ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH IN THE MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE INTRODUCTORY NOTE. My attention was first called to this book by the mere mention of its title in the Academy. Having long been in search of a good book of the kind for myself, and for many other teachers who had consulted me, I procured a copy; and the result was that I at once urged upon my friends, Messrs. D. C. Heath & Co., its republication in this country, with a confident assurance that it would furnish a valuable aid in the teaching of English just.where such aid is most needed, that is, in the practical test and application of those rules of right usage which are taught so much too much, yet so little verified and applied, in the habitual school-teaching. Being thus in a certain sense responsible for the book, I could not deny the duty of saying a word in its behalf; yet the author's own preface is so clear and so sufficient, with regard to its purpose and its right use, that he has left nothing for me to say. Teachers who will examine it will not, I think, need the assurance of the preface to the fifth edition, that it is fitted for wide usefulness in many schools. Indeed, one of its chief recommendations is that it is adapted to use with any English grammar, or without any at all; and that, within quite an extensive range of skilfully shaped exercises, suited for different grades, it appeals always to the intelligent judgment, without reference to any given rule. If this word from me, who have now for many years felt the want of just such a help for myself and for others, should contribute to secure even the examination of this little book, I should feel I had done, vicariously, a real service to what I regard as in itself the most difficult, and in its results usually the most unsatisfactory, branch of school work. SOUTH CAROLINA COLLEGE, March, 1888. EDWARD S. JOYNES. iii AUTHOR'S PREFACE. IN laying before my fellow-teachers this collection of Exercises in English, for Criticism and Correction, it may not be amiss for me to say a few words in regard to its origin and its object. I had not been long engaged in high-school work before I discovered that in many cases pupils who had a ready command of grammatical rules and definitions, and who were fairly proficient in analysis and parsing, were, yet, seemingly unable to detect common and undoubted errors in sentences in every-day use. Further experience showed me that even after they had learned to notice and correct mistakes in sentences given them for that purpose, many of them would continue to make the same or similar mistakes in their ordinary speaking and writing. I was led to conclude, therefore, that, accustomed as the majority of our pupils are from childhood to hearing incorrect forms of speech used by those around them, special and systematic drill is necessary to teach them to notice and guard against these wrong forms; and that this drill should be oral as well as written, in order that both the ear and the eye may be enlisted in the cause of good English, and trained to assist the student. Holding this opinion, and not finding in any of our text-books a suitable collection of exercises for such drill, I began to compile one; and this book is the result of my labors. Whether other teachers have felt the same want, and whether, if so, this collection will meet it, is for them to say. I hardly expect that it will prove wholly satisfactory to any one; but, nevertheless, I have been encouraged to believe that it will be found sufficiently comprehensive and practical to be of some service. It is not intended to take the place of any other book, nor has it been prepared to suit any particular work on Grammar or Composition. My plan has been to give under each heading examples of all the common, typical errors of that class, and then by frequent review exercises to accustom the student to be on his guard |