Practical Exercises in English Part 24

3. Were it true, I would say so.

4. I would go with you if I could spare the time.

5. She could sing if she would.

6. If love be rough with you, be rough with love.

7. If all the year were playing holidays, to play would be as tedious as to work.

8. If thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, he shall die in his iniquity.

9. He brags as if he were of note.

10. If the natural course of this stream be obstructed, the water will make a new channel.

11. If the natural course of a stream is obstructed, the water will make a new channel.

12. If the book was in my library, some one must have borrowed it.

13. If he knows the way, he does not need a guide.

14. If he still wishes to go, he may take my horse.

15. Had he followed my advice, he would be rich.

16. Had she lived a twelvemonth more She had not died to-day.

17. Though G.o.ds they were, as men they died.

18. Though the law is severe, we must obey it.

19. If the law be severe, we must change it.

20. Though the vase were made of steel, the servant would break it.

21. Though the vase was made of steel, the servant broke it.

EXERCISE LI.

_Tell the difference in meaning between the italicized forms_:--

1. If he _is_ (_were_) studious, he _will_ (_would_) excel.

2. If he _was_ (_had been_) studious, he _excelled_ (_would have excelled_).

3. Oh, that you _may be_ (_were, had been_) blameless.

4. Though he _deceive_ (_deceives_) me, yet will I trust him.

5. Though he deceived me, yet _will_ (_would_) I trust him.

6. Though he _deceived_ (_had deceived_) me, yet would I trust him 7. Though the boy's coat _was_ (_were_) made of silk, he _soiled_ (_would soil_) it.

EXERCISE LII.

_Which, of the italicized forms is preferable? Give the reason_:--

1. They act as if it _was_ (_were_) possible to deceive us.

2. If I _was_ (_were_) in his place, I would go.

3. I wish my mother _was_ (_were_) here.

4. See that no one _is_ (_be_) forgotten.

5. If this _is_ (_be_) treason, make the most of it.

6. If it _rain_ (_rains_), the work is delayed.

7. If it _rain_ (_rains_), the work will be delayed.

8. Take care lest you _are_ (_be_) carried away by your feelings.

9. If he _acquire_ (_acquires_) riches, they may make him worldly.

10. I could jump across the stream if it _was_ (_were_) necessary.

11. If to-morrow _is_ (_be_) breezy, we will go sailing.

12. If my father _was_ (_were_) here, he would enjoy this.

13. If she _was_ (_were_) at the reception, I did not see her.

14. If he _speak_ (_speaks_) only to display his talents, he is unworthy of attention.

15. I wish I _was_ (_were_) at home.

16. Though this _seem_ (_seems_) improbable, it is true.

17. I should be surprised if this marriage _take_ (_took, will take, should take_) place.

18. If the book _was_ (_were_) in my library, I would send it.

19. I will see that he _obey_ (_obeys_) you.

20. If a man _smite_ (_smites_) his servant and the servant _die_ (_dies_), the man shall surely be put to death.

21. Though he _is_ (_be_) poor and helpless now, you may rest a.s.sured that he will not remain so.

22. I wish I _was_ (_were_) a musician.

23. Make haste lest your ardor _cool_ (_cools_).

24. He will continue his course, though it _cost_ (_costs_) him his life.

25. Though a liar _speak_ (_speaks_) the truth, he will hardly be believed.

26. Govern well thy appet.i.te, lest sin _surprise_ (_surprises_) thee.

27. Though gold _is_ (_be_) more precious than iron, iron is more useful than gold.

28. Whether he _go_ (_goes_) or not, it is your duty to go.

29. If he _was_ (_were, should be_) elected, it would be his ruin.

30. If a picture _is_ (_be_) admired by none but painters, the picture is bad.

31. If one _went_ (_should go_) unto them from the dead, they would repent.

32. If an animal of any kind _was_ (_were_) kept shut up in a box, it would surely die.

33. They will not believe, though one _rose_ (_rise_) from the dead.

34. Clerk wanted. It is indispensable that he _write_ (_writes_) a good hand and _have_ (_has_) some knowledge of book-keeping.

35. If the debtor _pay_ (_pays_) the debt, he shall be discharged.

36. If my sister _go_ (_goes_), which I think is doubtful, she will surely call for you.

37. The most glorious hero that ever desolated nations might have mouldered into oblivion _did_ (_had_) not some historian _take_ (_taken_) him into favor.

38. He will see his error if he _subst.i.tute_ (_subst.i.tutes_) "that which"

for "what."

39. Though Dorothy _is_ (_be_) young, she is tall.

40. Unless he _take_ (_takes_) better care of his health, his const.i.tution will break down.

41. If I lend you my horse, I _shall_ (_should_) have to borrow one myself.

42. I hope that if any of my readers _comes_ (_come, should come_) to New Haven, he may find the city just as I have described it.

SINGULAR or PLURAL.[88]--The following principles, established by good usage, writers or speakers are liable to forget:--

1. The expressions _each, every, many a, either_, and _neither_ are singular.

2. When the subject consists of singular nouns or p.r.o.nouns connected by _or, either_--_or_, or _neither_--_nor_, the verb must be singular.

3. Words joined to the subject by _with, together with, in addition to_, or _as well as_, are not a part of the grammatical subject, but are parenthetical, and therefore do not affect the number of the verb.

4. Since a relative p.r.o.noun has the number and person of its antecedent, a verb whose subject is a relative p.r.o.noun agrees in person and number with the antecedent of the relative.

5. "When the subject though plural in form is singular in sense, the verb should be singular; when the subject though singular in form is plural in sense, the verb should be plural:"[89] as, "'Gulliver's Travels'

_was_ written by Swift;" "Five hundred dollars _is_ a large sum;" "Half of them _are_ gone."

6. "A collective noun, when it refers to the collection as a whole, is singular in sense, and therefore requires a singular verb; when it refers to the individual persons or things of the collection, it is plural and requires a plural verb."[90]

[88] "Foundations," pp, 101-108.

[89] A.S. Hill: Principles of Rhetoric, revised edition, p. 56.

[90] Ibid., p. 57.

EXERCISE LIII.

_Insert the proper form of the verb "to be" in each of the blank places_:--