Expressions to be Written as Separate Words 1

130. Expressions which good usage treats as groups Incorrect

com

of separate words not as compound words - should pounding not be hyphened or written solid. What expressions belong to this class one must learn largely by observation and by consulting a dictionary in doubtful cases. 131. Note that the following expressions should be Words to written with their components entirely separated - not separately combined into compound words either by being hyphened or by being written solid :

all ready all right any day any time

by and by

by the bye by the way each other en route every day every time

ex officio
in fact

in order

in spite
near by

(on the) other hand

per cent (but percentage)
pro tempore

some day

some way

1 See Exercises 666-668, 673, 674.

be written

132. As was stated in Rule 126, indefinite pronouns ending in body should be written solid. But pronominal expressions ending in one should not be written solid.

133. A while should be written as two separate words when the while is used as a noun.1 But when awhile is used as an adverb1 meaning DURING a short time, it should be written solid.

Right: For a while all was well. ["While" is a noun,
object of the preposition "for."]
Right: He came a while ago. ["While" is a noun, ad-
verbial modifier of " ago, just as in "He walked a
mile farther "" mile" is a noun, adverbial modifier of
"farther. "]

Right: He died a while before the war. ["While " is a
noun, adverbial modifier of "before the war. Com-
"He died a short time before the war,'
"" He died
pare
a long way from home."]

Right: Come in and rest awhile [i.e., during a short
time].

134. Some time should be written as two separate words when the time is a noun.1 But sometime, an adverb1 meaning AT some time, should be written solid. Right: For some time all was well.

Right: He went some time ago.

135. Any way should be written as two separate words when the way is a noun.1

verb1 meaning IN any way or in

written solid.

But anyway, an ad

any case, should be

Right: He will not yield in any way.

noun, object of "in."]

["Way" is a

Right: Perhaps he objects, but I am going anyway.

1 See the Grammatical Vocabulary, pp. 360 ff.

The Hyphen with Numerals 1

one etc.

136. Cardinal numbers composed of twenty, thirty, Twentyforty, fifty, sixty, seventy, eighty, or ninety followed by one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or nine should be hyphened whether used alone or as parts of larger numbers.

Right twenty-one, eighty-six, fifty-three, ninety-four,
one hundred and thirty-six, twenty-eight thousand.

etc.

137. No other component terms of a cardinal number One hundred should be joined by a hyphen, except when the number is joined to a noun to form an attributive adjective expression (cf. Rule 117).

Right: one hundred, two hundred and six, one thousand
and twenty-five.

But note:

Right a two-hundred-horse-power engine, a two-hun-
dred-mile journey. [117.]

138. All the words in ordinal2 numbers should be Ordinal

joined by hyphens.

Right: twenty-seventh, one-hundred-and-sixth,
thousand-and-second tale of Scheherazade."

numbers

"the

139. In fractional numbers the numerator should not Fractions

be joined to the denominator by a hyphen except when the fraction is used as an attributive adjective or is joined to a noun to form an attributive adjective expression (see Rule 117).

Right: three fourths of an inch, two thirds of a mile.
But note:

Right: a two-thirds majority, a three-quarter-inch
augur. [117.]

1 See Exercises 675, 677.

2 See the Grammatical Vocabulary, pp. 360 ff.

Abbreviations

inelegant

in general

ABBREVIATIONS 1

140. Abbreviations are, as a rule, in bad taste in compositions written in connected sentences. In such compositions including letters-it is best to use no abbreviations except those which are employed, not merely by newspapers and writers of commonplace business letters, but by recognized masters of English prose.

BAD: Last summer I worked for the Chandler Mfg. Co.
in Casey, Ill. Casey is on the C. and E. I. R.R.
Right: Last summer I worked for the Chandler Manu-
facturing Company in Casey, Illinois. Casey is on
the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad.

IMPROPER superscription on an envelope:
Thos. Howe

c/o Capt. Wm. Fiske

Wabasha

Minn.

Right:

Mr. Thomas Howe

In care of Captain William Fiske

Wabasha

Minnesota

BAD:

Rev. Chas. Drayton

#463 9th st.

Bridgeport
Ct.

Right:

The Reverend Charles Drayton

463 Ninth Street

Bridgeport
Connecticut

1 See Exercise 676.

Yours of Sept. 30 rec'd and in reply would say I am at present out of mdse. desired, but will ship same as soon as possible.

Right:

Y'rs resp'y,

H. T..

Hibbs.

20 High Street, Columbus, Ohio,
October 3, 1908.

Messrs. D. C. Heath and Company,
Chicago, Illinois.

Gentlemen:

I have received your letter of September 30. In reply, allow me to say that I have not in stock at present the merchandise you desire, but will send it as soon as possible.

Yours respectfully,

H. T. Hibbs.

bills etc.

141. Compositions written in connected sentences do Statistics, not include such works as dictionaries, statistical tables, grocers' medical prescriptions, carpenters' specifications, and mercantile bills. In such compositions, of course, any abbreviation that is clear is admissible. In a grocer's bill it is proper to write :

But it would be incongruous to write in a connected
composition:

"One night early in Sept. Wm. and I met Chas, walk-
ing disconsolately along Wentworth Ave. It seemed
to me that he must have lost 20 lbs. since I had last
seen him in Aurora, Ill. With a haggard look he
told us that wheat was selling @ 97 cts. per bu. and
that he was ruined."