The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-04
1he ADVERTISERS
 M HOME STUDY CIRCLE

meant and "I understood it to be she> who called" instead of the correct forms , -'I supposed 1t to be him and T un- derstod it to be her. The person who aims to speak correctly would never say Tt is him" and 'It is her." He would use the correct forms. Ut Is he' and Tt is she." but he becomes stranded on the infinite mood, "to be- forgetting that the noun or pronoun following the infinitive mood ito be" is in the objective case. because the subject of the infinite mood is in the objective case.
 Rule-The noun or pronoun following the verb ito be- Is in the same case as the subject of the verb "to be-" The correct forms are: "I supposed 1t to be him whom you meant" and T un- derstand it to be her who called"
 Errors of Careful Speaker.
 It is the careful speaker who says: "If there Is anyone whom you think would like to attend the meeting you may invite him." The careful speaker would not use them" for him and has no patience with the person who says: 'I think that everyone knows their own business better than you can tell them" But that relative pro- noun whom" upsets his grammatical equilibrium. He is very particular to say whom" instead of "who." and uses it on divers occasions, in place and out of place.
 An uneducated person would not use "whom' in the sentence If there is anyone whom you think would like" etc. He would use who" and he would be correct. because "who" is the subject of the verb would like" | is not the object of the verb think" In the sentence Think noble thoughts and you will become noble" the very think" has an object in the noun thoughts" But when the very think" is used intransitively. in the sense of cne's opinion, in ones judg- ment or estimation, 1t never has an object. Therefore. the correct form is: If there Is anyone who you think Gin your opinion) would like to attend the meeting you may invite him." A Conversation.
 Mrs A.: "Now, while we are dis cussing this subject, wish you would correct my English, and whenever l Use bad grammar please correct me. In that way I will improve very much" Mrs. B.: Your English may be very much improved in that way, but fear 
 very far with our discussion. First. you must not say bad grammar. Cram mar teaches one how to speak and write correctly. consequently, it can not be bad. To speak of good gram mar is also incorrect, aGA good is super fuous. Instead of saying. Whenever I use bad grammar you may say When ever I make errors or speak incorrect ly.' Instead of saying I will improve very much, say I shall improve very much because T shall indicates sim pie futurity. It also indicates con- dition beyond the control of the will. T will improve means I promise to improve or I am determined to i'm prove Neither a promise nor a de- termination on your part will result in your improvement if fail to correct you so I shall improve is proper"
 Mrs. A.: II don't think one knows how many erors they make until their attention is called to them"
 Mrs. B.: What you should, say is, I think one doesn't know how many errors one makes until ones attention is called to them Many persons object to the expression T don't think claim ing that one always thinks. and some | authorities class the expression T don't think with the idioms peculiar to the
 
 know. is an expression approved of by usage. So you may turn your atten- tion to those expressions which are considered incorrect by all gram marians: that will occupy as much of your time as you can give to one object
 Mrs. A: q think this is instructive. but as I am going in town on the 1 o'clock train, I shall be obliged to dis continue our talk. You see that I re- member to say T shall be obliged in- stead of I will be obliged"
 Mrs. B.: "Yes, that Is right, but you should say, T am going to town in- stead of I am going in town.'" Mrs. A.: Now. I am going to go; it Is twenty minutes to 1.'' Mrs. B.: 'T am going is sufficient, and it is twenty minutes of 1, and not twenty minutes to l."