GRAMMAR AND COMPOSITION CHAPTER I THE SENTENCE AND ITS ELEMENTS Section 1. An Idea I. A teacher said to her class, "I have something in my hand. I wish you to guess what it is. It is white. It is small. It is round. It is useful. It is light. Who can guess what it is?" "It is a crayon,' answered one of the pupils. The words she had used — small, white, round, useful, light-express qualities, or attributes, of crayon. All these attributes make up a picture, or idea, of a crayon. Such a mind-picture is called an idea. EXERCISE II. Tell what attributes unite to make the idea of arrow, baseball, book, tree, gun, mountain, forest, stream, ice, stone. Be sure to select attributes which, added together, will make a good mental picture of each object. EXERCISE III. On a small piece of paper write the names of ten attributes of an object. Select good ones. Be sure not to name the object. Exchange these slips. Each may then tell the name of the object described on the slip of paper he has. Section 2. A Sentence I. When any one thinks, "The rose is fragrant," he unites the idea of "rose" with the idea of "fragrance." Such a union of two ideas makes a thought. When this thought is expressed in words, these words form a sentence. "The rose is fragrant," then, is a sentence. A sentence1 is the expression of a complete thought in words. EXERCISE II. Make sentences about the ten objects named in Section I, Exercise II. Section 3. Kinds of Sentences I. In the last exercise you doubtless made statements about the different objects. You could as well have asked questions about some of the things; as, "Is the arrow straight?" Besides making statements and asking questions, a person may give a command; as, "John, throw me the ball.” When a sentence simply tells, or declares, a fact, it is called a declarative sentence; when it asks a question, it is called an interrogative sentence; when it states a command, it is called an imperative sen tence. A declarative, interrogative, or imperative sentence may become exclamatory when it expresses strong emotion; as, "Hold the fort! I am coming!" "How brightly breaks the morning!" 1 For the rule for the use of capital letters, see page 259, I, 1. A declarative sentence is one that states a fact. An interrogative sentence is one that asks a question. An imperative sentence is one that gives a command. An exclamatory sentence is one that expresses strong emotion. EXERCISE II. Tell what kind of sentence each of the following is. 1. Twinkle, twinkle, little star! 2. How I wonder what you are! 3. Where are you going, pretty maid? 4. Lincoln was a kind man. 5. Can Henry kick the ball? 6. Bring us a drink. 7. What have you in your pocket? 8. Robinson Crusoe became a man of many trades. 9. Roll on, thou deep and dark-blue ocean, roll! 10. The trout flashes through the crystal water. 11. James is a busy newsboy. 12. Which is the great commandment? 13. The Lord is my shepherd. 14. Praise ye the Lord! 15. A soft answer turneth away wrath. Section 4. Subject and Predicate I. In the sentence, "Rover is playful," the word "Rover" names that of which something is thought and said; it is called the subject of the sentence. The word "playful" tells what attribute is asserted, or predicated,' of the subject "Rover"; it is called the predicate attribute of the sentence. The word 1 For the meaning of these words, see the dictionary. The definitions will help you to understand what these words mean in gram mar. "is asserts the relation existing between the subject and the predicate attribute. It is used to link, or couple, the subject and predicate attribute; it is called the copula. The copula and the predicate attribute form the predicate of the sentence. 1 The subject of a sentence names that of which something is asserted. The predicate of a sentence is that part of it which asserts something of the subject. The predicate attribute of a sentence names that which is asserted of the subject. The copula of a sentence asserts the relation between the subject and the predicate attribute. EXERCISE II. Tell what kind of sentence each of the following is, and select the subject and the predicate. Separate the predicate into copula and predicate attribute. 1. The Amazon is broad. 2. Plains are level. 3. The Andes are high. 4. The Indians were friendly. 8. The colonists grew fearful. 1 For the meaning of this word, see the dictionary. The definitions will help you to understand what this word means in gram mar. 12. The woods are sere. 20. Emerson was wise. 22. Is wrestling exciting? 23. Singing is enjoyable. 24. The settlers became suspicious. 25. Were their arrows poisoned? 26. How beautiful are the flowers! EXERCISE III. Supply copulas and predicate attributes for the following subjects. IV. Supply subjects and copulas for the following predicate attributes. For the lesson in Composition, see page 197, Sec tion 1. |