Opinion - James J. Kilpatrick

In certain forms of literary composition, nothing is more important than the opening sentence. It's the baited hook, the magic aroma, the half-opened door. A delightful example of this irresistible device turned up the other day in The Wall Street Journal. Its lead editorial began:

Writers learn at least one rule of prose composition in their cradles: Subject and predicate must agree in number. It's a splendid rule -- but what if the subject is "number"?

If all you latent copy editors will gather 'round, the quiz will begin. The first question deals with punctuation in possessive constructions. Don't go away! These sentences plop upon your desk: