11. “John and Henry both read well, but John is the best reader:” say, the better reader, as best can be properly used only when three or more persons, or objects, are compared.
12. “Thompson was there among the rest.” This mode of expression, which is very common, literally declares an impossibility. The signification of “the rest” is, those in addition to Thompson, and of which Thompson formed no part; he could not therefore be among them. A more correct form would be, “Thompson was there with the rest.”
13. “The two first cows are the fattest,” said a farmer at an agricultural fair. He should have said, “the first two;” there can be only one that is first—the other must necessarily be second.
14. “It is an error; you are mistaken:” say, you mistake. Mistaken means misapprehended; “you mistake,” means “you misapprehend.”
15. “Have you lit the fire, Bridget?” say, lighted; lit is now obsolete.
16. “To be is an auxiliary verb:” pronounce auxiliary as though spelled awg-zil-ya-re, and not in five syllables.
17. February: this word is often incorrectly spelled by omitting the r.
18. The “Miscellany” was an interesting publication: pronounce miscellany with the accent on mis, and not on cel.
19. “Celery is a pleasant vegetable:” pronounce celery as it is written, and not salary.
20. “Are you at leisure?” pronounce lei in leisure the same as lee. The word should not rhyme with measure.