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Bechtel, John Hendricks, 1841-

"Slips of Speech : a Helpful Book for Everyone Who Aspires to Correct the Everyday Errors of Speaking"


"There is no method known how his safety may be assured." Use by which
instead of how.
"He wrote me a letter where he repeated his instructions." "Letter in
which he repeated," etc.
"And curse the country where their fathers dwelt." "In which their
fathers dwelt."
"This is a case where large interests are involved." The preposition
and relative will better express the meaning; as, "This is a case in
which large interests are involved."
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Misplaced Relative
The relative should be so placed as to prevent ambiguity, and as near
as possible to its antecedent.
"Mr. Smith needs a surgeon, who has broken his arm." Say, "Mr. Smith,
who has broken," etc.
"The figs were in small wooden boxes, which we ate." "The figs which
we ate," etc.
"He needs no boots that cannot walk." "He that cannot walk," etc.
Omitted Relatives
The relative pronoun is often omitted when it should be expressed.
"The next falsehood he told was the worst of all." Say, "The next
falsehood that he told," etc.
"It is little we know of the divine perfections." Say, "Little that we
know.


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