dents should learn to think quickly and to speak vigorously and clearly. Since the greater part of our business and our domestic and social life is carried on by spoken rather than by written words it is important for us to be able to talk without awkwardness, or hesitation, to have words enough to express all our meanings, to be able to use words according to the rules of English grammar, and to speak so that we can hold the attention of our hearers. Throughout this book there are many class exercises which give training in oral expression.

OBSERVE THE FOLLOWING RULES IN CLASS RECITATION

1. Speak slowly, distinctly, and with confidence; do not lower your voice or mumble so that your very neighbor cannot hear you.

2. Do not answer your teacher's question by merely "yes" or "no," or by a single abrupt word; form a complete sentence, incorporating in it the words he has used in asking the question.

3. Try to use words that express your exact meaning. In order to do this you will need to find other adjectives than "grand," fine," "interesting," great," etc.

4. Experiment in using, in class, words and expressions that you have met in your reading or that you have heard other educated people use.

5. Volunteer answers, in order that you may become accustomed to the sound of your own voice, and may learn to think when in the presence of other people.

6. Apply as far as may be the rules that you learn in the study of written composition.

CHAPTER III

WRITTEN ENGLISH

Mechanical Details. Students should realize the importance of neatness in their written work. A paper that is untidy, blotted, carelessly written, indicates mental slovenliness on the part of the writer. We cannot all be geniuses and write wonderful books, but every human being can be careful, neat, and accurate in his written work. It takes time to be methodical; it requires patience to write slowly, to be accurate in spelling, grammar, and punctuation, but these things are to be desired.

A brief composition is usually called a theme (Greek, something set or placed). This word may apply to any simple piece of writing done by students, while the word essay is properly applied only to long sustained pieces of writing.

RULES FOR THE PREPARATION OF MANUSCRIPT

1. Use ruled paper about eight by ten inches in size. 2. Use a good pen and black ink.

3. Write carefully, paying great attention to neatness, spacing, and legibility.

4. Write the title of the theme on the first line at the top

of the page.

5. Begin the first paragraph two lines below the title. 6. Leave a margin of one inch on the left-hand side of the page and a margin of about half an inch on the right-hand side. These margins keep the paper from looking confused and crowded, and also give room for the teacher's corrections and comments. 7. Indent every paragraph, i.e. in the first line of each new paragraph leave in addition to the margin a space of about half an inch. (See the paragraphs on page 21).

8. Use one side only of the paper.

This is easier for the eyes of the reader, and more convenient for you if you have to make corrections. Printers never accept manuscript written on both sides of the sheet.

9. Number the pages in the upper righthand corner. 10. When your theme is completed, fold it once, evenly, from top to bottom.

11. Endorse at the top of the folded page, keeping the fold at your left, and use this form William R. Brown, 1925,

English Composition, I A,

Oct. 10, 1923.

12. Form the habit of rereading your themes after they are copied. You will often find mistakes in spelling or in punctuation, which should be corrected very neatly. Do not, however, add new material. If you feel that you can improve your theme, rewrite it in full. Every care should be taken to keep the manuscript from being blotted or crumpled before it is handed in to your teacher.

E. incorrect English: may refer to misuse of an idiom, to bad grammar, to use of slang, or colloquial language, or similar faults.

gr. =

=

bad grammar.

I. c. lower case, a term used by printers to indicate that a small letter and not a capital is to be used. pn. faulty punctuation.

sent.

=

=

sentence structure poor.

sp. = incorrect spelling.

t.

tr.

=

=

tautology.

transpose.

V. vague. w. = wordy.

u. lacks unity.

=

Handwriting. - Avoid affectation in handwriting. Do not shade heavily, or use any mannerisms in crossing your t's or in making loops for g's or l's. Write as clearly and as evenly as you can. Join the letters of each word together; leave a sufficient space between words.

Spelling. -In social life, in business, in any relationship with other people we must try to follow the accepted rules of life. There are fixed and exact rules about spelling. Any one who breaks these rules is likely to be considered very dull, for any

body can learn to spell correctly if he will only work hard enough. The growth of language during fifteen hundred years has left us with many letters not sounded, and with many words not spelled as they are pronounced. Every student should own a small dictionary in which he can look up the spelling of words which he cannot spell. It is a very good plan to write out ten times the spelling of any word that is troublesome.

Some of the most difficult words to remember are given below. Commit these to memory, to-day, and you will save yourself trouble and mortification. in the future.

Usually, c is followed by ei; l, by ie. This rule has some exceptions.

Usage varies in regard to the spelling of some words ending with the sound of iz. English writers