Of course when confusion actually exists in a person's mind, a drill on
distinctions is valuable. But in very many cases no confusion exists,
and in such cases it is worse than unfortunate to introduce it to the
mind. In any case it is by far the better way to drill upon each word
separately, using it in sentences in as many different ways as possible;
and the more familiar of two words pronounced alike or nearly alike
should be taken up first. When that is fixed, passing attention may be
given to the less familiar; but it is a great error to give as much
attention to the word that will be little used as to the word which will
be used often. In the case of a few words such as _principle_ and
_principal, counsel_ and _council,_ confusion is inevitable,
and the method of distinction and contrast must be used;
but even in cases like this, the method of studying each word
exhaustively by itself will undoubtedly yield good results.
Division of Words into Syllables.
In writing it is often necessary to break words at the ends of lines.
This can properly be done only between syllables, and this is the usage
in the United States for the most part, though in Great Britain words
are usually divided so as to show their etymological derivation.
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