) must have obvious antecedents.
Insufficient. They say that the timber supply in the United States will soon be exhausted.
Better. Forest experts say that the timber supply in the United States will soon be exhausted.
Revise. Yesterday I saw Mr. Jonathan Oldcastle. She has just returned from Europe, you know.
401. Make an ambiguous pronoun clear by placing it nearer its antecedent.
Confusing. Father told us of a meadow near his old home, which was now under water.
Unmistakable. Father told us that near his old home there used to be a meadow which is now under water.
Revise. In order to succeed at football one must be willing to live up to all the rules of training, to refrain from smoking, to shun society, and to put one’s whole soul into it.
402. Change indirect discourse to direct discourse to make an antecedent obvious.
Equivocal. Clark told Andrews he had made an error.
Clear. Clark said, “Andrews, you made an error.”
Revise. George, talking with Bill, said that he ought to be ashamed of himself.
403. Never designate the antecedent of a pronoun by repeating it within parentheses.
Wrong. John told Tom that he (John) had not made the team.
Right. John said to Tom, “I have not made the team.”
Revise. John told Tom that he (Tom) had not made the team.
404. Repeat a distant noun or supply a new one rather than use an obscure pronoun.
Not good. I felt sure that the parade would not be ready to start for an hour yet, as there were no soldiers about, and it was only one o’clock; so I decided to walk out toward the edge of town, taking care, however, to remain upon the street along which I knew it would pass.
Better. I felt sure that the parade would not be ready to start for an hour yet, as there were no soldiers about, and it was only one o’clock; so I decided to walk out toward the edge of town, taking care, however, to remain upon the street along which I knew the parade would pass.
Revise. The men in my company who had dissipated before entering the army found, during the long marches necessary in the Argonne Forest, that it was hard to keep up with it.
405. Repeat the noun rather than use a pronoun that refers to an unemphatic antecedent.
Unimpressive. Yesterday I saw Mrs. Hamlin in a new car designed by the Fisher company. Almost all cars designed by them are distinctive.
Better. Yesterday I saw Mrs. Hamlin in a new car designed by the Fisher company. Almost all cars designed by that company are distinctive.
Revise. Silos made of concrete are of greater value than any other kind because they last longer. This is easy to use and is cheaper in the end than any other material.
406. Place adverbs like only, almost, ever, nearly, just, hardly, scarcely, merely, quite next to and usually before the words they modify.
Misleading. He would only lend me five dollars.
Accurate. He would lend me only five dollars.
Revise. I don’t ever want to see him again.
407. Place negatives before the words they modify.
Untaught. Everybody has not read the Bible.
Better. Not everybody has read the Bible.
Revise. All men were not born to be hanged.
408. Use correlative conjunctions to connect only co-ordinate expressions.
Wrong. I knew I would be compelled either to salute him or he would have me put in the guard house.
Right. I knew I would be compelled either to salute him or to spend a week in the guard house.
Revise. It was not only necessary for me to save all the money I could, but I knew I should have to earn more than I had ever earned before.
409. Place correlative conjunctions as close as possible to the expressions they connect.
Faulty. He was not only an expert marksman but he also was a skilled horseman.
Improved. He was not only an expert marksman but also a skilled horseman.
Revise. Military training both teaches a man to think quickly and to command others.
410. Place every subordinate clause so that its relation to the main clause is immediately evident.
Uncertain. He knew when the time came what he would do.
Certain. When the time came he knew what he would do.
Revise. Someone I knew would come in.
411. Place relative clauses immediately after their antecedents.
Doubtful. A man came up and spoke to my brother whom I had never seen before.
Plain. A man whom I had never seen before came up and spoke to my brother.
Revise. The ship flew a strange flag that came in yesterday.
412. Place subordinate clauses so that their verbs cannot be confused with the verbs of main clauses.
Absurd. The horse snorted as Jackson spoke and kicked up his heels.
Correct. As Jackson spoke, the horse snorted and kicked up his heels.
Revise. The wind stormed across the desert where the corpse lay and whistled.
413. Place every modifying phrase so that the expression it modifies is unmistakable.
Misleading. The captain says that if your rifles are not clean day after tomorrow he will put every one of you in the guard house.
Clear. The captain says that if day after tomorrow your rifles are not clean he will put every one of you in the guard house.
Revise. When he took his seat much to his chagrin the lights went out.
414. Place co-ordinate modifiers one after another.
Halting. Even though he had never seen you before, he would let you know who he was if he liked your appearance.
Secure. Even though he had never seen you before, if he liked your appearance he would let you know who he was.
Revise. If Friday is a holiday, I shall drive home if the roads are good.
415. Make a participial phrase modify the noun or pronoun which it ought obviously to modify; or change the construction.
Ludicrous. Standing upon the dome of Old Capitol, Iowa avenue presents an unusual view.
Better. Standing upon the dome of Old Capitol, one gets an unusual view of Iowa avenue.
Better. If one stands upon the dome of Old Capitol, one gets an unusual view of Iowa avenue.
Revise. Coming out on the train Pike’s Peak is seen.
416. Change a participle preceded by thus into a clause if the participle cannot logically modify the subject of the preceding verb.
Wrong. She had to wait until everybody else in the room was served, thus causing her to be late.
Right. She had to wait until everybody else in the room was served, and the delay caused her to be late.
Revise. The bridges were all down between Storm Lake and Altoona, thus making all the trains late.
417. Make a participle preceded by a conjunction agree with the noun to which it obviously belongs; or change the construction.
Ridiculous. Tuesday, when wearing my new hat, a rainstorm came up and ruined it.
Correct. Tuesday, when I was wearing my new hat, a rainstorm came up and ruined it.
Revise. While eating my supper last night, one of the calves got out and ran into the corn field.
418. A phrase beginning with the adjective due can refer only to a noun. ([See 372.])
Wrong. He was ill, due to overeating.
Right. His illness was due to overeating.
Revise. The train stopped, due to boiler trouble.
419. Make a gerund prepositional phrase modify the noun or pronoun which it ought obviously to modify; or change the construction.
Ludicrous. In speaking to Sparks yesterday, he told me that the team was in excellent condition.
Clear. In speaking to Sparks yesterday, I learned that the team was in excellent condition.
Revise. In trying to show Helen how to start her motor, she almost ran over me.
420. In parallel subordinate clauses repeat the subordinating conjunction with each clause after the first.
Unequal. She had heard that her mother had died suddenly after a short but violent illness, and her father had struck oil.
Accurate. She had heard that her mother had died suddenly after a short but violent illness, and that her father had struck oil.
Revise. Although the water rose steadily during the spring thaw, and the dam was on the point of giving way under the pressure, the engineer obstinately insisted that there was no danger.
421. Repeat auxiliary verb forms with their principals.
Improper co-ordination. We shall have to leave town and need an automobile.
Improved. We shall have to leave town and shall need an automobile.
Revise. A quarterback must see where the hole in the line is and take advantage of it.
422. Repeat the to before each infinitive in a series.
Not co-ordinate. He came to see the house, bargain for it, and buy it if terms could be agreed upon.
Co-ordinate. He came to see the house, to bargain for it, and to buy it if terms could be agreed upon.
Revise. Not only was it necessary for us to read the book, remember what was in it, and be able to recite upon it, but also write a paper upon it, and read the paper before the class.
423. Repeat the preposition with each object.
Obscure. She went to Chicago and the capital of the state.
Better. She went to Chicago and to the capital of the state.
Revise. The positions were offered to soldiers, athletes, and virile men generally.
424. Repeat the article with each noun in a series.
Confusing. They needed a minister, doctor, and lawyer at once.
Clear. They needed a minister, a doctor, and a lawyer at once.
Revise. I met the merchant and postmaster of the little town as well as the sheriff and justice of the peace.
425. Repeat the possessive with each noun in a series.
Bad. I asked her the names of her sister and puppy.
Better. I asked her the names of her sister and of her puppy.
Revise. He watched his horse, cow, and pig break through into the wheat.
426. Give the same structure only to ideas similar in thought.
Misleading. Golf is a game that requires skill, poise, good temper, and clubs that exactly suit you.
Better. Golf is a game that requires skill, poise, and good temper. These qualities, however, will avail little unless one has clubs that exactly suit him.
Revise. The new hospital was erected to the memory of John Shuler and for the benefit of crippled children.
427. After a long or involved series, use a summarizing word before continuing the sentence.
Inadequate. To live uprightly, to be amiable always, and to be considerate of others even to the point of inconvenience are the essentials of gentleness.
Better. To live uprightly, to be amiable always, and to be considerate of others even to the point of inconvenience—these are the essentials of gentleness.
Revise. O wise and upright judge, O learned in the law, O guide, philosopher, and friend, be my rock and refuge.
428. Use and to connect only those expressions which are in the same construction. ([See 374.])
Bad. We then studied chemistry, a subject much more interesting than history, and which I enjoyed thoroughly.
Better. We then studied chemistry, a subject much more interesting than history, and one which I enjoyed thoroughly.
Revise. Jacob Sturm was a man of much wealth, and who came to this country twenty years ago.
429. Use but to connect only those expressions which are in the same construction.
Bad. I started into high school resolved to make the most of my opportunities, but in no long time deciding to have all the fun I could.
Better. I started into high school resolved to make the most of my opportunities, but in no long time I decided to have all the fun I could.
Revise. The colonel issued an order about mounts, but which nobody could understand.
430. After a comparative degree, exclude the subject of comparison from the class with which it is compared.
Wrong. Platinum is more valuable than any metal.
Right. Platinum is more valuable than any other metal.
Revise. Morvich was swifter than any racehorse of his day.
431. After a superlative degree, include the subject of comparison within the class with which it is compared.
Wrong. Shakespeare is the greatest of any other poet.
Right. Shakespeare is the greatest of all poets.
Revise. A slave is the most miserable of all other men.
432. Avoid an inconsistent change of person within the sentence.
Wrong. You can lead a horse to water, but nobody can make him drink.
Right. You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink.
Revise. I have done the best I could, and I do not think a person should be required to do more.
433. Avoid an inconsistent change of number within the sentence.
Wrong. Tillie, Margaret, and Ann each took their seats.
Right. Tillie, Margaret, and Ann each took her seat.
Revise. Everybody should save their money while they are young.
434. Avoid an inconsistent change of tense within the sentence.
Wrong. As soon as the train came in, he hurries home.
Right. As soon as the train came in, he hurried home.
Revise. No matter what he tries, things never came out as he expected them to.
435. Avoid an inconsistent change of mood within the sentence.
Wrong. Unless it is too hard and take too much time I can finish by noon.
Right. Unless it is too hard and takes too much time I can finish by noon.
Revise. Sand is all right in the back yard, but keep it out of the front yard.
436. Avoid an inconsistent change of voice within the sentence.
Wrong. The troops were taken up in trucks but came back on the train.
Right. The troops went up in trucks but came back on the train.
Revise. A month ago I was listened to with all courtesy, but now not even a dog will listen.