Practical Exercises in English Part 39

1. Metal reflectors are only used now for cheap search-lights.

2. I will only mention some of the best.

3. I only had time to read "King Lear."

4. He only spoke to me, not to you.

5. c.o.o.ns are only killed with the help of dogs. The c.o.o.n only comes out in the night-time.

6. Lost, a Scotch terrier, by a gentleman, with his ears cut close.

7. Canteens were issued to the soldiers with short necks.

8. We all went to the sea-sh.o.r.e for a little fresh air from the city.

9. At one time Franklin was seen bringing some paper to his printing-office from the place where he had purchased it in a wheelbarrow.

10. He went to Germany to patronize the people in the little German villages from which he came with his great wealth.

11. The three young men set out and finally arrived at the college dressed in girls' clothes.

12. The maskers were nearly dressed alike.

13. Erected to the memory of John Smith accidentally shot as a mark of affection by his brother.

14. Lost, an umbrella by a gentleman with an ivory head.

15. A piano for sale by a lady about to cross the channel in an oak case with carved legs.

16. He blew out his brains after bidding his wife good-bye with a gun.

17. The Moor, seizing a bolster, full of rage and jealousy, smothered Desdemona.

18. Wanted, a handsome Shetland pony suitable for a child with a long mane and tail.

19. Wolsey left many buildings which he had begun at his death in an unfinished state.

20. My cousin caught a crab and took it home in a pail of water which we had for our tea.

21. I scarcely ever remember to have had a rougher walk.

ADVERBS between TO and THE INFINITIVE.--"A careful writer will do well to avoid the construction which places the adverb between _to_ and the infinitive. It is true that the construction is a common one; but it is also true that those who are most addicted to the practice are not those who count most as authorities on questions of good usage."[131]

[131] "Foundations," p. 140.

EXERCISE Lx.x.x.

_Improve the arrangement in the following sentences_--

1. Hermes caused the milk pitcher of the old couple to never be empty.

2. His political enemies tried to in this way impeach the courage of the President.

3. He promises to earnestly try to do better.

4. To really know the man we must read his books.

5. Another project is to in some way modify the power of the House of Lords.

6. She dwelt upon what was comforting, though conscious that there was little to veritably console.

7. He proposed to either largely decrease the appropriation or to wholly do away with it.

CHAPTER VII.

OF PREPOSITIONS

MISUSED PREPOSITIONS.[132]--A writer, in choosing the proper preposition to express his meaning, must rely chiefly on his sense of idiom, that is, his knowledge of English usage, but he may find the following notes helpful.

AMONG, BETWEEN.--"_Among_ is the proper word when the reference is to more than two persons or things, or groups of persons or things; _between_, when the reference is to two only."[133]

AT, IN.--Before names of places to denote "where," _at_ is used when the place is so small as to be treated as a mere point, or when, although large, it is viewed as a mere point; _in_ is used when it is desired to make prominent the idea "within the bounds of:" as, "He arrived _at_ Liverpool in the morning and remained _in_ that city two days." Before the name of the place in which the speaker dwells, if the place is of any size, _in_ is generally preferred to _at_, unless the place is so remote that it dwindles in the mental vision to a point.

BACK OF.--_Back of_, though frequently heard in conversation and sometimes seen in print, is not in good use.

BESIDE, BESIDES.--_Beside_ means "by the side of;" _besides_ is now used only in the sense of "in addition to," "other than:" as, "Who sits _beside_ you?" "Who _besides_ us knows this?"

BY, WITH.--To introduce the agent of an action _by_ is now commonly used; the material instrument or tool is usually introduced by _with_: as, "Duncan was murdered _by_ Macbeth _with_ a dagger."

DIFFERENT FROM, DIFFERENT TO.--_Different from_ is preferable to _different to_ and _different than_.

IN, INTO.--"_In_ implies presence inside of, or within; _into_ implies movement to the inside of. Before a man can move _in_ a room, he must already have moved _into_ it."[134]

IN, ON.--Before names of streets, _in_ implies some reference to surroundings; _on_ is less definite, indicating location only.

ON TO, ONTO.--"Good use does not support either _on to_ or _onto_."[135]

WAIT FOR, WAIT ON.--_To wait for_ means "to await," as, "We will _wait for_ you at the corner." _To wait on_ means "to attend on," as, "At dinner the women _waited on_ the men."

[132] "Foundations," pp. 142-148.

[133] Ibid., p. 143.

[134] Ibid., p. 145.

[135] "Foundations," p. 146.

EXERCISE Lx.x.xI.

_Insert the proper preposition in each blank_:--

AMONG, BETWEEN.

1. He divided the apples ---- the five boys.

2. There was a generous rivalry ---- the two friends.

3. I have no preference ---- many of Tennyson's poems.

4. There is bad feeling ---- China and j.a.pan.

5. The money was divided ---- the six heirs.

AT, IN.

6. Napoleon died ---- Longwood, a villa on the island of St. Helena; Byron died ---- Missolonghi, ---- Greece.

7. Did he graduate ---- Oxford or ---- Cambridge?

8. He is now ---- Ireland.

9. Milton was educated ---- Christ's College.

10. When shall we arrive ---- Rome?

11. I am eager to visit a hundred places ---- Florence.

12. We live ---- New York.

13. Macaulay lived ---- London.

BESIDE, BESIDES.

14. Have you nothing to tell us ---- what we have already heard?

15. The boy stood ---- her.