TABLE OF SECTIONS
[The roman numerals refer to chapters; the arabic, to sections.]
| CHAPTER | PAGE | ||
| I. | Introduction | [1] | |
| II. | The Sentence: 1. Phrases, clauses, and sentences.—2. Simple, complex, and compound sentences.—3. Variety in the use of sentences.—4. Periodic sentences.—5. Bad sentences.—6. The "comma" sentence.—7. Sentences without unity.—8. The formless sentence | [4] | |
| III. | The Paragraph: 9. The use of the paragraph.—10. The beginning.—11. Unity in the paragraph.—12. The body of the paragraph.—13. Too many paragraphs.—14. The end of a paragraph.—15. Quotations | [29] | |
| IV. | Words: 16. How we learn words.—17. The size and character of the English vocabulary.—18. Increasing one's vocabulary.—19. Synonyms.—20. Accuracy in the use of words.—21. Figures of speech.—22. Mistakes in the use of words.—23. Spelling.—24. Slang.—25. Errors in the forms of words | [49] | |
| V. | Condensation, Expansion, and Paraphrase: 26. Writing in which the ideas are already at hand.—27. Condensation.—28. Method in condensation.—29. Expansion.—30. The purpose of expansion.—31. Paraphrase.—32. Paraphrase of complete compositions | [69] | |
| VI. | Whole Compositions; Outlines: 33. Whole compositions.—34. Outlines.—35. Essentials in a whole composition.—36. How to plan an essay | [88] | |
| VII. | Oral Composition: 37. The great essential.—38. How to be heard.—39. Pronunciation.—40. A plan necessary | [102] | |
| VIII. | The Diary: 41. The value of a diary.—42. Contents of a diary.—43. Imaginary diaries.—44. The class diary | [106] | |
| IX. | The Letter: 45. Various kinds of letters.—46. Friendly letters.—47. Letters of social intercourse.—48. Formal invitations.—49. Telegrams.—50. Business letters.—51. Notices.—52. Appeals.—53. Petitions.—54. Advertisements | [112] | |
| X. | Narration: 55. The essentials of a good narrative.—56. Autobiography.—57. Biography.—58. History.—59. Plain reporting of facts.—60. Conversation | [137] | |
| XI. | Description: 61. Observation.—62. General scientific description.—63. Specific scientific description.—64. Technical terms.—65. Literary description.—66. Description of people.—67. Longer description.—68. Description of conditions.—69. Description by contrast.—70. Description of events.—71. Picture making of scenes of action.—72. Travel.—73. Descriptions of an hour | [155] | |
| XII. | Narration (Continued): 74. Historical stories.—75. Fictitious stories.—76. The beginning.—77. The ending.—78. The body | [188] | |
| XIII. | Exposition: 79. General principles.—80. Explanation of a material process.—81. Explanation of games.—82. Exposition of abstract ideas.—83. Exposition by example.—84. Exposition by repetition.—85. Exposition by contrast.—86. Exposition by a figure of speech | [199] | |
| XIV. | Argument: 87. General principle.—88. The introduction.—89. The reasons.—90. The outline.—91. The plea.—92. Other forms | [214] | |
| XV. | Secretarial Work (93) | [225] | |
| XVI. | Versification (94) | [234] | |
| XVII. | Punctuation: 95. General theory of punctuation.—96. The period.—97. The question mark.—98. The exclamation point.—99. The semicolon.—100. The colon.—101. The comma.—102. Parentheses and brackets.—103. The dash.—104. The apostrophe.—105. Quotation marks.—106. Italics.—107. The hyphen.—108. Capitals.—109. List of common abbreviations | [247] | |
TABLE OF EXERCISES
| Chapter II. The Sentence | ||
| EXERCISES | PAGES | |
| 1-3. | Distinguishing and constructing phrases, clauses, and sentences | [5], [6] |
| 4-13. | Distinguishing and constructing simple, complex, and compound sentences | [7]-[13] |
| 14, 15. | Variety in the form and length of sentences | [15], [16] |
| 16. | Distinguishing the periodic sentence | [19] |
| 17-21. | Constructing the periodic sentence | [19]-[21] |
| 22-24. | Distinguishing and correcting the "comma" sentence | [22], [23] |
| 25. | Correcting sentences that are without unity | [24] |
| 26, 27. | Reconstructing formless sentences | [26]-[28] |
| Chapter III. The Paragraph | ||
| 28. | Noting the force of topic sentences | [33] |
| 29. | Supplying topic sentences | [34] |
| 30. | Writing short paragraphs from topic sentences | [35] |
| 31. | Noting when and why paragraphs lack unity | [36] |
| 32. | Making notes for paragraphs suggested by topic sentences | [40] |
| 33. | Correcting bad division into paragraphs | [41] |
| 34. | Making notes for paragraphs suggested by summary sentences | [43] |
| 35. | Making summary sentences for paragraphs indicated by notes | [44] |
| 36-38. | Use of quotation marks | [46]-[48] |
| Chapter IV. Words | ||
| 39-45. | Increasing the vocabulary | [51], [52] |
| 46-52. | Synonyms | [53]-[57] |
| 53. | Distinguishing between similar words | [59] |
| 54-60. | Metaphors and similes | [60]-[62] |
| 61-62. | Slang | [64] |
| 63-66. | Errors in the forms of words | [65]-[67] |
| Chapter V. Condensation, Expansion, and Paraphrase | ||
| 67. | Condensing paragraphs | [70] |
| 68-69. | Condensing longer passages | [75]-[77] |
| 70. | Expanding short and suggestive statements | [79] |
| 71. | Expanding for the sake of clearness | [80] |
| 72-73. | Paraphrasing short passages | [82]-[84] |
| 74. | Paraphrasing complete poems | [87] |
| Chapter VI. Whole Compositions; Outlines | ||
| 75-76. | Preparing outlines | [96], [101] |
| Chapter VII. Oral Composition | ||
| Chapter VIII. The Diary | ||
| 77. | Imaginary diaries | [109] |
| Chapter IX. The Letter | ||
| 78. | Friendly letters | [118] |
| 79. | Letters of social intercourse | [121] |
| 80. | Formal invitations | [123] |
| 81. | Telegrams | [124] |
| 82-84. | Business letters | [126], [128], [129] |
| 85-87. | Notices | [131], [132] |
| 88. | Appeals | [134] |
| 89. | Petitions | [135] |
| 90-91. | Advertisements | [135], [136] |
| Chapter X. Narration | ||
| 92. | Fables | [138] |
| 93. | Autobiographical sketches | [141] |
| 94-96. | Biographical sketches | [142], [143] |
| 97. | Historical sketches | [150] |
| 98. | Reporting facts | [152] |
| 99. | Fables told by conversation | [153] |
| 100-101. | Imaginary conversations | [153], [154] |
| Chapter XI. Description | ||
| 102. | Practice in accurate observation | [157] |
| 103-104. | General scientific description | [162] |
| 105-107. | Specific scientific description | [163], [164] |
| 108-109. | Literary description | [168], [169] |
| 110-111. | Description of people and animals | [170], [171] |
| 112. | Longer descriptions | [173] |
| 113, 114. | Description of conditions | [175], [176] |
| 115. | Description by contrast | [177] |
| 116. | Description of events | [179] |
| 117, 118. | Picture making of scenes of action | [180], [181] |
| 119. | Sketches of travel | [185] |
| 120. | Descriptions of an hour | [187] |
| Chapter XII. Narrative (Continued) | ||
| 121, 122. | Historical stories | [190], [191] |
| 123. | Fictitious stories | [193] |
| 124. | Completing stories, when the beginning is given | [194] |
| 125. | Completing stories, when the ending is given | [196] |
| 126. | Completing stories, when the plot is suggested | [198] |
| Chapter XIII. Exposition | ||
| 127-129. | Explanation of processes | [203], [204] |
| 130-131. | Explanation of games, sports, etc. | [206] |
| 132. | Explanation by comparison and example | [209] |
| 133. | Explanation (general) | [211] |
| 134. | Explanation of proverbs and quotations | [212] |
| 135. | Explanations of national festivals | [213] |
| Chapter XIV. Argument | ||
| 136. | Statement and definition of subject | [216] |
| 137. | Pleas | [221] |
| 138. | Argument (general) | [222] |
| 139. | Giving reasons for personal preference | [223] |
| Chapter XV. Secretarial Work | ||
| 140-141. | Minutes, official letters, etc. | [228], [230] |
| Chapter XVI. Versification | ||
| 142. | Arranging verse in stanza form | [240] |
| Completing rhymes | [241] | |
| 143-144. | Putting fables into verse | [243] |
| 145. | Writing letters, invitations, and stories in verse | [245] |
| Chapter XVII. Punctuation | ||
| 146. | The semicolon | [251] |
| 147. | The colon and the semicolon | [252] |
| 148. | The comma | [257] |
| 149. | Punctuation of direct quotations | [260] |
| 150. | Punctuation of partial quotations | [262] |
| 151. | Punctuation of quotations within quotations | [262] |
| 152. | Capital letters | [265] |
| 153. | Review of punctuation | [266] |