The Century Handbook of Writing Part 50

In accepting an invitation, the writer should repeat the day and hour mentioned, in order to avoid a misunderstanding; in declining an invitation, only the day need be mentioned. The verb used in the reply should be in the present tense; not "will be pleased to accept", or "regrets that he will be unable to accept"; but "is pleased to accept", or "regrets that circ.u.mstances prevent his accepting".

Mr. Charles Eliot gladly accepts the invitation of Mrs. King to dinner on Friday, April the twenty-fourth, at six o'clock.

514 Poplar Avenue, April the eighteenth.

=Paragraphs=

=88a. The first lines of paragraphs are uniformly indented, in ma.n.u.script, about an inch; in print, somewhat less. After a sentence, the remainder of a line should not be left blank, except at the end of a paragraph.=

=b. The length of a paragraph is ordinarily from fifty to three hundred words, depending on the importance or complexity of the thought.= In exposition, the paragraphs should be long enough to develop every idea thoroughly. Sc.r.a.ppy expository paragraphs arouse the suspicion that the writer is incoherent, or that he has not given sufficient thought to the subject. Short paragraphs are permissible, and even desirable, in the following cases:

1. In a formal introduction to the main body of a discourse, or in the formal conclusion. (In some instances the paragraph may consist of a single sentence.)

2. In the body of a composition, when a brief logical transition between two longer paragraphs is necessary.

3. In short compositions on complex subjects, where s.p.a.ce forbids the development of each thought on a proper scale. (But, as a rule, the student should limit his subject to a few simple ideas, each of which can be developed fully.)

4. In newspapers, where brevity and emphasis are required. (But the student should not take the journalistic style as a model.)

5. In description or narration meant to be vivid, vigorous, or rapid.

6. In dialogue.

=c. In representing dialogue, each speech, no matter how short, is placed in a separate paragraph.=

Right:

"Listen!" he said. "There was a noise outside. Didn't you hear it?"

"No," I whispered. It was dark in the room, except for a faint light at the window, and I felt my way cautiously to his side.

"What is it? Burglars?"

"I believe it is."

"I can't hear anything."

"Listen! There it is again."

"Pshaw!" I had to laugh aloud. "Thompson's cow has got into the garden again."

Note that a slight amount of descriptive matter may be included in a paragraph with the direct discourse, the only requirement being that a change of speaker shall be indicated by a new paragraph.

When special emphasis is desired, a quotation may be detached from a preceding introductory statement.

Right: The speaker turned gravely about, and facing the front row, he said slowly and solemnly:

"Small boys should be seen and not heard."

In exceptional cases a long, rapid-fire dialogue may, for purposes of compression, be placed in one paragraph. Dashes should then be used before successive quotations to indicate a change of speaker.

Omissions from a dialogue (as when only one side of a telephone conversation is reported), long pauses, and the unfinished part of interrupted statements, may be represented by a short row of dots.

Exercise:

Arrange in paragraphs, and insert quotation marks:

1. Help! I cried, rolling over in the narrow creva.s.se, and wondering dazedly how far I had fallen through the snow. A m.u.f.fled voice came from above: We'll have a rope down to you in a minute. Tie that bottle of brandy on the end of it, I suggested, and it'll come faster. [The student will here insert a sentence of his own to complete the dialogue.]

2. Good morning, James, said the deacon, suspiciously. How are you? and where are you going? I'm all right, answered the boy, and I'm goin' down to the creek. As he spoke, he tried to hide something bulky underneath his coat. You oughtn't to go fis.h.i.+ng on Sunday. [Add another sentence to finish the dialogue.]

=89.= MISCELLANEOUS EXERCISE

The following sentences ill.u.s.trate errors in the use of capitals, italics, numbers, abbreviations, etc. Make necessary changes.

1. I met him at kansas city at a dinner of the commercial club.

2. The senate and the house of representatives are the two branches of congress.

3. In today's chicago herald the union pacific railroad advertises reduced rates to yellowstone park and the northwest.

4. There are 30 men in each section in chemistry, but only 25 in each section in french.

5. Early in pres. wilson's administration troops crossed the rio grande river. Pres. Carranza protested.

6. In nineteen ten the population of new york city (including suburbs) was 4,766,883.

7. Send the moving van to thirty walnut street at eight o'clock.

8. I like Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice better than George Eliot's Adam Bede.

9. May I call for you about 7:30 p. m., Miss Reynolds?

10. The note draws 6 per cent interest, and is payable Jan.

1st, 1921.

11. He will remain in town until Apr. 20th, and will then go away for the Summer. He is going abroad to study the spanish and italian languages.

12. Grays elegy in a country churchyard is perhaps the best known poem in english literature.

13. Enclosed please find $4, for which send me the New Republic for one year.

14. In reply to yours of 3-7-18 wish to advise that we are out of stock.

15. I enclose $0.10 for a copy of bulletin #314 of the dept. of Agriculture. Thanking you, I remain ... yours Respectively....