Post on 06-Jun-2020
Principles of GrammarLeonard Peikoff
Page �
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.
Page �
PrinciPles of Grammar
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.)
Page �
Leonard Peikoff
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.
Page �
PrinciPles of Grammar
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
Page �
Leonard Peikoff
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.
Page �
PrinciPles of Grammar
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.
Page �
Leonard Peikoff
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.
Page �
PrinciPles of Grammar
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.
Page �
Leonard Peikoff
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.
Page �0
PrinciPles of Grammar
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.
Page ��
Leonard Peikoff
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.
Page ��
PrinciPles of Grammar
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.
Page ��
Leonard Peikoff
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.
Page ��
PrinciPles of Grammar
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.
Page ��
Leonard Peikoff
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.
Page ��
PrinciPles of Grammar
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.
Page ��
Leonard Peikoff
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?
Page ��
PrinciPles of Grammar
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....
Page ��
Leonard Peikoff
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)