Dripread - Book

opal.

November--Topaz, pearl.

December--Ruby, bloodstone.

GRAMMAR-SPELLING-PRONUNCIATION

Five Hundred Common Errors Corrected

Concise Rules for the Proper Use of Words in Writing or Speaking.

The most objectionable errors in speaking or writing are those in which
words are employed that are unsuitable to convey the meaning intended.
Thus, a person wishing to express his intention of going to a given
place says, "I propose going," when, in fact, he purposes going. The
following affords an amusing illustration of this class of error: A
venerable matron was speaking of her son, who, she said, was quite
stage-struck: "In fact," remarked the old lady, "he is going to a
premature performance this evening!" Considering that most amateur
performances are premature, it cannot be said that this word was
altogether misapplied, though, evidently, the maternal intention was to
convey quite another meaning.

Other errors arise from the substitution of sounds similar to the words
which should be employed; that is, spurious words instead of genuine
ones. Thus, some people say "renumerative," when they mean
"remunerative." A nurse, recommending her mistress to have a
perambulator for her child, advised her to purchase a preamputator!

Other errors are occasioned by imperfect knowledge of English grammar;
thus, many people say, "Between you and I," instead of "Between you and
me." And there are numerous other departures from the rules of grammar,
which will be pointed out hereafter.

Misuse of the Adjective--"What beautiful butter!" "What a nice
landscape!" They should say, "What a beautiful landscape!" "What nice
butter!" Again, errors are frequently occasioned by the following
causes:

Mispronunciation of Words--Many persons say pronoun-ciation instead of
pronunciation; others say pro-nun-ce-a-shun, instead of
pro-nun-she-a-shun.

Misdivision of Words and Syllables--This defect makes the words an
ambassador sound like a nambassador, or an adder like a nadder.

Imperfect Enunciation--As when a person says hebben for heaven, ebber
for ever, jocholate for chocolate.

To correct these errors by a systematic course of study would involve a
closer application than most persons could afford, but the simple and
concise rules and hints here given, founded upon usage and the authority
of scholars, will be of great assistance to inquirers.

ENGLISH GRAMMAR IN A NUTSHELL.

Who and whom are used in relation to persons, and which in relation to
things. But it was once common to say, "the man which." This should now
be avoided. It is now usual to say, "Our Father who art in heaven,"
instead of "which art in heaven."

Whose is, however, sometimes applied to things as well as to persons. We
may therefore say, "The country whose inhabitants are free."

Thou is employed in solemn discourse, and you in common language. Ye
(plural) is also used in serious addresses, and you in familiar
language.

The uses of the word it are various, and very perplexing to the
uneducated. It is not only used to imply persons, but things, and even
ideas, and therefore in speaking or writing, its assistance is
constantly required. The perplexity respecting this word arises from the
fact that in using it in the construction of a long sentence, sufficient
care is not taken to insure that when it is employed it really points
out or refers to the object intended. For instance, "It was raining when
John set out in his cart to go to market, and he was delayed so long
that it was over before he arrived." Now what is to be understood by
this sentence: Was the rain over? or the market? Either or both might be
inferred from the construction of the sentence, which, therefore, should
be written thus: "It was raining when John set out in his cart to go to
market, and he was delayed so long that the market was over before he
arrived."

Rule--After writing a sentence always look through it, and see that
wherever the word it is employed, it refers to or carries the mind back
to the object which it is intended to point out.

The general distinction between this and that may be thus defined: this
denotes an object present or near, in time or place; that something
which is absent.

These refers, in the same manner, to present objects, while those refers
to things that are remote.

Who changes, under certain conditions, into whose and whom; but that and
which always remain the same, with the exception of the possessive case,
as

The Handy Cyclopedia of Things Worth Knowing / A Manual of Ready Reference