Practical Grammar and Composition Part 53

EXERCISE 78

_Correct the italicized barbarisms in the following sentences:_

1. They can go _everywheres_.

2. He spends all his time _grinding_.

3. There _ain't_ a _sightlier_ town in the state.

4. He ate the whole _hunk_ of cake.

5. He was treated very _illy_.

6. Smith's new house is very _showy_.

7. Not _muchly_ will I go.

8. All were ready for breakfast before _sun-up_.

9. Do you like _light-complected_ people?

10. I had never _orated_ before.

11. Their clothes are always _tasty_ in appearance.

12. He has money, but he is very _near_.

13. He left the room _unbeknown_ to his mother.

14. If manners are any indication, she belongs to the _nouveau riche_.

15. I feel pretty _tollable_ today.

16. I _reckon_ all will be able to get seats.

17. Do you _callate_ to get there before noon?

18. If I had as much _long green_ as he has, I wouldn't be such a _tight-wad_.

19. He was the _beau ideal_ of soldier.

20. John is a _crazy cuss_.

21. Let me say _en pa.s.sant_ we did not ask for the tickets.

22. Even at that time John had a bad _rep_.

23. That woman is the Countess of Verdun, _nee_ Smith.

24. _Methinks_ you are wrong.

25. The teacher _spake_ sharply to her.

26. I _didn't go for to do_ it.

27. It will be published _inside of_ two months.

28. The duke and his wife were travelling _incog_.

29. I hadn't _thought on_ that.

30. There is little difference _twixt_ the two.

31. Come now, _fess up_.

32. It's a _right smart ways_ to Williamsport.

33. You _wot_ not what you say.

34. He bought a _poke_ of apples for his lunch.

35. Brown runs a pretty _cla.s.sy_ store.

36. I finally _got shut_ of him.

37. I _could of_ jumped across.

38. That can't be done _nohow_.

39. You make such _dumb_ mistakes.

40. I never saw such a _b.u.m_ show.

194. IMPROPRIETIES. The third offense against good use, an impropriety, is the use of a proper word in an improper sense. In many cases an offense against good use may be called a barbarism, an impropriety, or a solecism, since the fields covered by the three terms somewhat overlap one another. Many improprieties have their origin in the similarities in sound, spelling or meaning of words. The following exercises deal with a number of common improprieties resulting from the confusion of two similar words.

EXERCISE 79

_Study the proper use of the words given under each of the following divisions. In each group of sentences fill the blanks with the proper words:_

ACCEPT, EXCEPT. See Glossary at end of book, under _except_.

1. I cannot ---- your gift.

2. Have you no books ---- these?

3. Cicero was not ---- from the list of those condemned.

4. He ---- the invitation.

AFFECT, EFFECT. See Glossary under _effect_.

1. Will your plan ---- a reform from the present condition?

2. The sad news will seriously ---- his mother.

3. How was the bank ---- by the indictment of its president?

4. The change of schedule was ---- without a hitch.

AGGRAVATE, IRRITATE. See Glossary.

1. Her manner ---- me.

2. The crime was ---- by being committed in cold blood.

3. The children do everything they can to ---- her.

4. His illness was ---- by lack of proper food.

ALLUDE, MENTION. See Glossary.

1. He ---- (to) certain events which he dared not name directly.

2. The attorney ---- (to) no names.

3. That pa.s.sage in his book delicately ---- (to) his mother.

4. In his speech the labor leader boldly ---- (to) his recent arrest.

ARGUE, AUGUR. _To argue_ is to state reasons for one's belief. _To augur_ means _to foretell, to presage_.

1. The reported quarrel ---- ill for the army.

2. He will ---- at length on any subject.

3. Her darkening looks ---- a quarrel.

AVOCATION, VOCATION. A _vocation_ is one's princ.i.p.al work or calling.

_An avocation_ is something aside from or subordinate to that princ.i.p.al calling.

1. The young physician enthusiastically pursues his ----.

2. Law is his ----, but politics is his ----.

3. The ministry should be one's ----, never his ----.

4. While preparing for his life work, school teaching was for a time his ----.

BESIDES, BESIDE. _Besides_ means _in addition to. Beside_ refers to place; as, _He sits beside you_.

1. ---- you, who else was there?

2. Is there nothing ---- this to do?

3. John walked ---- me.

4. ---- me was a tree.