went from the house to the
station.

=Do not begin one idea, abandon it for a second, and then return to the
first. Complete one idea at a time.=

Faulty: She looked up as he approached and smoothed her hair.
[The writer begins a main clause, changes to a subordinate
clause, and then attempts to add more to the main clause.
Unfortunately the last two verbs appear to be coordinate.]

Right: She looked up and smoothed her hair as he approached.
[Or] As he approached she looked up, and smoothed her hair.

=Ordinarily, let a second thought begin where the first leaves off.=

Faulty: An orange grove requires plenty of water. The young
trees will die if they do not have plenty of water. [The order
of ideas is: "Grove ... water. Trees ... water." Reverse the
order of the second sentence.]

Right: An orange grove requires plenty of water. For without
water the young trees will die. [Now the order of ideas is:
"Grove ... water. Water ... trees."]

Exercise:

1. I boarded the train, after buying a ticket.

2. I dropped my pen when the whistle blew and sighed.

3. Unless the bank clerk has ability he will never be
successful unless he works faithfully and hard.

4. I remember the days when Rover was a pup. Now he is not half
so interesting as he was then.

5. A chessboard is divided into sixty-four squares, and there
is plenty of room between the opposing armies for a terrific
battle, since each army occupies only sixteen squares.

=Squinting Modifier=

=26. Avoid the squinting construction. That is, do not place between two
parts of a sentence a modifier that may attach itself to either. Place
the modifier where it cannot be misunderstood.=

Confusing: I told him when the time came I would do it. [_When
the time came_ is said to "squint" because the reader cannot
tell whether it looks forward to the end of the sentence, or
backward to the beginning.]

Right: When the time came, I told him I would do it. [Or] I
told him I would do it when the time came.

Confusing: Some friends I knew would enjoy the play. [_I knew_
squints.]

Right: Some friends would enjoy the play, I knew.

Confusing: The orator whom every one was calling for
enthusiastically hurried to the platform. [_Enthusiastically_
squints.]

Clear: The orator wh