The Century Handbook of Writing Part 28

=Tense, Mode, Auxiliaries=

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

Wrong: I intended to have gone. [The princ.i.p.al 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 princ.i.p.al 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.=

Wrong: In the parlor my cousin kept a collection of animals which he shot.

Right: In the parlor my cousin kept a collection of animals which he had shot.

=c. General statements equally true in the past and in the present are usually expressed in the present tense.=

Faulty: He said that Venus was a planet.

Right: He said that Venus is a planet.

=d. The subjunctive mode of the verb _to be_ is used to express a condition contrary to fact, or a wish.=

Faulty: If he was here, I should be happy.

Right: If he were here, I should be happy.

Faulty: I wish that I was a man.

Right: I wish that I were a man.

=e. Use the correct auxiliary. Make sure that the tense, mode, or aspect of successive verbs is not altered without reason.=

Wrong: By giving strict obedience to commands, a soldier _learns_ discipline, and consequently _would have_ steady nerves in time of war. [_Learns_ should be followed by _will have_.]

Wrong: An automobile _should be_ kept in good working order so that its life _is_ lengthened. [_Should be_ is properly followed by _may be_.]

Exercise:

1. Every one hoped that you would have spoken.

2. I saw it in the window. It was the very book I wanted so long.

3. If I was sick, I should go home.

4. They expected to have won the game.

5. The Masons never invite men to join their lodge, but if a person expresses a desire to join, his friends would probably be able to secure membership for him.

=Adjective and Adverb=

=56a. Do not use an adjective to modify a verb.=

Crude: He spoke slow and careful.

Right: He spoke slowly and carefully.

Crude: He sure did good in his cla.s.ses.

Right: He surely did well in his cla.s.ses.

=b. In such sentences as _He stood firm_ and _The cry rang clear_ the modifier should be an adjective if it refers to the subject, an adverb if it refers to the verb.=

Right: The sun shines bright on my old Kentucky home. [Here the thought is that the sun which shines is bright.]

Right: He worked diligently. [Here the modifier refers to the manner of working rather than to the person who works. It should therefore be an adverb.]

Right: It stood immovable. The shot rang loud. He becomes angry. The weeds grow thick. They remain obstinate. He seems intelligent.

=c. After a verb pertaining to the senses, _look_, _sound_, _taste_, _smell_, _feel_, an adjective is used to denote a quality pertaining to the subject.= (An adverb is used only when the reference is clearly to the verb.)

She looks _beautiful_. [Not _beautifully_.]

The dinner bell sounds _good_. [Not _well_.]

My food tastes _bad_. [Not _badly_.]

That flower smells _bad_. [Not _badly_.]

I feel good [_in good spirits_.]

I feel well [_in good health_. An adjectival use of _well_.]

I feel bad [_in bad health or spirits_. "I feel badly" would mean "My sense of touch is impaired."]

Exercise:

1. They fought ---- (heroic, heroically). Dave stumbled ----(awkward, awkwardly).

2. Margaret ---- (sure, surely) worked ---- (faithful, faithfully) in economics.

3. At this reply the teacher grew ---- (wrathful, wrathfully).

I hear you ---- (plain, plainly).