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precise meaning: clearly understandable,
readily learned, easy application in solving
problems, practicality, and, last but by no
means least, evolving educational environment. In addition, the sentence is confusing
at the word but. At that point the reader is
set for a contrast involving the idea of being
in use. He expects something like "but when
BASIC goes to the field most of them will
no longer be in use."
3.
The writing reveals an inner confusion of
thought.
(Example) "Strings can be concatenated by
means of the plus sign opera tor (+). The plus
sign can be used to concatenate string
formulas wherever a string formula is legal,
with the exception that information cannot
be stored by means of LET or CHANGE
statemen ts in concatenated string variables."
(Comment) The exception talks about the
storage of string variables; whereas the main
assertion talks about the use of the plus sign
to concatenate string variables. The exception is irrelevant.
(Example) "BASIC is a problem-solving language that is easy to learn 21nd conversational, and has wide application in the
scie n t ific, business, and educational
communities."
(Comment) The language says that these
ideas ("easy to learn and conversational"
and "wide application in the scientific,
business, and educational communities") are
equal. Actually, in thought they should be
related as cause and effect. The sentence
should begin with because or one of its
synonyms.
A minor defect is seen in the words easy to
learn and conversational. The phrase is
choppy and lacking in rhythm. It serves to
disconcert the reader momentarily. However, if the writer puts the word conversational first, he can make that phrase flow
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