References are to pages. Sections or subdivisions on the pages are sometimes indicated in parenthesis after the page numbers.

Since the EXERCISES follow throughout the subjects treated, exercises on any subject may be found by looking up that subject in this text index.

A, use of article, 44.

Abbreviated words, rule against, 187.

Abbreviations, punctuation of, 137 (§102); use of, in letters, 156, 158, 159, 160, 162, 163, 165, 171.

Accept, for except, 190, Glossary.

Active voice and passive voice, explained, 56; forms of, 92-100.

Adjectives, defined, 2, 32; capitalization of proper, 136 (95); confused with adverbs, 32-33; distinguished from adverbs, 32-33; errors in comparison of, 36-37; improper forms of, 36; list of irregular, 33; placing of, 41; adjective pronouns, 28; punctuation of two or more adjectives modifying same noun, 138 (§106); singular and plural, 39-40.

Admire, for like, Glossary.

Adverbs, defined, 2, 32; comparison of, 32; conjunctive, 103-104; confusion with adjectives, 33; distinguished from adjectives, 32-33; double negative, 42; errors in comparison, 36-37; list of irregularly compared, 33; omission of, 45; punctuation of, 140 (§116), 141 (§121).

Æsop's Fables, quotation from, 152-153.

Affect, for effect, 190, Glossary.

Aggravate, for irritate, 190, Glossary.

Agreement, of adjective and noun, 39-40; of pronoun and antecedent, 13, 101-102; of verb and subject, 64-65, 67, 69; of verb in clauses, 86.

Ain't, 69 (5), Glossary.

Allow, for assert or intend, Glossary.

Allude, for refer, 191, Glossary.

Also, without and, 104.

Among, for between, Glossary.

An, use of article, 44.

And, use of, 105.

Antecedents, of pronouns, defined, 13; agreement of pronouns and, 13; clearness of, 126 (2); compound, 15; indefinite, 29 (4); of relative pronouns, 69 (4).

Any, for at all, Glossary.

Apostrophe, general use of, 143; with plural nouns, 8 (6); with possessive nouns, 10; with possessive pronouns, 29 (10).

Apposition, explained, 22.

Appositives, punctuation of, 138 (§108).

Argue, for augur, 191.

Arise, 56

Articles, explained, 2, 43; use of, 44.

As, as conjunction or adverb, 105; as a relative pronoun, 18, Glossary; for like, 194; for since, Glossary; punctuation of, 141 (§122).

At, for in, Glossary.

Attackted, mispronunciation of attacked, Glossary.

Attribute complement, explained, 3; case of, 21, 22 (4) (note 2).

Auxiliary verbs, explained, 46; shall and will, 71-73; should and would, 76-77; may, can, might, and could, 79.

Avocation, for vocation, 191.

Awake, for wake, 56, Glossary.

Awful, for awfully, Glossary.

Bad, for badly, 33, Glossary.

Balanced sentence, 117.

Barbarisms, defined, 185; rules for avoidance of, 185-188; when proper, 187. Beginning of the composition, 177.

Beside, for besides, 191, Glossary.

Best, for better, Glossary.

Between, for among, Glossary.

Bible, capitalization of, 137 (§100).

Blowed, for blew, Glossary.

Body, of the letter, 161-162.

Books for reading, list of, 183-184.

Bound, for determined, Glossary.

Brackets, use of, 142.

But, as a relative pronoun, 18; with a negative, 42; with a dependent clause, 105; to introduce two succeeding statements, 105.

But that, for but what, 29 (6).

Calculate, for intend, 191.

Can, use of, 69; model conjugation of, 90-91, 97-98.

"Cant expressions," in letters, 162.

Capitalization, rules for, 136-137.

Cases, classified and defined, 9; case forms of pronouns, 20; case of word in apposition, 22; case forms of relative pronouns, 20, 101-102; outline for use of case forms, 21-22; rules for forming possessive, 10.

Character, for reputation, 192, Glossary.

Character of Napoleon Bonaparte, by Channing, quotation from, 150-151.

Choice of words, rules to aid in, 200-201.

Christmas, by Washington Irving, quotation from, 151.

Claim, for assert, 192.

Clauses, defined, 4; adjective, 4; adverbial, 4; agreement, of verb in, 87; principal or independent, 4, 101; subordinate or dependent, 4, 101; substantive, 4; when and where clauses, 103-104.

Climax in sentences, 131 (3).

Clipped words, rule against, 187.

Close of letter, 163-164.

Clum, for climbed, Glossary.

"In care of," misuse of c"o for, 161.

Coherence, of paragraph, 151-153; how to gain in paragraph, 152; illustrations of in paragraph, 152, 153; of sentence, 126-128; of whole composition, 178; words of 152, 180.

Colon, 141.

"Comma blunder," 121.

Comma, 137-140.

Common gender, defined, 14, of nouns and pronouns, 13-14.

Comparative degree, 32; misuse of, in reference to more than two things, 37.

Comparison, degrees of, 32; irregular forms in, 33; errors in, 36-37; manner of comparing, 32.

Complected, for complexioned, 36, Glossary.

Complex sentence, 5.

Complimentary close, in letters, 163.

Compound nouns, explained, 8; rules for forming plurals of, 8.

Compound pronouns, personal, 26; relative, 27-28.

Compound sentence, 5.

Compound subject, 5; agreement of verb with, 67.

Compound words, use of hyphen with, 144 (§140).

Concluded, for to form an opinion, Glossary.

Conditional clauses, punctuation of, 139 (§114).

Confusion of adjectives and adverbs, 33.

Conjunctions, defined, 2; misuses of, 105-106; correlatives, 105-106, 127 (4).

Considerable, for considerably, Glossary.

Consul, for council, or counsel, 192.

Contractions of not, use of, in formal composition, 69 (5).

Co-ordinate clauses, punctuation of, 139 (§§112, 113), 140 (§§118, 119, 120).

Copulative verb, 3.

Correctly written letters, 166-171.

Correlatives, placing of, 105, 106, 127 (4).

Could, use of, 69; model conjugations of, 90-91, 97-98.

Council, counsel and consul confused, 192.

Cranford, by Mrs. Gaskell, selection from, 182-183.

Cute, for pretty, clever, etc., Glossary.

Dash, use of, 141-142.

Decease, Glossary.

Definition, by a when or where clause, 103-104.

Degrees in comparison, classified, 32.

Demand, Glossary.

Dependent and conditional clauses, punctuation of, 139 (§114), 140 (§§119, 120).

Dictionary, value of its use, 203.

Different, with than, Glossary.

Directly, misused as a conjunction, 106.

Disease, Glossary.

Division of words at ends of lines, 144 (§139).

Don't, 69 (5), 162, Glossary.

Double negatives, 42.

Down, misuse as a verb, Glossary.

Drownded, mispronunciation of drowned, Glossary.

East, capitalization of, 137 (§100).

Each other, misuse with more than two objects, 46, Glossary.

Effect, for affect, 190, Glossary.

Either, misuse with more than two objects, 40, Glossary.

Either-or, 105-106.

Elements of the sentence, 2, 3: Principal elements, subject, 2; predicate, 2. Subordinate elements: attribute complement, 3; adjective modifier, 4; adverbial modifier, 4; object complement, 4.

Emigration, for immigration, 192, Glossary.

Emphasis, in paragraphs, 153; in sentence, 131.

Ending of whole composition, 180.

Enough, Glossary.

Euthuse, Glossary.

Enumerations, punctuation before, 141, (§§122, 123).

Esq., misuse after Mr., 158.

Etc., misspelling of, Glossary.

Euphony, in sentences, 132, 133.

Everybody, followed by a plural form, Glossary.

Everywheres, for everywhere, 36.

Examples, of beginning of whole composition, 177; of correctly written letters, 166-171; of ending of whole composition, 180; of outline of whole composition, 175.

Exclamation point, use of, 137.

Except, for accept, 106, 190, Glossary.

Explanatory relative clauses, punctuation of, 139 (§111).

Expletives, 2.

Expect, for suppose, 196.

Fall, for fell, 56.

Father, capitalization of, 136 (§99).

Fell, for fall, 56.

Feminine gender, defined, 12; of nouns and pronouns, 14.

Final words, in letters, 163.

"Fine-writing," 200.

Fine, Glossary.

Firstly, 36, Glossary.

First-rate, Glossary.

For, used to introduce two succeeding clauses, 105.

Foreign words, 186.

Former, Glossary.

Form of letters, 161, 164, 166-171.

From, Glossary.

Funny, for singular, Glossary.

Gender, defined and classified, 12, 14; formation of feminine from masculine, 12; gender of pronouns, 13-14.

General terms, use of, 201.

Gent, Glossary.

Gentleman, Glossary.

Geographical names, punctuation of, 138 (§108).

Gerunds, explanation of, 80; confusion with participle, 80; with noun or pronoun modifier, 81; placing of gerund phrase, 81-82.

Gettysburg speech, by Lincoln, 181-182.

Good, for well, 193.

Good use of words, 185; offenses against, 185-190.

Got, Glossary.

Grand, Glossary.

Grave forms of personal pronouns, use of, 29 (2).

Guess, for think, Glossary.

Hackneyed expressions, general rule against, 201; in letters, 162.

Had, ought, 50, Glossary.

Hain't, 69 (5), Glossary.

Hanged, confused with hung, Glossary.

Hardly, placing of, 41; with a negative, 42, Glossary.

Have, misuse after had, Glossary.

Heading, of letters, 155-157.

Heighth, for height, Glossary.

Here, misuse with demonstratives, Glossary.

Her'n, 26.

Him, misuse with gerund, 81.

Hisself, 26.

His'n, 26.

Home, confused with house, 193; for at home, Glossary.

Humbug, Glossary.

Hung, confused with hanged, Glossary.

Hyphen, use of, 144.

I, capitalization of, 29 (1), 137 (§100). Order of, 29 (1).

In the letter, 162.

Idioms, 198-199.

i.e., punctuation of, 141 (§122).

Illy, 36, Glossary.

Immigration, confused with emigration, 192, Glossary.

Imperative mode, 91, 98.

Improving one's vocabulary, rules for, 203-204.

Improprieties, 190.

Indentation, of paragraph, 149; of paragraph, in letters, 157, 161, 164.

Infinitives, explanation of, 83-84; forms of 83, 91, 99; cases used with, 21-22; rules for sequence of infinitive tenses, 84; split, 85.

Inflection, defined, 7.

In, confused with into, Glossary.

Inside address of letters, 157-159.

Interjection, 2.

Interrogation point, use of, 137.

Interrogative pronouns, 19, 102.

Intransitive verbs, see Transitive.

Introductory words or phrases, punctuation of, 138 (§107).

Kind, with plural modifiers, Glossary.

Kind of a, 44.

Lady, Glossary.

Latter, confused with last, Glossary.

Lay, confused with lie, 56-57.

Learn, for teach, 196, Glossary.

Leave, for let, 193, Glossary.

Lend, confused with loan, 194.

Length, of paragraphs, 148; of sentences, 117-118, 122 (2-b).

Letter writing, 155-171; body of letter, 161-163; close, 163-164; heading, 155-157; illustrations of correctly written letters, 166-171; inside address, 157-159; miscellaneous directions, 164; notes in third person, 171; outside address, 164-166; salutation, 159-161.

Liable, for likely, 194.

Lie, confused with lay, 56-57.

Lightning, Glossary.

Like, misuse as a conjunction, 106, 194.

Lit on, Glossary.

Loan, confused with lend, 194.

Loose sentences, 117.

Lot for a great deal, Glossary.

Mad, for angry, 194.

Masculine gender, defined, 12; of pronouns, 14.

May, 69; model conjugation of, 90-91, 97-98.

Messrs., use of, 158.

Might, 69; model conjugations of, 90-91, 97-98.

Mode, definition of, 61; indicative 62-63, 88-100; infinitive, 80, 83, 91, 99; imperative, 91, 98; obligative, 90, footnote; participal, 80-82, 91, 99-100; potential, of, 90-91, 97-98; subjunctive, 61-62, 88-100.

Modifiers, placing of, 126 (3-a).

Most for almost, 193.

Mother, capitalization of, 136 (§99).

Mrs., Glossary.

Much, for many, 195.

Muchly, 36.

Mutual, confused with common, Glossary.

Name, form of verb, 46-47.

Namely, punctuation of, 141 (§122).

Near, confused with nearly, 195.

Neither, misuse with more than two objects, 40, Glossary.

Neither-nor, 105-106.

Nerve, Glossary.

Neuter gender, defined, 12; of nouns and pronouns, 14.

Newly coined expressions, rule against, 186.

Newsy, Glossary.

Nominative case, defined 9; when used, 21-22, note 3, 101-102.

No place, 42, Glossary.

No, punctuation of, 137 (§102).

No good, for worthless, 230.

North, capitalization of, 137 (§100).

Not muchly, 36.

Notes in the third person, 171.

Not only—but also, 105-106.

Notorious, confused with noted, Glossary.

Nouns, common, 1, 7; proper, 7; case of, 9; gender of, 12; number of, 7.

Nowhere near, for not nearly, 36, Glossary.

Number, defined, 7; agreement of verb and subject in number, 64-69; singular, 7; plural, 7; of relative pronouns, 69, 102; of pronouns, 15; of pronouns with compounded antecedent, 15; rules for forming plurals of nouns, 7.

Number, sign #, used for, 156, 165.

O and oh, capitalization of, 137 (§100).

Object complement, explained, 4.

Objective case, defined, 9; when used, 21.

Obligative mode, 90 (footnote).

Observance, confused with observation, 195.

Obsolete words, 185-186.

Of, Glossary.

Omission, of adverb much, 45; of important words, 127 (5); of prepositions, 108; punctuation in case of 140 (§117); 143 (§138); of verbs, 87.

One another, use of, 40.

Only, placing of, 41; with a negative, 42, Glossary.

Order of heading in letters, 155-156.

Other, use of in comparison, 37.

Ought, 50.

Outline, for composition, 174-177; illustration of, 175.

Outside address, of letters, 164-166.

Outside of, 42, Glossary.

Over-statement of facts, rule against, 201.

Over with, Glossary.

Pants, Glossary.

Paragraphing of letters, 161.

Paragraphs, 148-153; coherence in, 151-153; emphasis in, 153; indentation of, 149; in letters, 161; length of, 148; unity in, 149-151.

Parenthesis marks, use of, 142; too frequent use of, 121 (1-b).

Parts of speech, classified, 1.

Passive voice and active voice explained, 56; forms of, 92-100.

Past participle, explanation and use of, 46-48.

Past tense, explanation and use of, 46-48.

Participles, explanation of, 80; confusion with gerunds, 80; dangling, 80-81; at beginning of sentence, 81; preceded by thus, 81.

Period, use of, 137.

Periodic sentence, 117.

Personal pronouns, defined, 13; classified, 13; compound personal pronouns, 26; use of common and of grave forms of, 29 (2); unnecessary use of, 29 (3).

Piece, Glossary.

Photo, Glossary.

Phrases, defined, 4; prepositional, 4; verb, 4; punctuation of adverbial phrases, 140 (§116), 141 (§121).

Place, Glossary.

Placing of adjectives and adverbs, 41.

Plenty, Glossary.

Plural number, explained, 7; rules for forming plurals of nouns, 7.

Point of view, in paragraph, 150; in sentence, 123; in whole composition, 178.

Poorly, for ill, Glossary.

Positive degree, 32.

Position, in letters, of complimentary close, 163; of heading, 155; of inside address, 157; of salutation, 159; of outside address, 164.

Possessive case, defined, 10; rules for forming possessives of nouns; when used, 22.

Potential mode, explanation and forms of, 90-91, 97-98.

Predicate of the sentence; defined, 2; compound, predicate, explained, 3.

Prepositional phrase, 4.

Prepositions, defined, 2; omission of, 108; proper use of, 107; unnecessary use of, 108; used as conjunctions, 106.

Principal, confused with principle, Glossary.

Principal parts of verbs, explained, 46; classified, 46-48; list of, 48-50; rules for use of, 48.

Principal verbs, explained, 46.

Professional words, 187.

Pronouns, defined 2, 13; adjective, 28; antecedent of, defined, 13; agreement with antecedent, 13; case forms of, 20-21; compound personal, 26; compound relative, 27; gender of, 13-14; interrogative, 17, 102; number of, 15; outline of, use of case forms of, 21; relative, 17, 101; rules determining gender of, 14; with compound antecedents, 15.

Pronunciation, lists of frequently mispronounced words, 209-220; words given wrong sounds, 209-217; words given wrong accent, 217-220; words of foreign pronunciation, 217; words of similar spelling, 220.

Proper adjectives, capitalization of, 136 (§95).

Proper nouns, defined, 7; capitalization of, 136 (§95).

Propose, for intend, Glossary.

Providing, for if, Glossary.

Provincialisms, definition and rule against use of, 186.

Punctuation, rules for, 137-144; in letters, body, 162; heading, 156; inside address, 157; outside address, 157; salutation, 160.

Qualities, essential: Of sentences, unity, 126-128; emphasis, 131; euphony, 132-133. Of paragraphs, unity, 149-151; coherence, 151-153; emphasis, 153. Of whole composition, unity, 178; coherence, 178.

Quite, for very, 196.

Quotation marks, use of, 143.

Quotations, punctuation of, 139 (§115), 141 (§123), 142 (§131), 143 (§§132-137).

Raise, confused with rise, 56, Glossary.

Recommend, confused with recommendation, Glossary.

Relative causes, cases in, 101-102; explanatory or non-restrictive, 18; introduction of successive, 103-104; punctuation of, 135 (§111); use of when or where clause, 103-104.

Relative pronouns, defined and explained, 17-18; agreement of verb with, 69 (4); case and number of, 69 (4), 21-22, 101-102; compound, 27-28; explanatory or non-restrictive, 18; restrictive, 18; use of, with different antecedents, 17-18.

Repetition of similar words or syllables, 132 (1), 133 (3).

Reputation, confused with character, 192, Glossary.

Respectfully, confused with respectively, 195.

Rev., 166.

Right away, Glossary.

Right off, Glossary.

Rise, confused with raise, 56, Glossary.

Salutation, in letters, 159-161.

Some, misuse as a pronoun, Glossary.

Say, for order or command, Glossary.

Scarcely, placing of, 41; with a negative, 42, Glossary.

Scriptures, capitalization, of, 137 (§100).

Seldom ever, Glossary.

Semi-colon, use of, 140-141.

Sentence elements out of natural order, 138 (§109).

Sentences: defined, 1; declarative, interrogative, imperative, exclamatory, 1; essential qualities of, 121-136; loose, periodic, balanced, 117; simple, complex, compound, 5; length of, 117; slipshod construction of, 122 (2).

Sequence of tenses, infinitive, 84; in clauses, 86.

Series of words, punctuation of, 137 (105).

Set, confused with sit, 56-57, Glossary.

S-form of verb, 47.

Shut of, for rid of, Glossary.

Sight, for many, Glossary.

Signature of writer, in letters, 163-164.

Simple sentence, defined, 5.

Simple words, use of, 200.

Similar expressions of similar thoughts, 128 (7).

Singular form of verb, explanation and use of, 47, after you and they, 69 (2).

Singular number, explained, 7.

Sit, confused with set, 56-57, Glossary.

Shall and will, use of, in dependent clauses, 73; in principal clauses, 71-72; in questions, 72; model conjugations of, 88-100; past tenses of, 76-77.

Should and would, model conjugations of, 88-100; use of, 76-77.

Slang, 187.

So, use of, 104-105.

Solecisms, 185.

Some, misuse as an adverb, Glossary.

Somebody else's, 10.

Sort, with plurals, Glossary.

Sort of a, 44, Glossary.

South, capitalization of, 137 (§100).

Speech, paragraphing of, 149.

Specific terms, use of, 201.

Spelling, lists of words frequently misspelled, 205-208; rules for, 206-208; of words of similar sound, 208.

"Squinting construction," 127 (3-b)

Street, omission of in letters, 157.

Subject of sentence or clause, defined 2; agreement of verb and subject, 64-65, 67, 69; compound, 3; relative pronoun as, 69 (4), 101-102, of whole composition, 174, 178; statement of, in composition, 174.

Subject matter of letters, 161.

Subjunctive mode, 61, 62, 88-100.

Such, Glossary.

Summarizing word, use of, 128 (6); punctuation of, 142 (§127).

Superlative degree, 32; misuse in comparing only two things, 37.

Suspect, for expect, 196.

Syllables, division of words into, 144, (§139).

Synonyoms, value of, 204.

Tasty, for tasteful, Glossary.

Technical words, 187.

"Telegraph style," in letters, 161.

Tense, explained, 46; sequence of, 84, 86.

Than, use of, 105.

That, with what antecedents used, 18; as a restrictive relative, 18; misuse of, Glossary.

That is, punctuation of, 141 (§122).

The, use of article, 44.

Their'n, theirself, theirselves, 26.

Them, for those, 29 (7).

Then, use of, 104.

There, improper use of after demonstratives, Glossary.

They, indefinite use of, 29 (8); with singular verb, 69 (2).

Third person, notes in the, 171.

Those kind, and these sort, 40.

Three first, Glossary.

Thusly, 36.

Title of whole composition, 174, 178.

Titles, abbreviations of, 158, 160; capitalization of, 136 (§§ 96, 97).

To-day, to-morrow, to-night, hyphens with, 144 (§140).

Too, misuse of, 45, Glossary.

Transition, in whole composition, 178-180.

Transitive and intransitive verbs, confusion of, 56; explanation of, 4, 55-56.

Transpire, for happen, 196.

Try and, Glossary.

Two first, Glossary.

Unbeknown, for unknown, 36.

Unity: Of paragraph, 149-151; how to gain, 150; illustrations of, 151. Of sentence, 121-123. Of whole composition, 178.

Unnecessary words, use of, 108-131.

Verb phrase, explained, 4.

Verbs, defined, 2, 46; agreement of verb and subject, 64-65, 69; agreement of verb in clauses, 86; auxiliary, 46; gerunds, 80-82; infinitives, 83-84; mode, 61-63; model conjugations of to-be and to see, 88-100; omission of verbs or parts of, 87; participles, 80-82; principal, 46; principal parts, 46-47; principal parts, list of, 48-50; transitive and intransitive, 55-56; use of auxiliaries, 71-73, 76-77, 79; voice, 56.

Very, 45, 196.

viz., punctuation of, 141 (§122).

Vocabulary, rules for improvement of, 203-204.

Vocation, confused with avocation, 191.

Vulgarisms, 187.

Wake, confused with awake, 56, Glossary.

Wait on, confused with wait for, Glossary.

Ways, Glossary.

Weak beginnings and endings of sentences, 131 (1).

Well, confused with good, 33, 193.

West, capitalization of, 137 (§100).

What, with what antecedents, 18.

When, 103-104.

Where, 104.

Which, with clause or phrase as antecedent, 29 (9); with what antecedents used, 18.

Who, with what antecedents used, 18. Whole composition, 174-180; beginning of, 177, ending of, 180; paragraph composition or paragraph theme, 148.

Will, use of, see shall.

Without, misuse as a conjunction, 106. Words, choice of, 200-201; clipped or abbreviated, 187; division of at ends of lines, 144, (§139); foreign, 186, 217; good use of, 185-190; how to improve vocabulary of, 203-204, idioms, 198-199; in place of figures in letters, 157; newly-coined, 186; of coherence, 152-180; professional, 187; pronunciation of, 208-220, provincialisms, 186; simple English, 200; slang, 187; spelling of, 205-208; technical words, 187; vulgarisms, 187.

Would, see should.

Yes, punctuation of, 137 (102).

You, indefinite use of, 29 (8); with singular verb, 69 (2).

Yours truly and yours respectfully, wrong abbreviation of, 163.

Your'n, 26.