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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"


If the same preposition be required by several nouns or pronouns, it
must be repeated in every case if it be repeated at all. "He is
interested in philosophy, history, and in science." This sentence may
be corrected by placing in before history or by omitting it before
science. The several subjects are individualized more strongly by the
use of in before each noun. This is shown in the greater obscurity
given to history by the omission of the preposition in the foregoing
sentence.
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"We may have a feeling of innocence or of guilt, of merit or demerit."
Insert of before demerit.
Needless Prepositions
Prepositions, like other parts of speech that contribute nothing to
the meaning, should not be suffered to cumber the sentence.
Where am I at? Where is my book at? I went there at about noon. In
what latitude is Chicago in? Where are you going to? Take your hat off
of the table. Where has James been to? They offered to Caesar a crown.
This is a subject of which I intended to speak about (omit of or
about, but not both). She has a sister of ten years old. Leap in with
me into this angry flood.


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