(b.) Though conjunctions are used to connect words, yet a closer connection is sometimes marked by omitting them. When the writer is making a deliberate enumeration of particulars which are designed to impress the mind forcibly, the conjunction is repeated; as, "Such a man might fall a victim to power; but truth, and reason, and liberty, would fall with him." The repetition of a conjunction is called Polysyndeton. On the other hand, when the conjunction is omitted, the mind passes more quickly from one thought to the next; as, "I came, I saw, I conquered." The omission of the conjunction is called Asyndeton. (c.) The conjunction and is often used unnecessarily in beginning clauses and sentences. 3. Give the principal words of a sentence a conspicuous position, so that they may make their full impression. The subject is generally placed at the beginning, but sometimes the sense is rendered more forcible by putting it at the end of the sentence. 4. When two things are compared or contrasted, the arrangement of words in the contrasted clauses should be as nearly alike as possible; as, "John is a better writer, but William reads best," is incorrect. It should be, "John is a better writer, but William is a better reader," or "John writes best, but William reads best." 5. Arrange the clauses with a view to climax; that is, so that they shall go on increasing in importance to the end. A general rule in this connection is, that even in short or comparatively short sentences, a weaker assertion, or statement, should not come after a stronger one, and the longest member should generally be the last one. 6. Do not close a sentence with an adverb, a preposition, or any insignificant word, except in rare cases when the stress and significance rest chiefly upon some such word. Ex. These arguments were without hesitation and with great eagerness laid hold of. 4. Harmony, or Agreeableness of Sound. This is the last and perhaps the least important quality to be considered. Sense should never be sacrificed to sound. A few rules to be observed are; 2. Avoid all disagreeable combinations of sounds. 3. Arrange the clauses with a view to ease in pronunciation, and an agreeable impression upon the ear. 9. Wisdom, X firmness, and prudence were his characteristics. 10. 11. Talent is power; tact is skill. He had a good mind, a lively imagination, and a sound judgment. 12. Napoleon was shrewd and farsighted. 13. The letter and the parcel were sent by a messenger who failed to deliver them. 14. He was a good, faithful, and generous man. 15. He wrote and published a fine poem. 18. Flattery often succeeds where reason fails entirely. 19. He left the room very slowly, repeating his determination not to obey. 20. Most of the troubles which we meet with in the world arise from an irritable temper or from improper conduct. 21. To be happy without the approval of conscience is impossible. 22. Plato taught that the soul is immortal. Explanation of the Illustrative Analysis. All the principal words, whether of the sentence itself or of the clauses or phrases of the sentence, are to be written on horizontal lines. Exception. When any one of the principal parts is compound. If the subject, predicate verb, object, or attribute, be composed of three words, one of the words should be placed upon the horizontal line which contains the other principal part or parts; the remaining two may be written on slanting lines joined to the end of the horizontal line, and extending, one above and the other below it. If the subject, object, or attribute, be composed of two words, they may be placed on slanting lines joined to the horizontal line. If the predicate-verb be composed of two words, the words may be placed on broken lines, connected at one end to the horizontal line, and joined together at the other end. The subject is separated from the predicate verb by a short vertical line extending half above and half below the horizontal line. The predicate verb is separated from the object, if there be one, by a short vertical line above the horizontal line; and from the attribute, if there be one, by a short vertical line extending below the horizontal line. The modifiers are placed upon slanting lines joined to the under part of the words modified. The introductory or connecting word of a phrase is placed upon a slanting line, one end of which is joined to the word which it modifies, and the other end to a horizontal line upon which is written the principal word of the phrase. The principal word of a participial phrase is written on a broken line, one part of which is slanting and the other part horizontal. This indicates that the participle modifies as an adjective, yet still retains somewhat of the nature of a verb. An X denotes a word understood. |