28. The reporter sent an account of the sad accident to the morning newspaper. 29. The beaux of that day used the abominable art of painting their faces as well as the women. - Disraeli. Correlative conjunctions should be placed before the same part of speech. CORRELATIVES MISPLACED. Correct: 1. They neither brought the cannon nor the ammunition. 2. He shall both judge the quick and the dead. 3. Garfield was not only famous for his ability as a soldier, but for his statesmanship. 4. Hamlet was either insane or he feigned insanity. 5. This man neither sinned, nor his parents. 6. As the sand passes imperceptibly through the hour-glass, so passes the life of man. 7. They either believed it to be an exaggeration or an infamous falsehood. 8. Webster went not only to Boston, but delivered a great speech in Faneuil Hall. - Bancroft. 9. Though he failed, he yet strove nobly to retrieve his shattered fortunes. 10. It is said that a man's nature either runs to herbs or to weeds. PRONOUN AND ANTECEDENT. The position of every pronoun should be such that the antecedent cannot be mistaken. Ambiguity may sometimes be avoided by repeating the antecedent, by changing an indirect to a direct quotation, or by recasting the sentence. The antecedents of the pronouns in the following sentences are not clearly indicated. Correct: 1. If he fails to find the owner, he will, without doubt, be greatly disappointed. 2. After many years, the father met the son, and he knew him at once. 3. He had three acres of green-houses filled with rare plants. One of them was an eighth of a mile long. 4. The firm has dissolved, the senior partner continuing the business, and the junior member retiring to private life. If you ask him, you may obtain a position. 5. Place a college graduate in a position inferior to that of the non-college young man, and he will quickly overtake him and soon pass him by. IMPROPER ELLIPSES. When the omission of words for the purpose of securing brevity results in obscurity of meaning, the ellipsis should be supplied. Supply the necessary words: 1. I cannot remember one of their statements. 2. Roger Williams was banished the colony. 3. I would much rather live with an honest boor than a false gentleman. 4. He is still in the situation you saw him. 5. I gladly shunned who gladly fled from me. 6. That is a property most men have or may attain. 7. Being alarmed at the delay, we sent a messenger for him. LESSON III. CAPITALIZATION-PUNCTUATION. CAPITALIZATION. The following are the principal rules for the use of capital letters: Begin with a capital: I. The first word of every sentence, of every line of poetry, of every direct quotation, maxim or question, and of phrases, clauses or statements of a series separately numbered; as, They are slaves who fear to speak They are slaves who will not choose Rather than in silence shrink From the truth they needs must think; In the right with two or three. Lowell. Spencer says, "To prepare us for complete living is the function which education has to discharge." 66 Remember the maxim, "Diligence is the mother of good luck." The important question is, How can our municipal government be improved." We will consider: 1. Their government. 2. Their religion. 3. Their race characteristics. II. Proper nouns, proper adjectives, points of the compass when used as nouns, and common nouns when strongly personified; as, Thomas Carlyle. South American enterprises. The West contains the resources of the nation. O Life! how pleasant is thy morning. III. Names applied to Deity, names of religious sects, of political parties, of days of the week, of months, and of holidays; as, Our Father. The Republican Party. Episcopalians. Monday. December. Christmas. IV. Every important word in the titles of books, essays, or poems, titles of office or honor used to designate particular individuals, and names of important events or of epochs of time in history; as, Mosses from an Old Manse. Controller Calonne. The Renaissance. The pronoun I and the interjection O, (not oh), are always capitals. PUNCTUATION. The period is used: I. At the close of every declarative or imperative sentence; as, The secret of success is constancy of purpose. Disraeli. NOTE. The interrogation point should be used at the close of a declarative sentence ending with a direct question; as, He said, "Where shall I go?" II. After headings, titles or signatures; as, The Sentence. Reviews in English Grammar. Frederick King. III. To denote an abbreviation, to mark Roman numerals, and as the decimal point; as, A. D. MDCCCXCVI. 5.25. The interrogation point is used at the end of every direct question; as, Can gray hairs render folly honorable? He demanded, "Who goes there?" What his thoughts might be? His plans for finishing the Terror? One knows not. Carlyle. The exclamation point is used after exclamatory words, phrases, and sentences; as, August! Reign, thou fire-month! The colon is used: I. To separate the principal members of a compound sentence, if either member contains a semicolon; as, Homer was the greater genius; Virgil, the better artist: in the one, we most admire the man; in the other, the work. II. Before direct, formal quotations, or a series of statements; as, Robespierre speaks of the future in these words: "Death is the commencement of immortality." Their claims to the territory are these: First, by right of discovery; second, by right of grant from the government; third, by colonization. |