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such expressions as "this," "these," as follows," "the following," and similar terms, when they promise or introduce something, whether a quotation or not.

Ex.-"The sentence is this: I will succeed, or die in the attempt."

EXERCISE.

Punctuate the following where necessary :

1. The sentence reads as follows Never give up the contest. 2. My opinion of his work is this It is the best that I have

seen.

3. These are the terms Poor work, poor pay.

4. This is the rule A singular verb requires a subject in the singular.

5. The following statement is correct

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RULE 5. Title-Pages.—In a title-page, when an explanatory expression is put in apposition with the main title, without the use of a conjunction, the two are separated by a colon. For illustration see title-page of this book.

Note. In a title-page a colon is usually placed between the names of the publishers and the name of the city in which they are located; as,—

Philadelphia: Roberts & Co.

GENERAL EXERCISE.

Punctuate the following where necessary :

1. So then these are the two virtues of building first the sign of man's own good work secondly the expression of man's delight in work better than his own.

2. A Spanish proverb says "Four persons are indispensable to the production of a good salad first a spendthrift for oil second a miser for vinegar third a counsellor for salt fourth a madman to stir it all up."

3. We have in use two kinds of language the spoken and the written the one the gift of God the other the invention of man, 4. The speaker began as follows

"Ladies and Gentlemen this is an occasion of great interest to all of us."

5.

6.

7.

8.

Be wise with speed

A fool at forty is a fool indeed.

Teach thy necessity to reason thus
There is no virtue like necessity.

Unblemished let me live, or die unknown

Oh, grant an honest fame, or grant me none.
Truth crushed to earth shall rise again

The eternal years of God are hers

But Error wounded writhes in pain

And dies amid his worshipers.

THE INTERROGATION POINT (?).

The Interrogation Point is used to show that a question is asked.

RULE 1. Questions. An interrogation point should be placed after every direct question.

Ex.-"Is this your work?"

Note 1.-A direct question is one that admits of an answer; as, "Why did he not come?" An indirect question is one that is merely spoken of; as, "They asked why he did not come."

Note 2.-When several questions are thrown together to form one sentence, the sentence begins with a capital letter, but an interrogation point should follow each question; as, "What is the meaning of all this excitement? of all this tumult? of all this confusion ?" Note 3.—A series of interrogative sentences may sometimes be closely related, and yet each be distinct in itself. In such case each sentence begins with a capital letter, and is followed by an interrogation point; as, "Does he hunt? Does he shoot? Is he in debt? Is he temperate?"

Note 4.-When a question is not complete until the end of the sentence is reached, only one interrogation point should be used, and

that at the close of the sentence; as, “Which is the older, John or James?"

RULE 2. Doubt.-The interrogation point is sometimes inserted in curves to throw doubt upon a statement.

Ex. "His beautiful (?) diction was not admired."

GENERAL EXERCISE.

Punctuate the following where necessary :

1. They asked me why I did not play

2. They asked me, “Why do you not play"

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3. "You intend to go home to-morrow "To morrow no; not till Friday."

4. Do you travel for health or for pleasure

5. What is the product of 17 times 14 Of 16 times 13 Of 18 x 24.

6. The gracefulness () of this buffoon is something to excite wonder.

7. Our friends () undertook to censure us for our levity.

8. Dost thou love life Then do not squander time for that is the stuff that life is made of.

9. Greece indeed fell but how did she fall Did she fall like Babylon Did she fall like Lucifer never to rise again

10. "Good-morning sir I hope you are well" "Well no far from it I am suffering intensely"

THE EXCLAMATION POINT (!).

The Exclamation Point is used to indicate some emotion.

RULE 1. Interjections.-The exclamation point is placed after interjections when they show strong emotion.

Ex.-"Hurrah! we are free again."

Note 1.-When the emotion expressed belongs to the whole phrase or sentence, the exclamation is usually placed after the entire expression, rather than after the interjection; as, "Shame upon your conduct !"

Note 2.--When an interjection is repeated several times, the repeated words are separated from each other by a comma, and the exclamation point is put only after the last; as, “Well, well! I cannot stand that."

Note 3.—The difference between O and oh was closely observed formerly, O being used in direct address; as, "O home, magical, all werful home!" while oh was used more directly to express emotions; as, "Oh, how glad I am!"

Note 4.-0 is not immediately followed by an exclamation point, but oh is so followed except where the emotion runs through the whole expression, in which case oh is followed by a comma, and the entire emotional expression by an exclamation point.

Note 5.-The interjections eh and hey are frequently used at the end of a question. In that case they are followed by an interrogation point.

RULE 2. Exclamation.-An exclamation point is placed after every exclamatory expression.

Ex.—“ Magnificent! Gorgeous!" were the words of all. "How very simple it is!"

Note. It is usually best to put the point where the full force of the exclamation is brought out. Thus, "Charge, Chester, charge On, Stanley, on !"

RULE 3.-More than one exclamation point may be used to express wonder, irony, contempt, or great surprise.

Ex.—“ Believe in his honesty!! I would rather trust the honesty of a thief.”

Note. The exclamation point is sometimes used to imply doubt in the same manner as the interrogation point; as, "The sneak was a humble (1) man."

GENERAL EXERCISE.

Punctuate the following where necessary :

1. How sweetly the bee winds her small but mellow horn

2. Lo I am with you alway

3 Alas my noble boy that thou shouldst die

4. Selling off at cost Great sacrifices

5. How calmly the ship glides over the water

6. What a queer-looking bonnet

7. King of kings and Lord of lords we humbly bow before thee

8. Woe to the tempter

9. Oh dear how shall I get out of this.

10.

11.

12.

Green be the turf above thee

Friend of my better days

Oh long may it wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave How dear to my heart are the scenes of my childhood When fond recollection presents them to view 13. Build thee more stately mansions O my soul 14. Let this be your motto Rely on yourself 15. Alas how easily things go wrong

16. God pity us all in our pitiful strife

17. How complicate how wonderful is man

18. God send thee many years of sunshine days

THE DASH (-).

The Dash is used chiefly to indicate a sudden char in the sense or the construction of a sentence.

Note. The dash has its legitimate use, and is necessary in many kinds of composition, but it is frequently used by unskilled writers as a substitute for the comma, the semicolon, the colon, the marks of parenthesis, and even the period. It should not be used as a substitute for any of these. The use of the dash for any of the marks here mentioned is permissible only where none of them can be correctly used.

The following are the most important rules for the use of the dash:

RULE 1. Sudden Change.-A dash is used to mark some sudden or abrupt change in the construction or the sense of a sentence.

Ex.—“ And bia her, you mark me, on Wednesday next-but soft, what day is this?"

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