rule_14.dita

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<concept id="concept_cfx_gt4_z2b">
    <title>Rule 14</title>
    <shortdesc>Avoid a succession of loose sentences.</shortdesc>
    <conbody>
        <p>This rule refers especially to loose sentences of a particular type, those consisting of
            two co-ordinate clauses, the second introduced by a conjunction or relative. Although
            single sentences of this type may be unexceptionable (see under <xref keyref="rule_04"
                >Rule 4</xref>), a series soon becomes monotonous and tedious.</p>
        <p>An unskilful writer will sometimes construct a whole paragraph of sentences of this kind,
            using as connectives <i>and</i>, <i>but</i>, <i>so</i>, and less frequently, <i>who</i>,
                <i>which</i>, <i>when</i>, <i>where</i>, and <i>while</i>, these last in
            non-restrictive senses (see under <xref keyref="rule_03">Rule 3</xref>).</p>
        <p> The third concert of the subscription series was given last evening, and a large
            audience was in attendance. Mr. Edward Appleton was the soloist, and the Boston Symphony
            Orchestra furnished the instrumental music. The former showed himself to be an artist of
            the first rank, while the latter proved itself fully deserving of its high reputation.
            The interest aroused by the series has been very gratifying to the Committee, and it is
            planned to give a similar series annually hereafter. The fourth concert will be given on
            Tuesday, May 10, when an equally attractive programme will be presented.</p>
        <p>Apart from its triteness and emptiness, the paragraph above is weak because of the
            structure of its sentences, with their mechanical symmetry and sing-song. Contrast with
            them the sentences in the paragraphs quoted under <xref keyref="rule_09">Rule 9</xref>,
            or in any piece of good English prose, as the preface (Before the Curtain) to
                <cite>Vanity Fair</cite>.</p>
        <p>If the writer finds that he has written a series of sentences of the type described, he
            should recast enough of them to remove the monotony, replacing them by simple sentences,
            by sentences of two clauses joined by a semicolon, by periodic sentences of two clauses,
            by sentences, loose or periodic, of three clauses—whichever best represent the real
            relations of the thought.</p>
    </conbody>
</concept>