Graded Lessons in English Part 12

Select the subject and the predicate first.

_Nouns and p.r.o.nouns. Verbs. Adjectives. Adverbs_.

branch | was running | large, that | l.u.s.tily coach | were played | both, the | downward they | cried | all, an | very we | is growing | several, a | rapidly games | cheered | amusing | not, loudly, then

LESSON 30.

ERRORS FOR CORRECTION.

+To the Teacher+.--We here suggest additional work in composition, with particular reference to the choice and position of adjectives. See Notes, pp. 171,172.

+_Caution_+.--When two or more adjectives are used with a noun, care must be taken in their arrangement. If there is any difference in their relative importance, place nearest the noun the one that is most intimately connected with it.

+To the Teacher+.--We have in mind here those numerous cases where one adjective modifies the noun, and the second modifies the noun as limited by the first. _All ripe apples are picked_. Here _ripe_ modifies _apples_, but _all_ modifies _apples_ limited by _ripe_. Not _all apples_ are _picked_, but only _all_ that are _ripe_.

CORRECT THE FOLLOWING ERRORS OF POSITION.

A wooden pretty bowl stood on the table.

The blue beautiful sky is cloudless.

A young industrious man was hired.

The new marble large house was sold.

+_Caution_+.--When the adjectives are of the _same_ rank, place them where they will sound the best. This will usually be in the order of their length--the longest last.

CORRECT THESE ERRORS.

An entertaining and fluent speaker followed.

An enthusiastic, noisy, large crowd was addressed.

+_Caution_+.--Do not use the p.r.o.noun +_them_+ for the adjective +_those_+.

CORRECT THESE ERRORS.

Them books are nicely bound.

Them two sentences should be corrected.

CORRECT THE FOLLOWING MISCELLANEOUS ERRORS.

arouse, o romans hear, o israel it is i i may be Mistaken you Have frequently been warned some Very savage beasts have been Tamed

REVIEW QUESTIONS.

What is an adverb? Give an example of an adverb modifying an adjective; one modifying a verb; one modifying an adverb. Why are such expressions as _a wooden pretty bowl_ faulty? Why is _an enthusiastic, noisy, large crowd_ faulty? Why is _them books_ wrong? Why is _i may be Mistaken_ wrong? Why is _hear, o israel_, wrong? Study the Review Questions given in previous Lessons.

+To the Teacher+.--See COMPOSITION EXERCISES in the Supplement--Selection from Darwin.

LESSON 31.

PHRASES INTRODUCED BY PREPOSITIONS.

+Hints for Oral Instruction+.--In the preceding Lessons, you have learned that several words may be grouped together and used as one modifier. In the examples given, the princ.i.p.al word is joined directly to the subject or to the predicate, and this word is modified by another word. In this Lesson also groups of words are used as modifiers, but these words are not united with one another, or with the word which the group modifies, just as they are in the preceding Lessons. I will write on the board this sentence: _De Soto marched into Florida_. +T+.--What tells where De Soto marched?

+P+.--_Into Florida_. +T+.--What is the princ.i.p.al word of the group?

+P+.--_Florida_. +T+.--Is _Florida_ joined directly to the predicate, as rapidly was in Lesson 25? +P+.--No. +T+.--What little word comes in to unite the modifier to _marched?_ +P+.--_Into_. +T+.--Does _Florida_ alone, tell where he marched? +P+.--No. +T+.--Does _into_ alone, tell where he marched? +P+.--No.

+T+.--These groups of related words are called +Phrases+. Let the teacher draw on the board the diagram of the sentence above.

Phrases of the form ill.u.s.trated in this diagram are the most common, and they perform a very important function in our language.

Let the teacher frequently call attention to the fact that all the words of a phrase are _taken together_ to perform _one distinct office_.

A phrase modifying the subject is equivalent to an adjective, and, frequently, may be changed into one. _The dew of the morning has pa.s.sed away_. What word may be used for the phrase _of the morning?_ +P+.--_Morning_. +T+.--Yes. The _morning_ dew has pa.s.sed away.

A phrase modifying the predicate is equivalent to an adverb, and, frequently, may be changed into one. _We shall go to that place_. What word may be used for the phrase, _to that place?_ +P+.--_There_. +T+.--Yes. We shall go _there_.

Change the phrases in these sentences:---

_A citizen of America was insulted.

We walked toward home_.

Let the teacher write on the board the following words, and require the pupils to add to each, one or more words to complete a phrase, and then to construct a sentence in which the phrase may be properly employed: _To, from, by, at, on, with, in, into, over_.

+DEFINITION.--A _Phrase_ is a group of words denoting related ideas but not expressing a thought+.

a.n.a.lysis and Parsing.

a.n.a.lyze the following sentences, and pa.r.s.e the nouns, p.r.o.nouns, adjectives, verbs, and adverbs.

Model.--_The finest trout in the lake are generally caught in the deepest water_.

trout | are caught ================|================ The finest in generally in lake water ------ ---------- the the deepest

+Explanation of the Diagram+.--You will notice that the diagram of the _phrase_ is made up of a slanting line, standing for the introductory and connecting word, and a horizontal line, representing the princ.i.p.al word.

Under the latter, are placed the little slanting lines standing for the modifiers of the princ.i.p.al word. Here and elsewhere all modifiers are joined to their princ.i.p.al words by slanting lines.

+Oral a.n.a.lysis+.--This is a sentence, because ------; _trout_ is the subject, because -----; _are caught_ is the predicate, because ------; the words _The_ and _finest_, and the phrase, _in the lake_, are modifiers of the subject, because -----; the word _generally_ and the phrase, _in the deepest water_, are modifiers of the predicate, because ------; _in_ introduces the first phrase, and _lake_ is the princ.i.p.al word; _in_ introduces the second phrase, and _water_ is the princ.i.p.al word; _the_ and _deepest_ are modifiers of _water_; _The finest trout in the lake_ is the modified subject, and _are generally caught in the deepest water_ is the modified predicate.

1. The gorilla lives in Africa.

2. It seldom rains in Egypt.

3. The Pilgrims landed at Plymouth.

4. The wet gra.s.s sparkled in the light.