Plain English. Marian Wharton

49 V. Diphthongs 57 VI. Syllabification 68 VII. Syllabification, Cont'd. 77 VIII. Accent 87 IX. Compound Words 96 X. Prefixes and Suffixes 105 XI. Derivatives 114 XII. Derivatives, Cont'd. 126 XIII. Silent E 137 XIV. Words Ending in Y 146 XV. Words with ei or ie 159 XVI. Homonyms 168 XVII. Derivative Nouns 178 XVIII. Verbs with Prepositions 187 XIX. Derivative Prepositions 199 XX. Derivative Adverbs 211 XXI. Derivative Adjectives 221 XXII. Words in able and ible 231 XXIII. Simplified Spelling 241 XXIV. Verbs with Suffixes 254 XXV. Cognate Sounds 256 XXVI. Words beginning with dis 277 XXVII. The prefixes in, un and mis 287 XXVIII. Synonyms 297 XXIX. Antonyms 308 XXX. Common Errors 320

PLAIN ENGLISH

       Table of Contents

Lesson I

       Table of Contents

      Open Letter

      Dear Comrade:

      You are beginning a course of study in the use of Plain English. We do not know what your previous study may have been, but the object of this course is to give the basic principles and practice of the use of the English Language for the benefit of those who have not had the opportunity of a high school education and possibly have not finished in the grade school.

      For this reason we have avoided, as much as possible, the statement of rules and formulas to be learned by rote and have made the few rules which it is necessary to know, grow naturally out of the need for them in the development of expression in language.

      We have taken for granted several things in the preparation of this course. First, we assume that you have never studied grammar, or if you have, that you will be glad to review it in simplified form. This course does not follow the lines laid down by technical grammarians. It has been worked out on the basis of plain, common sense. Our purpose is not to make of you a grammarian, versed in the knowledge of rules and reasons, but to give you the power to express yourself more readily, fluently and correctly—in other words to speak and write good English.

      Second, we assume that you are interested and willing to work and eager to increase