Edwin Abbott - How to Write Clearly - Rules and Exercises on English Composition

*23. "At least," "always," and other adverbial adjuncts, sometimes produce ambiguity.*

"I think you will find my Latin exercise, at all events , as good as my cousin's." Does this mean (1) "my Latin exercise, though not perhaps my other exercises;" or (2), "Though not very good, yet, at all events, as good as my cousin's"? Write for (1), "My Latin exercise, at all events, you will find &c." and for (2), "I think you will find my Latin exercise as good as my cousin's, at all events."

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Punctuation is fully discussed in most English Grammars, and is therefore referred to in this book only so far as is necessary to point out the slovenly fault of trusting too much to punctuation, and too little to arrangement.

Before meeting with Professor Bain's rule, I had shown that the difference between the Relatives is generally observed by Shakespeare. See "Shakespearian Grammar," paragraph 259.

Sir Archibald Alison stands on a very different footing. The extracts from this author are intended to exhibit the dangers of verbosity and exaggeration.

"English Composition and Rhetoric," p. vii.

For , at the beginning of a sentence, sometimes causes temporary doubt, while the reader is finding out whether it is used as a conjunction or preposition.

It should refer (1) either to the Noun immediately preceding, or (2) to some Noun superior to all intervening Nouns in emphasis. See (25).

So useful that, on mature consideration, I am disposed to adopt "that" here and in several of the following exceptional cases.

Of course "and which" may be used where "which" precedes.

"That which," where that is an object , e.g. "then (set forth) that which is worse," St. John ii. 10, is rare in modern English.

Sometimes the emphatic Adverb comes at the beginning, and causes the transposition of an Auxiliary Verb, " Gladly do I consent."

Of course punctuation will remove the ambiguity; but it is better to express oneself clearly, as far as possible, independently of punctuation.

Professor Bain.