Bad: This fact was true of all of us. With the exception of John.
Good: This fact was true of all of us, with the exception of John.
Bad: Edward came. But John never appeared.
Good: Edward came, but John never appeared.
Bad: The town has two railroads running through it. Also, three trolley lines.
Good: The town has two railroads running through it, and also three trolley lines.
Good: The town has two railroads and three trolley lines running through it.

4. Do not change the point of view.

Bad: We completed our themes, and they were handed in to the teacher. (In the first part of the sentence, the subject is we; in the second it is themes.)
Good: We completed our themes and handed them in to the teacher.
Good: Our themes were completed and handed in to the teacher.
Bad: The stage took us to the foot of the hill, and we walked from there to the top, where our friends met us.
Good: We were taken to the foot of the hill by the stage, and we walked from there to the top, where we were met by our friends.

Exercise 67

Revise such of the following sentences as violate the principles of unity:

  1. I frequently had ridden on a bicycle, and though the first ride made me stiff, I felt little inconvenience afterwards.
  2. Of the firm Jones & Smith, Jones is a man to be respected. While Smith is thoroughly dishonest.
  3. John had plenty of energy and ambition. And it is hard to understand why he didn't succeed.
  4. I have taken thorough courses in history in both grade school and high school, and I also worked on the farm in the summer.
  5. In the East the people are conservative. But, in the West, they are radical and progressive.
  6. The news came that special rates would be given from Chicago, and that we could go to Seattle and back for fifty dollars, and so, when our checks came, we seized our grips and started on a trip which was so long and eventful, but as enjoyable as any two months we had ever spent, and gave us an experience that was very valuable in our work, which we took up on our return in the fall.
  7. The town has a fine public library, besides there are a number of steel mills.
  8. One may reach Boston in two ways. Either by water or by rail.
  9. Women (and Christian American women, too) frequently try to evade the customs laws.
  10. My aunt has some of Jefferson's silver spoons, so she says.
  11. He graduated from college (I think it was Harvard, though I am not sure) and then taught for three years.
  12. This is one of Hugo's novels, it is very good.
  13. He accomplishes everything he undertakes, if it is at all possible.
  14. Washington was president of the United States. But Hamilton guided its financial policy.
  15. Every year they sell three hundred sets, and Mr. West helps to write the letters.
  16. The country people were the chief patrons of the store. Although no small amount of trade came from the town.
  17. The box sat under a tree, and the dog, which was a collie, would go when he was told and sit on it, and no one could call him away but his master who was very often cruelly slow in doing so, but the dog never lost patience.
  18. He was one of those persons (of whom there are so painfully many) who never do what they promise.
  19. He then went to his room, which was in the back of the house, to sleep, and his books were found there the next day.
  20. He was the man that I had mentioned, who had been recommended for the position. Who had been refused because of his deficiencies in English.
  21. I can't go, I don't think.
  22. He was a very big and very strong man. And, he should have made a great football player.
  23. He will surely be elected, I haven't any fear.
  24. The food was good, and the service was fine, but we did not care to stay on account of the weather, which was rainy most of the time, and because it was an out-of-the-way place.
  25. He converses intelligently and pleasantly, and never gossips, hence he is an agreeable companion.
  26. He died of smallpox, and was ninety years old.
  27. There were twenty boys in the class. Each past twenty-five years of age.
  28. He is in every way honorable, at least so far as money matters are concerned.
  29. I had not previously thought of going to college, but now I was enthusiastic on the matter, and all my time (at least most of it) was devoted to poring over catalogues, of which I had a great number, and many of which I knew by heart from having gone over them so often, and finally a college was selected which seemed to suit me, so I went there in the fall to study chemistry.
  30. He was very sensitive. So that we could tease him very little without making him angry.
  31. There are a great number of stations along this short line of railroad, these, however, do little business.
  32. They stopped and asked us the road to Milton, and it was discovered that they were going in the wrong direction, as Milton lay south of Williamsport, and we were camping twenty miles north.
  33. He will most likely be suspended, it may perhaps be.
  34. That day my cousin went home, and the next day John came to spend a few hours with me, and in the afternoon we drove all over the valley, but neither of us grew tired, because there were so many things to converse about, and so many long treasured questions to ask, and John left in the evening, and then I went to bed.
  35. He has been proved a gambler, there you have it all.
  36. Mrs. Smith (whose husband had been killed by a falling beam in one of the buildings he was constructing) consented to give us a room and board.
  37. He read his lesson carefully, then he closed the book to think it over.
  38. He is the most peculiar person I ever met—in the last few years at least.
  39. I am reading a book, it is very interesting.
  40. They get a great deal of amusement when he is walking (which he does every nice day) by whistling in time with his steps.
  41. He gave me this book which you see, and I have been able to get a vast amount of information out of it.
  42. It was noticed by everyone that he always behaved well. When he was in school.
  43. The magician was present. And pleased everybody with his performances.
  44. Because he liked music, John was considered an odd fellow, and his father was dead.

92. Coherence. Coherence in the sentence demands that the arrangement and the construction of the sentence be clear and free from ambiguity.