Practical Grammar and Composition Part 35

Wrong: The table had been inlaid by his _father, containing_ over fifteen hundred pieces.

Right: The _table, containing_ over fifteen hundred pieces, had been inlaid by his father.

Right: The table contained over fifteen hundred pieces and had been inlaid by his father.

b. Avoid the "squinting construction." By this term is meant the placing of a clause so that it is impossible to tell whether it refers to the preceding or succeeding part of the sentence.

Wrong: It would be hard to explain, _if you were to ask me_, what the trouble was.

Right: If you were to ask me what the trouble was, it would be hard to explain.

4. Place correlatives so that there can be no doubt as to their office. _Neither--nor, both--and_, etc., are frequently not placed next to the expressions they are meant to connect. See --84.

Wrong: He _neither_ brought a trunk _nor_ a suit-case.

Right: He brought _neither_ a trunk _nor_ a suit-case.

Wrong: He _not only_ received money from his father, _but also_ his mother.

Right: He received money _not only_ from his father, _but also_ from his mother.

Right: He _not only_ received money from his father, _but also_ received it from his mother.

5. Omit no word that is not accurately implied in the sentence.

Wrong: The man _never has_, and _never will_ be successful.

Right: The man _never has been_, and _never will be_ successful.

Wrong: It _is no_ concern to him.

Right: It _is of no_ concern to him.

6. Use a summarizing word, in general, to collect the parts of a long complex sentence.

Republicans, Democrats, Socialists, Prohibitionists, and Populists--_all_ were there.

7. Express similar thoughts, when connected in the same sentence, in a similar manner.

Bad: I decided _on doing_ the work that night, and _to write_ it out on the typewriter.

Good: I decided _to do_ the work that night and _to write_ it out on the typewriter.

Bad: _Textbooks are going_ out of use in the modern law schools, but some schools still use them.

Good: _Textbooks are going_ out of use in the modern law schools, but in some _they_ are still used.

Good: Though _textbooks are going_ out of use in modern law schools, _they are still used_ in some of them.

Bad: _One_ should never try to avoid work in school, for _you_ always increase your trouble by doing so.

Good: _One_ should never try to avoid work in school, for _one_ always increases his trouble by doing so.

Good: _One_ usually only increases _his_ troubles by trying to avoid work in school.

EXERCISE 68

_Point out and correct any lack of coherence that exists in the following sentences:_

1. Chicken lice are troubling all the farmers in the state.

2. The statute requires that one study three years, and that you pa.s.s an examination.

3. He is home.

4. Rich and poor, old and young, large and small, good and bad, were in the a.s.semblage.

5. He both presented me with a gold piece and an increase in salary.

6. Tell the doctor, if he comes before seven, to call.

7. When the dog came on the porch, feeling playful, I laid aside my paper.

8. I only knew John.

9. The cart was pulled by a man creaking under a heavy load.

10. John told his father that his coat was too tight for him.

11. I not only knew the president but also the whole board of directors.

12. The boxes were full of broken gla.s.s with which we made fire.

13. Mrs. Smith wants was.h.i.+ng.

14. A young woman died very suddenly last Sunday while I was away from home as a result of a druggist's mistake.

15. He was. .h.i.t in the discharge of his duty by a policeman.

16. A dog has been found by Mrs. Jones with one black ear.

17. In taking the census innumerable errors are made, thus making the result unreliable.

18. It was a pleasure to see them work and their good nature.

19. The boy went to the teacher and told him that his trouble was that he used the wrong book.

20. John was not punished because of his ill health, and he was not entirely to blame for it.

21. They said they saw them coming before they saw them.

22. The officers arrested the men and they were then locked up.