195. The ticks, as phrasing factors, are most conveniently used when prefixed to words having few or no initial circles, hooks, loops, etc., or affixed to words having few or no final appendages. To attempt to join ticks where there are such modifications, results often in such inconvenient or difficult junctions as joins the

express the

etc., which should not be made.

the "a" tick. 196. A tick representing a, an or and (made according to convenience, either horizontally or perpendicularly-that is, in the direction of either k or t) may be prefixed or affixed to any word with which it makes a convenient junction. Illustrations: a day

an age

an oath

at a time

here and there

by and

by

Lord and Savior

and it is

197. The a tick, as it never stands alone, and has no position of its own, accommodates itself at the beginning of a phrase to the position of the next word. Illustrations:

and if

and each

and which

and much

a few

a choice

a chance

and for

198. The initial a tick, if followed by any tick having a regular position, is accommodated thereto. But if followed by a tick having no position of its own-that is, by the or a-it is written on the line. Illustrations: and the

and a

199. For the sake of avoiding conflict with but or or, many writers prefer to avoid the use of initial a tick perpendicular. (See Pitman and Howard's Dictionary, "A.")

200. When the a tick may with equal convenience be affixed to the preceding word, or prefixed to the following word, it is generally considered better to write it as a prefix rather than an affix, for the sake of distinguishing it more effectually from the the tick, which is always an affix. But where any considerable pause precedes a, an or and, the tick would, of course, not be joined to the preceding word, because such junction would be contrary to the rule of sense relation.-

Exercise

201. In the following phrases, prefix the horizontal a tick, and observe the rule of position in Paragraph 197:

a branch a break a business a decrease a defense a delay a demagogue a deposition a deprivation a design a diagram a dictionary a dilemma a disadvantage

a discovery a dismissal a disorder a dispatch a distance a distinction a diversion a domestic a drama a dream a drive a duplicate a failure a faith

a fancy a finish a frank a frenzy a friend a glimmer a globe a glove a grasp a grave a grief a grip a groan a group a jest a job a judge a junction a labor a lady a Latin a laugh a legislature a life

a lithograph a location a love a package a pardon a permission a person a practice

a prayer a preamble a precaution a presumption a prison a process a program a provision a table a task a tax a temper a throb a title a tooth a touch a track a trial a trick a triumph a trouble a tunnel a turn a vacancy a vapor a verse a version a very a vexation a visit a voter a voucher

Exercise

202. In the following phrases, prefix the horizontal an tick, and observe the rule of position in Paragraph 197:

an absence an abuse an adage an addition an address an admirable an admirer an adult an advantage an agency an agreement an aggravation

an aggression an apology an apprehension an approximation an elevation an Italian an officer an operation an outrage an overflow an oversight an ultra

Exercise

203. In the following phrases, prefix the horizontal and tick, and observe the rule of position given in Paragraph 197:

and do you mean to

and either

and for such

and general (or generally)

and have

and have you

and if

and if such

and if we

and if you are

and is this

and its

and it is not

and it was

and only

and only such

and other

and that

and that has been and that this and their (or there) and then and therefore and there ca(n) be and there mus(t) be and there was and these and this and those and we and we did and we do *and we had (I.D.) and we have and we think it is and we think you may

*He is displaced in order that had may take its normal position, through the line.

and we were and when do you

and when he was and when is this

and when that is done and when they and where and where do you and where does it

and where have you and wherever and wherever it is and wherever you are and which and which is

and which you may and which you will and with this and you will be

204. In the following phrases, affix a horizontal tick for a or an:

Exercise

205. In the following phrases, affix a perpendicular tick for a or an:

*If the horizontal and the perpendicular tick are both practicable, the horizontal is generally to be preferred as less likely to conflict with the.