This book is intended for use in English courses in which the practice of composition is combined with the study of literature. It aims to give in a brief space the principal requirements of plain English style. It aims to lighten the task of instructor and student by concentrating attention (in Chapters II and III) on a few essentials, the rules of usage and principles of composition most commonly violated. The numbers of the sections may be used as references in correcting manuscript.
I like to say I had a very varied undergraduate education. I was an English major first, and then at the end of my college career I decided I was interested in urban planning. I became an urban studies major, with a minor in poetry. I don't think I knew what I was looking for in my early twenties, but I know I kept not finding it.
The English public always feels perfectly at ease when a mediocrity is talking to it.
The English language is full of words that are just waiting to be misspelled, and the world is full of sticklers, ready to pounce.
Although an increasing proportion of the Hispanic population is foreign-born - about half of adults in this group - English proficiency is and should remain a requirement for citizenship.
Speaking English is like tongue-twist for me. I can speak each word perfect, but then you have to string them together like, 'Blah, blah, blah. ' That's when I get crazy.
I've seen the odd tarot reader and had my palm read in various countries and explained to me in many strains of broken English. Did I believe a word? To be honest, I didn't understand much, but I loved watching the presentation.
I studied English literature in the honors program, which means that you had to take courses in various centuries. You had to start with Old English, Middle English, and work your way toward the modern. I figured if I did that it would force me to read some of the things I might not read on my own.
There's a focus that hasn't been there for ages and ages and some American bands are sounding quite English like they did in the late 70s and early 80s.
I think that phrase is the most horrible phrase in the English language - 'I don't know. ' It's terribly embarrassing.
Croquet is tough. People play for months because the rules are so bizarre. Those crazy English.
If we were to drive out the English with the weapons with which they enslaved us, our slavery would still be with us even when they have gone.
The French just said he was a damned nuisance. Or they would have had they the good fortune to speak English. Instead being French they were forced to say it in their own language.
I'm too tired to speak in English.
My dad's Russian. My mother's English. I would say my bottom half is Russian.
I learned English from American pros. That's why I speak so bad. I call it PGA English.
I had always been so much taken with the way all English people I knew always were going to see their lawyer. Even if they have no income and do not earn anything they always have a lawyer.
My agent called me and said, "You have an audition for James Bond. They're looking for the girl. " And I told him, "Listen, it's all in English. I'm not an actress. I'm not going to go. " He thought I was kidding with him.
The Americans are the illegitimate children of the English.
The English will agree with me that there are plenty of good things for the table in America; but the old proverb says: 'God sends meat and the devil sends cooks. '