Practical Grammar and Composition Part 49

Mr. Leighou regrets that a previous engagement prevents his acceptance of Mrs. Moore's kind invitation for Sunday, June the first.

110 Braddock Avenue, May the twenty-seventh.

EXERCISE 75

_Make use of some of the following suggestions for letters. Have every letter complete in all its formal parts. Fill in details according to your own fancy:_

1. A letter to the X Express Company of your town, complaining of their delay in delivering a package to you.

2. A letter to a friend, thanking him for the entertainment afforded you on a recent visit to his house.

3. A letter to the X Book Company, inquiring what dictionary they publish, the prices, etc.

4. A letter to Mr. X, asking him for a position in his office, and stating your qualifications.

5. A letter congratulating a friend on some good fortune that has befallen him.

6. A letter asking a friend his opinion of some business venture that you are thinking of entering upon. Explain the venture.

7. A letter to your home, describing to your parents your school.

8. A letter to a friend, telling him of the chance meeting with some friend.

9. A letter to the X store ordering from them material for covering a canoe that you are building. Explain your needs.

10. A letter describing experiences which you had on your vacation.

11. A letter arranging to meet a friend at a certain place, time, etc.

12. A letter explaining how to reach your home from the railway station. Leave no doubt.

13. A letter describing some new acquaintance.

14. A letter telling some humorous story that you have recently heard.

15. A letter to a relative telling him the recent occurrences in your town.

16. A letter detailing your plans for the succeeding year.

17. A letter describing some play which you have recently attended.

18. A letter to your parents explaining to them why you failed in an examination.

19. A letter inviting a friend to visit you at a certain time.

20. A letter accepting an invitation to visit a friend.

21. A letter stating your opinions on some public question; as, prohibition, woman suffrage, etc.

22. A letter discussing the baseball prospects in your town or school.

23. A letter to the X school, inquiring about courses of study given, prices, etc.

24. A formal third person invitation to a reception given to some organization to which you belong.

25. A formal third person acceptance of such invitation.

26. A travel letter describing your visit to various places of interest.

27. A letter describing a day's outing to a friend who was unable to go with you.

28. A letter describing a house to a man who wishes to purchase it.

29. A letter to a schoolmate describing to him various events which happened at school during his absence.

30. A letter in reply to an inquiry from a friend as to what outfit he will need to take along on a prospective camping trip.

31. A letter describing to a friend the appearance and characteristics of a dog which you have lately bought.

32. A letter to your parents telling them of your boarding place, your recent visit to the theater, your meeting an old friend, your work, your new acquaintances. Arrange the topics and make the transition as smooth as possible.

33. A letter telling about an intended celebration by the school of some national holiday.

34. A letter about a lecture that you recently attended. Describe the place, occasion, lecturer, address, etc.

35. A letter telling a friend the first impression you formed of your school.

CHAPTER XI

THE WHOLE COMPOSITION

177. By the term WHOLE COMPOSITION or THEME is meant a composition consisting of a number of related paragraphs all dealing with one general subject, whether the composition be a narration, a description, or an exposition.

The following general principles applying to the construction of the whole composition are stated for the guidance of the inexperienced writer.

178. STATEMENT OF SUBJECT. Care should be used in the statement of the subject. It should not be so stated as to be more comprehensive than the composition, but should be limited to cover only what is discussed. For a small essay, instead of a big subject, take some limited phase of that subject:

Too broad: _College, Photography, Picnics_.

Properly limited: _A College Education as an Aid to Earning Power, Does College Life Make Loafers? Photography as a Recreation, How Picnics Help the Doctor._

179. THE OUTLINE. Just as in the building of a house or of a machine, if anything creditable is to be attained, a carefully made plan is necessary before entering on the construction; so in the writing of an essay or theme, there should be made some plan or outline, which will determine what different things are to be discussed, and what is to be the method of developing the discussion. By the inexperienced writer, at least, a composition should never be begun until an outline has been formed for its development. As soon as the material for the composition is in hand, the outline should be made. It should be an aid in the construction of the composition, not a thing to be derived after the composition is completed. Only by the previous making of an outline can a logical arrangement be gained, topics properly subordinated, and a suitable proportion secured in their discussion.

In the previous chapter on the paragraph the following different subtopics, were discussed: