Chapter 7

5. If a piece of steel is kept hot for several seconds, it will lose some of its hardness. If kept hot longer, it will lose more of its hardness. Along with losing its hardness it will lose its brittleness. If the piece of steel is heated continually it will lose nearly all its hardness and brittleness. In other words, it will lose its "temper."

=49.= EXERCISE IN EMPHASIS

=A. Lack of Emphasis in General=

Make the following sentences emphatic.

1. The man is a thief who fails in business but continues to live in luxury.

2. The plant was withered and dry, not having been watered for over a week.

3. Much time is saved in Chicago by taking the elevated cars, if you have a great distance to travel.

4. The clock struck eleven, when he immediately seized his hat and left.

5. These liberal terms should be taken advantage of by us.

6. The study of biology has proved very interesting, as far as I have gone.

7. Who is this that comes to the foot of the guillotine, crouching, trembling?

8. They must pay the penalty. Their death is necessary. They have caused harm enough.

9. I intend to get up fifteen minutes earlier, thereby giving myself time to eat a good breakfast.

10. The book was reread several times, for I never grew tired of it.

11. "What is the aim of a university education?" the speaker asked.

12. A bicycle is sometimes ridden when a tire contains no air, total ruin resulting from the weight of the rim upon the flat tire.

13. He sprang forward the instant the pistol cracked, since the start of a sprint is very important, and one cannot overdo the practicing of it.

14. Sometimes the fuses fail to burn, or burn too fast, causing an explosion before the workmen are prepared for it.

15. How father made soap was always a mystery to me. Cracklings saved from butchering time, lye, and water went into the kettle on a warm spring day and came out in the form of soap a few hours later, to my great astonishment.

=B. Loose or Unemphatic Structure=

Make the following sentences more emphatic by throwing them into periodic form.

1. It was Tom, as I had expected.

2. I will not tell, no matter how you beg.

3. The supremacy of the old river steamboat is gone forever, unless conditions should be utterly changed.

4. Across the desert he traveled alone, and over strange seas, and through quaint foreign villages.

5. The hot water dissolves the glue in the muresco, making the mixture more easily applied.

6. Visions of rich meadows and harvest-laden fields now pass before my eyes, as I sit by the fire.

7. Some of the women were weeping bitterly, thinking they would never see their homes again.

8. I splashed along on foot for three miles after night in a driving rain.

9. Very high rent is demanded, thus keeping the peasants constantly in debt.

10. Roderigo was in despair because he had been rejected by Desdemona, and was ready to end his life, by the time Iago entered.

11. Through storm and cold the open boat was brought to the shore at last, after toil and suffering, with great difficulty.

12. The car came to a violent stop against a rock pile, after it demolished two fences, upset a hen-house, and scared a pig out of his wits.

13. The Panama Canal is the fulfilment of the dreams of old Spanish adventurers, the desires of later merchant princes, and the demand of modern nations for free traffic on the seas.

14. The fiddle yelled, and the feet of the dancers beat the floor, and the spectators applauded, and the room fairly rang.

15. The man with the best character, not the man with most money, will come out on top in the end.

=C. Faulty Repetition=

Repetition in the following sentences is objectionable, because it attracts attention to words or constructions that do not need to be emphasized. Improve the sentences, avoiding unnecessary repetition.

1. He is a great friend of boys, and views things from the boys' point of view.

2. In the case of the strike at Lawrence, Massachusetts, the real cause was low wages caused by immigration and child labor.

3. First, a subject must be chosen, and in choosing a subject, choose one that you know something about.

4. There are great opportunities in the field of science, and a scientist who makes a mark in the world of science makes a mark for himself everywhere.

5. While the practical man is learning skill in the practical world, the college man is attaining a development of mentality that will surpass that of the practical man when the college man learns the skill of the practical man.

6. The field is dragged and rolled. Dragging and rolling leaves the ground smooth and ready for planting.

7. A great number and variety of articles appears in every issue. There is a complete review of each subject. It is treated in a short, but thorough manner.

8. They gave me a hearty welcome. They stood back and looked at me. They wanted to see if three months in the city had made any changes in me. But they said it had not.

9. Engineering is looked upon by many students as an easy and uninteresting study, but to my knowledge it is not uninteresting and easy. Engineering is probably one of the hardest courses in college. To me it is also the most interesting.

10. A duck hunter should have a place to hunt where ducks are frequently found in duck season. Ducks often light in the backwater along a river, and in ponds. They are often found in small lakes. Corn fields are common feeding places for ducks. Ducks make regular trips to cornfields within reach of a body of water such as a river or lake. It is their nature to spend the night in the water, and in the morning and in the evening they go out to the fields to feed.

GRAMMAR

=Case=

=50a. The subject of a verb is in the nominative case, even when the verb is remote, or understood (not expressed).=

Wrong: They are as old as us.

Right: They are as old as we [are].

Wrong: He is taller than her.

Right: He is taller than she [is].

Note.--_Than_ and _as_ are conjunctions, not prepositions. When they are followed by a pronoun merely, this pronoun is not their object, but part of a clause the rest of which may be understood. The case of this pronoun is determined by its relation to the rest of the unexpressed clause. Sometimes the understood clause calls for the objective: "I like his brother better than [I like] him." _Than whom_, though ungrammatical, is sanctioned by usage.

=b. Guard against the improper attraction of _who_ into the objective case by intervening expressions like _he says_.=

Wrong: The man whom they believed was the cause of the trouble left the country. [_They believed_ is parenthetical, and the subject of _was_ is _who_.]

Right: The man who they believed was the cause of the trouble left the country.

Wrong: Whom do you suppose made us a visit?

Right: Who do you suppose made us a visit?

=Guard against the improper attraction of _who_ or _whoever_ into the objective case by a preceding verb or preposition.=

Wrong: Punish whomever is guilty. [The pronoun is the subject of _is_. The object of _punish_ is the entire clause _whoever is guilty_.]

Right: Punish whoever is guilty.

Wrong: The mystery as to whom had rendered him this service remained. [The pronoun is the subject of _had rendered_. The object of the preposition is the entire clause _who had rendered him this service_.]

Right: The mystery as to who had rendered him this service remained.

=c. The predicate complement of the verb _to be_ (in any of its forms, _is_, _was_, _were_, _be_, etc.) is in the nominative case.= _To be_ never takes an object, because it does not express action.

Wrong: Was it her? Was it them? It is me.

Right: Was it she? Was it they? Is it I.

Wrong: The happiest people there were him and his mother.

Right: The happiest people there were he and his mother.

=d. The object of a preposition or a verb is in the objective case.=

Wrong: Some of we fellows went fishing.

Right: Some of us fellows went fishing.

Wrong: That seems incredible to you and I.

Right: That seems incredible to you and me.

Wrong: Who did they detect?

Right: Whom did they detect?

=e. The "assumed" subject of an infinitive is in the objective case.=

Right: I wanted him to go. [_Him to go_ is the group object of the verb _wanted_. _To go_, being an infinitive, cannot assert an action, and consequently cannot take a subject. But _to go_ implies that something is at least capable of action. _Him_ is the latent or assumed subject of the action implied in _to go_.]

Right: _Whom_ do you wish _to be_ your leader? [_Whom_ is the assumed subject of the infinitive _to be_.]

=f. A noun or pronoun used to express possession is in the possessive case.= Do not omit the apostrophe (See 97) from nouns, or from the pronouns _one's_ and _other's_. Most of the other possessive pronouns do not require an apostrophe.

Right: The man's hair is gray.

Right: The machine does its work well. [_It's_ would mean _it is_.]

Right: One should do one's duty.

=g. A noun or pronoun linked with a gerund should be in the possessive case whenever the use of the objective case might cause confusion.=

Faulty: Is there any criticism of Arthur going?

Right: Is there any criticism of Arthur's going?

Right: I had not heard of his being sick.

Right, but slightly less desirable: I had not heard of him being sick.

Note.--In other instances than those in which clearness is involved many good writers use the objective case with the gerund. But even in these instances most writers prefer the possessive case.

=h. It is usually awkward and slightly illogical to attribute possession to inanimate objects.=

Awkward: The farm's management.

Better: The management of the farm.

Awkward: The stomach's lining.

Better: The lining of the stomach.

Note.--Usage justifies many exceptions, particularly (1) expressions that involve time or measure, _a day's work_, _a hair's breadth_, _a year's salary_, _a week's vacation_, _a cable's length_; and (2) expressions that involve personification, explicit or implied, _Reason's voice_, _the law's delay_, _for mercy's sake_, _the heart's desire_, _the tempest's breath_.

=i. A pronoun agrees with its antecedent in person, gender, and number, but not in case.=

Right: _I, who am_ older, know better.

Right: Tell _me, who am_ older, your trouble.

Right: Many a man has saved _himself_ by counsel.

Exercise:

1. I am as old as (he, him). They may be pluckier than (we, us). Nobody is less conceited than (she, her).

2. He gave help to (whoever, whomever) wanted it. The girls (who, whom) they say have the worst taste are on a committee to select the class pin.

3. Four of (we, us) boys were left without a cent. That is a good investment for her cousin and (she, her).

4. It was (he, him). It is (they, them). The sole occupants of the car were his chum and (he, him).

5. I had not heard of (his, him) being sick. She does not approve of (our, us) being late to dinner. (They, them) who labor now the Master will reward.

=Number=

=51a. _Each_, _every_, _every one_, _everybody_, _anybody_, _either_, _neither_, _no one_, _nobody_, and similar words are singular.=

Wrong: Everybody did their best.

Right: Everybody did his best.

Wrong: Each of my three friends were there.

Right: Each of my three friends was there.

Wrong: Either of the candidates are capable of making a good officer.

Right: Either of the candidates is capable of making a good officer.

=b. Do not let _this_ or _that_ when modifying _kind_ or _sort_ be attracted into the plural by a following noun.=

Wrong: He knew nothing of those kind of activities.

Right: He knew nothing of that kind of activities.

Wrong: I never did like these sort of post cards.

Right: I never did like this sort of post cards.

=c. Collective nouns may be regarded as singular or plural, according to the meaning intended.=

Right: The crowd is waiting.

Right: The crowd are not agreed.

Right: Webster maintained that the United States is an inseparable union; Hayne that the United States are a separable union.

English usage: The government were considering a new bill regarding labor.

American usage: The government was glad to place our troops at the disposal of General Foch.

=d. Do not use _don't_ in the third person singular. Use _doesn't_. _Don't_ is contraction of _do not_.=

Wrong: He don't get up early on Sunday morning.

Right: He doesn't get up early on Sunday morning.

Exercise:

1. She said not to buy those sort of carpet tacks. These kind of apples won't keep. I don't care for these boasting kind of travelers.

2. Neither of us were in condition to run the race. Every one assured Mrs. Merton they had spent a pleasant evening.

3. He don't suffer much now. I don't care if she don't come today.

4. Each of us in that dismal waiting room were angry with the agent for telling us the train was not late.

5. No one of the girls will tell their age. It don't matter.

=Agreement=

=52a. A verb agrees in number with the subject, not with a noun which intervenes between it and the subject.=

Wrong: The size of the plantations vary.

Right: The size of the plantations varies.

Wrong: The increasing use of luxuries are a menace to the country.

Right: The increasing use of luxuries is a menace to the country.

Wrong: The prices of grain fluctuates in response to the demand.

Right: The prices of grain fluctuate in response to the demand. [Or] The price of grain fluctuates in response to the demand.

=b. The number of the verb is not affected by the addition to the subject of words introduced by _with_, _together with_, _no less than_, _as well as_, and the like.=

Wrong: The mayor of the city, as well as several aldermen, have investigated the charges.

Right: The mayor of the city, as well as several aldermen, has investigated the charges.

=c. Singular subjects joined by _or_ or _nor_ take a singular verb.=

Wrong: Either the second or the third of the plans they have devised are acceptable.

Right: Either the second or the third of the plans they have devised is acceptable.

=d. A subject consisting of two or more nouns joined by _and_ takes a plural verb.=

Right: The hunting and fishing are good.

=e. A verb should agree in number with the subject, not with a predicate noun.=

Wrong: The weak point in the team were the fielders.

Right: The weak point in the team was the fielders.

Wrong: Laziness and dissipation is the cause of his failure.

Right: Laziness and dissipation are the cause of his failure.

=f. In _There is_ and _There are_ sentences the verb should agree in number with the noun that follows it.=

Wrong: There is very good grounds for such a decision.

Right: There are very good grounds for such a decision.

Wrong: There was present a man, two women, and a child.

Right: There were present a man, two women, and a child.

Exercise:

1. The sound of falling acorns (is, are) one of the delights of an autumn evening. Eye strain through ill-fit glasses (is, are) injurious to the general health, but reading without glasses (is, are) often more harmful still.

2. Neither the baritone nor the tenor (has, have) as good a voice as the soprano. The guitar or the mandolin (is, are) always out of tune.

3. The Amazon with its tributaries (affords, afford) access to sea. The conductor of the freight train, along with the engineer and fireman of the passenger, (was, were) injured.

4. Ghost stories late at night (is, are) a crime against children. My reason for knowing that it is six o'clock (is, are) the factory whistles.

5. There (was, were) in the same coach a dozen singing freshmen. Years of experience in buying clothes (gives, give) me confidence in my judgment.

=_Shall_ and _Will_, _Should_ and _Would_=

Although there is a tendency to disregard subtle distinctions between _shall_ and _will_ in ordinary speech, it is desirable to preserve the more important distinctions in written discourse.

=53. To express simple futurity or mere expectation, use _shall_ with the first person (both singular and plural) and _will_ with the second and third.=

I shall go. We shall walk. You will play. You will hear. He will sing. They will reply.

=To express resolution or emphatic assurance, reverse the usage; that is, use _will_ with the first person (both singular and plural), and _shall_ with the second and third.=

I will; I tell you, I will. We will not be excluded. You shall do what I bid. You shall not delay us. He shall obey me. They shall pay the tribute.

In asking questions, use the form expected in the answer.

"Shall I go?" I asked myself musingly. "Shall we take a walk?" "You promise. But will you pay?" "Will it rain tomorrow?"

_Should_ and _would_ follow the rules given for _shall_ and _will_.

Mere statement of a fact: I [or We] should like to go. You [or He or They] would of course accept the offer.

Resolution or emphatic assurance: I [or We] would never go under terms so degrading. You [or He or They] should decline; honor demands it.

_Should_ has also a special use in the subjunctive (in all persons) to express a condition; and _would_ has a special use (in all persons) to express a wish, or customary action.

If it should rain, I shall not go.

If I should remain, it would probably clear off.

Would that I could swim!

He [I, We, You, They] would often sit there by the hour.

Exercise:

1. I (shall, will) probably do as he says. I'm determined; I (shall, will) go! We (shall, will) see what tomorrow (shall, will) bring forth.

2. The train (shall, will) whistle at this crossing, I suppose. When the log is nearly severed, it (shall, will) begin to pinch the saw. The weather (shall, will) be warmer tomorrow.

3. Johnny, you (shall, will) not go near those strawberries! He (shall, will) not leave us in this predicament. I repeat it, he (shall, will) not! We (shall, will) never sell this good old horse.

4. (Shall, will) this calico fade? (Shall, will) you give the organ grinder some money? (Shall, will) I raise the window? (Should, would) I ask his permission?

5. If you (should, would) visit his laboratory, you (should, would) learn how a starfish preserved in alcohol smells. You (shall, will) all die some day, my friends. (Shall, will) I ever forget this? Time (shall, will) tell.

=Principal Parts=

=54. Use the correct form of the past tense and past participle.= Avoid _come_, _done_, _bursted_, _knowed_, _says_ for the past tense; and [_had_] _eat_, [_had_] _froze_, [_have_] _ran_, [_has_] _went_, [_has_] _wrote_, [_are_] _suppose_ for the past participle. Memorize the principal parts of difficult verbs. The principal parts are the present tense, the past tense, and the past participle. A good way to recall these is to repeat the formula: Today I _sing_; yesterday I _sang_; often in the past I have _sung_. The principal parts of _sing_ are _sing_, _sang_, _sung_. A list of difficult verbs is given below.

bear bore borne born begin began begun bend bent bent bid bid bid bade bidden bite bit bit bitten bleed bled bled blow blew blown break broke broken burn burnt burnt burned burned burst burst burst catch caught caught choose chose chosen come came come deal dealt dealt dive dived dived do did done drag dragged dragged draw drew drawn dream dreamt dreamt dreamed dreamed drink drank drunk drive drove driven drown drowned drowned dwell dwelt dwelt dwelled dwelled eat ate eaten fall fell fallen fight fought fought flee fled fled fly flew flown flow flowed flowed freeze froze frozen get got got go went gone grow grew grown hang hung hung hang hanged hanged hold held held kneel knelt knelt know knew known lay laid laid lead led led lend lent lent lie lay lain lie lied lied loose loosed loosed lose lost lost mean meant meant pay paid paid prove proved proved read read read rid rid rid ride rode ridden ring rang rung rise rose risen run ran run say said said see saw seen set set set shake shook shaken shine shone shone show showed shown shrink shrank shrunk sing sang sung sit sat sat slink slunk slunk speak spoke spoken spend spent spent spit spit spit spat spat steal stole stolen swear swore sworn sweep swept swept swim swam swum take took taken tear tore torn throw threw thrown thrust thrust thrust tread trod trod trodden wake woke waked waked wear wore worn weave wove woven weep wept wept write wrote written

Exercise:

1. Adams ---- (past tense of _draw_) another glass of cider and ---- (past tense of _drink_) it. When those squashes once ---- (past tense of _begin_), they ---- (past tense of _grow_) like mad.

2. The thermometer had ---- (past participle of _fall_) twenty degrees, and three water pipes had ---- (past participle of _freeze_). Afterward one ---- (past tense of _burst_).

3. Annie had ---- (past participle of _speak_) a piece, and Nancy had ---- (past participle of _write_) a poem, and Isabel had nearly ---- (past participle of _burst_) with envy.

4. He ---- (past tense of _do_) a brave deed; he ---- (past tense of _swim_) straight for the whirlpool. I had ---- (past participle of _know_) him before, and had ---- (past participle of _shake_) hands with him.

5. He ---- (past tense of _come_) home late, and has ---- (past participle of _eat_) his dinner. Now he has ---- (past participle of _go_) down town. He has ---- (past participle of _ride_) before. I ---- (past tense of _see_) him. He ---- (past tense of _run_) swiftly.

=Tense, Mode, Auxiliaries=

=55a. In dependent clauses and infinitives, the tense is to be considered in relation to the time expressed in the principal verb.=

Wrong: I intended to have gone. [The principal verb _intended_ indicates a past time. In that past time I intended to do something. What? Did I intend _to go_, or _to have gone_?]

Right: I intended to go.

Wrong: We hoped that you would have come to the party. [The principal verb _hoped_ indicates a past time. In that past time our hope was that you _would_ come, not that you _would have come_.]

Right: We hoped that you would come.

=b. When narration in the past tense is interrupted for reference to a preceding occurrence, the past perfect tense is used.=