Can you name the missing words from William Safire's Fumblerules?

created by rockgolf
  • Enter a missing word in the box below
  • Correctly named missing words will show up below
  • Click any empty Rule or Missing word to answer for that location
  • Source: Maximum Awesome
  • William Safire was a New York Times columnist known for his regular "On Language" column and his wit. These intentionally self-contradictory rules first appeared in 2 of his articles from 1979.
  • Note: On some rules I just couldn't find a way to remove a word and still make the rule solvable. So to preserve the full list of rules, some clues contain two completely unconnected rules. On the other hand (violation of rule 54), rule #38 is split into two sections.
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RuleMissing word
1. Remember to never _____ an infinitive.
2. A __________ is something never to end a sentence with.
3. The _______ voice should never be used.
4. Avoid ___-__ sentences they are hard to read.
5. Don't use no ______ negatives.
6. Use the _________ properly, always use it where it is appropriate; and never where it isn't.
7. Reserve the __________ for it's proper use and omit it when its not needed.
8. Do not put statements in the ________ form.
9. Verbs has to _____ with their subjects.
10. No sentence _________.
11. _________ carefully to see if you words out.
12. Avoid ______, that are not necessary.
13. If you reread your work, you can find on rereading
a great deal of ________ can be avoided by rereading and editing.
14 A writer must not shift your point of ___.
15. Eschew dialect, irregardless.
16. And don't start a sentence with a ___________.
17. Don't overuse __________ marks!!!
18. Place ________ as close as possible, especially in long sentences, as of 10 or more words, to their antecedents.
19. Hyphenate _______ sy-
llables and avoid un-necessary hyphens.
20. Write all _________ forms correct.
21. Don't use contractions in ______ writing.
22. Writing carefully, ________ participles must be avoided.
23. It is incumbent on us to _____ archaisms.
24. If any word is improper at the end of a sentence, a linking ____ is.
25. Steer clear of incorrect _____ of verbs that have snuck in the language.
26. Take the bull by the hand and avoid mixing _________.
27. Avoid trendy locutions that sound flaky.
28. Never, ever use _________ redundancies.
29. Everyone should be careful to use a ________ pronoun with ________ nouns in their writing.
(Same word in both places.)
30. If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times, resist _________.
31. Also, avoid awkward or affected ____________.
32. Don't string too many prepositional phrases together
unless you are walking through the valley of the ______ of death.
33. ______ pick on the correct idiom.
34. “Avoid overuse of '_________ “marks.”'”
35. The ______ always follows the verb.
36. Never use a long ____ when a diminutive one will do.
37. Employ the vernacular.
38. Eschew __________ &…
…____________, etc.
39. ____________ remarks (however relevant) are unnecessary.
40. Contractions aren't necessary.
41._______ words and phrases are not apropos.
42. One should never generalize.
43. Eliminate quotations. As Ralph Waldo _______ said, 'I hate quotations. Tell me what you know.'
44. ___________ are as bad as cliches.
45. Don't be redundant; don't use more words than ________; it's highly superfluous.
46. Be more or ____ specific.
47. Understatement is always best.
48. ___-____sentences? Eliminate.
49. _________ in writing are like feathers on a snake.
50. Go around the barn at high noon to avoid colloquialisms.
51. Who needs _________ questions?
52. Exaggeration is a _______ times worse than understatement.
53. capitalize every sentence and remember always end it with a _____
54. Last but not least, avoid cliches like the ______; They're old hat; seek viable alternatives.
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FUMBLERULES: 54 poorly-written rules to good writing Quiz

  1. by rockgolf
  • Created Jan 27, 2012 in Language
  • Game Plays 1,163

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