Page:The king's English (IA kingsenglish00fowlrich).pdf/270
dignity. The order may perhaps be given as: and, or, but, so, nor, for; conjunctions less common than these should scarcely ever be used with less than a semicolon; and many good writers would refuse to put a mere comma before for. (2) Shortness and lightness of the sentence joined on helps to lessen the need for a heavy stop. (3) Intimate connexion in thought with the preceding sentence has the same effect. Before giving our examples, which are all of undesirable commas, we point out that in the first two there are independent signs of the writers' being uneducated; and such signs will often be discoverable. It will be clear from what we have said why the others are bad—except perhaps the third; it is particularly disagreeable to have two successive independent sentences tagged on with commas, as those beginning with nor and for are in that example.
No peace at night he enjoys, for he lays awake.–Guernsey Advertiser.
Now accepted, nominal Christendom believes this, and strives to attain unto it, then why the inconsistency of creed and deed?–Daily Telegraph.
But who is responsible to Government for the efficiency of the Army? The Commander-in-Chief and no one else, nor has anyone questioned the fact, for it is patent.–Times.
But even on this theory the formula above stated holds good, for such systems, so far from being self-contained (as it were) and sufficient evidence for themselves, are really...–Balfour.
Some banks on the Nevsky Prospect are having iron shutters fitted, otherwise there is nothing apparently to justify General Trepoff's proclamation.–Times.
Everybody knows where his own shoe pinches, and, if people find drawbacks in the places they inhabit, they must also find advantages, otherwise they would not be there.–Times.
We have suffered many things at the hands of the Russian Navy during the war, nevertheless the news that Admiral Rozhdestvensky...will send a thrill of admiration...–Times.
I think that on the whole we may be thankful for the architectural merits of the Gaiety block, it has breadth and dignity of design and groups well on the angular site.–Times.
It will not be irrelevant to add here, though the point has been touched upon in Understopping, that though a light