As
the sentence stands two distinct commands are given, first, that the
trial shall be made, and, second, that the work must be completed. The
sentence should read, "Try to finish that work to-day."
Use to instead of and in such expressions as "Try and make it
convenient to come," "Try and do your work properly," "Try and think
of your lessons," "Try and go and see our sick neighbor."
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CHAPTER III
Contractions
Whatever may be said against employing contractions in dignified
discourse, their use in colloquial speech is too firmly established to
justify our censure. But, in their use, as, indeed, in the use of all
words, proper discrimination must be shown.
Just why haven't, hasn't, doesn't, isn't, wasn't, are regarded as
being in good repute, and ain't, weren't, mightn't, oughtn't, are
regarded with less favor, and why shalln't, willn't are absolutely
excluded, it would be difficult to explain.
Use determines the law of language, whether for single words,
grammatical forms, or grammatical constructions. Wherever a people, by
common consent, employ a particular word to mean a certain thing, that
word becomes an inherent part of the language of that people, whether
it has any basis in etymology or not.
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