chapter

2

Tools of the Editor

 

• Grammar

• Punctuation

• Spelling

• Dealing with Words

• Common Writing Errors

• Keepers of the Language

• Exercises

 

English is a basic tool of the editor. Like any other worker, the editor must know the tools of his or her trade thoroughly—what the tools can do as well as their limitations. Knowing when and under what circumstances they can be properly used is vital. Above all, a worker must know how to use the tools to get the job done. The editor needs to think of language as a tool, as a means of getting a job done. The editor who cannot coherently use the English language is like a carpenter who cannot saw a straight line. The products of such an editor or carpenter will not inspire confidence; nor will they be items that people want to purchase.

Unlike the carpenter’s hammer or saw, however, the English language is an extremely complex tool. It has many nuances and subtleties. People spend years mastering English. There are many rules for its usage and many arguments over the propriety and relevance of some of these rules.

One thing that makes English so complex is its dynamic nature. English is the closest thing the world has to an international language. It is spoken and understood in nearly every part of the world. But no central control or authority governs its use. Consequently, the language is always changing. New words and expressions come into use as others fade. Old words take on new meanings. English is mixed with other languages. Spelling rules shift with differing usage. New phenomena that need description in the language occur almost daily. All this makes English an exciting but difficult tool.

Editors should not be in the vanguard of efforts to change the language. In fact, an editor’s position in this regard should be a very conservative one, slow to accept change and accepting it only when the change improves the language and helps people to communicate. Some years ago a number of editors ran into some trouble on this very point. Thinking that the spelling of many words was clumsy and confusing (which it is), these editors arbitrarily changed the way some words were spelled in their newspapers. “Through” became “thru,” “thorough” became “thoro,” and “employee” turned into “employe.” Acceptance of these changes was less than complete, and the editors had to beat a hasty retreat.

The editor should be the overseer of the language, working to promote its thoughtful and creative evolution while preventing changes that would degrade it.

The job of the editor, therefore, is not to change language but to use it. To do so effectively requires knowing the rules and conventions. Editors should know thoroughly the eight basic parts of speech (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, conjunctions, interjections, and prepositions) and the basic unit of the English usage (the sentence) and its two main parts (subject and predicate). Not only should they have an eye for the language; they should also have an ear for it. Editors should know when things that are technically correct sound wrong. Beyond that, they should be able to recognize—and hear—the confusing phrase, the unclear sentence, and the absence of transition. They must be able to spot the confusion and illogic that are the harbingers of misinformation, inaccuracy, and a failure to communicate. Like the carpenter with a saw, the editor should use the language to make a straight line for the reader.

In journalism that straight line to the reader is the goal of the editor. Because having people read and believe a publication is vital to the publication’s life, inspiring and holding readers’ confidence is the job of the editor. The editor who does not use English correctly will annoy the reader and call the publication’s credibility into question. A misspelled word will not destroy a publication, and an agreement error will not inspire calls for a repeal of the First Amendment, but too many such mistakes will convince the reader that the publication is not worth his or her time and money.

Grammar

 

The following is not intended to be a complete grammar manual. There are many such manuals on the market, and the serious editor will have several on his or her bookshelf. These are the problems that are most likely to crop up in the writing you will be working with as an editor.

Subject–verb agreement.   Singular subjects take singular verbs; plural subjects take plural verbs. A mistake of this kind most often occurs when the subject is separated from the verb by a long phrase containing a noun of a number different from that of the subject; for example, “The members of the team, which lost the last game of the tournament to its archrival by one point, was honored by the school.” This mistake is an easy one to make and is sometimes hard to catch.

Another type of subject-verb disagreement occurs when there is a compound subject. “The man and his wife is standing on the street.” Even though the subjects of this sentence are separately singular, together they are plural and should take a plural verb.

Confusion often occurs when nouns of different number are separated from the verbs by a prepositional phrase, as in the sentence “Disagreements of this kind is one of the army’s major problems.” The verb should agree with the subject, so in the above sentence the verb should be changed to “are,” since the subject, “disagreements,” is plural. A better solution would be to rewrite the sentence to get rid of “one,” which makes the correct form awkward: “Disagreements of this kind are major problems for the army.”

Pronoun-antecedent agreement.   Disagreement between pronouns and their antecedents is one of the most common mistakes made by writers. One of the reasons for this is that such disagreements are generally accepted in spoken English. They are not acceptable in written English, however. Singular antecedents must have singular pronouns. It is incorrect to write, “The Supreme Court issued their decision today.” “Supreme Court” is a singular noun even though the court is made up of nine different justices. Consequently, it would be correct to write, “The Supreme Court issued its decision today” or “The members of the Supreme Court issued their decision today.” Use a singular verb with any group of people referred to by a singular noun.

By the same token, plural antecedents must have plural pronouns. For example, “The Atlanta team and the St. Louis team had their game rained out.” The “their” in this sentence refers to both teams and is correct.

Dangling participles.   A participial phrase at the beginning of a sentence should modify the sentence’s subject and should be separated from it by a comma. It would not be correct to write, “After driving from Georgia to Texas, Tom’s car finally gave out.” The car didn’t drive to Texas; Tom did.

Active and passive voice.   One of the most important grammatical distinctions that writers for the mass media should make is that between the active and the passive voice. The terms “active voice” and “passive voice” refer to the way in which verbs are used. If a verb is used in the active voice, the emphasis is on the subject as the doer or actor. Passive voice throws the action onto the object and often obscures the perpetrator of the action. It is formed by putting a helping verb such as “is” or “was” in front of the perfect tense of the verb. Look at the following examples:

Generally, writers for the mass media try to use the active rather than the passive voice. The active voice is more direct and livelier. It is less cumbersome than the passive voice and gets the reader into the action of the words more quickly. When you edit your writing and find that you have written in the passive voice, you should ask, “Would this sentence be better if the verb were in the active voice?” Very often, the answer will be yes.

Sometimes the answer will be no. When changing passive voice to active voice puts the wrong emphasis in the sentence, the passive voice should be used. Consider the following sentence, “The victims were rushed to a hospital by an ambulance.” If we practiced strict adherence to the active voice, we would change that sentence to read, “An ambulance rushed the victims to a hospital.” The important part of that sentence is the victims, not the ambulance, however, so the use of the passive voice can be justified.

Take a look at the third set of examples above. In the passive voice sentence the indefinite pronoun “it” is used with the passive voice verb. This usage is particularly insidious because it obscures those who are responsible for an action. This construction—“it” with a passive voice verb—is unacceptable in writing for the mass media except in idiomatic uses (e.g., “It was raining hard when the plane landed”).

Punctuation

 

The apostrophe.   The proper use of the apostrophe probably gives more users of English more problems than any other form of punctuation. The apostrophe can be used in a number of ways. First, we use apostrophes to form possessives, as in “Mary’s hat” and “Tom’s book.” If a word ends in “s” or the plural of the noun is formed by adding “s,” the apostrophe generally goes after the final “s,” and no other letter is needed. For example, the possessive of a word such as “hostess” is “hostess’.” The plural possessive of the word “team” is “teams’.” If the plural of a word is formed by adding a letter other than “s,” the possessive is formed by adding “’s.” For example, the plural possessive of “child” is “children’s.”

Even many professionals have problems when the word “it” and an apostrophe come together. Is it “its,” “it’s,” or “its’”? Here are some rules worth memorizing: “Its” (without the apostrophe) is the possessive of the pronoun “it,” as in “The band gave its best effort.” “It’s” (with the apostrophe) is a contraction meaning “it is,” as “It’s hard to tell.” “Its’” makes no sense because “it” has no plural form.

Appositive phrases and commas.   Appositive phrases follow a noun and rename it or give an additional bit of information. Such phrases are surrounded by commas in almost all cases. For example, in the sentence “Sally Smith, State’s newest tennis star, was admitted to a local hospital yesterday,” the phrase “State’s newest tennis star” is the appositive to “Sally Smith.” It is important to remember to put a comma at the end of the appositive; this is easy to overlook if the appositive is extremely long. For example, the sentence “Job Thompson, the newly named Midville Junior College president who succeeded Byron Wilson has accepted the presidency of the Association of Junior College Administrators” needs a comma after “Wilson.” Many editors believe that writers overuse appositives. When you see one, consider turning it into a separate sentence.

Comma splices and compound sentences.   When two independent clauses are connected, they must be connected by a semicolon or a comma and a conjunction. When two such clauses are connected only by a comma, that is called a comma splice or run-on sentence. For example, “Midfield won its final game, now the Tigers are the champs” is a comma splice or run-on sentence. The reader needs a conjunction or semicolon to help separate the two sentences. Also incorrect is the compound sentence with no comma before the conjunction: “Midfield won its final game and now the Tigers are the champs.”

Commas between subject and verbs.   Commas should be used to separate phrases and other elements in a sentence, but they should not be used solely to separate a subject from its verb. Obviously, you wouldn’t write, “The boy, sat on the bench”; nor would you write, “The moment the train comes in, is when we will see her” or “Having no money, is a difficult thing.”

Colons and semicolons.   Colons should be used when the phrase or sentence before the colon anticipates the material that comes after it. For example, “There are four elements involved: gold, calcium, hydrogen, and oxygen.” The semicolon should be used to separate a series of long phrases where a comma is inadequate, as in a series of names and titles, such as “John Jones, secretary of state; Jane Smith, secretary of the treasury; Ray Johnson, secretary of defense.” A semicolon may also be used to separate the parts of a compound sentence when the writer does not want to insert a conjunction. “A terrible storm hit; many were killed.”

Spelling

 

Spelling involves three thought processes: applying phonics, memorizing some words, and knowing the rules that usually apply to most words. Editors should know how to do all three. Phonics can be learned, either in one’s early years or later. One must memorize words that are not spelled phonetically or do not follow spelling rules. However, most words can be spelled correctly without memorization because either rules or phonics applies to the majority of English words. Although dictionaries give more than one acceptable spelling for many words, for editors each word has one—and only one—correct spelling. Accepted spellings, like style, evolve over time. It is up to the editor to enforce his or her publication’s correct spellings. Some spelling rules, with exceptions, are explained in the following paragraphs.

Doubling the final consonant.   Adding an ending to a word that ends with a consonant often requires that the final consonant be doubled: plan, planned; prefer, preferred; wit, witty; hot, hottest; swim, swimming; stop, stopped; bag, baggage; beg, beggar.

There are a few exceptions. One illustrates the impact of the accent on certain syllables. Refer becomes reference, without doubling the “r,” but the accent changes away from the final syllable when the suffix is added.

There are other exceptions—words ending in “k,” “v,” “w,” “x,” and “y”: benefit, benefited; chagrin, chagrined (even though the accent stays on the final syllable of the new word).

Dropping a final “e.”   A final “e” is usually dropped in adding a syllable that begins with a vowel: come, coming; guide, guidance; cure, curable; judge, judging; plume, plumage; force, forcible; use, usage. Exceptions are: sale, saleable; mile, mileage; peace, peaceable; dye, dyeing.

Retaining the final “e.”   A final “e” is usually retained in adding a syllable that begins with a consonant: use, useless; late, lately; hate, hateful; move, movement; safe, safety; white, whiteness; pale, paleness; shame, shameful. Exceptions are: judge, judgment; argue, argument.

Words ending in a double “e” retain both “e’s” before an added syllable: free, freely; see, seeing; agree, agreement, agreeable.

Retaining double consonants.   Words that end in a double consonant retain both consonants when one or more syllables are added: ebb, ebbing; enroll, enrollment; full, fullness; dull, dullness; skill, skillful; odd, oddly; will, willful; stiff, stiffness.

Using all, well, and full as compounds.   Compounds of all, well, and full drop one “l”: always, almost, welfare, welcome, fulfill. Exceptions are: fullness and occasions when a word is hyphenated (as with full-fledged).

Using “i” before “e.”   In words with “ie,” the “i” comes before “e” except after “c”: receive, deceive, relieve, believe. Exceptions are: neighbor, weigh, foreign, weird, ancient, caffeine.

Changing “y” to “i.”   A final “y” preceded by a consonant is usually changed to “i” with the addition of an ending that does not begin with “i”: army, armies; spy, spies; busy, business.

Exceptions are: shy, shyness; pity, piteous (but not pitiful). The “ay” endings are usually exceptions: play, played.

Using “ede” or “eed.”   In deciding whether to use “ede” or “eed,” use “eed” for one-syllable words (deed, need, speed) and for these two-syllable words: exceed, indeed, proceed, and succeed. Supersede is the only word that ends with “ede,” while some words use “ede” as a suffix: accede, concede, precede, recede.

Plurals.   You will also need to know some of the basic rules for forming plurals. Here are a few:

1. Most plurals for nouns are formed by simply adding “s” to the root word.

2. Nouns that end with “s,” “z,” “x,” “ch,” or “sh” usually require an “es” ending to form the plural: quiz, quizzes; mess, messes; wish, wishes; fix, fixes.

3. When a word ends with a consonant and then a “y,” the “y” is changed to “i” and an “es” is added: army, armies.

4. When a word ends in a vowel and a “y,” you can simply add an “s” for the plural: bay, bays.

5. Compound words without hyphens simply take an “s” on the end (cupful, cupfuls , but compound words with a hyphen take the “s” on the significant word (son-in-law, sons-in-law).

6. The AP Stylebook advises that “’s” should be used only in forming the plural of single letters (A’s, B’s) but not figures (1920s, 727s). Never use “’s” to form the plural of a word that is fully spelled out.

Dealing with Words

 

English works, as any language does, because of a combination of systems that students who seek to use it need to understand. Those systems are lexicon, grammar, semantics, and phonology.

Lexicon deals with the words that form the building blocks of the language. As society changes, new words must be created to express those changes. Certain rules govern the formation and development of words. We take words from a variety of sources (from ancient Latin to inner-city street talk), but English has developed some rules for using those words. We have prefixes and suffixes, for instance, that allow words to be formed into useful entities. The prefix “anti” lets a word approach the opposite of its accepted meaning; the suffix “ed” can be added to many root verbs to form the past tense. Standard dictionaries that we keep on our desks are the chief source of our knowledge of the rules of lexicon.

Much of this chapter has been devoted to describing the rules of grammar for what we consider standard English. Grammar is the way in which we string words together to describe complex thoughts, ideas, or actions. Grammar is also concerned with word order. The English standard order of words in a sentence is subject, verb, and predicate. That order is not followed in other languages, however. Because English is widely used, the rules of grammar are studied and evaluated continuously by people who use the language professionally. English is also a democratic language; common usage eventually formalizes many of the rules of grammar.

Semantics refers to the meanings that people assign to words. What a words symbolizes—or means—can change over time. The history of words and phrases, called etymology, can be fascinating to study, and many scholars spend productive careers pursuing the origins and derivations of words. Editors should pay particular attention to semantics because much of their work depends on a common understanding of the meanings of words.

English has many pairs and groups of words that have similar sounds and spellings but whose meanings are distinct and often quite different from one another. Although many people do not concern themselves with these differences, editors must do so. Here are a few examples:

• Affect, effect. Generally, “affect” is the verb; “effect” is the noun. “The letter did not affect the outcome.” “The letter had a significant effect.” But “effect” is also a verb meaning “to bring about”: “It is almost impossible to effect change.” There are better words than “effect” for this meaning.

• Allude, elude. You allude to (or mention) a book. You elude (or escape) a pursuer.

• Averse, adverse. If you don’t like something, you are averse (or opposed) to it. “Adverse” is an adjective: adverse (bad) weather, adverse reaction.

• Compose, comprise. You compose things by putting them together. Once the parts are together, the whole comprises the parts. Avoid “is comprised of.” It is passive and has a stuffy sound, besides being incorrect.

• Demolish, destroy. Both of these words mean “to do away with completely.” You cannot partially demolish or destroy something; nor is there any need to say, “totally destroyed.”

• Flout, flaunt. They aren’t the same word; they mean completely different things, and they are very commonly confused. “Flout” means to mock or show disdain for. “Flaunt” means to display ostentatiously.

• Imply, infer. The speaker implies; the hearer infers. One may also infer general principles from a sample.

• Marshall, marshal. Generally, the first form is correct only when the word is a proper noun: John Marshall. The second form is the verb form: Jones will marshal her forces. And the second form is the one to use for a title: fire marshal Stan Anderson, field marshal Erwin Rommel.

• Oral, verbal. Use “oral” when use of the mouth is central to the thought; the word emphasizes the idea of human utterance. “Verbal” may apply to spoken or written words; it connotes the process of reducing ideas to writing. Usually, one speaks of an oral contract, not a verbal one, if it is not in writing.

• Peddle, pedal. When selling something, you peddle it. When riding a bicycle or similar means of locomotion, you pedal it.

• Pretense, pretext. They are different, but the distinction is a tough one. A pretext is that which is put forward to conceal a truth: She was discharged for tardiness, but this was only a pretext for general incompetence. A pretense is a “false show,” a more overt act that is intended to conceal personal feelings: My profuse compliments were all pretense.

• Principle, principal. A guiding rule or basic truth is a principle. The first, dominant, or leading thing is principal. “Principle” is a noun; “principal” may be a noun or an adjective. Liberty and justice are two principles on which our nation is founded. Hitting and fielding are the principal activities in baseball. Robert Jamieson is the school principal.

• Reluctant, reticent. If he doesn’t want to act, he is reluctant. If he doesn’t want to speak, he is reticent.

Phonology is the system by which the language is spoken. A language has far fewer sounds than words; most English speakers get by with about forty sounds, or phonemes. Phonology allows a language to develop a standard way of being spoken so that we can understand one another. (Some would argue that writing constitutes a fifth system of the language because the rules of writing differ from the phonology rules. Not all experts accept that thinking, however.)

The rules of each of these systems are important because they allow us to have a common application of the language. They are “rules” not so much because they must be enforced but because they represent the common understanding that we all have about the language. If this common understanding did not exist, the efforts of a writer for the mass media to communicate with an audience would be frustrating or useless. That is why the professional must understand, use, and study the rules. The rules in each of these systems will undoubtedly change within the lifetime of the writer, but there will always be rules.

Common Writing Errors

 

In the 1970s the Writing and Editing Committee of the Associated Press Managing Editors Association identified a list of the fifty most common writing errors that its members encountered. The following problems are adapted from that list:

• Afterward, afterwards. Use “afterward.”

• All right. That is the only way to spell it, despite some dictionaries’ acceptance of “alright.”

• Annual. Don’t use “first” with it. If it is the first time, it’s not annual yet.

• Couple of. You need the “of.” It is never “a couple tomatoes.”

• Different from. Things and people are different from each other. Don’t write that they are different than each other.

• Drown. Don’t say that someone was drowned unless an assailant held the victim’s head under water. Just say that the victim drowned. The same is true for “graduated.”

• Due to, owing to, because of. We prefer the last. Wrong: The game was canceled due to rain. Correct but stilted: The game was canceled owing to rain. Better: The game was canceled because of rain.

• Either. It means one or the other, not both. Wrong: There were lions on either side of the door. Right: There were lions on both sides (or each side) of the door. We think “both sides” paints the picture better.

• Fliers, flyers. “Flier” is the preferred term for an aviator or a handbill.

• Funeral service. A redundant expression. A funeral is a service.

• Head up. People don’t head up committees. They head them.

• Hopefully. This is one of the most commonly misused words in the language today. It is really a nonword, so forget it. If used at at all, “hopefully” should be used to describe the way the subject feels—for instance, “Hopefully, I shall present the plan to the president.” This means that I will be hopeful when I do it, not that I hope I will do it. And it is something else again when you attribute hope to a nonperson. If you write, “Hopefully, the war will end soon,” what you mean is that you hope the war will end soon. But this is not what your sentence says. What you should write is, “I hope the war will end soon.”

• In advance of, prior to. Use “before”; it sounds more natural.

• It’s, its. “Its” is the possessive, “It’s” is the contraction of “it is.” Wrong: What is it’s name? Right: What is its name? Its name is Fido. Right: It’s the first time she’s scored tonight. Right: It’s my coat.

• Lay, lie. “Lay” is the action word; “lie” is the state of being. Wrong: The body will lay in state until Wednesday. Right: The body will lie in state until Wednesday. Right: The prosecutor tried to lay the blame on her. However, the past tense of “lie” is “lay.” Right: The body lay in state from Tuesday until Wednesday. Wrong: The body laid in state from Tuesday until Wednesday. The past participle and the plain past tense of “lay” is “laid.” Right: She laid the pencil on the pad. Right: She had laid the pencil on the pad. Right: The hen laid an egg.

• Leave, let. “Leave alone” means to depart from or cause to be in solitude. “Let alone” means to allow to be undisturbed. Wrong: The man had pulled a gun on her, but Mr. Jones intervened and talked him into leaving her alone. Right: The man had pulled a gun on her, but Mr. Jones intervened and talked him into letting her alone. Right: When I entered the room I saw that Jim and Mary were sleeping, so I decided to leave them alone.

• Less, fewer. If you can separate items in the quantities being compared, use “fewer.” If not, use “less.” Wrong: The Rams are inferior to the Vikings because they have less good linemen. Right: The Rams are inferior to the Vikings because they have fewer good linemen. Right: The Rams are inferior to the Vikings because they have less experience.

• Like, as. Don’t use “like” for “as” or “as if.” In general, use “like” to compare nouns and pronouns; use “as” when comparing phrases and clauses that contain a verb. Wrong: Jim blocks the linebacker like he should. Right: Jim blocks the linebacker as he should. Right: Jim blocks like a pro.

• Mean, average, median, mode. Use “mean” as synonymous with “average.” Both words refer to the sum of all components divided by the number of components. “Median” is the number that has as many components above it as below it. “Mode” is the score, or number, in a group that occurs the most.

• Nouns. There is a growing trend to use nouns as verbs. Resist it. Host, headquarters, and author, for instance, are nouns, even though the dictionary might accept their use as verbs. Using them as verbs could give you a monstrosity such as the following: “Headquartered at his country home, John Doe hosted a party to celebrate the book he had authored.”

• Over, more than. These are not interchangeable. “Over” is best used for spatial relationships: The plane flew over the city. “More than” is used best with figures: In the crowd were more than a thousand fans.

• Parallel construction. Thoughts that are in series within the same sentence require parallel construction. Wrong: The union delivered demands for an increase of 10 percent in wages and to cut the work week to 30 hours. Right: The union delivered demands for an increase of 10 percent in wages and for a reduction in the work week to 30 hours.

• Redundancies. Easter Sunday: Make it “Easter.” Incumbent Congressman: Make it “Congressman.” Owns his own home: Make it “Owns his home.” The company will close down: Make it “The company will close.” Jones, Smith, Johnson, and Reid were all convicted: Make it “Jones, Smith, Johnson, and Reid were convicted.” Jewish Rabbi: Make it “Rabbi.” 8 p.m. tonight: All you need is “8 tonight” or “8 p.m.” During the winter months: Make it “During the winter.” Both Reid and Jones were denied pardons: Make it “Reid and Jones were denied pardons.” I am currently available: Make it “I am available.” Autopsy to determine the cause of death: Make it “Autopsy.”

• Refute. The word connotes success in argument and almost always implies an editorial judgment. Wrong: Father McCormick refuted the arguments of the pro-abortion faction. Right: Father McCormick responded to the arguments of the pro-abortion faction.

• Say, said. The most serviceable words in the journalist’s language are the forms of the verb “to say.” In general, let a person say something rather than declare, admit, or point out something. And never let that person grin, smile, frown, or giggle something.

• Slang. Don’t try to use the latest slang. Usually, a term is on the way out by the time we get it into print. Wrong: The police cleared the demonstrators with a sunrise bust. Right: The police cleared the demonstrators with an early morning raid.

• Temperatures. They may get higher or lower, but they don’t get warmer or cooler. Wrong: Temperatures are expected to warm up in the area Friday. Right: Temperatures are expected to rise in the area Friday.

• That, which. “That” tends to restrict the reader’s thought and direct it the way you want it to go; “which” is nonrestrictive, introducing a bit of subsidiary information. For instance: The lawnmower that is in the garage needs sharpening. (Meaning: We have more than one lawnmower. The one in the garage needs sharpening.) The lawn-mower, which is in the garage, needs sharpening. (Meaning: Our lawnmower needs sharpening. It is in the garage.) The statue that graces our entry hall is on loan from the museum. (Meaning: Of all the statues around here, the one in the entry hall is on loan.) The statue, which graces our entry hall, is on loan. (Meaning: The statue is on loan. At the moment, it’s in the entry hall.) Note that “which” clauses take commas, signaling that these clauses are not essential to the meaning of the sentence.

• Under way, not underway. But don’t say that something got under way. Say that it started or began.

• Unique. Something that is unique is the only one of its kind. It cannot be very unique, quite unique, somewhat unique, or rather unique. Don’t use the word unless you really mean that the thing is unique.

• Up. Don’t use it as a verb. Wrong: The manager said that he would up the price next week. Right: The manager said that he would raise the price next week.

• Who, whom. This is a tough one, because you have to know whether the pronoun is being used as subject or object. The nineteen-year-old woman to whom the room was rented left the window open. “Who” is the word that is used when somebody has been the actor. A nineteen-year-old woman, who rented the room, left the window open.

• Who’s, whose. Though it incorporates an apostrophe, “who’s” is not possessive. It is a contraction of “who is.” “Whose” is possessive. Wrong: I don’t know who’s coat it is. Right: I don’t know whose coat it is. Right: Find out who’s there.

• Would. Be careful about using “would” in constructing a conditional past tense. Wrong: If Soderhelm would not have had an injured foot, Thompson wouldn’t have been in the lineup. Right: If Soderhelm had not had an injured foot, Thompson wouldn’t have been in the lineup.

Keepers of the Language

 

Many people believe that English is deteriorating because grammar is no longer taught with rigor in schools; because organizations, especially governments, use words and phrases to obscure meaning rather than enhance it; and because the general public accepts and encourages the misuse of the language. There is a general feeling that most people simply do not care about the language and are not disciplined enough to use it well.

Whether or not this is true, our age needs people who care about the language and who will serve as its keepers. Editors are such people. Good editors go beyond simply knowing the language. They become masters of the language and its use. As such, they are not obstacles to the changing nature of the language but conservative managers of that change.

chapter

2
Exercises

 

The exercises in this chapter deal with a variety of problems that are encountered in using the English language. Editors, as this chapter points out, must be masters of the language. Even experienced copy editors are constantly having to look up spellings, meanings, grammar, and questions of style. For these exercises you will need easy access to an AP stylebook and a dictionary.

Exercise 2.1: Language Problems

Correct the errors you find in the following sentences either by copy editing or by rewriting the sentence. Underline your corrections. When you find a sentence that is correct, write “Corr” next to it.

  1. Although Drake was not expected to give UCLA much of a battle, everyone got their money’s worth when the Uclans barely pulled it out, 85–82, in the NCAA semifinals.

  2. Each one of the Miss Teen-Agers were judged on their talent, their poise and their personality.

  3. The couple was married in 1966 and were divorced in 1967.

  4. Each team was splitting their ends wide.

  5. The North and the South each have six backs and six linemen which have been drafted by the NFL.

  6. Everybody in the stadium was on their feet and screaming for a home run.

  7. The library has been increasing their stack of books since their move to the new municipal building a year ago.

  8. Any one of the three vice presidents is qualified to handle their job.

  9. He told James that he was responsible for the error.

10. The losing team ate their dinner in silence.

11. Washington and each have won six games and lost two.

12. The mayor presented Nano Scarborough and myself to the governor.

13. Anyone who wants a personalized license plate should send in their application by April 15.

14. The coach said that if any player considered her too strict in enforcing team rules, they could turn in their uniform “right now.”

15. Any one of the national civil rights leaders were available for consultation, according to the Massachusetts senator.

16. At least three farm products contain this strong fiber, and they can be made into fabrics resembling gossamer silk.

17. It’s a first down for the Tigers on its own 28-yard line.

18. Cherry nearly came to blows with Axton after he had protested the nomination of Afelbaum.

19. His proposition will be submitted to the board, and it is likely that most of the members will agree with him.

Exercise 2.2: Pronouns

Most of the errors in the following sentences are in the uses of relative pronouns. There are also some misplaced relative clauses. Correct the errors either by copy editing or by rewriting the sentences. Underline your corrections. Some of the sentences are correct; write “Corr.” next to them.

  1. The epidemic has struck more than 60 persons, at least 11 of which have died.

  2. He distributed the rat poison throughout the barn which he had bought that morning.

  3. To the question of whom looked good in line, Walker replied with a warm smile: “I can’t remember all of their names right now, but there were seven of them.”

  4. The senator pointed out that in September a vice-presidential candidate had not been named, and that voters could only express a preference for the nominee’s runningmate, whomever he might be.

  5. One of the constructive things that has come out of the meetings of the delegates is that some of them are determined to eliminate these red tape obstacles.

  6. Who do you think State’s quarterback will be?

  7. He refused to state, did he not, whom the new employees would be.

  8. The President declined to comment directly on the case of the undersecretary, whom the Attorney General says was promoted by his predecessor.

  9. There are at least seven men who’s integrity is to be investigated.

10. James Averette, who the president chose as Secretary of Commerce, is a colleague from the previous administration.

11. With Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, famed German lieder singer, was his new bride, Christina Purgell, whom he met during a 1998 U.S. tour.

12. One player who you can depend on to make the all-star team is Will Soloman of Drake.

13. One player who is sure to be placed on the all-star team is Will Solomon of Drake.

14. They will seriously consider the mayor, whom they regard as “a terrific Republican property.”

15. Regardless of who is chosen, the majority of the board members promise to support her.

16. It was Jody Foster, Academy Award winner, whom they wanted to meet.

17. She swore that she would see to it that Jacob Heidemann “got this important role.”

18. The chairman of the Board of Regents is leading the fight over who is going to run the university—the board, the legislature, or the student protesters.

Exercise 2.3: Pronouns

In each of the following sentences, underline the correct pronoun.

  1. No matter how you look at it, it was (she, her) whom they opposed.

  2. My sister, who is two years older than (I, me), is much less hopeful.

  3. Everybody stood erect except Dick and (I, me).

  4. None was better prepared for the profession than (he, him).

  5. Jack can play ball as well as you or (I, me).

  6. We considered (she, her) to be the best actress in the company.

  7. It must have been (he, him).

  8. If I were (she, her), I would get a permanent.

  9. None was more kind than (she, her).

10. You have lived here longer than (we, us).

11. It was (she, her) they considered last.

12. I must admit, between you and (I, me), I failed that last test.

13. The club sent three members to represent it—Tom, Don, and (I, me).

14. (Who, Whom) are they asking?

15. Nobody can be as lucky as (he, him).

16. Everybody had supposed it was (he, him) who threw the rock through the window.

17. For you and (she, her) to walk 25 miles would be tiring.

18. It is always (I, me) who gets severely punished.

19. Why were you counting on (they, them) to bring the cake?

20. Jack asked Mary rather than (I, me) to go to the show.

21. (Who, Whom) did it seem would be nominated?

22. The army sent three men to the conference—General Dans, General Bixby, and (I, me).

23. The campus policeman swore it was (they, them) whom he had seen.

Exercise 2.4: Pronouns

In the following sentences, choose the correct word by underlining it.

  1. To (who, whom) should the letter be addressed?

  2. (Who, Whom) will be selected for the chairmanship?

  3. Do they know (whose, who’s) putting up the money?

  4. That is State’s star player, (him, he) with the taped legs.

  5. The coach is removing his star player, (him, he) with the taped legs.

  6. Do you remember (who, whom) it was (who, whom) won the Nobel Prize in 1966?

  7. Do you think that (we, us) students can do anything about today’s fashions?

  8. McGrath is the only woman here (whom, who) I know very well.

  9. It appears to be Douglass (whom, who) was injured in the play.

10. Only John and (me, I) are to blame.

Exercise 2.5: Pronouns and Antecedents

In the blank before each sentence, mark an X if there is an error in the agreement of pronoun and antecedent.

_____   1. A person at all times should guard themselves against slanderous tongues.

_____   2. Someone has been here and left her calling card.

_____   3. The sonnet was introduced by Wyatt and Surrey. They were love poems of fourteen lines.

_____   4. Needless to say, everyone who invested in that stock lost their money.

_____   5. If one becomes discouraged, you lose interest.

_____   6. Every one of the veterans was responsible for their own lodging.

_____   7. When anyone is irritated, it is best to let him alone.

_____   8. Every pilot returned safely from their dangerous mission.

_____   9. Bernie told his partner that he was a failure.

_____ 10. Everyone was dressed in his best and glad to be at the party.

_____ 11. They were told that all of the men would have to wait their turn.

_____ 12. Each of the dogs entered in this race has won his share of trophies.

_____ 13. We enjoyed our visit to the Bar X Ranch very much. They were extremely hospitable people.

_____ 14. The one or two members of the class who raise their hands answer most of the questions.

_____ 15. Either my sister or her roommate may miss her bus.

_____ 16. Neither of the two secretaries had brought their lunch.

_____ 17. Each of the horses entered their stall.

_____ 18. Neither of the boys would admit that he had missed school.

Exercise 2.6: Verbs

In the following sentences, underline the correct form of the verb.

  1. A burglary ring of Dallas youngsters (lead, led) by a nine-year-old boy faced juvenile delinquency charges Monday.

  2. Yesterday Patrick Welch (led, lead) the St. Patrick’s Day parade.

  3. Suddenly the children (sprang, sprung) from their hiding place and (sung, sang) “Happy Birthday to You.”

  4. He charged that the commissioners had not (payed, paid) him the stipulated fee.

  5. William O. Dupree (strove, strived) hard to accumulate his first million.

  6. He dived in and (drug, dragged) the body of the (drown, drowned) girl from the creek.

  7. The ground was (froze, frozen) over, and one pipe had (burst, bursted, busted).

  8. The Johnsons (use, used) to live in San Jose, California.

  9. The teen-ager had (hanged, hung) himself. The body (hanged, hung) there for almost an hour before it was removed.

10. After questioning the youth for nine hours, the detectives (rang, rung, wrang, wrung) a confession from her.

11. She could have (sung, sang) “Yes, We Have No Bananas” and (drawn, draw) an ovation.

12. Carol Farmer had (sewen, sewed, sowed, sown) a dress all day and her husband had (sewn, sewd, sowed, sown) about 25 acres of wheat.

13. The candidate for Place 4 seemed to have his two opponents soundly (beat, beaten).

Exercise 2.7: Verbs

Correct the verb forms in the following sentences. If the sentence is correct, write “Corr.” next to it.

  1. My son rushed into the room, grabs his coat, and goes dashing down the hall.

  2. A few minutes elapsed; then as suddenly as the storm appeared, it disappeared.

  3. It has been very cold since we are here.

  4. I am waiting for this dance for three weeks.

  5. When we entered our cabin, we found some thief made off with our supplies.

  6. I expected to have gone to Richard for the holidays.

  7. On Saturday I discussed with Kelpert the material which he presented to the committee on Friday.

  8. From 1934 until now he was director of the Community Hospital.

  9. After some discussion we decided that real happiness did not lie in material things, but in the qualities of the spirit.

10. All the roads were blocked because the snow had fallen.

11. Unfortunately, we found that your credit rating is not up to our standards.

12. Can I go to the concert tonight?

13. I intended to have seen you about the exam.

14. He is studying French for several years, but he cannot speak a word of the language.

15. When Judy appeared, she was dressed in a filmy blue dress. In a few minutes the doorbell rings and in comes Stanley.

16. People in white seem to be everywhere in the physicist’s laboratory, but no sound is heard.

17. When the respirometer started, the surgeon nods to the nurse and she hands him the instruments.

Exercise 2.8: Prepositional Phrases

In the following sentences, circle the preposition and underline the prepositional phrase.

  1. Anderson worked in a London advertising agency.

  2. Before sundown, all the men had returned home.

  3. Many private fortunes were founded on privateering.

  4. Quickly, the thief glanced down the long dark hall.

  5. I heard about your very unusual problem.

  6. These shirts are made of very fine imported domestic materials.

  7. Four hundred thousand people passed through the turnstiles that year.

  8. The chicken rode off perched on the rear bumper.

  9. He replied, off the record, that he had voted to have the restrictions removed.

10. Where was he at the beginning of class?

Exercise 2.9: Conjunctions

Circle the conjunctions in the following sentences. Write “none” next to the sentence if there is no conjunction.

  1. The woodsman was angry because someone had stolen his traps.

  2. Spot the frogs with your flashlight; then shoot before they jump.

  3. Whenever a pocket of air shook the bomber, the tailgunner shouted over the intercom, threatening the pilot with court martial and announcing repeatedly that he was going home.

  4. Although I am a heavy sleeper, I awoke with a start when the lightning flashed, and I rushed to the window to see what had happened.

  5. As he came in the door, he said he would whip any man in the room.

  6. He goes golfing three or four times a week, but his game never improves.

  7. The price that he wanted for the house was too high.

  8. We ate ham and eggs.

  9. We left the party early because we were tired.

10. He had a weary yet angry expression.

Exercise 2.10: Word Choice

This exercise is designed to check your ability to distinguish between commonly confused words. Underline the correct word in each of the following sentences.

  1. I (except, accept) your invitation; everyone will be there (except, accept) Jane.

  2. Will you give me some (advise, advice)? I (advise, advice) you to sell your mining stock.

  3. Although that drug has a powerful (effect, affect), it did not (effect, affect) me.

  4. At last the prisoners (affected, effected) their escape.

  5. George had an (affective, effective) manner of speaking.

  6. At last the children were (already, all ready) to go.

  7. The grandchildren were (altogether, all together) that Christmas.

  8. Martinez had (already, all ready) gone when I arrived.

  9. There has been (altogether, all together) too much whispering.

10. An (angel, angle) appeared to him in a vision and said, “Please hand me a right-(angel, angle) triangle.

11. We looked up at the dome of the (capital, capitol).

12. Rodriguez supplied the (capital, capitol) for the project.

13. The president discussed the conflict between (capitol, capital) and labor.

14. (Course, Coarse) gravel was used as a base for the street.

15. The squad had its full (compliment, complement) of soldiers.

16. You know, of (coarse, course), that this is foolish.

Exercise 2.11: Word Choice

Choose the correct word for each of the following sentences.

  1. He chased the ball (farther, further) than his teammates.

  2. He pursued the subject (farther, further) than his classmates.

  3. That’s (alright, all right) with me.

  4. The money was divided (among, between) four players.

  5. The money was divided (among, between) us.

  6. A charming (affect, effect) was produced.

  7. Farming (implies, infers) early rising.

  8. Since he was a farmer, his visitors (implied, inferred) that he got up early.

  9. (Regardless, Irregardless) of the consequences, we intend to go.

10. (Leave, Let) it stand the way it is.

11. He had (less, fewer) men than in the previous campaign.

12. Robins are different (from, than) sparrows.

13. A winding road is (tortuous, torturous).

14. A painful ordeal is (tortuous, torturous).

15. It was (a most unique, a unique) balancing act.

16. Do you have a copy of the graduate catalog (laying, lying) around?

17. Did the students (lay, lie) out too long at the beach?

18. She does extremely (good, well) in mathematics.

19. No matter how you look at it, it was (she, her) whom they opposed.

20. His sister, who is two years older than (him, he), is much less hopeful.

21. Everybody stood erect except Sarah and (I, me).

22. None was better prepared for the profession than (she, her).

23. Jack can play ball as well as you or (I, me).

24. We considered (she, her) to be the best actress in the company.

25. It must have been (he, him).

Exercise 2.12: Possessives

Write the singular possessive of each of these:

  1. the boy ____________ coat

  2. Gray and Perry ____________ shop

  3. John Keats ____________ poems

  4. Holmes ____________ mansion

  5. his wife ____________ property

  6. the puppy ____________ ball

  7. a hero ____________ welcome

  8. the princess ____________ escort

  9. a witch ____________ broomstick

10. the notary public ____________ sign

Write the plural possessive of each of these:

  1. witch ____________ broomsticks

  2. child ____________ toys

  3. Holmes ____________ autos

  4. hobo ____________ shoes

  5. mouse ____________ tails

  6. fox ____________ tails

  7. farmer ____________ magazines

  8. woman ____________ dresses

  9. alumnus ____________ newsletters

10. the Charles ____________ reigns

11. policemen ____________ beats

Exercise 2.13: Sentence Errors

Rewrite or correct the errors in the following sentences or improve the expressions.

  1. The Midville (Dads, Dads’) Club will hold its first (Dads, Dads’) and (Sons, Sons’) Banquet Tuesday night.

  2. “I don’t mind (you, your) baking cookies if you’ll clean up afterward,” the cook said.

  3. The union gave 48 (hours, hours’) notice before striking, and the strike was settled in one (hour’s, hours’) time.

  4. The hunter, who did not bother with the smallest (deer’s, deers) antlers, selected the two largest (deer’s, deers’) antlers for mounting.

  5. “This coat is (yours, your’s), but Harry’s is not here,” the teacher said.

  6. The two (Sally’s, Sallys’) suits looked exactly alike.

  7. “This one is (our’s ours), but (who’s, whose) is that?” the shopper said.

  8. Willis met (Sharreys, Sharrey’s) second-round rush with a sustained attack. (Willises, Willis’) hard right to the stomach made his opponent’s knees buckle.

  9. The (Yankee’s, Yankees’) new manager would not comment on his team’s prospects.

10. Although she said she could do a good (day’s, days) work, she was unable in three (days, days’) time to prove it.

11. Two bills were introduced, but prospects of (them, their) being written into law were poor.

12. The doctor prescribed two (tablespoonsfull, tablespoonfuls) every four hours.

13. The (men’s servants, menservants’) quarters were searched.

14. The parents could not bear the thought of their (child, child’s) gambling.

15. The customer asked for a (quarter’s, quarters) worth.

16. She is a friend of (Jane, Jane’s).

17. Fans are looking forward to (Midville’s, Midville) meeting Manchester Saturday.

18. Printers must watch their (P’s, Ps, p’s) and (Q’s, Qs, q’s).

19. In the poll there were 42 (yeses, yes’s) and 51 (noes, no’s).

20. The boy standing on the shore was not aware of the (storm, storm’s) approaching.

21. The (boys’, boy’s) coat.

22. (Gray, Gray’s) and (Perry, Perry’s) shop.

23. John (Keats’, Keat’s) poems.

24. (Holmes’, Holmeses’) mansion.

25. A (princess’, princesses’) escort.

26. A (witch’s, witches) broomstick.

27. (Childrens’, Children’s) toys.

28. (Farmers’, Farmer’s) magazines

Exercise 2.14: Punctuation

Insert the correct punctuation in each of the following sentences.

  1. We may divide the poems into three classes narrative lyric and dramatic.

  2. Stumbling toward the telephone I wondered who would be calling me after 11 00 p m

  3. At any rate this much can be said The Council is not the vital organ it is supposed to be

  4. Within two hours we had a strange variety of precipitation rain hail sleet snow

  5. Promptly at 8 15 p m the minister began his sermon by quoting John 20 21

  6. Whos going to do the dishes

  7. On Thursdays the childrens department doesnt open

  8. They havent said the property is theirs

  9. Theyre not coming to see Freds new house

10. That boys one of the worlds worst at what he’s doing now.

11. I didnt go to sleep until after 2 00 a m

12. He makes ladies hats and childrens coats

13. All her thoughts were centered on one objective marriage

14. In 1803 Thomas Jefferson said We have seen with sincere concern the flames of war lighted up again in Europe”

15. Blair regarded the demand for popular rights as a king might regard it as a mode of usurpation

16. The three causes are as follows poverty injustice and indolence

17. Intercollegiate athletics continues to be big business but Robert Hutchins long ago pointed out a simple remedy colleges should stop charging admissions to football games

18. Opponents give one main reason why gambling should not be legalized They say gambling establishments always attract gangsters and criminals

Exercise 2.15: Punctuation

Insert the correct punctuation in each of the following sentences.

  1. I do not say that these stories are untrue I only say that I do not believe them

  2. I had hoped to find a summer job in the city however two weeks of job hunting convinced me that it was impossible

  3. The loan account book must be sent with each monthly payment otherwise there may be disputes as to the amount still owing

  4. The Daily World though officially a state-owned paper handled the story with scrupulous if disdainful objectivity but many of the supposedly independent papers to everyone’s surprise played up all the scandalous aspects of the case

  5. The committee consisted of Webster the president of the bank Elton the bank manager and the mayor

  6. Supplementary material will be found in W. D. Taylor Jonathan Swift Ricardo Quintana The Mind and Art of Jonathan Swift and Bernard Acworth Swift

  7. As a reward for his services to his country the Duke was given pensions special grants and honorary offices and a fund was created to erect a memorial in his honor

  8. From the high board the water looked amazingly far away besides I was getting cold and tired of swimming

  9. There are no set rules which a performer must follow to become proficient in his or her art however there are certain principles regarding the use of mind voice and body which may help

10. After Lord Warwick expressed his desire with great tenderness to hear Addison’s last injunctions Addison told him “I have sent for you that you may see how a believer can die”

Exercise 2.16: Punctuation

Insert the apostrophes as necessary in each of the following sentences. Many of the errors in these sentences have to do with the use of apostrophes in possessives, but there are also other types of apostrophe usage errors.

  1. Its true that Robert Thomas car was found shortly after it was stolen, but its fenders were smashed and its tires were missing.

  2. The presidents secretary has ordered a three-weeks supply of photocopy paper.

  3. Fashions change every year—to everyones satisfaction but consumers.

  4. After working with this company for a years time, you are given a two-weeks vacation with pay.

  5. This book is Hans, whose collection of dime novels numbers over a thousand items.

  6. Tex McCready, Associated Studios leading western actor, was a childrens and juveniles favorite during the 1930s; his income wasnt far from a hundred thousand dollars a year.

  7. Dr. Daniels wouldnt have spent his whole years leave trying to establish the Ellins Brothers theory if he hadnt been convinced of its validity

  8. Its too bad that the city of Newbridge cant keep its streets in the condition of those of the wealthier suburbs such as Glen Ridge.

  9. The Stevenes arent at home this month; theyre visiting their relatives in Florida and wont be back until Christmas.

10. Count to 10,000 by 2s.

11. Cross your ts and dot your is.

12. There were suggestions that the childrens uniforms be modified.

13. It isnt the cough that carries you off; its the coffin they carry you off in.

14. Dickens novel is a very famous one.

15. Dobbs hand contained only two sevens and two fives and he wasnt confident when he called Bowers ten-chip raise.

16. Nickels next two books werent reviewed favorably, but they turned out to be popular as book club choices.

17. Who will administer the citys policies?

18. Who will administer the policies?

19. The cat is lying on its back, but I cant tell whether its dead or not.

20. Her designers hats are famous throughout the nation.

21. This pencil is Charles, not Marys.

22. The garages roof sloped sharply.

23. Robert Burns poems are favorites of ours.

24. In spite of its reputation, Hughes restaurant is not popular with the students; its too expensive.

25. Dont take Keats poem too seriously.

Exercise 2.17: Writing Errors

The following story contains a variety of errors. Correct them and make sure the story conforms to AP style. Raise questions about any problem you have with the copy.

State Bureau of Investegation Director Johnny Jolly told frustrated residents of Midville he couldn’t give them details on the slayings of four young people in the last year.

But details were just what 200 townsfolk asked about during a town meeting with Jolly and two other investegating officials last night.

Jolly would not answer when Connie Russell, 22, asked wether the killer was a local person.

“Everybody in this town is just terrified to live normally,” Russell said. “I can’t go to the grocery store without carrying a revolver. I’ve become really dependant on that gun.”

The first of the four victims was Midville High School cheerleader Beth Harris, 16, who was last seen walking to school on May 1. Her fully clothed body was found tied with a wire to a basketball goal at an abandoned house. A nickle was taped to her forhead.

The charred remains of Jeff Toumey, 15, of Ripton, who was visting in Midville, were found in a garbage can July 15. He was last seen walking along a road to a friend’s house.

Billy Henderson, 16, was abducted from his bedroom while vaccuuming his carpet August 1. His body was found in a antequated automobile a week later after an intensive search by law enforcement officers and volunteers.

Carol Ann Bellows, 19, vanished from a soroity sister’s parked car September 4. Her nude body was located only 300 yards from the cite.

Peters said all four killings are definitly related. The Bureau of Investegation has produced a psycological profile of te killer, Peters said, but he would give no details on the profile.

The director also refused to answer questions on whether anything had been taken from the bodies that might identify the killers or on what the causes of death were.

Jolly did answer a question by a woman who wanted to know what law enforcment officers were doing about a prediction from a local psycic.

“She said it would happen again,” Mrs. Bertha Nunne said.

Peters replied, “We’re not in the habit of following psycics.”

Exercise 2.18: Spelling

The following story contains a variety of errors, including a number of misspelled words. Correct all the errors and make sure the story conforms to AP style. Raise questions about any problem you have with the copy.

Eight-grader JoLinda McSpadden, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Percy McSpadden, Route 3, Pineville, won the county spellilng bee yeterday by spelling “hemmorage” correctly when her rivals could not.

First runnerups in this year’s contest were Terri Callaway, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Callaway, 16 Baker St., and Nancy Wood, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Wood of 3701 Oakdale Road. Both girls successfully spelled “epiphany” to gain a tie for the second spot.

JoLinda, a student at Maplewood Junior High, was the first runnerup in last year’s contest. She will go on to compete in the state contest next month in the state capitol.

The two first runnerups are seventh graders at Highland Junior High.

Jane McMillan, an English teacher at Maplewood and coordinator of this year’s contest, said more than 300 students entered the three-day competion. She called the contest “an extremely successful one.”

Many of the words we used this year were much more difficult than ones we have used in years past,” McMillan said.

She pointed out that many of the contestants successfully spelled words like “pantomime,” “liquify,” naptha,” and “questionnaire.” JoLinda, she said, outlasted a number of good spellers.

I believe that JoLInda will do quite well in the state bee. She is very composed young lady who is not upset even when she is being hurried, giggled at, or otherwise harassed. That quality of coolness frequently works better than the agression shown by some contestants,” McMillan said.

Exercise 2.19: Spelling

The following story contains a variety of errors, including a number of misspelled words. Correct all the errors and make sure the story conforms to AP style. Raise questions about any problem you have with the copy.

The spinal menigiitis outbreak which has plauged the valley area for two weeks is apparently over.

State health department officals have verefied reports that only one person with a confirmed case of the disease is still hospitalized in Greendale.

“We are absolutely delighted to report that 11 of the 12 Midville residents who were struck with menigitis have been released from Community Hospital,” Tommy Beans, deputy assistant to the head of the health department, said yesterday.

The remaining patient, 11 year -old Bonnie Johnson, had her firist symtoms sesveral hours after a family outing to Vinson park and the nearby national forrest campgrounds last Monday. She became the seventh person admited to the local hospital for spinal minigitis treatment in only 10 days. Her illness was complicated by a chronic resperatory problem, but physicians say her condition is good and that she will be released within days.

A number of neighboring counties have experienced a rash of menigitis cases this month. In Billson County, where 15 pre-schoolers were hospitalized in one week, two deaths have been atributed to the ailment.

Billson County Sherrif Ed Willis said he had no idea where the epidemic originated.

“We’ve checked out a number of possibilities, but I don’t really think we are going to figure out where it began. I’m just happy that it is over,” he said.

A total of 55 cases have definitly been treated at five area hospitals since March 1. Isolated cases have been reported in other parts of the state.

Beans said reports of futher cases at area schools are false. He added that it is important for the minigitis patience to take care of them selves.

“Good food and rest, with only a moderate amount of exercize, should take care of the weakness that follows menigitis.

Exercise 2.20: Writing Errors

The following story contains a variety of errors. Correct them and make sure the story conforms to AP style. Raise questions about any problem you have with the copy.

A local man remains puzzelled today over the mysterious disappearance of his automobile.

Billy Hendricks, 21, of 227 Fern St., said he drove to a supermarket near his home yesterday at around 2:30 p.m. to buy steaks for a nieghborhood cookout. On leaving the store, he was “absolutely astonished” to find his dark blue 1990 Ford Mustang missing.

“I wasn’t in that store for more than five minutes. I can’t imagine how anyone could have stolen it. I had locked the car, and I had my keys with me. It was really an embarrasing situation to be in, standing there with my mounth hanging open in surprize,” Hendricks said.

Although police assigned to the case have questionned local residents and others who were in the area at the time of the incident, they have practiclly no leads.

Sgt. Tommy Wilson, officer in charge of the investegation, said he has “little to go on.”

“It could have been anybody from a profesional auto hustler to a kid out for a joy ride to some prankster friend of Mr. Hendricks. When you’re dealing with an occurrance as strange as this one, you can’t really rule out any possibility,” Wilson said.

Wilson said he and his officers are constently working with police from all over the state on cases similar to this one.

“We keep tabs on various people who occasionnally deal in ‘hot’ cars, and one of them will inadvertantly make a mistake sooner or later. We can hope that one of those mistakes will get Mr. Hendricks’ car back for us. And we do have other sources of information to depend on, informents in the car business who keep eyes and ears open.