Practical Grammar and Composition Part 30

1. _Who whom_ do you wish to see?

2. You will please write out the name of _whoever whomever_ you want.

3. I saw _who whom_ was there.

4. _Who whom_ was it you saw?

5. _Who whom_ did you see?

6. John did not know _whom who_ to ask.

7. Why did he not ask _whomever whoever_ was there?

8. _Who whom_ can tell the difference?

9. Give it to _whoever whomever_ you please.

10. None of those who _were was_ wanted _was were_ there.

11. The one of those who _were was_ wanted was not there.

12. He is one of those fellows who _are is_ always joking.

13. _Whom who_ was called "The Rail Splitter?"

14. Do you not know _whom who_ it was?

15. That is one of the birds that _is are_ very rare.

16. One of the books which _was were_ brought was one hundred years old.

17. I am not among those _who whom were was_ there.

18. Only one of the men who _were was_ on board survived.

19. Everyone else who _was were_ there _was were_ lost.

20. I am the one of the three men who _is am are_ guilty.

21. He was chosen one of the four speakers who _was were_ to speak on Commencement Day.

22. It was one of the books which _were was_ being sought by the librarian.

23. Give it to one of the men _who whom_ is found there.

24. To _who whom_ did you give it?

25. It was for _whomever whoever_ was present.

26. Ask _whomever whoever_ is nearest the door.

80. CONJUNCTIVE OR RELATIVE ADVERBS. It is better to use a _WHEN_ CLAUSE only in the subordinate part of the sentence, to state the time of an event. Compare the following:

Bad: He was turning the corner, when suddenly he saw a car approaching.

Good: When he was turning the corner, he suddenly saw a car approaching.

Bad: When the news of the fire came, it was still in the early morning.

Good: The news of the fire came when it was still in the early morning.

81. Do not use a _WHEN_ or a _WHERE_ CLAUSE in defining a subject or in place of a predicate noun.

Bad: Commencement is when one formally completes his school course.

Good: Commencement is the formal completion of one's school course.

Bad: Astronomy is where one studies about the stars.

Good: Astronomy is the study of the stars.

82. _So, then_, and _also_, the conjunctive adverbs, should not be used to unite coordinate verbs in a sentence unless _and_ or _but_ be used in addition to the adverb.

Bad: The boys' grades are low, _so_ they indicate lack of application.

Good: The boys' grades are low, _and so_ indicate lack of application.

Bad: He read for a while, _then_ fell asleep.

Good: He read for a while, _and then_ fell asleep.

Bad: I'll be down next week; _also_ I shall bring Jack along.

Good: I'll be down next week; _and also_ I shall bring Jack along.

EXERCISE 59

_Correct the following sentences:_

1. Anarchism is when one believes in no government.

2. I am studying German, also French.

3. The clock had just struck five when the cab came.

4. I shall work until nine o'clock, then I shall retire.

5. I was sick all day, so I couldn't come to the office.

6. I was going up street yesterday when unexpectedly I met Jones.

7. Death is when one ceases to live.

8. Dinner is ready, so I shall have to cease work.

9. He told half of the story, then he suddenly stopped.

10. He loves good music, also good pictures.

11. A restaurant is where meals are served.

83. CONJUNCTIONS. There are certain conjunctions, and also certain pairs of conjunctions that frequently cause trouble.

AND or BUT should not be used to join a dependent clause to an independent clause; as, _It was a new valise AND differing much from his old one_. Say instead, _It was a new valise, differing much from his old one_, or _It was a new valise, and differed very much from his old one_. Similarly, _It was a new book WHICH_ (not _and which_) _interested him very much_. This "and which" construction is a frequent error; _and which_ should never be used unless there is more than one relative clause, and then never with the first one.

BUT or FOR should not be used to introduce both of two succeeding statements. Both of the following sentences are bad by reason of this error: _He likes geometry, BUT fails in algebra, BUT studies it hard, He read all night, FOR the book interested him, FOR it was along the line of his ambition_.

THAN and AS should not be followed by objective p.r.o.nouns in sentences like this: _I am as large AS HIM_. The verb in these sentences is omitted. If it is supplied, the error will be apparent. The sentence would then read, _I am as large as HIM (is large)_. The correct form is, _I am as large as he (is large)_. Similarly, _He is taller than I (am tall), She is brighter than HE (is bright)_.

AS may be used as either a conjunction or an adverb. _He is AS tall AS I_. The first _as_ is an adverb, the second _as_ is a conjunction. _As_ is properly used as an adverb when the equality is a.s.serted, but, when the equality is denied, _so_ should be used in its place. _He is AS old AS I_, is correct, but the denial should be, _He is NOT SO old AS I_. After _not_ do not use _as_ when _as_ is an adverb.

NEITHER, when used as a conjunction, should be followed by NOR; as, _Neither he NOR (not or) I can come. Neither_ should never be followed by _or_.

EITHER, when used as a conjunction, should be followed by OR.

84. PLACING OF CORRELATIVES. The correlatives, such as _neither--nor, either--or, not only--but also_, should be placed in clear relation to similar parts of speech or similar parts of the sentence. One should not be directed toward a verb and the other toward some other part of speech.

Bad: He _not only_ brought a book, _but also_ a pencil.

Good: He brought _not only_ a book _but also_ a pencil.

Bad: He would offer _neither_ reparation _nor_ would he apologize.

Good: _Neither_ would he offer reparation _nor_ would he apologize.

Good: He would offer _neither_ reparation _nor_ apology.

85. The prepositions _without, except, like_, and the adverb _directly_ should not be used as conjunctions.

Wrong: _Without_ (_unless_) you attend to cla.s.s-room work, you cannot pa.s.s.

Wrong: This she would not do _except_ (_unless_) we promised to pay at once.