_sure_) was pleasant." In answer to the question, "Will you
go?" either _sure_ or _surely_ is correct, though _surely_ is
preferred. "[To be] sure." "[You may be] sure." "[I will]
surely [go]."
=_Suspicion_.= A noun. Never to be used as a verb.
=_Take and_.= Often unnecessary, sometimes crude. Redundant: "He
took the ax and sharpened it." Better: "He sharpened the ax."
Crude: "He took and nailed up the box." Better: "He nailed up
the box."
=_Tend_.= In the sense _to look after_, takes a direct object
without an interposed _to_. _Attend_, however, is followed by
_to_. "The milliner's assistant _tends_ (not _tends to_) the
shop." "I shall _attend to your wants in a moment_."
=_That there_.= Do not use for _that_. "I want _that_ (not _that
there_) box of berries."
=_Them_.= Not to be used as an adjective. "_Those_ (not _them_)
boys."
=_There were_ or _There was_.= Avoid the unnecessary use. Crude:
"There were seventeen senators voted for the bill." Better:
"Seventeen senators voted for the bill."
=_These sort_, _These kind_.= Ungrammatical. See 51b.
=_This here_.= Do not use for _this_.
=_Those_.= Do not carelessly omit a relative clause after
_those_. Faulty: "He is one of those talebearers." Better: "He
is a talebearer." [Or] "He is one of those talebearers whom
everybody dislikes."
=_Those kind_, _those sort_.= Ungrammatical. See 51b.
=_Till_.= Do not carelessly misuse for _when_: "I had scarcely
strapped on my skates _when_ (not _till_) Henry fell through an
air hole."
=_Transpire_.= Means _to give forth_ or _to become known_, not
_to occur_. "The secret _transpired_." "The sale of the
property _occurred_ (not _transpired_) last Thursday."
=_Try_.= A verb, not a noun.
=_Unique_.= Means _alone of its kind_, not _odd_ or _unusual_.
=_United States_.= Ordinarily preceded by _the_. "The United
States raised a large army." (Not "United States raised a large
army.")
=_Up_.= Do not needlessly insert after such verbs as _end_,
_rest_, _settle_.
=_Used to could_.= Very crude. Say _used to be able_ or _once
could_.
=_Very_.= Accompanied by _much_ when used with the past
participle. "He was _very much_ (not _very_) pleased with his
reception."
=_Want to_.= Not to be used in the sense of _should_, _had
better_. "You _should_ (not _You want to_) keep in good
physical condition."
=_Way_.= Not to be used for _away_. "Away (not _way_) down the
street."
=_Ways_.= Not to be used for _way_ in referring to distance. "A
little _way_ (not _ways_)."
=_When_.= (a) Not to be used for _that_ in such a sentence as "It
was in the afternoon that the races began." (b) A _when_ clause
is not to be used as a predicate noun. See 6.
=_Where_.= (a) Not to be used for _that_ in such a sentence as "I
see in the paper that our team lost the game." (b) A _where_
clause is not to be used as a predicate noun. See 6.
=_Where at_.= Vulgar. "Where is he? (not _Where is he at_?)"
=_Which_.= Do not use for _who_ or _that_ in referring to
persons. "The friends _who_ (not _which_) had loved him in his
boyhood were still faithful to him."
=_Who_.= Do not use unnecessarily for _which_ or _that_ in
referring to animals. Do not use the possessive form _whose_
for _of which_ unless the sentence is so turned as practically
to require the substitution.
=_Will_.= Do not confuse with _shall_. See 53.
=_Win out_.= Not used in formal writing or speaking.
=_Woods_.= Not ordinarily to be used as singular. "_A wood_ (not
_A woods_)."
=_Would have_.= Do not use for _had_ in if clauses. "If you _had_
(not _would have_) spoken boldly, he would have granted your
request."
=_Would of_.= A vulgarism for _would have_.
=_You was_.= Use _You were_ in both singular and plural.
=_Yourself_.= Intensive or reflexive; do not use when the
personal pronoun would suffice. "_You_ (not _Yourself_) and
your family must come."
Exercise:
1. Be sure the gun works alright. I was already when you came.
2. He talked considerable, but I couldn't scarcely remember
what all he said.
3. I never suspicioned that John could of been guilty of
forging his father's note. It don't seem hardly possible.
4. The island was not inhabited by humans. It was different
than any place I ever remember of. One sailor and myself
climbed a sand hill, but we couldn't see any signs of life
anywheres.
5. Hawkeye walked a ways into a woods. He was a right smart at
ease, for he had Kildeer with him.
=69.= EXERCISE IN DICTION
=A. Wordiness=
Strike out all that is superfluous, and make the following sentences
simple and exact.
1. Some students lack the ability of being able to spell.
2. He seems to enjoy the universal esteem of all men.
3. The mind rebels against the enforced discipline imposed upon
it by others.
4. This is the house that was constructed and erected by a
young fellow who went by the common name of Jack.
5. There are invariably people in the world who always want to
get something for nothing. I saw some today crowding round a
soap man who was giving away free samples gratis.
6. Strawberries which grow in the woods or anywhere like that
have a flavor that is better than that of those which grow in
gardens.
7. The people showed Jackson the greatest honor it is within
their power to bestow by electing him president.
8. It was an old man of about sixty years, and he carried a
cane to support himself with when he took a walk. He pulled out
his watch to see what time it was every few minutes.
9. My favorite magazine is the one called _Popular Mechanics_.
I like it because it appeals to me.
10. There is a bird, and that bird is the cuckoo, that seems to
think it unnecessary to build its own nest, and so it occupies
any nest that it happens to find.
11. It is a good plan to follow if one would like to be able to
develop his memory to make it a rule to learn at least a few
lines of poetry every night before going to bed.
12. In the annals of history there is no historical character
more unselfish than the character of Robert E. Lee.
13. There are quite a few hotels in Estes Park, which is in
Colorado, but the one that is the most picturesque and striking
so that you remember it a long time on account of its unusual
surroundings is Long's Peak Inn.
14. It is often, but not always, a good sign that when one
person is quick to suspect another person of disloyalty or
dishonesty that he himself is disloyal or dishonest.
15. The canine quadruped was under suspicion of having
obliterated by a process of mastication that article of
sustenance which the butcher deposits at our posterior portal.
=B. The Exact Word=
Substitute, for inaccurate words and phrases, expressions which carry an
exact and reasonable meaning.
1. Ostrich eggs made into omelets are a funny experience.
2. A small back porch can be built which will enter directly
into the kitchen.
3. Ruskin uses a great deal of unfamiliar words.
4. Reading will broaden the point of view of a student.
5. To visit the plant in operation is indeed a spectacular
sight.
6. My plants grew and looked nicer than any I ever saw.
7. I place little truth in that article, since it appeared in a
strong partisan paper.
8. The manufacturing of automobiles has gained to quite an
extent.
9. Emerson has some real clever thoughts in his essays.
10. I do not mean to degrade our local street car system, for
indeed, it is good along some lines.
11. I want to attain a greater per cent of efficiency in my
study.
12. Imagination is an important part in the successful writing
of themes.
13. His employer praised him for the preparation he had done.
14. I used water-wings as a sort of a "safety first" until I
learned how to swim.
15. In order to prevent infection from disease, two big things
are necessary.
16. The pastor delivered the announcements and after the
collection had been obtained, he presented the sermon of the
morning.
17. Another factor in my career that winter was that I became a
part of the orchestra.
18. It was a mighty nice party that Mrs. Jones gave and
everybody seemed to have an awfully nice time.
19. The more general word socialism might be divided into three
distinct classes, namely: the political party, the theoretical
socialist, and last what might be called a general tendency.
20. Starting with the pioneer days and up to the present time
every energy was set forth to lay low the forests and to get
homes from the wilderness.
=C. Words Sometimes Confused in Meaning=
Use the word which accurately expresses the thought.
1. The climate of California is very (healthful, healthy).
2. (Leave, let) me have the book.
3. He is afraid that he will (loose, lose) his position.
4. The (principal, principle) speaker of the day was Colonel
Walker.
5. I cannot run (as, like) he can.
6. An hour ago he (laid, lay) down to sleep.
7. I fear we are (liable, likely) to be punished.
8. The scolding did not much (affect, effect) him.
9. The light roller presses down the bricks so that the steam
roller will break (fewer, less) of them.
10. Whittier makes many (allusions, illusions) to the Bible.
11. Bread will (raise, rise) much more quickly in a warm place
than in a place where there is a draft.
12. It hardly seems (credible, creditable) that a small child
could walk ten miles.
13. I can't write a letter on this (stationary, stationery).
14. He (sets, sits) at the head of the table.
15. He spoke to the stranger (respectfully, respectively).
16. Did the president (affect, effect) a settlement of the
strike?
17. I cannot (accept, except) help from anyone.
18. Are the guests (already, all ready) for dinner?
19. Is the train moving or (stationary, stationery)?
20. It is (apt, likely, liable) to be pleasant tomorrow.
=D. Colloquialism, Slang, Faulty Idiom, etc.=
The diction of the following sentences is incorrect or inappropriate for
written discourse. Improve the sentences.
1. I was kind of tired this morning, but now I feel alright.
2. I should of known better.
3. A young lady and myself went walking.
4. He is out of town for a couple days.
5. I feel some better now.
6. He will benefit greatly from the results.
7. The Puritans were a very odd acting people.
8. I like camping because of many reasons.
9. Cook your meal, and after you are finished eating, wash the
dishes.
10. He is a regular genius of a bookkeeper.
11. It is hard to see how humans can live in such tenements.
12. The soldiers destroyed property without the least regard of
who owned it.
13. She was crazy for an invite to the hop.
14. It was up to me to get out before there was something
doing.
15. The Gettysburg Address is very simple of understanding
though very strong of meaning.
16. When we become located in a desirable locality, we intend
to pay off some of our social indebtedness.
17. Have some local glass dealer to mend the broken door, and
send us the bill for the same.
18. The first part of Franklin's _Autobiography_ is different
than the latter part, which he wrote after the Revolutionary
War.
19. In 1771 a fellow by the name of Arkwright established a
mill in which spinning machines were run by water power.
20. Each day has brought closer to home the truth that the
condition of mankind in one part of the world is certain to
effect the equilibrium of mankind in most all other parts of
the world.
SPELLING
No one is able to spell all unusual words on demand. But every one must
spell correctly even unusual words in formal writing. The writer has
time or must take time to consult a dictionary. The best dictionaries
are _Webster's New International Dictionary_, the _Standard Dictionary_
(less conservative than Webster's), the _Century Dictionary and
Cyclopedia_ (Volume 2 of the _Century_ is the best place to look for
proper names), and _Murray's New English Dictionary_ (very thorough,
each word being illustrated with numerous quotations to show historical
development). An abridged edition of one of these (the price is one to
three dollars) should be accessible to each student who cannot buy the
larger volumes. The best are: _Webster's Secondary School Dictionary_,
_Funk and Wagnalls Desk Standard Dictionary_, the _Oxford Concise
Dictionary_, and _Webster's Collegiate Dictionary_.
But the student will be spared constant recourse to the dictionary, and
will save himself much time and many humiliations, if he will employ the
rules and principles which follow.
=Recording Errors=
=70. Keep a list of all the words you misspell, copying them several
times in correct form.= Concentrate your effort upon a few words at a
time--upon those words which you yourself actually misspell. The list
will be shorter than you think. It may comprise not more than twenty or
thirty words. Unless you are extraordinarily deficient, it will
certainly not comprise more than a hundred or a hundred and fifty. Find
where your weakness lies; then master it. You can accomplish the
difficult part of the task in a single afternoon. An occasional review,
and constant care when you write, will make your mastery permanent.
After this, and only after this, begin slowly to learn the spelling of
words which you do not yourself use often, but which are a desirable
equipment for all educated men. See the list under 79. _Concentrate your
efforts upon a few words at a time._ It is better to know a few exactly
than a large number hazily. Form the mental habit of being always right
with a small group of words, and extend this group gradually.
Exercise:
Prepare for your instructor a corrected list of words which you
have misspelled in your papers to the present time.
=Pronouncing Accurately=
=71. Avoid slovenly pronunciation.= Careful articulation makes for
correctness in spelling.
Watch the vowels of unaccented syllables; give them distinct (not
exaggerated) utterance, at least until you are familiar with the
spelling. Examples: _sep=a=rate_, _opp=o=rtunity_, _ever=y=body_,
_soph=o=more_, _d=i=vine_.
Sound accurately all the consonants between syllables, and do not sound
a single consonant twice. Examples: _can=d=idate_, _gover=n=ment_,
_su=r=prise_ (not _supp=r=ise_), _o=m=i=ss=ion_ (compare _o=cc=a=s=ion_),
_de=f=er_ (compare _di=ff=er_).
Sound the _g_ in final _-ing_. Examples: _eating_, _running_.
Pronounce the _-al_ of adverbs derived from adjectives in _-ic_ or
_-al_. Examples: _tragically_, _occasionally_, _generally_,
_ungrammatically_.
Do not transpose letters; place each letter where it belongs. Examples:
_p=er=spiration_ (not _p=re=spiration_), _tra=g=edy_ (not _tra=d=e=g=y_).
Note.--The principle of phonetic spelling as stated above applies to
many words, but by no means to all. The Simplified Spelling Board would
extend this principle by changing the spelling of words to correspond
with their actual sounds. It recommends such forms as _tho_, _thru_,
_enuf_, _quartet_, _catalog_, _program_. If the student employs these
forms, he must use them consistently. Many writers oppose simplified
spelling; many advocate it; many compromise. Others desire to supplant
our present alphabet with one more nearly phonetic, and prefer, until
this fundamental reform takes place, to preserve our present spelling as
it is.
Exercise:
Copy the following words slowly, pronouncing the syllables as
you write: _accidentally_, _accommodate_, _accurately_,
_artistically_, _athletics_ (not _atheletics_), _boundary_,
_candidate_, _cavalry_, _commission_, _curiosity_, _defer_,
_definite_, _description_, _despair_, _different_, _dining
room_, _dinned_, _disappoint_, _divide_, _divine_,
_emphatically_, _eighth_, _everybody_, _February_, _finally_,
_goddess_, _government_, _hundred_, _hurrying_, _instinct_,
_laboratory_, _library_, _lightning_, _might have_ (not _might
of_), _naturally_, _necessary_, _occasionally_, _omission_,
_opinion_, _opportunity_, _optimist_, _partner_, _perform_,
_perhaps_, _perspiration_, _prescription_, _primitive_,
_privilege_, _probably_, _quantity_, _really_, _recognise_,
_recommend_, _reverence_, _separate_, _should have_ (not
_should of_), _sophomore_, _strictly_, _superintendent_,
_surprise_, _temperance_, _tragedy_, _usually_, _whether_.
=Logical Kinship in Words=
=72. Get help in spelling a difficult word by thinking of related words.=
To think of _ridiculous_ will prevent your writing _a_ for the second
_i_ of _ridicule_; to think of _ridicule_ will prevent your writing
_rediculous_. To think of _prepare_ will prevent your writing
_preperation_; to think of _preparation_ will forestall _preparitory_.
To think of _busy_ will save you from the monstrosity _buisness._ To
think of the prefixes _re-_ (meaning _again_) and _dis-_ (meaning
_not_), and the verbs _commend_ and _appoint_, will prevent your writing
_recommend_ or _disappoint_ with a double _c_ or _s_.
Note.--The relationship between words is not always a safe guide to
spelling. Observe _four_, _forty_; _nine_, _ninth_; _maintain_,
_maintenance_; _please_, _pleasant_; _speak_, _speech_; _prevail_,
_prevalent_. Do not confuse the following prefixes, which have no
logical connection:
_ante-_ (before) _anti-_ (against, opposite)
_de-_ (from, about) _dis-_ (apart, away, not)
_per-_ (through, entirely) _pre-_ (before)
Exercise:
1. Write the nouns corresponding to the following verbs:
_prepare_, _allude_, _govern_, _represent_, _degrade_.
2. Write the adjectives corresponding to the following nouns
and the nouns corresponding to the following adjectives:
_desperation_, _academy_, _origin_, _ridiculous_, _miraculous_,
_grammatical_, _arithmetical_, _busy_.
3. Write the adverbs corresponding to the following adjectives:
_real_, _sure_, _actual_, _hurried_, _accidental_,
_incidental_, _grammatical_.
4. Copy the following pairs of related words or related forms
of words: _labor, laboratory_; _debate, debater_; _base,
based_; _deal, dealt_; _chose, chosen_; _mean, meant_.
5. Write each of the following words with a hyphen between the
prefix and the body of the word: _describe_, _description_,
_disappoint_, _disappear_, _disease_, _dissatisfy_, _dissever_,
_permit_, _perspire_, _prescription_, _preconceive_,
_recommend_, _recollect_, _reconsider_, _antedate_,
_antecedent_, _anticlimax_, _antitoxin_.
=Superficial Resemblances between Words=
=73. Guard against misspelling a word because it bears a superficial
resemblance, in sound or appearance, to some other word.= Most of the
words in the following list have no logical connection; the resemblance
is one of form only (_angel_, _angle_). But a few words are included
which are different in spelling in spite of a logical relation
(_breath_, _breathe_).
accept (to receive)
except (to exclude, with exclusion of)
advice (noun)
advise (verb)
affect (to influence in part)
effect (to bring to pass totally)
allusion (a reference)
illusion (a deceiving appearance)
all right
almost
already
altogether
always
alley (a back street)
ally (a confederate)
altar (a structure used in worship)
alter (to make otherwise)
angel (a celestial being)
angle (the meeting place of two lines)
baring (making bare)
barring (obstructing)
bearing (carrying)
born (brought into being)
borne (carried)
breath (noun)
breathe (verb)
capital (a city)
capitol (a building)
canvas (a cloth)
canvass (to solicit)
clothes (garments)
cloths (pieces of cloth)
coarse (not fine)
course (route, method of behavior)
conscious (aware)
conscience (an inner moral sense)
dairy
diary
device (noun)
devise (verb)
desert (a barren country)
dessert (food)
dining room
dinning
disappear
disappoint
disavowal
dissatisfaction
dissimilar
dissipate
dissuade
decent (adjective)
descent (downward slope or motion)
dissent (a disagreement)
dual (adjective)
duel (noun)
formally (in a formal way)
formerly (in time past)
forth
forty
four
fourth
freshman
freshmen (not used as adjective)
gambling (wagering money on games of chance)
gamboling (frisking or leaping with joy)
guard
regard
hear
here
hinder
hindrance
holly (a tree)
holy (hallowed, sacred)
wholly (altogether)
hoping (from _hope_)
hopping
instance (an example)
instants (periods of time)
isle (an island)
aisle (a narrow passage)
its (possessive pronoun)
it's (contraction of _it is_)
Johnson, Samuel
Jonson, Ben
later (comparative of _late_)
latter (the second)
lead (present tense)
led (past tense)
lessen (verb)
lesson (noun)
liable (expresses responsibility or disagreeable probability)
likely (expresses probability)
loose (free, not bound)
lose (to suffer the loss of)
maintain
maintenance
nineteenth
ninetieth
ninety
ninth
past (adjective, adverb, preposition)
passed (verb, past tense)
peace (a state of calm)
piece (a fragment)
perceive
perform
persevere
persuade
purchase
pursue
personal (private, individual)
personnel (the body of persons engaged in some activity)
Philippines
Filipino
plain (clear; adjective)
plain (flat region; noun)
plane (flat; adjective)
plane (geometrical term; noun)
planed (past tense of _plane_)
planned (past tense of _plan_)
pleasant
please
precede
proceed }
succeed } these three are the
exceed } "double _e_ group"
concede
intercede
recede
supersede
pre cé dence (act or right of preceding)
préc e dents (things said or done before, now used as authority
or model)
presence (state of being present)
presents (gifts)
prevail
prevalent
principal (chief, leading, the leading official of a school, a
sum of money)
principle (a general truth)
quiet (still)
quite (completely)
rain
reign (rule of a monarch)
rein (part of a harness)
respectfully ("Yours respectfully")
respectively (in a way proper to each--should never be used
to close a letter)
right
rite (ceremony)
write
shone (past tense of _shine_)
shown (past tense of _show_)
seize
siege
sight (view, spectacle)
site (situation, a plot of ground reserved for some use)
cite (to bring forward as evidence)
speak
speech
Spencer, Herbert (scientist)
Spenser, Edmund (poet)
stationary (not moving)
stationery (writing materials)
statue (a sculptured likeness)
stature (height, figure)
statute (a law)
steal (to take by theft)
steel (a variety of iron)
than
then
their (belonging to them)
there (in that place)
they're (they are)
therefor (to that end, for that thing)
therefore (for that reason)
till
until
to
too
two
track (an imprint, or a road)
tract (an area of land)
tract (a treatise on religion)
village
villain
wandering
wondering
weak (not strong)
week (seven days)
weather
whether
whole (entire)
hole (an opening)
who's (who is)
whose (the possessive of _who_)
your (indicates possession)
you're (contraction of _you are_)
Exercise:
1. Insert _to_, _too_, or _two_: He is ---- tired ---- walk the
----miles ---- the town. Then ----, it is ---- late ---- catch
a car. It is ---- minutes of ----. It is ---- bad.
2. Insert _lose_ or _loose_: You will ---- your money if you
carry it ---- in your pocket. We are ----ing time. The sailor
----ens the rope. Did you ---- your ticket?
3. Insert _speak or speech_: I was ----ing with our congressman
about his recent ----. I ---- from experience.
4. Insert _plan_ or _plane_: The architect's ---- was accepted.
The carpenter's ---- cuts a long shaving. The carpenter does
not ---- the house.
5. Insert _quite_ or _quiet_: The baby is ----ly sleeping. She
is ---- well now, but last night she was ---- sick. Be ----.
Walk ----ly when you go.
=Words in _ei_ or _ie_=
=74. Write _i_ before _e_
When sounded as _ee_
Except after _c_.=
Examples: _believe_, _grief_, _chief_; but _receive_, _deceive_,
_ceiling_.
Exceptions: _Neither financier seized either species of weird leisure._
(Also a few uncommon words, like _seignior_, _inveigle_, _plebeian_.)
Rules based on a key-word, lice, Alice, Celia (_i_ follows _l_ and _e_
follows _c_) apply after two consonants only, and do not help one to
spell a word like _grief_. Rule 74 applies after all consonants.
Note.--The words in which the sound is _ee_ are the words really
difficult to spell. When the sound is any other than _ee_ (especially
when it is _a_), _i_ usually follows _e_.
Examples: _veil_, _weigh_, _freight_, _neighbor_, _height_, _sleight_,
_heir_, _heifer_, _counterfeit_, _foreign_, etc.