Plain English Part 107

+489.+ Two consecutive years may be written 1914-15, but use 1915 rather than '15. In the heading of letters it is better to write the date out in full, as, _May 28, 1915_, instead of 5-28-15.

In the back of your dictionary you will find a complete list of accepted abbreviations used in writing and printing. The list that follows contains abbreviations most commonly used, especially in business correspondence:

@ for at acct. for account agt. for agent amt. for amount ans. for answer a.s.st. for a.s.sistant atty. for attorney av. for average bal. for balance bbl. for barrel bdl. for bundle bro. for brother bros. for brothers blk. for black bls. for bales bu. or bush. for bushels Co. for company chgd. for charged C. O. D. for "cash on delivery"

cr. creditor cts. cents cwt. for hundred weight cu. for cubic do. for the same dr. for debtor doz. for dozen ea. for "each"

et al. for "and others"

e. g. for example etc. for "and so forth"

ft. for foot or feet frt. freight f. o. b. "free on board"

gal. gallon guar. for guaranty hdkfs. for handkerchiefs h. p. horse power in. for inches ins. for insurance inst. for this month i. e. for "that is"

Jr. for junior lb. for pound memo. for memorandum Mon. for Monday mo. for month mos. for months mdse. for merchandise mfg. for manufacturing Mss. for ma.n.u.script no. for number N. B. for take notice O. K. for "all correct"

oz. for ounce % for per cent pp. pages pr. for pair pt. for pint pk. for peck prox. for next month qt. for quart recd. for received sec. for second Sec. for secretary Sr. for senior Supt. for superintendent ult. for last month via by way of viz. namely vol. for volume wt. for weight yd. for yard yds. for yards yr. for year

Exercise 4

Write the proper abbreviations for the following words:

Building Charles Boulevard Tuesday Arkansas Mississippi Foot Virginia Georgia Senior By way of Per cent Charged Avenue October Delaware Professor Thursday Colorado Kansas Handkerchiefs January Secretary Superintendent Received That is Free on board Monday Oklahoma July Thomas California Company Account Friday Merchandise Number All correct Cash on delivery And so forth Colonel Maine August William Missouri Brothers Amount Wyoming

SPELLING

LESSON 28

There is no way to learn to spell except by constant application. Watch in your reading the spelling of all words. Whenever you wish to add a certain word to your vocabulary, master immediately the spelling as well as the meaning of that word. Keep your dictionary handy; use it constantly in the study of your lessons. Do not guess at the spelling of the word. You are not likely to forget quickly the spelling of any word which you have taken the trouble to look up.

Read your examinations over carefully before sending them in, watching closely for any error in spelling and in punctuation. When your papers are graded and returned you, make a list of all the words which are misspelled and master then and there the spelling of these words. Do not be guilty of the same error twice. Remember that correct spelling is a mark of intelligence and scholarship and that nothing will so detract from the influence of your written work as incorrect spelling.

While there is always a certain word which more aptly expresses our meaning than any other, we can usually find two or more words which express practically the same meaning.

+Words which have nearly the same meaning are called synonyms.+

It is always an interesting exercise and will add greatly to your vocabulary to select a certain paragraph and go through it replacing certain words with other words which have practically the same meaning.

It is this mastery of synonyms which gives the great writers and orators their power. They do not use the same word over and over again until our ears have grown weary of it. With their wonderful mastery of language they are never at a loss for words in which to re-clothe their meaning.

For the first three days of this week's work in spelling we have words and their synonyms. For the words given in the lessons for the last three days, look up in your dictionary a suitable synonym.

+Monday+

Abundant Plenty

Precarious Uncertain

Behavior Conduct

+Tuesday+

Abuse Invective

Hateful Odious

Praise Applause

+Wednesday+

Sufficient Enough

Refuge Asylum

Achieve Attain

+Thursday+

Insolent Revenge Curb Repudiate Censure Regret

+Friday+

Prosperity Subterfuge Event Observe Portion Destroy

+Sat.u.r.day+

Talkative Indolent Profit Volunteer Cordial Enormous

There are a number of nouns very similar in form, yet different in meaning, which we very often use incorrectly.

Cross out in these sentences the incorrect word. Look them up in the dictionary and be sure of the exact meaning:

Roger's _essay_--_a.s.say_ won him praise.

The _a.s.say_--_essay_ indicated the quant.i.ty of gold in the metal.

The _completion_--_completeness_ of the course ent.i.tled me to a Diploma.

The _completion_--_completeness_ of the arrangements fills us with hope of success.

_Confidants_--_confidence_ often betray us.

The business world is built upon _confidants_--_confidence_.

The _conscience_--_consciousness_ of a religious person is very sensitive.

The cla.s.s struggle develops cla.s.s _conscience_--_consciousness_.

The strikers listened to unwise _counsel_--_council_.

The _council_--_counsel_ refused the franchise.

You knew he was a _cultured_--_cultivated_ man, the moment you met him.

It is a highly _cultured_--_cultivated_ plant.

I asked her for the _recipe_--_receipt_ for making cake.

He gave her a _receipt_--_recipe_ for the money.

_Emigration_---_immigration_ has reduced the population of Servia.

_Emigration_--_immigration_ is flooding the United States with cheap labor.

Edison's _discovery_--_invention_ of the storage battery was a momentous event.

The _discovery_--_invention_ of gold in Alaska attracted the attention of the world.