The Century Handbook of Writing

by Garland Greever; Easley S. Jones

Exercise:

1. They denied my request, and giving no reason for the refusal.
2. He gave me his answer and in few words.
3. The girl stood on the edge of the cliff, and thus showing that she was not afraid.
4. A telegraph line is leased by the Associated Press, and thus giving the newspapers quick service.
5. When the summer passed, the fisherman returned home for the winter, and where he renewed his acquaintance with the villagers.

[The and which construction]

17. Use and which (or but which), and who (or but who) only between relative clauses similar in form. Between a main clause and a relative clause, and or but thwarts subordination.

• Wrong: This is an important problem, and which we shall not find easy to solve.
• Right: This problem is an important problem, which we shall not find easy to solve.
• Right: This problem is one which is important, and which we cannot easily solve.
• Wrong: Les Miserables is a novel of great interest and which everybody should read.
• Right: Les Miserables is a novel of great interest, and one which everybody should read.
• Wrong: Their chief opponent was Winter, a shrewd politician, but who is now less popular than he was.
• Right: Their chief opponent was Winter, a shrewd politician, who is now less popular than he was.

[Note.]—Rule 17 is sometimes briefly stated: "Do not use and which unless you have already used which in the sentence." This statement is generally true, but an exception must be made for sentences like the following: Right: "He told me what countries he had visited, and which ones he liked most."

Exercise:

1. Just outside is a small porch looking out over the street, and which can be used for sleeping purposes.
2. She is a woman of pleasing personality, and who can converse intelligently.
3. It is a difficult task, but which can be accomplished in time.
4. He is a good-looking man, but who is very snobbish.
5. The rule made by the conference of college professors in 1896, and which has been followed ever since, applies to the case we are considering.

[Unity Thwarted by Punctuation
The Comma Splice]

18. Do not splice two independent statements by means of a comma. Write two sentences. Or, if the two statements together form a unit of thought, combine them (1) by a comma plus a conjunction, (2) by a semicolon, or (3) by reducing one of the statements to a phrase or a subordinate clause.