Many, who claim to be good grammarians, are occasionally guilty of the violation of certain important rules. Attention is solicited to a few of the more common errors of this nature.

NUMBER.

Certain compounds change the form of the first word in pluralizing, as: court-martial, brother-in-law, sister-in-law. Plural, courts-martial, brothers-in-law, etc. "John has three brother-in-laws," then, is incorrect.

But tea-spoonful, table-spoonful, cupful, pocketful, etc., are not considered such compounds; therefore, "two tea-spoonsful of medicine" and "two-cupsful of flour," should be, "two tea-spoonfuls of medicine," and "two cupfuls of flour." When name and title are given, with a numeral adjective prefixed, the name is pluralized. "Are the two Misses Wilson at home?" should be, "Are the two Miss Wilsons at home?" But when the numeral is omitted the title must be pluralized. "Were the Dr. Browns there?" should be, "Were the Drs. Brown there?" The rule has been given that the name only of married ladies is pluralized, but there appears to be no reason except that of euphony: the Mrs. Clarks certainly sounds more agreeably than the Mistresses Clark. In giving the plural of such titles as: Hon., Rev., Squire and Capt., euphony is also often considered; but in such cases it would doubtless be better to add the numeral, as: the three Hon. Jacksons.

EACH OTHER—ONE ANOTHER.

Each other applies to two; one another to more than two. "The three witnesses contradicted each other," and "the two men accused one another," are incorrect.

NEITHER, NOT—NOR.

Neither and not are followed by nor, not or. "Neither James or Charles will come," and "it is not white or black," are incorrect.

TO BE, UNITING WORDS.

Words united by to be, referring to the same person, must be of the same case.

"It is me," "It may have been him," "It could not be her," and "It was not them," are not correct: it, in each of the sentences, is nominative and the other pronouns should be I, he, she and they. "I took it to be he," and "I understood it to be they," are also wrong; for it is objective in both instances, and the following pronouns should be him and them.

THAN, AS.

Than and as implying comparison, have the same case after as before. "He loses more than me," "John knows more than him" and "James is not so tall as her," should be, "He loses more than I" (lose), "John knows more than he" (knows) and "James is not so tall as she" (is tall).

WHO.

Errors connected with the use of this word are very common, even amongst good speakers.

"Who did you see?" "Who do you know?" and "Who did you hear?" are wrong: whom should be used, for it is the object of the transitive verbs, see, know and hear. Who in such sentences as: "Who are you looking at?" and "Who are you writing to?" should likewise be changed into whom, for it is the object of the prepositions at and to.

ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS.

Adjectives are often erroneously used for adverbs in sentences like the following: "This is an uncommon good portrait," "It is a miserable poor painting. "Uncommonly good and miserably poor are right.

Adverbs are still more commonly used for adjectives. "Mary looked beautifully at the party," and "Janauschek looked majestically on the stage," are incorrect, for it is intended to describe the appearance of Mary and Janauschek, not their manner of looking; therefore the adjectives beautiful and majestic should be used.

When two objects are compared, the comparative degree should be used. "William is the heaviest of the two," and "Which is the most desirable—health or wealth?" ought to be, "William is the heavier of the two," and "Which is the more desirable—health or wealth?"

THESE, THOSE.

The plural demonstratives these and those are often erroneously used with singular nouns, as: "I don't like these kind of people," and "Those sort of things are very embarrassing." Kind and sort are singular and should have this and that.

INTO.

Into, not in, is used to show the relation between verbs expressing motion, entrance, change of state, etc., and an objective case, as: "Come into the house," "Step into the carriage," and "Look into the room."