The omission of a verb makes these sentences grammatically incorrect. Never omit a verb that is needed to make the meaning clear or the sentence grammatical. Misused Verbs. - Verbs are misused in various ways. I. A short time before, he had succeeded to the paternal estate. You are no more likely to be called insincere than to be credited with good intentions. He did not use the coarse expression imputed to him. Calvin's career had shown that he rose above his time. I am a candidate, but without a seat to capture. Mr. Sherman has deprecated this phase of the situation. I will not allow anybody to impute to me motives that are wrong. After school he liked to wander through the woods. He liked to see the fish dart swiftly through the water. Wondering what could have wound his friend up to such a pitch of mystery, Nicolas endeavored to find out the cause. II. A short time before, he had acceded to the paternal estate. You are no more likely to be called insincere than to be accredited with good intentions. He did not use the coarse expression accredited to him. Calvin's career had shown that he arose above his time. I am a candidate, but without a seat to captivate. Mr. Sherman has depreciated this phase of the situation. I will not allow anybody to impugn to me motives that are wrong. After school he liked to wander through the woods. He loved to see the fish dart swiftly through the water. Admiring what could have wound his friend up to such a pitch of mystery, Nicolas enIdeavored to find out. To admire in the sense of "to wonder no longer, in good use. I. Such action must of necessity alienate many classes of voters. The republicans of the finance committee will soon report Mr. Aldrich's bill, but whether or not to oppose it to McPherson's is not yet decided. Trochu was prepared to reject every proposal I should make. He emphatically declared in favor of the bill which is to be supported in Congress by General Slocum. Mr. Bridgman upheld the system, and declared that the champion of free pews entered the arena at an advantage. Such action must of necessity antagonize many classes of voters. The republicans of the finance' committee will soon report Mr. Aldrich's bill, but whether to antagonize it to McPherson's is not yet decided. Trochu was prepared to antagonize every proposal I should make. He emphatically declared in favor of the bill which is to be championed in Congress by General Slocum. Mr. Bridgman championed the system and declared that the champion of free pews entered the arena under an advantage. Antagonize and champion, as used in the sentences under II., belong to members of Congress and to those who adopt the congressional dialect. I. She received his apologies with a resentment they were likely, but were not intended, to inspire. II. She received his apologies with a resentment they were calculated but not intended to inspire. If they were calculated, they must have been "intended," to inspire resentment. I. Below them in a thicket ran a brook, from which they fetched (or, brought) water to drink. II. Below them in a thicket ran a brook, from which they carried water to drink. They may have "carried" a pail to the brook; but they "brought" the water back. "Fetched," which is still more idiomatic than "brought," seems to be going out of use. I. Mrs. Makepeace declares that her husband beat her. He asserted that the invalid was a wealthy man. Congress acted on the theory that the idea of Indian nationality had vanished. Mrs. Daboll declares that the report that her husband took poison is false. II. Mrs. Makepeace claims that her husband beat her. He claimed that the invalid was a wealthy man. Congress claimed that the idea of Indian nationality had vanished. Mrs. Daboll claims the fallacy of the news that her husband took poison. The word "claim" has been misused for at least two generations. In a Connecticut law report published in 1814, the following passage occurs in an opinion by one of the judges: "This is the naked question arising from the attempt of an heir to establish a title in an ancestor by producing a certified copy of a deed without any claim that the original has been lost by time or accident." Daniel Webster, it is said, underlined the word "claim" in his copy of the book, and wrote in the margin the following comment: "This word claim means everything in the law language of Connecticut. Here a man claims that he has lost a deed." "Claim" is properly used in "He claims the floor;" "He claims the Tichborne estate; "She claims her rights;" "The claim of the Conservatives was allowed." I. Elocution is very important, as almost any of the instructors in other courses will admit. II. Elocution is very important, as almost any of the instructors in other courses will confess. Strictly speaking, we "confess a fault of our own, not a merit of another person or thing. The use of confess for "admit" is, however, very common. It occurs in some good authors, especially in the expression "I must confess." I. She is a little lanky as yet, but I dare say she will outgrow that defect. He asked Godfrey to allow him to sell his fine trotter. "I would n't debase myself so far," says Tita. King Louis flung his cane out of the window: "because," said he, "I won't degrade myself by striking a gentleman.” II. She is a little lanky as yet, but I dare say she will cure of that. He demanded Godfrey to allow him to sell his fine trotter. “I would n't demean myself so far," says Tita. King Louis flung his cane out of the window: "because," said he, "I won't demean myself by striking a gentleman." The verb "demean," like the noun "demeanor," requires a qualifying word to determine the meaning. I. The owner may attend to his own cattle, or he may let the milch cattle to others. II. The owner may attend to his own cattle, or he may hire the milch cattle to others. In view of the fact that it is always the owner, not the would-be tenant, who advertises "a house to let,” it is singular that, in accounts of other transactions, hire should so often be used instead of "let." I. The committee on schools and school-houses authorized the superintendent of public buildings to hire the Hawes Place Church for school purposes. II. The committee on schools and school-houses authorized the superintendent of public buildings to lease the Hawes Place Church for school purposes. "To lease means "to let for life, for years, or at will;" but it is often used as if it meant "to hire." I. At a meeting of the directors of the Eastern Railroad, it was voted to lease that railroad to the Boston and Maine Company. At a meeting of the directors of the Boston and Maine Railroad, it was voted to take a lease of the Eastern. II. At a meeting of the directors of the Eastern Railroad it was voted to lease the railroad to the Boston and Maine. At a meeting of the directors of the lastnamed railroad it was voted to lease the Eastern. "To lease" is used correctly in the first sentence under II., incorrectly in the second. I. The representatives of Harvard University were there at the appointed hour, but the other colleges failed to appear. Does this practice lead to insincerity? I argue that it does not. II. Harvard's representatives were on hand at the appointed hour, but the other colleges failed to materialize. Does this practice lead to insincerity? I plead that it does not. The use of plead for "argue " is common, but careful writers distinguish between the two words. I. He received an electric shock. This shows the measure of the man. II. He was shocked by electricity. This sizes up the man. Sizes up is a slang expression often heard in the United States. |