Principles of Grammar Leonard Peikoff Page LECTURE ONE—Basic Grammatical Concepts 1. Subject-Predicate Many are the days I met him. Where is your mother? There are three dogs on the corner. 2. Phrases The cow jumped over the moon. The cow was jumping up and down. Jumping up and down like a maniac, the cow had a heart attack. 3. Clauses when I left for Paris what he said 4. Gerund Running is a lot of work. Participle Running quickly, he soon tired. Infinitive To run is sweet. 5. Simple Subject, Simple Predicate Most governments in the world employ evil forms of coercion. Sick with grief, I have been suffering for weeks. 6. Adverb as Sentence or Clause Modifier Honestly, she is nearly always sloppy. He cheated, so he failed. 7. Speech Part determined by role in Sentence My home is yours. Home in on the enemy plan. The home team lost the game. I went home for dinner. We lost the round. She went round the bend. He went round and round. We round the corner at noon. His shoulders are round.
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Principles of GrammarLeonard Peikoff
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LECTURE ONE—Basic Grammatical Concepts
1. Subject-Predicate ManyarethedaysImethim. Whereisyourmother? Therearethreedogsonthecorner.
2. Phrases Thecowjumpedoverthemoon. Thecowwasjumpingupanddown. Jumpingupanddownlikeamaniac,thecowhadaheartattack.
3. Clauses whenIleftforParis whathesaid
4. Gerund Runningisalotofwork. Participle Runningquickly,hesoontired. Infinitive Torunissweet.
5.SimpleSubject,SimplePredicate Mostgovernmentsintheworldemployevilformsofcoercion. Sickwithgrief,Ihavebeensufferingforweeks.
6. AdverbasSentenceorClauseModifier Honestly,sheisnearlyalwayssloppy. Hecheated,sohefailed.
7. SpeechPartdeterminedbyroleinSentence Myhomeisyours. Homeinontheenemyplan. Thehometeamlostthegame. Iwenthomefordinner. Welosttheround. Shewentroundthebend. Hewentroundandround. Weroundthecorneratnoon. Hisshouldersareround.
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8. Noun-Verb-ModifierstructureThetallboysreadeasilyandquickly.Manymenaretoostudious.
9. Complement-ObjectJohnhittheball.Johnhitit.Helikesrunning.Hewantstogo.Heishappy.
10. AdjectivePhrases—PrepositionalThemanfromDenvercratesofgreenvegetablesaknifeforcuttingmeat
11. AdverbPhrases—PrepositionalIdivedintothewater.Hemissedthewallbysixfeet.Neverinamillionyearswillheadmitdefeat.Itwastoocloseforcomfort.
12. ParticipialPhrase—AdjectiveDartingupthewall,themouseescaped.GerundPhrase—NounTheknockingatthegatewasirksome.InfinitiveasAdverbSheputapieintotheoventobake.InfinitiveasAdjectiveHeisamantoreckonwith.InfinitiveasNounToheckleaspeakerisrude.
13. AdjectiveClauseIneedahatthatislightbutwarm.AdverbClauseAfterhereflectedonthematter,heapologized.NounClause—SubjectWhathewilldecideisimportant.NounClause—ObjectSheknowswhathewilldecide.
(Mainclausesunderscored.)
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HOMEWORK �
Parsethefollowing.
1. WhenJackcameintotheroom,hebegantoremovehiscoat.Awisemove.
2. Comingintotheroom,Jackbegantoremovehiscoat.
3. Italyowesahistoricdebttohergreatsculptors.Adebtshecanneverrepay.
Appositives: JohnSmith,myuncle,wasveryfamous. Myuncle,J.Smith,theauthorofDestiny,wasfamous. Theword“ain’t”isnotingoodrepute. Theideathatwealthisimportantistrue.
4. Learningmaybeeasy,ifyouarelearningfromagoodteacher,butteachingiswork.
5. Theworldwilllittlenote,norlongremember,whatwesayhere,butitcanneverforgetwhattheydidhere.
6. Itisnotenoughthatamandotherightthing,thathisactsbeinaccordwithduty;themoralmanmustactfromduty;hemustdohisdutysimplybecauseitishisduty.
7. ThiswastheTaggartTerminal,shethought,thisroom,notthegiantconcourseinNewYork—thiswashergoal,theendoftrack,thepointbeyondthecurveoftheearthwherethetwostraightlinesofrailmetandvanished,drawingherforward—astheyhaddrawnNathanielTaggart—thiswasthegoalNathanielTaggarthadseeninthedistanceandthiswasthepointstillholdingthestraight-lineglanceofhisliftedheadabovethespiralmotionofmeninthegraniteconcourse.
Identifyanyerrorsintheuseofmodifiers.
1. Thebellsoundedloudlyandclearly,andstillwatersrundeeply,butevensoIfeelrealwell.
2. Wherevacationdissatisfactionexisted,advancerecreationplanninghadbeeninsignificant—aproblemparticularlyacuteamongmathematicsstudentswhoforgetbasicphilosophyprinciples.
3. Newspaperheadline:Macmillanrefusesbankrateriseleakprobe.
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LECTURE TWO—Subordination and Coordination
1. FragmentsHethoughtasmuchasheobserved,moreinfact.Hethoughtasmuchasheobserved.Moreinfact.
2. SimpleSentencesTheboyspoketotheteacher.Hewasfrightened.Theteacherwasangry.Theboyspokesoftly.Hewantedtoappeasetheteacher.Theboywantedahighergrade.Theteacherrefused.Theteacheriscruel.Maybeheistryingtobefair.
3. CompoundSentencesTheboyspoketotheteacher.Hewasfrightened,andtheteacherwasangry.Theboyspokesoftly,forhewantedtoappeasetheteacher.Theboywantedahighergrade,buttheteacherrefused.Theteacheriscruel,ormaybeheistryingtobefair.
4. ComplexSentences(a)Althoughtheteacherwasangryandtheboyfrightened,theboyspoketotheteacher.Speakingsoftly,sothathemightappeasetheteacher,heaskedforahighergrade.Buttheteacher,whoiseithercruelortryingtobefair,refused.(b)Whentheyspoke,theteacherwasangryandtheboywasfrightened.Byspeakingsoftlyasheaskedforahighergrade,theboytriedtoappeasetheteacher.Buttheteacher,whorefusedtherequest,iscruel.
5. EffectsofSubordinationImethim.Iwasimpressed.Imethim,andIwasimpressed.WhenImethim,Iwasimpressed.Imethim,whichimpressedme.
6. TheSenatorrosetohisfeet,announcingWorldWarIII.Risingtohisfeet,theSenatorannouncedWorldWarIII.
7. Thestudentfailedhisexam.Hebecameagenerallater.
Thestudentwhofailedhisexambecameagenerallater.Thestudentwholaterbecameageneralfailedhisexam.Afterthestudentfailedhisexam,hebecameageneral.Althoughthestudentfailedhisexam,hebecameageneral.Becausethestudentfailedhisexam,hebecameageneral.
8. CoordinatingConjunctions:and,but,or,for,nor,yet
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9. ConjunctiveAdverbs(coordinating):so,therefore,hence,moreover,also,thus,still,accordingly,however,consequently,furthermore,nevertheless,besides,etc.
10. Hecameandheran.Hecame;healsoran.Hecamesothathemightrun.
11. SubordinatingConjunctions:if,unless,when,before,after,while,since,aslongas,where,although,because,sothat,as,why,who,which,what,that,etc.
12. Asherose,thealarmsounded.Ashehadfailedtheexam,hewasexpelled.HewroteasIexpectedhimto.
13. OverlappingSubordinationHewasdifferentfromtheotherRepublicans,whofoundthathewasamanwhohadnochildrenwhowereoldenoughtovote.
14. MisplacedAdjectiveClauseHeputtheringonherfingerwithasmilethathehadboughtatTiffany’s.
15. SquintingConstructionThemanwhowasaddressingusloudlycondemnedtheproposal.
16. MainClauseinplaceofNounClauseAugustineconsideredtheessenceofsinistorebelagainstGod.
17. AdverbClauseinplaceofNounClauseThereasonIfailedwasbecauseIdidn’tstudy.
18. “Like”and“As”Fewhaveobservedlikeyouhavedone.(Darwin,quotedinF.)Noneofthemtalkedliketheybelongedinauniversity.Fewmenlikeyouhavebeenobserved.Youaretreatingmelikeafool.Youaretreatingmeasafoolwould.
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HOMEWORK �
�Identify�the�errors—in�subordination�and/or�the�use�of�conjunctions—in�the�following,�and�rewrite�appropriately.
1. Therearethousandsofboyswithcollegeeducationsthatareoutofwork.(F&S)
2. Now,likethetwenties,inflationisarealdanger.
3. Ashepredictedtheenslavementanddestructionofmankind,thePresidenttookasipofwater.
4. Adebateiswheretwopeoplearguebackandforth.
5. Ihadbeenstandingidlyonthecornerforanhourwhenanexplosionthatkilledhundredsofmenoccurred.
6. Itwasraininginthemorning,whileitcleareduplater.
7. LastTuesday,aneventoccurredinmylifethatIshallalwaysremember.
8. AsAristotlebeforehim,Aquinaswasachampionoflogic.
9. Wearesayingthingsherewhichtheworldwilllittlenote,whiletheydidthingsherewhichtheworldcanneverforget.
10. Apsychologicalsessionwhichwastheturningpointinherrecoveryfromschizophreniathenbegan.
11. HeofferedaproposaltorepealtheIncomeTaxAmendmentwhichisextremelycontroversial.
12. HelikedthebookswhichwereinthebookcasewhichhehadboughtattheauctionheattendedduringtheFairwhichwasheldatChristmasandwhichheldvolumeswhichwerefamousinmanycircleswhichheencounteredwhenhepursuedhisavocationwhichheenjoyed.
13. Likehiscolleague,hisconductwaswicked.
14. Mostofourtroubleisbecausewethinktoolittleaboutethics.
15. Ithoughtaboutmyproblemsagreatdeal,finallyconcludingthatIambasicallyworthless.
Combinethefollowingintoaunifiedsentence,withappropriatesubordination.
Englishisadifficultlanguage.Thehomeworkinthiscoursetakestoomuchtime.Grammarisworthstudying.Theteachergoestoofast.SubordinationinEnglishisespeciallydifficult.
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LECTURE THREE—Subordination and Coordination
1. SentenceendingasEmphaticIbelieve,however,thatyouhavefailed.However,youhavefailed,Ibelieve.Ibelievethatyouhavefailed,however.
2. PeriodicSentenceandClimaxTheleadingfigureofGermanphilosophy,theauthoroftheanti-Enlightenment,thefinaldestroyerofcivilization,isKant.
TheleadingfigureofGermanphilosophyisKant,whowastheauthoroftheanti-Enlightenmentandthefinaldestroyerofcivilization.
3. RepetitionandEmphasisNowletusturntothebranchofphilosophycalledmetaphysics.Metaphysicsstudiestheuniverseasawhole.Thenatureofreasonisnotpartofthefield.Metaphysicsstudiesreality,notknowledge—facts,notcognition—thatwhichis,nothowmancomestodiscoverit.
4. ImproperRepetitionHebelievedthatpeoplewouldbelievehisstory,sincehehadreportedonthetripsinceseeingyou.
5. ExcessiveNegationHedidnotthinkthatstudyingLatinwasmuchuse,sohewasnotoftenontimeanddidnotpayanyattentiontohisteacher,inwhomhedidnothavemuchconfidence.
6. ParallelismThefirstwasMr.A,andthesecondwasMr.B.ThefirstwasMr.A,thesecondbeingMr.B.ThefirstwasMr.A,andthesecond’snamewasB.
Ifyoustudy,andifyoureadthenotes,youwilldowell.Ifyoustudy,andassumingthatyouread...Ifyoustudy,andshouldyouread...
7. Hesaidthatitwaswrongandthatheforhispartwouldnotdoit.
8. ParallelismafterCorrelativesJusticeisacrucialvirtueforanemployer,notonlyintheselectionofemployees,butalsointhetreatmentofthem.
Justiceisacrucialvirtueforanemployer,notonlyintheselectionofemployees,butalsointreatingthem.
Justiceisacrucialvirtueforanemployer,notonlyasregardstheselectionofemployees,butalsointreatingthem.
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9. FaultyParallelismThepatientwastoldtocallthedoctorandthathewouldhearthediagnosisfromhim.
Thisbookiswell-plotted,profound,andentertainsmostofitsreaders.
10. Wordiness Thereisnodoubtbutthatheistall. Afterhecomesin,hethentakesoffhisclothes. Courage,independence,strength—thesearethreenecessaryessentialsthateveryexplorer
musthave.
11. ExcessivePredication ThetouristsdroveforaperiodofthreedaysandtheythenarrivedatPadua;thisisabustling
city,anditislocatedquiteclosetoVenice.
12. ReductionofPredication Wegazedatthewaterofthelake,anditwasasclearascrystal. Wegazedatthewaterofthelake,whichwasasclearascrystal. Thewaterofthelake,clearascrystal,heldourgaze. Wegazedatthecrystal(-clearwaterofthe)lake.
13. IncompleteThought Inmyyearsatschool,Ihavewrittenmanyfinalexaminations,andIalwaysfeelstarkterror. Russiaisanexcellentexampleofnoelementofindividualism. Shewasasloud,ifnotlouderthan,hersister.
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HOMEWORK �
Identifytheerrors(faultyparallelism,incompletethought,orwordiness),andrewritecorrectly.
1. Theyalwayshaveandalwayswilltaketheircartowork.
2. Allofthepeoplethatarerequiredtobehereforustobeabletomakeupaquorumarenowphysicallypresentandinattendance.
3. Eitheryoumustobeylogicorcourtdisaster.
4. Asregardstheresponsibilityofthechildrenfortheirbehavior,ImustobservethatIagreewiththecommitteewhofoundthatnosuchresponsibilitycouldbediscoveredorverifiedinanyway,shapeorform.
5. Thisashtrayisinasenselargeandalso,ifthewordmaybeused,expensive.
6. Peopletakemanyrisksforvariousreasons,suchasmakingmoney,forthefunofit,andbecausetheyareforcedtodoso.(F&S)
7. GermanyrecentlyacquiredacountrywhichwasformedfromtheWorldWar.(F&S)
8. ThenewPresidentisveryconservativeandhatedbyliberals.
9. Thevealwassogood;Icouldn’thavefoundabetterrestaurantifIhadtriedtolookbefore.
10. Oursisapoliticalpartythatisdevotednottowordsbutaction.
11. Ihaveaninterestandfeelingforsculpture.
12. ItwasalongtimeafterwehadgrownupthatIsawmysisteragain andthistimeitwasnotthesameasithadbeenwhenweusedtomeetinalittletownwhichwasnearL.A.wherewehadgrownup,becauseshehadababywithherwhohadjustbeenbornandIwasyearsolderandfeltmuchmoremature.
13. ThereareseveralpeoplenotinterviewedyetandwhomIshallseenow.
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LECTURE FOUR—Verbs and Pronouns
1. PastPerfect PresentPerfect FuturePerfect (had) (have) (willhave) __________________________________________________ PAST PRESENT FUTURE
2. UseofPluperfectThenewscheduleexcitedmemorethanI(had)anticipated.
3. UseofPresentPerfect Hemadeseveralvisitslastyear. Hehasmadeseveralvisitsthisyear.
4. SequenceofTenses Sheisaskingustobringasmuchaswecan. Sheaskedustobringasmuchaswecould. Sheaskedustobringasmuchaswecan. Sheisaskingustobringasmuchaswecould.
5. ShiftofTense Firstontheprogramwastheconcerto,inwhichallthesoloiststakepart. Thechildrenhavebeguntocrybecausetheirfather(has)abandonedthem.
6. UseofSubjunctive Theprisonerseeshislawyer. Irecommendthattheprisonerseehislawyer.
7. Subjunctiveincontrary-to-factconditions IfIwereyou,Iwouldfindoutthetruth. Evenifhewerehere,itwouldmakenodifference. Heactsasifhewereanathlete. Heactsasifhewere(is)sick.
8. SequenceofMoods Ifheisapainter,hewillnotignoreFlorence. Ifhewereapainter,hewouldnotignoreFlorence. Ifhewasapainter,hedidnotignoreFlorence. Ifhehadbeenapainter,hewouldnothaveignoredFlorence.
9. ShiftofMood Ajudgeoughttopunishtheguiltymen,andabovealldon’tletanybodytrytobribehim. Laceiseffeminateandfrillsbehanged! Ifheisapainter,hewouldnotignoreFlorence.
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10. Activevs.PassiveVoice Withasmile,Billhitthefinalrunofthegame. ThefinalrunofthegamewashitbyBillwithasmile.
11. ShiftofVoiceorPerson Marystudiedart,andherfreetimewasspentplayingcards. Workerswilllikethenewcafe,becauseyouneednotleaveworktoeat. Wehavereachedastagewhereoneoughttobereadyforwar.
12.PastParticiples Dismayedbythepoorlylightedstreets,theyturnedbackhome.
13. TenseofParticiples Runningquickly,hepassedhiscompetitors. Havingrunhome,hewasexhausted.
14. PastPassiveGerund Ilearnedagreatdealbyhavingbeentakentothecleaners.
15. Participle Womenhavingthevotesharepowerwithmen.
Gerund Women’shavingthevotereducesmen’spower.
“FusedParticiple”(F) Womenhavingthevotereducesmen’spower.
16.Participlevs.Gerund Uponyouleavingtheroom,IshallpaytherentIowe. WecaughtJohnrunningaway. Wecouldnotthinkofhim/hisactingthepart.
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HOMEWORK �
Writeoutthefollowingforms
1. firstpersonsingularpluperfect(progressive)indicativepassiveofHOLD
2. secondpersonpluralpresentperfectindicativeactiveofKILL
3. thirdpersonsingularpresentsubjunctivepassiveofBLESS
Correctanyerrorsinverbsorverbals.
1. Didshefinishyet?
2. TheDavidisthegreatestworkMichelangelohasevercreated.
3. Itisabsolutelycrucialthatyouarereadytoleavebynoon.
4. Theofficewasverybusy,butfinallywehadcaughtuponthework.
5. Ifamanfindsthatothermenbericherthanhe,hemustchangehiscourse.
6. IfAristotleandLockeacceptedPlato’spolitics,wewouldnothavefreedomtoday.
7. Iamoutragedbyyoubeggingformoney,althoughitshouldresultinusgettingahandout.
8. Goldmayseemtobeagoodinvestment,butitmightnotremainoneforlong.
9. ReturningtoNewYorkCity,theSenatorwentatoncetothetheater.
10. IfSmithshouldbenominated,hewillagreetorun.
11. Youwouldnothavesaidthatword,Iassume,ifyouhadknownhowmuchitwouldhaveshockedme.
12. IhavestoppeddrinkingbecauseIheardnomorecriticism.
13. HeexplainedindetailwhattheLawofGravitationmeans.
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LECTURE FIVE—Verbs and Pronouns
1. SubjectandObjectofInfinitive Iwantedhimtocry. Toeatapplesisgood.
2. PerfectInfinitive IwouldliketohavelivedinAristotle’stime. IwouldhavelikedtoliveinAristotle’stime. IwouldhavelikedtohavelivedinAristotle’stime.
3. SplitInfinitive(F&S) Itfrightenedthegirltosuddenlyfindherselfinthisposition.
4. DanglingParticiple Watchingthemovie,thecandysoondisappeared.
DanglingGerund Bypolishingthesilver,yourtablecanbepretty.
DanglingInfinitive Toseeproperly,eyeglassesmustbeclean.
5. RelativePronounvs.PureConjunction ThecarthatIboughtwasexpensive. Thecarthatisonthestreetismine. Theideathatmancanliftatonisabsurd.
6. “FearfulSubjective” ThismoneybelongsonlytoyouandI. EveryonebutTomandheenteredtherace. Agroupofwegirlswentshoppingyesterday.
7. “FearfulObjective” Twoandtwo,Iknow(hesays,wemaythink,etc.),isfour. O’HenryisawriterwhomIthinkwillbereadforcenturies. Who/WhomshallIsayiscalling?
8. CaseinSubordinateClause Hewillfinewho(m)everwastestime,andwho(m)everhehates. Hehasrespectforwho(m)everhasmoney.
9. AgreementwithproperAntecedent PlatoisamongtheGreekswhohaveinfluencedmankind. PlatoistheonlyoneoftheGreekswhohaswrittenmanydialogues.
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10. Noun-VerbAgreement Alistofmanybooks,inadditiontothousandsofphonographrecords,havebeengiventothe
publiclibrary.Thestaffhasconflictingopinionsaboutthisgift.TheonethingImyselfdonotlikearetheobscenitiesinthesebooks.
11. PronounswithmorethanonepossibleAntecedent BillwarnedhisunclethathewouldbeleavingonTuesday. Hesatbythewindowalldayandworkedsteadilyathiseditingofthemagazinethathadbeen
lyingonthecornertable.Itwastoosmalltogivemuchlight.
12. BroadReference BabeRuthwashitlessduringthegame,whichcausedmuchcomment.
...,whichmanymenattended.
13. EcholovedNarcissus,buthelovedhimselfevenmore;thisistrueinreallife,too. Wewereaskedtoremoveourcoats,whichwedidhappily.
13. SamePronounwithdifferentAntecedents Althoughitiscoolbythelake,itlooksfullofswimmers.
14. Restrictivevs.Non-restrictiveClauses Grandpianos,whichareuncommon,arenecessaryto
modernorchestras. Grandpianoswhichareoutoftuneareaperformer’snightmare.
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HOMEWORK �
Correctanyerrorsintheuseofverbalsorpronouns.
1. PeoplelikesheandTedaredisgusting;Iwouldhavebeenashamedtohavetoldtheirstorytomyfather,whoisanoldandtiredman.
2. Icannotaffordmyhobby,whichisthecauseofallmytrouble.
3. Ishallfollowwhoevertheychooseastheirleader—orwhomeverelseisincharge.
4. Thedaypassedquickly,eatingcakeandplayingpoker.
5. WhenontopoftheEmpireStateBuilding,happinesswaseasytofeel.
6. YouknewittobeI,andIknewitwashim.
7. IleftherandhitchhikedtoDenver.Itwasterrible.
8. Dictatorshipissaidtocausemoreevilinhistorythanwardid.
9. Eachofuswhoisnowlivingisdestinedtowitnesstherebirthofreason.
10. Threeshotsrangout.Twooftheservantsfelldead.Theotherwentthroughhishat.(F&S)
11. Towintheelection,apropercampaignisneeded.
12. Myworstfaultismyinabilitytoexpressmyselfemphaticallyonpaper.ButthisisnottruewhenIamspeakingaloud.
13. Rewritewithoutanypronouns. Thebabylostthetoy.Whenitlostit,itwastoodark,itseems,todoanythingaboutit.
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LECTURE SIX—Punctuation
1. Womanwithouthermanwouldbelost.
2. Thejar,however,beinglight,and,therefore,notround,wascostly.
3. CommaseparatingMainClauses Iwenttothebank,andthetellertoldmeIwasbankrupt. Jackcameintotheroom,forHarrydidnotwanttogo. Heateandhedrankuntilhefainted. Heaskedfortheanswer;butIdidnotknowit.
4. Semi-colonseparatingMainClause(S&W) Itisnearlyhalfpastfive;wecannotreachtownbeforedark. Itisnearlyhalfpastfive.Wecannotreachtownbeforedark. Itisnearlyhalfpastfive,andwecannotreachtownbeforedark.
5. Semi-colonwithConjunctiveAdverb Heaskedifwewantedtoleave;therefore,wetooktheelevator.
6. CommasseparatingParentheticalElements GiventhehugenumberofAmericanswhodonotbelongtoanyunion,wehaveagood
chanceofcombattingtheinfluenceoftheAFL-CIO. Hismouth,thoughfilledwithpeanuts,stillissuedcommands. Hewill,withoutanyhesitation,betrayhiscountry. Wesang,thatis,untilitwasdark.
7.U.S.foreignpolicy,orlackofit,isthecauseofRussia’ssuccess.U.S.foreignpolicy—orlackofit—isthecauseofRussia’ssuccess.U.S.foreignpolicy(orlackofit)isthecauseofRussia’ssuccess.
8. Restrictivevs.Non-restrictiveClauses Grandpianos,whichareuncommon,arenecessaryto
modernorchestras. Grandpianoswhichareoutoftuneareaperformer’snightmare.
9. ImproperuseofRelativePronoun“that” Agrandpiano,thatisexpensive,isaneedlessluxury.
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10. RoleofCommastoindicateNon-restrictiveRelativeClauses Peoplewholiveinglasshousesshouldnotthrowstones. Yournewcarwhichisparkedinthegarageisbadlydented. Shespenthertimefeedingicecreamtothechildrenwhoweregood. ThebestideathatJackgotwastogodancing. Thedogwholoveshismasterisanidealpet. Astudyofspaceleadsustocontradictionswhichareimpossible,accordingtothehuman
mind,butwhichexistnevertheless.
11. CommaswithotherNon-restrictiveElements AttheendofAugust,whenfallwasapproaching,Idecidedtoquitmyjob. Beaten,Ifelltomyknees. Shelovesmyfavoritecomposer,Rachmaninoff. Theideathatsocialismisgoodisridiculous. Manyevilpeople,suchasHitlerandStalin,wereonceinpower. PeoplesuchasHitlerandStalinwereevil.
12. SerialComma HelikestospeakFrench,GermanandItalian. Modernwomendonotwishtoremainhome,cook,andnursechildren.(F&S)
13. Commatopreventmisreading Beforeeatingthegirlspeeledthevegetables. Afterallthetroublewetookisworthit.
14. CommawithConfluence Many,ifnotmostofthechildrenweretired.
15. InvalidComma—separatingVerbandObject Thebooksays,thattheshipsankwithoutatrace.
16. Indirect-DirectDiscourseSwitch—InvalidQuestionMark MyfriendaskedwhetherIknewthetruth,and,ifso,woulditbeimportantforhimtolearnitalso?
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HOMEWORK �
Addorsubtractcommasasrequired.
1. Wedidnotseethewomeninrags,northemenintatters.Wedonotliketoseesuchcarelessshoddyapparelinourbrightpublicdiningroomnordowefeelthatallthingsconsidered,itisproper.
2. ThemanwhomIsawyesterdaytoldmethatJoneswhomIcalledlastweekwasoutoftown;neverthelessImadealistofbookswhichhaveinfluencedmegreatly.(IalwaysbuyJones’sbookswhichhaveinfluencedmegreatly.)
3. Thatofficerdowntheblockhas,inhardlyasinglecase,givenspeedersaticket.
4. Anotherofthechangessuggestedbytheboard,isthesuspensionoffinalexams.Astudent,itseems,shouldnothavetowork,whenhereacheshissenioryear.
5.Theybroughtourmealswhich,whetherhotorcold,sweetorspicy,madeoftomatoesimportedfromFranceorbakedwithcheeseflowndirectlyfromItaly,weateuncomplaininglyalldaylongandintothenight.
6. Ilovedthesmoothgreyofthebeechstem,thesilkytextureofthebirchandtheruggedpine.(F)
7. Walkingtowardsthebuilding,Isawherconfidingtoherloverwhat,shethought,thetruthwas.
8. Tobeginwithmyunclehadanannoyinghabit:whilehewascookinghisdogalwaysjumpedontothetable.
9. Bythetimehehadreachedsixtyyearsofageontheotherhand,suchmemories,althoughstillrecurrent,anddisturbing,hadbecome,increasingly,infrequent.
10. Goingtoatop-ratedIvyLeaguecollegewasahideousbrain-corrodingpsychologicalexperiencebutittaughtme,andmyfriends,agoodlesson.
11. SinclairLewis’snovel,MainStreet,neverusedthesentence,“Astitchintimesavesnine.”
12. Thepresidentissotiredwhenhegetshome,thathefallsasleepimmediately.Atleastheismorepolished,moreintellectualthanhispredecessor.
13. Likeaspoiled,disillusionedchild,whohadexpectedpredigestedcapsulesofautomaticknowledge,alogicalpositiviststampshisfootatreality....
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LECTURE SEVEN—Choosing the Right Word
HOMEWORK �
Identifyanyerrorsordeficienciesindiction.
1. ThesoloistatCarnegieHallscamperedacrossthestageandtuckedhisfiddleunderhischin.
2.Hewasoblivioustothenoise,beingcompletelyabsorbedinthechemicalsolutionwhichhewaspreparing.(F&S)
3. Healludedtothefactinnouncertainterms.Thedoctors,hesaid,hadneverdiscoveredthesourceofhisheadache.
4. Althoughheisacyniccertainofnothing,hewasverypreparedforourmeetingandanxioustogetaraise;infact,hewasliabletodoanythingtogetit.
5. InancientEgypt,thestatureofstatueswasestablishedbystatute.
6. Theseactivitiesareemployedsoonerorlaterbylotsofvisitors.Somegetahugekickoutoffootball;thebalanceareintotennisorgolf.
7. Theshiplimpedintoportinthenickoftimewithitsbestfootforward.Doyouplanonboardingher?
8. Thankstopragmatism,themeansofeducationatthedisposalofAmericansarestuntedandsterilized.(F)
9. (a) TheresettlingofhisestablishmentinNewYorkengenderedinhimasubstantivedegreeofvituperativeaffect.
(b) HegotplentymadafterlocatinginN.Y.10. RewriteinformalEnglish. Hecould’vebeencoolifhe’dhaditmoretogether.
11. Distinguishamongthefollowing: motive- end- purpose- goal-
12. Rewrite,makingtheadjectivesmorespecific. Thegirllookednice(thoughherboyfriendwasbig),andthemoviewasnogood.SoBill
decidedtospeaktoher.Itwasabadmistake.
Page �0
PrinciPles of Grammar
FINAL EXAMINATION
i.Althoughstudentsofgrammarwhoareeducatedusuallywantnotonlytostudy,butalsotomastertheirsubject,some,sufficeittosay,seemincapableofsucceedingatthisgoal.Thetheorythateverymanisanaturalgrammarian—whichIhadalwaysheardwhenIwasachild—givesmethecreeps,forithasbeenprovedtobebaseless.
Usingtheaboveparagraph,citeoneexampleofthefollowing.Ineachcase,writeonlythenecessaryword(s).
1. Aninfinitivethatistheobjectofaverbintheindicativemood.
2. Acoordinatingconjunction.
3. Anindirectobject.
4. Apairofcorrelativeconjunctions.
5. Averbinthepluperfecttense.
6. Averbinthepassivevoice.
7. Averbinthesubjunctivemood.
8. Anappositivenounclause.
9. Asubordinatingconjunctionthatintroducesanadverbialclause.10. Amainclause.
11. Arestrictiverelativeclause.
12.Anon-restrictiverelativeclause.13. Anindefinitepronoun.
14. Anadjectivalprepositionalphrase.
15. Apersonalpronounthatisthesubjectofamainclause.
16. Apastparticipleusedasanadjective.
17. Agerund.
18. Aslangexpression.
Page ��
Leonard Peikoff
19. Aninflectionthatindicatesaplural.
20. Thetotalnumberofclausesinthesecondsentenceis:
(2�points�each)
ii. Thereare31deliberateerrors—ingrammar,punctuationanddiction—inthefollowing.Identifyatleasttwentyofthem,andcorrecteach.Onlyoutrighterrorsqualify,notinadequaciesorinfelicitiesthatarewithintherangeoftheoptional.
Badlyfrightened,thebulletmissedthemanagerwhofelltohiskneesanhourearlierbutitdecimatedacustomer,Louise,aladywhoisveryattractiveandreveredbyall.Atragicoutcome—tragedybeingwhereamajorvalueisdestroyed.Themanagerwasprofoundlyshockedovertheevent.Hesoundedstrangelywhenhespoke,likehehadjustawakened.“Iwantedtohavehiredguards,”hesaid,“butitwasnodice.NewYorkisbothcomplicatedanditcoststoomuch.Icouldnotapproveofusspendingmoneyonthem.”Themanagerhadhoweveroncegivengiftstohisbestcustomersbeingfranticallyworriedaboutthenewstoreacrossthestreet.
Thekillerwasneithercontritenordidhegrieveformydearfriend,Louise.“Ihaveasmuchrighttomoneyasher,”theslobsaid,“andIwillkillwhomsoeverstandsinmypath.”Ifoneweretoconverthimphilosophically,perhapshewillrepent.Iknowphilosophersswellwithindignationwhentheirconceptstructuresareundermined.Butsuchmenaredangerousandeachofthemdeservetobeattacked.Theymerelywritewordsontopaper,thuscausingsufferinganddestruction.Thisiswhatcanhappeninlife.
(3�points�each,�for�first�20;�and�a�one�point��bonus�for�each�additional�error�identified)
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