where this leads to no ambiguity or absurdity.
While I admire his energy, I wish it were employed in a better cause.
This is entirely correct, as shown by the paraphrase,
I admire his energy; at the same time I wish it were employed in a
better cause.
Compare:
While the temperature reaches 90 or 95 degrees in the daytime, the
nights are often chilly.
Although the temperature reaches 90 or 95 degrees in the daytime,
the nights are often chilly.
The paraphrase,
The temperature reaches 90 or 95 degrees in the daytime; at the same
time the nights are often chilly,
shows why the use of _while_ is incorrect.
In general, the writer will do well to use _while_ only with strict
literalness, in the sense of _during the time that_.
=Whom.= Often incorrectly used for _who_ before _he said_ or similar
expressions, when it is really the subject of a following verb.
His brother, whom he said would send him the money
His brother, who he said would send him the money
The man whom he thought was his friend
The man who (that) he thought was his friend (whom he thought his
friend)
=Worth while.= Overworked as a term of vague approval and (with _not_)
of disapproval. Strictly applicable only to actions: "Is it worth while
to telegraph?"
His books are not worth while.
His books are not worth reading (are not worth one's while to read;
do not repay reading; are worthless).
The use of _worth while_ before a noun ("a worth while story") is
indefensible.
=Would.= A conditional statement in the first person requires _should_,
not _would_.
I should not have succeeded without his help.
The equivalent of _shall_ in indirect quotation after a verb in the past
tense is _should_, not _would_.
He predicted that before long we should have a great surprise.
To express habitual or repeated action, the past tense, without _would_,
is usually sufficient, and from its brevity, more emphatic.
Once a year he would visit the old mansion.
Once a year he visited the old mansion.
VI. SPELLING
The spelling of English words is not fixed and invariable, nor does it
depend on any other authority than general agreement. At the present day
there is practically unanimous agreement as to the spelling of most
words. In the list below, for example, _rime_ for _rhyme_ is the only
allowable variation; all the other forms are co-extensive with the
English language. At any given moment, however, a relatively small
number of words may be spelled in more than one way. Gradually, as a
rule, one of these forms comes to be generally preferred, and the less
customary form comes to look obsolete and is discarded. From time to
time new forms, mostly simplifications, are introduced by innovators,
and either win their place or die of neglect.
The practical objection to unaccepted and over-simplified spellings is
the disfavor with which they are received by the reader. They distract
his attention and exhaust his patience. He reads the form _though_
automatically, without thought of its needless complexity; he reads the
abbreviation _tho_ and mentally supplies the missing letters, at the
cost of a fraction of his attention. The writer has defeated his own
purpose.
WORDS OFTEN MISSPELLED
accidentally
advice
affect
believe
benefit
challenge
coarse
course
criticize
deceive
definite
describe
despise
develop
disappoint
dissipate
duel
ecstasy
effect
embarrass
existence
fascinate
fiery
formerly
humorous
hypocrisy
immediately
impostor
incident
incidentally
latter
led
lose
marriage
mischief
murmur
necessary
occurred
opportunity
parallel
Philip
playwright
preceding
prejudice
principal
principle
privilege
pursue
repetition
rhyme
rhythm
ridiculous
sacrilegious
seize
separate
shepherd
siege
similar
simile
too
tragedy
tries
undoubtedly
until
villain
Note that a single consonant (other than _v_) preceded by a stressed
short vowel is doubled before _-ed_ and _-ing_: _planned_, _letting_,
_beginning_. (_Coming_ is an exception.)
Write _to-day_, _to-night_, _to-morrow_ (but not _together_) with a
hyphen.
Write _any one_, _every one_, _some one_, _some time_ (except in the
sense of _formerly_) as two words.
VII. EXERCISES ON CHAPTERS II AND III
I. Punctuate:
1. In 1788 the King's advisers warned him that the nation was facing
bankruptcy therefore he summoned a body called the States-General
believing that it would authorize him to levy new taxes. The people of
France however were suffering from burdensome taxation oppressive
social injustice and acute scarcity of food and their representatives
refused to consider projects of taxation until social and economic
reforms should be granted. The King who did not realize the gravity of
the situation tried to overawe them collecting soldiers in and about
Versailles where the sessions were being held. The people of Paris
seeing the danger organized militia companies to defend their
representatives. In order to supply themselves with arms they attacked
the Invalides and the Bastille which contained the principal supplies
of arms and munitions in Paris.
2. On his first continental tour begun in 1809 Byron visited Portugal
Spain Albania Greece and Turkey. Of this tour he composed a poetical
journal Childe Harold's Pilgrimage in which he ascribed his
experiences and reflections not to himself but to a fictitious
character Childe Harold described as a melancholy young nobleman
prematurely familiar with evil sated with pleasures and embittered
against humanity. The substantial merits of the work however lay not
in this shadowy and somewhat theatrical figure but in Byron's spirited
descriptions of wild or picturesque scenes and in his eloquent
championing of Spain and Greece against their oppressors. On his
return to England in 1811 he was persuaded rather against his own
judgment into allowing the work to be published. Its success was
almost unprecedented in his own words he awoke and found himself
famous.
II. Explain the difference in meaning:
3. 'God save thee, ancyent Marinere!
'From the fiends that plague thee thus--
_Lyrical Ballads_, 1798.
'God save thee, ancient Mariner!
From the fiends, that plague thee thus!--
_Lyrical Ballads_, 1800.
III. Explain and correct the errors in punctuation:
4. This course is intended for Freshmen, who in the opinion of the
Department are not qualified for military drill.
5. A restaurant, not a cafeteria where good meals are served at
popular prices.--_Advt._
6. The poets of _The Nation_, for all their intensity of patriotic
feeling, followed the English rather than the Celtic tradition, their
work has a political rather than a literary value and bears little
upon the development of modern Irish verse.
7. We were in one of the strangest places imaginable. A long and
narrow passage overhung on either side by a stupendous barrier of
black and threatening rocks.
8. Only a few years ago after a snow storm in the passes not far north
of Jerusalem no less than twenty-six Russian pilgrims perished amidst
the snow. One cannot help thinking largely because they made little
attempt to save themselves.
IV. Point out and correct the faults in the following sentences:
9. During childhood his mother had died.
10. Any language study is good mind training while acquiring
vocabulary.
11. My farm consisted of about twenty acres of excellent land, having
given a hundred pounds for my predecessor's lease.
12. Prepared to encounter a woman of disordered mind, the appearance
presented by Mrs. Taylor at his entrance greatly astonished him.
13. Pale and swooning, with two broken legs, they carried him into the
house.
14. Count Cassini, the Russian plenipotentiary, had several long and
intimate conversations during the tedious weeks of the conference with
his British colleague, Sir Arthur Nicholson.
15. But though they had been victorious in the land engagements, they
were so little decisive as to lead to no important results.
16. Knowing nothing of the rules of the college or of its customs, it
was with the greatest difficulty that the Dean could make me
comprehend wherein my wrong-doing lay.
17. Fire, therefore, was the first object of my search. Happily, some
embers were found upon the hearth, together with potato-stalks and dry
chips. Of these, with much difficulty, I kindled a fire, by which some
warmth was imparted to our shivering limbs.
18. In this connection a great deal of historic fact is introduced
into the novel about the past history of the cathedral and of Spain.
19. Over the whole scene hung the haze of twilight that is so
peaceful.
20. Compared with Italy, living is more expensive.
21. It is a fundamental principle of law to believe a man innocent
until he is proved guilty, and once proved guilty, to remain so until
proved to the contrary.
22. Not only had the writer entree to the titled families of Italy in
whose villas she was hospitably entertained, but by royalty also.
23. It is not a strange sight to catch a glimpse of deer along the
shore.
24. Earnings from other sources are of such a favorable character as
to enable a splendid showing to be made by the company.
25. But while earnings have mounted amazingly, the status of affairs
is such as to make it impossible to predict the course events may
take, with any degree of accuracy.
[ Transcriber's Note:
The following is a list of corrections made to the original.
The first line is the original line, the second the corrected one.
University have greatly helped him in the preparation of his manuscript
University have greatly helped him in the preparation of his manuscript.
Compare the sentence. "The export of gold was prohibited," in which the
Compare the sentence, "The export of gold was prohibited," in which the
Stevenson quoted under Rule 10. But apart from this, he should follow the
Stevenson quoted under Rule 9. But apart from this, he should follow the
"ordered") is _bade_.
"ordered," is _bade_.
=Effect.= As noun, means _result_; as verb, means t_o bring about_,
=Effect.= As noun, means _result_; as verb, means _to bring about_,
incontestable they ma ybe, are not properly facts.
incontestable they may be, are not properly facts.
Acts of a hostile nature.
Acts of a hostile nature
Dayton has adopted the commission system of government
Dayton has adopted the commission system of government.
embarass
embarrass
]