How to Write Clearly | Page 2

and also to his English
Grammar. I have not always been able to agree with Professor Bain as
to matters of taste; but I find it difficult to express my admiration for
the systematic thoroughness and suggestiveness of his book on
Composition. In particular, Professor Bain's rule on the use of "that"
and "which" (see Rule 8) deserves to be better known.[2] The
ambiguity produced by the confusion between these two forms of the
Relative is not a mere fiction of pedants; it is practically serious. Take,
for instance, the following sentence, which appeared lately in one of
our ablest weekly periodicals: "There are a good many Radical
members in the House who cannot forgive the Prime Minister for being
a Christian." Twenty years hence, who is to say whether the meaning is
"and they, i.e. all the Radical members in the House," or "there are a
good many Radical members of the House that cannot &c."? Professor
Bain, apparently admitting no exceptions to his useful rule, amends
many sentences in a manner that seems to me intolerably harsh.
Therefore, while laying due stress on the utility of the rule, I have
endeavoured to point out and explain the exceptions.
The rules are stated as briefly as possible, and are intended not so much
for use by themselves as for reference while the pupil is working at the
exercises. Consequently, there is no attempt to prove the rules by

accumulations of examples. The few examples that are given, are given
not to prove, but to illustrate the rules. The exercises are intended to be
written out and revised, as exercises usually are; but they may also be
used for vivâ voce instruction. The books being shut, the pupils, with
their written exercises before them, may be questioned as to the reasons
for the several alterations they have made. Experienced teachers will
not require any explanation of the arrangement or rather
non-arrangement of the exercises. They have been purposely mixed
together unclassified to prevent the pupil from relying upon anything
but his own common sense and industry, to show him what is the fault
in each case, and how it is to be amended. Besides references to the
rules, notes are attached to each sentence, so that the exercises ought
not to present any difficulty to a painstaking boy of twelve or thirteen,
provided he has first been fairly trained in English grammar.
The "Continuous Extracts" present rather more difficulty, and are
intended for boys somewhat older than those for whom the Exercises
are intended. The attempt to modernize, and clarify, so to speak, the
style of Burnet, Clarendon, and Bishop Butler,[3] may appear
ambitious, and perhaps requires some explanation. My object has, of
course, not been to improve upon the style of these authors, but to show
how their meaning might be expressed more clearly in modern English.
The charm of the style is necessarily lost, but if the loss is recognized
both by teacher and pupil, there is nothing, in my opinion, to
counterbalance the obvious utility of such exercises. Professor Bain
speaks to the same effect:[4] "For an English exercise, the matter
should in some way or other be supplied, and the pupil disciplined in
giving it expression. I know of no better method than to prescribe
passages containing good matter, but in some respects imperfectly
worded, to be amended according to the laws and the proprieties of
style. Our older writers might be extensively, though not exclusively,
drawn upon for this purpose."
To some of the friends whose help has been already acknowledged in
"English Lessons for English People," I am indebted for further help in
revising these pages. I desire to express especial obligations to the Rev.
J. H. Lupton, late Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge, and Second

Master of St. Paul's School, for copious and valuable suggestions; also
to several of my colleagues at the City of London School, among
whom I must mention in particular the Rev. A. R. Vardy, Fellow of
Trinity College, Cambridge.
* * * * *
Before electrotyping the Fourth and Revised Edition, I wish to say one
word as to the manner in which this book has been used by my highest
class, as a collection of Rules for reference in their construing lessons.
In construing, from Thucydides especially, I have found Rules 5, 30, 34,
36, 37, and 40a, of great use. The rules about Metaphor and Climax
have also been useful in correcting faults of taste in their Latin and
Greek compositions. I have hopes that, used in this way, this little book
may be of service to the highest as well as to the middle classes of our
schools.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Punctuation is fully discussed in most English Grammars, and is
therefore referred to in this book