Practical Exercises in English Part 19

SHOW.

103. They have--their good intention.

104. Has Edward--you his yacht? Yes, he--it to me this morning.

SPEAK.

105. English is--in many parts of the world.

106. After he had--a half-hour we had to leave.

SLAY.

107. David--Goliath with a pebble.

108. A brave man never boasts of having--his thousands.

STEAL.

109. He thinks the horse was--.

110. Some one has--my purse.

TAKE.

111. I found upon inquiry that I had mis--the house 112. Yesterday she--me home with her.

113. You look as if you had--root there.

THROW.

114. He--the ball to me and I--it back.

115. The Governor's son was--from his pony this morning.

WRITE.

116. I think he should have--and told us.

117. He--for the book two days ago.

118. She has--for samples.

DRINK.

119. The toast was--with great enthusiasm.

120. Then they--to the health of the President.

121. He had once--sour wine and slept in the secret chamber at Wolf's Crag.

RING.

122. The fire bell--twice last night. It had not--for two months before.

123. Has the last bell--?

SING.

124. The choir boys--the "Hallelujah Chorus" from "The Messiah." It seemed to me that they had never--so well.

SINK.

125. The steamer struck an iceberg and--with all on board.

126. They have--two wells, but have got (gotten) no water.

SPRING.

127. The gra.s.s--up like magic last night.

128. Homer describes a race of men who--from the G.o.ds.

SWIM.

129. I once--three-quarters of a mile without stopping.

130. Having--the river, the fugitives plunged into the forest.

EXERCISE XLI.

_Ill.u.s.trate by original sentences the proper use of the past indicative and the past participle of each of the following verbs, thus: A swallow FLEW into my room, but before I recovered from my surprise it had FLOWN out again. Give to the sentences variety:_--

Awake, beat, begin, beseech, blow, bid (to order), bid (to offer), break, burst, choose, come, dive, do, drive, eat, flee, fly, flow, forget, freeze, get, go, hang, lay, lie (to recline), plead, prove, ride, rise, run, see, set, sit, shake, shoe, show, speak, slay, steal, take, throw, wake, write.

CONTRACTIONS.[71]--Some writers hold that in careful writing contracted forms should be avoided; but all are agreed that in conversation some contractions, if correctly used, are natural and proper.

The conversation of a person who never said "can't" for "can not," "don't"

for "do not," or "doesn't" for "does not," would seem stiff. Care should, however, be taken not to use plural contractions for singular, or singular for plural. _Don't_ is a contraction of "do not," _doesn't_ of "does not."

The proper contraction of "is not" is _isn't;_ of "are not," _aren't.

Daresn't_, if used at all, should be used only when "dares not" might be subst.i.tuted. _Ain't_ is a gross vulgarism.

[71] "Foundations," pp. 81-82.

EXERCISE XLII.

_Insert the proper contraction (doesn't, don't) in each of the blank places_:--

1. It--- seem possible.

2. The captain--- know what it is to be afraid.

3. John says he--- understand the problem on page 266.

4. Why--- she come?

5.--- it seem strange that they--- come?

6. Waldo--- improve in penmans.h.i.+p as fast as he should.

7. It--- look like pure water.

8. Why--- he answer?

9. The boy will fail, but he--- seem to care much.

MAY (MIGHT) or CAN (COULD).[72]--_Can_ and _could_, which denote "ability" or "possibility," are often wrongly used in the place of _may_ and _might_, which are the proper words to denote "permission."

[72] Ibid., pp. 82-83.

EXERCISE XLIII.

_Fill the blanks with the right words:_--

1. ---- I leave the room?

2. You ---- go to the concert, but I doubt whether you ---- get a seat.

3. ---- we by searching find out G.o.d?

4. ---- I have some more lemonade?

5. ---- I have another piece of cake?

6. ---- you tell me which is Mr. Ames's house?