Exercises for Correction.
(a) He has childrens’ gloves and mens’ shoes (24). (b) This is a later edition than your’s (25). (c) He does not like to ride any one’s else horse (26). (d) Do you prefer Webster or Worcester’s Dictionary (27)? (e) He left his bundle at Smith’s and Brown’s Store (28). (f) That is my brother James’ wife’s youngest sister (29). (g) He had a better memory than any boy I knew (30). (h) His paper has the largest circulation of any other in the county (31). (i) He was the most active of his other companions (32). (j) China has a greater population than any nation on the earth (33 or 30). (k) He is the wisest of the two (34). (l) Which of these three men is the taller (35)? (m) No city in Canada has suffered so much from fires as Quebec (36). (n) It is one of the best answers that has yet been given to the question (1). (o) A large part of the exports consist of spices (1). (p) One after another arose and offered their services (7). (q) Actions speak plainer than words (14).
Cautions Against the Use of Incorrect English.
37. Do not use an objective form in a nominative relation. 38. Do not use a nominative form in an objective relation. 39. Avoid the use of the nominative case by pleonasm. 40. Do not use double comparatives or superlatives. 41. Avoid modifying adjectives denoting invariable qualities. 42. Use the past participle in forming the perfect tenses or the passive voice. 43. Do not neglect to use the apostrophe in contracted words. 44. General or abstract truths should be expressed in the present tense. 45. A hypothetical statement requires the subjunctive form. 46. Use that to represent an antecedent modified by same, very, all, no, or an adjective in the superlative degree. 47. If a past action is referred to as relatively present (or future) the proper tense must be used. 48. Any two connected parts to which a third part refers or is to be applied, should be fitted to receive it in meaning or construction.
Exercises for Correction.
(a) Whom does he think it could have been (37). (b) Who do you take me to be (38). (c) The boys I told you about, they are going to the pond (39). (d) You should be more firmer (40). (e) That fact is too universal to be disputed (41). (f) He had began his sermon before they entered (42). (g) The lesson was wrote in time (42). (h) Dont let him know Ive gone (43). (i) Columbus believed that the earth was round (44). (j) If I was he I would go (45). (k) Yonder is the same man who passed (46). (l) I intended to have written it on Saturday (47). (m) He never has and probably never will forgive me for deceiving him (48). (n) This stuff is coarser and in every way inferior to the other (48). (o) In what State did you say that Mt. Adams was (44)? (p) I expected to have heard from him before this (48). Sufficient data has been given to solve it (1).
Cautions Against the Use of Incorrect English.
49. In the choice of words use the one that will express the proper meaning or modification. 50. Do not use a double negative to express a negation. 51. Do not violate the rules for the use of capital letters. 52. Use “differ with” in regard to opinion; “differ from” in other cases. 53. Do not use a preposition if a verb can properly govern the object. 54. Do not use superfluous words. 55. Use nor with neither; and or with either. 56. Do not use like as a conjunctive adverb. 57. The one refers to the first mentioned; the other to the last mentioned. 58. In giving the number of times the size, &c., one object is that of another, use as-as, with the positive of the adjective. 59. Do not use a pronoun so that there will be doubt as to what word is its antecedent. 60. Two different relatives should not be used to refer to the same antecedent.
Exercises for Correction.
(a) In what (part, portion) of the town does he live (49)? (b) His face assumed a (deadly, deathly) paleness (49). (c) He hasn’t no pencil (50). (d) I differ from you on the tariff question (52). (e) Why will he permit of such actions (53)? (f) Where is it at (54)? (g) On what train did he come on (54)? (h) Neither the boy or his mother are here (55, 4). (i) You cannot write like the teacher does (56). (j) Carthage and Rome were rival powers; the one on the northern coast of the Mediterranean, the other on the southern (51, 57). (k) The weight of the sun is 300,000 times heavier than that of the earth (58). (l) Mary sent her sister back for her shawl which she had forgotten to bring (59). (m) A boy who studies and that improves his spare moments will become eminent (60). (n) Nearly every one of the applicants were from this county (4). (o) Neither of the workmen have brought their tools (4, 7).