Use "a" or 66 'an,' not "this," to introduce a person or an object; use "the," not "this," to point forward to a restrictive relative clause.

EXERCISE CIV

Which word is preferable, that in parenthesis or that which precedes ?

1. At the top of a hill was this (an) old dilapidated house, which was said to be haunted.

2. I will say a word on the (this) point next to be discussed. 3. It is one (a) day to be remembered.

Redundant Articles. An article is sometimes inserted where it is not needed.

I

Mrs. Bennet is not the kind of woman to put up with these things without a struggle.

I don't think I should care for that sort of opportunity.

II

Mrs. Bennet is not the kind of a woman to put up with these things without a struggle.

I don't think I should care for that sort of an opportunity.

The use of a or an before a class name, especially after the words "sort" and "kind," is a common error.

"Kind

of a" and "sort of a" were once, but are no longer, in good use.

I

He is not worthy of the name of man [or name “man ”].

II

He is not worthy of the name of a man.

The writer of the sentence under II had in mind, not the name of an individual man, but the name given to the class man as distinguished from other classes of beings.

I

She was a belle at parties. I protest against the usual attitude of people toward puns.

Last night the committee on athletics met in my room. Soon after they adjourned, visitors began to come.

II

She was a belle at the parties. I protest against the usual attitude of people toward the puns.

Last night the committee on athletics met in my room. Soon after they adjourned, the visitors began to come.

To put the before "parties' or "puns" or "visitors" is to give apparent definiteness to what is really indefinite unless the meaning is already known to the reader. If it is not known to him, he naturally asks, "What parties?" "What puns?" "What visitors?" but he finds no answer in the sentence. The presence of "the" would be justified, however, if the meaning of each phrase were made definite by the addition of one or more words, as "the parties in Papanti's Hall," "the puns in Hood's poems," "the visitors I had invited."

I

At present [or At the present time], these things are true. Dunstan was sadly in need of

money.

II

At the present, these things are true.

Dunstan was sadly in the need

of money.

" and "in the need" are

"At present" and "in need" are established in the language; but "at the present not good English.

I

Few children like to puzzle over a thing that is not plain after a second reading, at most.

II

Few children like to puzzle over a thing that is not plain after a second reading, at the most.

Several centuries ago, "at the most was the proper form; but in modern English "at most" is preferred.

I

Most, if not all of them, are

mere typographical errors.

II

The most, if not all of them, are mere typographical errors.

When "most" is followed by a phrase expressing number, quantity, or bulk, it does not, according to the best usage, require an article.

I

Digging [or The digging of] the foundations and constructing [or the constructing of] the cellars weary labor.

is

II

The digging the foundations and the constructing the cellars is weary labor.

If "digging" and "constructing are preceded by "the," they should be followed by "of"; for the presence of the articles implies that the forms in "-ing" are to be treated as nouns.1 In this case, the better plan is to omit the articles and to give the forms in " -ing" direct objects, that is, to treat them as verbs.

Avoid as a hindrance any article that is not a help to the meaning.

EXERCISE CV

Strike out any redundant articles :

1. Joceline Joliffe was a sort of a man-of-all-work round the Lodge. 2. It would scarcely surprise us to learn that the animals have in common with us the essential element of religion.

3. They had a strong influence on me, and mostly for the good. 4. The contemplating literature from the point of view of an outsider was natural to me.

5. It is these characters that give the life to his Scotch novels.

6. Good a walker as I am, I was beginning to feel tired.

7. The most of the brigands who carried off Miss Stone have dispersed.

EXERCISE CVI

If an article is needed where there is a blank, insert the right one; if none is needed, insert none:

5. You'd find your Louvre a very different sort of

what it used to be, my dear lady.

6.

most of us were too restless to seek repose.

7. I began to suffer from

8.

want of food.

violet is my favorite flower;

9. I fear you are in need of sleep.

10. Thackeray was greater as

place from

robin, my favorite bird.

writer than as - artist.

1 See page 52.

11. He is entitled to the name of

12. In

scholar.

warm weather you do not need so many wraps as in

cold weather.

13. Good writing comes in part from

14. Youth is the time for

reading of good books.

forming the character.

Omitted Articles. More mischief is caused by the omission of a necessary article than by the insertion of an unnecessary one.

I

He deems it no sin to steal a pen or a pencil.

A boy and a girl young enough to be punished could not possibly fall in love.

II

He deems it no sin to steal a pen or pencil.

A boy and girl young enough to be punished could not possibly fall in love.

In these examples, by repeating the article in each case we show at once that two things and two persons are

meant.

I

The portraits include a full and a profile view of Washington.

A Yale and a Williams man had been conversing about the game.

II

The portraits include a full and profile view of Washington.

A Yale and Williams man had been conversing about the game.

The omission of "a" before "profile" leaves room for the supposition that Washington's full face and his profile form a single portrait, or at least that they are in one frame, like the portraits of Charles I by Vandyke. "A Yale and Williams man" means, literally, one man who is, or has been, connected with both institutions.

All the sentences under II on this page are objectionable because they are susceptible of absurd interpretations rather than because they are likely to be misunderstood. Sometimes, however, the presence or the absence of an article changes the meaning: thus, "a red and a white flag means two flags, one red, the other white; "a red and white flag" means one flag of two colors.

I

They were frowned upon by the court and the clergy.

II

They were frowned upon by the court and clergy.

"The court and clergy" means, literally, either one body composed of two sections or two bodies acting as one. If, as is probable, the writer had in mind two bodies acting independently, he should have said "the court and the clergy."

I

Neither the army nor the navy [or Neither army nor navy] was ready when the war broke out.

The "Nation" tries to crush both the president and the overseers [or both president and overseers].

II

Neither the army nor navy was ready when the war broke out.

The "Nation" tries to sit on both the president and overseers.

"it

If "the" is used before "army" and "president," it should be used before "navy" and "overseers"; if it is omitted before "navy" and "overseers," it should be omitted before "army" and "president": correlatives like "neither. nor," "both. . . and "— require that the words which they connect shall be treated alike.

I

The text-books are the Franklin

or the Munroe Readers.

II

The text-books are the Franklin or Munroe Readers.

As "Franklin" is the name of one set of readers, and "Munroe" the name of another, "the" is required before "Munroe."

I

The poems of his youth are marked by the faults and the beauties of his maturer work.

II

The poems of his youth are marked by the faults and beauties of his maturer work.

necessary before "beauties"

In this example, "the" is to show that "the poems of his youth" resemble "his maturer work" in two distinct ways. "The faults and weaknesses" would be correct, because faults and weaknesses are closely akin. So, too, "the" is not necessary