The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1875-04-24
HOW TO WRITE.
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Fifty-Sfx Rules for Clear, ForcIble and
Brief Composition.

lud -clous;
L WORDS
l. Use words in tneir proper sense.
2. Avoid exaggeration.
B. Avoid useless circumlocution and
+" tine writing
4. Be careful in the use of "not, and, /"
ANY, "but, ''only, mot, or,
.'that.
4 a. Be careful in the use of ambig-
uous words, G. O. certain.
5. Be careful in the use of "he,"
lit, T" they" these" etc. @
6. Report speech in the first person,
where necessary to avoid ambiguity
q. Use the third person where the
exact words of the speaker are not to
be given.
6 b. Omission of "that " in speech
in the third person.
z. When you see participle imply
ing "when,' WHILE" Though" or
that show clearly by the context
what is implied.
3. When using a relative pronoun,
rise "who," or which, if the meaning
is ''and he, or "and it, =" ''for he,' or
g for it" In other cases use "that. if
euphony allows exceptions.
8. Do not use land which," for
(which"
10. Equivalents for the relative: (a)
participle or adjective; co. initiative; (c)
Whereby, Z" whereto," ETC.; (dO off
man" (c) "And he, +" "anl this" etc. :;
UO" what" CD omission of relative.
10 a. Repeat the anticedent before
the relative, when the non-repetition
causes any ambiguity. See 80.
H. Use particular for general terms
Avoid abstract nouns.
II a. Avoid verbal nouns where verbs
can be used.
II. Use metaphor instead of literal
statement.
IA. Do not confuse metaphor.
IA q. Do not mix metaphor with
literal statement.
IA b. Do not use poetic metaphor to
illustrate prosaic subject.
II. ORDER OF WORDS IN A SENTENCE.
Is. Emphatic words must stand in
emphatic positions; i. e., for the most
part, at the beginning of the sentence
10 q. Unemphatic words must, as a
rule, be kept from the end. Excep-
tons.
Is An interrogation sometimes
give emphasis.
Is. The subject, if unusually en-
phatic should often be transferred from
the beginning of the sentence.
II. The object is sometimes placed
before the verb for emphasis.
IL. Where several words are en-
phatic make it clear which IS the most
emphatic. Emphasis can sometimes be
given by adding an epithet, or an in
tensifying word.
10. Words should be as near as posi-
BILE to the words with which they are
dramatically connected.
20. Adverbs should be placed next to
the word they are intended to qualify.
81. "Only"; the strict rule is that
"only" should be placed before the
word it effects.
%. When "not only precedes "but
also, see that each is followed by the
same part of speech.
%. "At least" "always," and other
adverbial adjuncts, sometimes produce
ambiguity.
"a. Nouns should be placed near the
nouns that they defne
25. Pronoun5 should follow the Guns
to which they refer, without the inter-
vention of any other noun.
26. Clauses that are dramatically
connected should be kept as close
together as possible Avoid parentheses
But see SO.
81 In conditional sentences, the an
ticedent or g if clauses" must be kept
distinct from the consequent clauses.
%. Dependent clauses proceeded by
'that" should be kept distinct from
those that are independent.
%. Where there are several infni-
tives, those that are dependent ON the
same word must be kept distinct from
those that are n t.
80. The principle of suspense.
80 a. 1t is a violation of the princi-
pie of suspense to introduce unexpect
eddy at the end of long sentence some
short and unemphatic clause beginning
with (a) "not, (b) which
81. Suspense must not be excessive.
g. In a sentence with "if, "when,"
Though" etc; put ''if-clause,' anti
cedent, or protasis, first.
49, Supense is gained by placing a
participle or adjective that qualities the
subject before the subject.
81. Suspensive conjunetions e. g.
"either," mot only" ION the one
hand" etc. add clearness.
35. Repeat the subject where its
omission would cause obscurity or am
biguity.
SO. Repeat proposition after an In
tervening conjunction, especially if a
verb and objective intervene.
verbs and pronominal adjectives.
81 a. Repeat verbs after coniunc-
tions .'that," 'as," etc.
3S. "Repeat the subject or some other
emphatic word, or a summary of what
has been said, if the sentence Is SO long
that it is difficult to keep the thread
of meaning unbroken.
80. Clearness is increased when the
the beginning of the sentence prepares
the way for the middle and the middle
for the end, tue whole forming kino
of ascent This ascent is called sell
max"
40. When the thought is expected to
ascend. but descends, feebleness, and
confusion, Is the result. The
descent is called "pathos.'
40 q. A new construction should not
be introduced Unexpectedly.
Al. Antithesis adds force and often |
clearness.
AZ: Epigram.
43. Let each sentence have one, and |
only one principal subject of thought |
Avoid heterogeneous sentences.
A. The connection between diff rent |
sentences must be kept up by adyerbs
used as coniunctions or by means of