CONJUNCTIONS

190. Except is not now used as a conjunction equivalent to unless.

I shall not come unless (not except) you need me.

Do not trouble yourself about writing to me, unless (not except) you are quite in the

humour for it.

191. The use of without as conjunction equivalent to unless is now bad English.

Unless (not without) you apologize I shall punish you. I shall not go unless (not without)

you do.

192. The adverb like is often wrongly used as a conjunction instead of as.

He speaks as (not tike) his father does.

But it is quite correct to say:

He speaks like his father. [Like is here a preposition.]

193. Directly should not be used as a conjunction where as soon as would in every way

be better.

As soon as [not directly] the session of 1999 commenced, the Government was pressed to

do something for the unemployed.

According to Fowler, “the conjunctional use of directly is quite defensible, but is chiefly

colloquial.”

194. The conjunction that is sometimes redundantly repeated; as,

He must remember that, although the first people in Europe would like his society, and

place him on an equality with themselves, [that] none of them would either give or lend

him a farthing.

195. Instead of repeating the conjunction used in the preceding clause, some writers have

a trick of introducing a subsequent clause by that; as,

If I do not speak of them it is because they do not come within my subject, and not that

they are lightly esteemed by me. [Use because instead of that.]

196. Scarcely should be followed by when, and not by than.

Scarcely had he gone, when (not than) a policeman knocked at the door.

197. No sooner is followed by than, and not by but.

No sooner had he returned than (not but) he was off again.

198. The phrase “seldom or ever” is meaningless. We should say “seldom or never”

Such goods are made for export, and are seldom or never used in this country.

199. Say:

I gave no more than I could not help (not than I could help).

200. Examine the following sentence:-

This is as good if not better than that.

You will notice that as is omitted after “as good”.

It is better to say:

This is as good as, if not better than, that.

But the best way to correct the sentence is to recast it, thus:

This is as good as that, if not better.

201. Care should be taken, when using correlative conjunctions, such as either.....or,

neither.....nor, not only....but also, that they are followed by the same part of speech ; as,

He lost not only his ticket, but also his luggage.

But the following is incorrect:

He not only lost his ticket, but also his luggage.

202. Neither is followed by nor, not by or.

He washed neither his hands nor (not or) his face.