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CONTENTS
| Page | |||
| I. | Introductory | 5 | |
| II. | Elementary Rules of Usage | 7 | |
| | 1. Form the possessive singular of nouns by adding 's. |
7 | |
2. In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a comma after each term except the last |
7 | ||
3. Enclose parenthetic expressions between commas |
8 | ||
4. Place a comma before a conjunction introducing a co-ordinate clause |
10 | ||
5. Do not join independent clauses by a comma |
11 | ||
6. Do not break sentences in two |
12 | ||
7. A participial phrase at the beginning of a sentence must refer to the grammatical subject |
13 | ||
| III. | Elementary Principles of Composition | 15 | |
8. Make the paragraph the unit of composition: one paragraph to each topic |
15 | ||
9. As a rule, begin each paragraph with a topic sentence; end it in conformity with the beginning |
17 | ||
10. Use the active voice |
19 | ||
11. Put statements in positive form |
21 | ||
12. Use definite, specific, concrete language |
22 | ||
13. Omit needless words |
24 | ||
14. Avoid a succession of loose sentences |
25 | ||
15. Express co-ordinate ideas in similar form |
26 | ||
16. Keep related words together |
28 | ||
17. In summaries, keep to one tense |
29 | ||
18. Place the emphatic words of a sentence at the end |
31 | ||
| IV. | A Few Matters of Form | 33 | |
| V. | Words and Expressions Commonly Misused | 36 | |
| VI. | Spelling | 48 | |
| VII. | Exercises on Chapters II and III | 50 | |
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