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equivalent of "

were to;" as, "If it should rain, we shall

go just the same.”

Would is sometimes used to express habitual action. "He would often express his opinions.'

presses a wish; as, "Would that he had fancy."

Would also ex

died in his in

60. Idiomatic English. - English, like other languages, has many constructions and expressions peculiar to itself, known as idioms. These idioms cannot be translated literally into other languages, and many of them will not bear grammatical analysis. They are not manufactured expressions, but are the growth of the soil; and although they are the result, perhaps, of carelessness and loose thinking, they are, nevertheless, sanctioned by good use, and are among the strongest and most characteristic features of the language. 66 How do you do?" "What is the matter?" "to fall asleep," "to look out," "to be out of one's head," "to play fast and loose," are common idioms of the day. Such idioms express ideas as nothing else can do; they are often figurative, always brief and full of meaning, and their use gives to discourse a freshness and native vigor that would otherwise be wanting. include the following:

of idioms in good use would

A stroke of luck.

To get rid of.

To jump to a conclusion.
Under the circumstances.
Now-a-days.

To call to account.

To take advantage of.

To be of age.

Full many a.

On hand.

To be bent upon.

To catch cold.

To turn the tables.

A list

Of mine (a friend of mine).

61. Unidiomatic English.-Important as English idioms are in good discourse, they are not to be confused with those constructions that are contrary to the genius of the language, that is, the English method of combining words; such as, "What for a man is he?” "I am desirous to enter a business house," "The window gives upon the balcony," "You make me to feel tired," "He left his seats above," for "he left his dwellingplace above." Such combinations of words are not in good use, and, therefore, are improprieties. These improprieties usually result from an attempt to translate a foreign language into literal English, or to adopt a foreign style, in which the constructions and combinations of words are different from what the English language allows. "Qu' avez-vous?" and "Comment vous portez-vous?" are good French idioms, but their sense is completely lost if we try to translate them into literal English. "What for a man is he?" may be a good German idiom; but in English we should say, "What kind of man is he?" We must beware, then,

of trying to translate any foreign language literally, or of introducing into our English any idiomatic use of words which we have found in studying other languages.

EXERCISES.

1. What do you mean by "propriety "? How should you distinguish an impropriety? What are the causes of improprieties? How do they affect our writing? How does our reading help us to avoid them?

2. Is it possible to classify improprieties definitely?

Why not? Is there any way in which they may be roughly grouped? What reasons can you give for your liability to confuse certain words?

3. Distinguish in meaning between the following:

advance, progress, and pro

gression.

alternative and choice.
couple and pair.

depot and railway station.
migration and emigration.
woman and lady.
man and gentleman.
house and home.

loan and lend.
part and portion.
amount and number.
scholar and pupil.
college and university.
sewage and sewerage.
habit and practice.

hanged and hung.
grant and give.
allege and maintain.
declare and assert.
expect and suppose.
decimate and destroy.
fly and flee.
repair and mend.
begin and commence.
settle and locate.

contemptible and contemp-
tuous.

each other and one another. clever and pleasant.

less and fewer.

noted and notorious.

4. Construct sentences in which the preceding words are used properly.

5. Insert the proper word in each of the following

sentences:

1. Mr. Brown is building a beautiful (house, home) in Brookline.

2. Will the (party, person) who found an umbrella in the Union (depot, station) return the same to the office of the Company?

3. The (testimony, verdict) of history is that Christianity has done much for.the (advance, advancement) of civilization. 4. The river at this point is a (series, succession) of rapids which makes it difficult for small boats to pass.

5. The Governor in his Thanksgiving proclamation asks the people to abstain from their usual (vocations, avocations) on Thanksgiving Day.

6. We are pleased to (state, say) that the new City Hall is approaching (completeness, completion).

7. The savages fell upon us so suddenly that to attempt resistance would have been the (act, action) of a madman.

8. The (observation, observance) of a few rules of health will prolong life many years.

9. Two (proposals, propositions) were submitted for consideration at the last meeting.

10. His (character, reputation) among his friends is that of an honorable business man.

11. He was deeply (effected, affected) by what she had told him, but it did not alter his resolution.

12. The king could never be persuaded to employ that (description, kind) of manoeuvering in his campaigns.

13. An invitation was (given, extended) to him to come and visit them whenever it suited his convenience.

14. He was greatly (aggravated, irritated) by the outcome of the affair.

15. The party was very anxious to occupy the (balance, remainder) of the time in (reaching, discovering) the farther range of mountains.

16. The teacher confessed that he was a very (apt, likely) pupil, but added that he troubled her greatly, because he was so (apt, liable, likely) to get into trouble.

17. Every (individual, person) in that vast assembly was moved to sympathy with the speaker.

18. My friend Morrison (considers, thinks) the piano the king of instruments.

19. Two months before the election we (predicated, predicted) the results which our news columns announced yesterday.

6. Replace the improprieties in the following passages with proper words :

1. "Sir," said a man to Dr. Parr, "I have a contemptible opinion of you." "That does not surprise me," replied the Doctor; "all your opinions are contemptible."

2. A gentleman who has had exceptionable opportunities to observe the trend of political feeling in the west, states that there is no doubt that the Republican candidates will be elected.

3. A great part of the congregation left the church after the service, but the balance remained to talk over the sermon. 4. Several years have transpired since I visited the spot, and I understand there has been any number of changes.

5. I beg to acknowledge the acceptation of your book. I have only partially examined it, but I admire it very much, and propose to spend many a spare hour in reading it.

66

6. "Can I leave the room?" No, you cannot, unless you want to stop after school."

7. We engaged a couple of men to take our baggage to the depot.

8. Such was the violence of the storm that none of the passengers hoped the vessel could outlive the gale.

9. We had a nice time yesterday; the weather was nice, the lunch was nice, and everything was nice.

10. A society for the promotion of good citizenship has lately been inaugurated in Boston.

11. I have exceptionable opportunities for making good investments, and claim to give satisfaction.

12. I confess that I have never attained a great quantity of perfection in the art.

13. A dispatch from London states that Sir Thomas Lipton proposes to issue another challenge for the cup.

14. The strike of the coal-miners, which it was claimed would transpire yesterday, failed to materialize.

15. The advent of so large a corporation into this locality is an unlooked-for factor in the situation.

16. It is hoped that the guilty parties will be apprehended during the balance of the week.

17. The local dramatic company scored a decided success; the play was elegantly staged, and the parts were splendidly taken.

7. Distinguish carefully between "shall" and "will," "should" and "would.' Give rules for the use of "shall and "will" in expressing future action.

Mention any special uses of "should" and "would." In the following sentences insert the proper forms, “shall ” or “will,’ ""should" or "would":

1. You (shall, will) know to-morrow the result of the game. 2. Whenever she disobeyed she (should, would) be punished.

3. He says he (shall, will) be present at the meeting.

4. He says his brother (shall, will) be present at the meeting.

5. If we (should, would) visit the scenes of our childhood, we (should, would) find many changes.

6. The time is coming when we (shall, will) have to go somewhere else for our coal.

7. He promised that our trunk (should, would) be here by six o'clock.

8. Do you think you (shall, will) go with us to-morrow? 9. (Shall, will) I send you the letter if it (should, would) come?

10. (Should, would) you like to come to dinner, if you had the time?

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