16. The pressing question was how they were to subsist. 17. The soldier sheathed his sword. 18. The most prominent feature of their worship was sun-worship. 19. The snow shall be their winding-sheet. 20. Every turf beneath their feet Shall be a soldier's sepulchre. REVIEW OF DEFINITIONS. 47. A sentence is the expression of a complete thought in words. The subject of a sentence names that of which something is asserted. The predicate attribute names that which is asserted of the subject. The copula is the word or group of words that asserts the relation between the subject and the predicate attribute. A copula-attribute is a word or group of words that has the uses of both copula and predicate attribute. The predicate of a sentence is that part of it which both asserts and tells what is asserted of the subject. A complement is an element of a sentence that completes the assertion made by an incomplete verb. An attribute complement is an element of a sentence that completes the assertion made by an incomplete verb, and names an attribute of the subject. An object complement is an element of a sentence that completes the assertion made by an incomplete verb, and names the receiver of the action. An objective complement is an element of a sentence that names an attribute of the object complement, resulting from the action asserted by the verb. A noun is a word that names a subject of thought. A common noun is a word that names any one of a class. A proper noun is a word that names an individual to distinguish it from others of the class to which it belongs. A pronoun is a word that represents a subject of thought, but does not name it. A verb is a word that asserts. A verb-phrase is a group of words that asserts. A copulative verb or verb-phrase is one whose principal use in the sentence is that of a copula. An attributive verb or verb-phrase is one that contains in itself a predicate attribute. A complete verb or verb-phrase is one that requires no complement to complete its meaning. An incomplete verb or verb-phrase is one that requires a complement to complete its meaning. A transitive verb or verb-phrase is one that asserts an action received by an object which is named by the subject or the object complement. An intransitive verb or verb-phrase is one that does not assert an action received by an object. A verb is in the active voice when its subject names the doer of the action asserted. A verb is in the passive voice when its subject names the receiver of the action asserted. MODIFIERS. 48. You have learned to separate sentences into their elements, and to classify them according to their type. The next step is to separate these elements into parts, to find how they are made. (a) The lashing billows made a long report. If sentence (a) be stripped to its bare necessary elements, it will read billows made report. Write these three words, and above each write the name of the element. What other words are used in the full sentence to modify, or change, the meaning of these bare elements? Which word tells the kind of billows? The makes lashing billows more definite. What two words modify the meaning of the object complement report? Read the two bare elements of sentence (b). Tell what words modify, or change, the meaning of each. Slowly tells how the sun descended. It modifies the attributive idea in the verb. A word that modifies the meaning of another word in a sentence is called a modifier. In (a), the complete subject of the sentence is not named until all the words, "The lashing billows," are Subject. used. The complete subject of (b) is "The Complete setting sun." All the words that together name and Bare that of which something is asserted are called the complete subject. The one word which, stripped of its modifiers, forms the basis of the complete subject is called the bare subject. Give the complete subjects of the sentences in this lesson. Complete All the words in the assertion about the subject - the words that assert and those that tell what is asserted are called the complete predicate. and Bare The elements of the complete predicate, stripped of modifiers, are included in what is called the bare predicate. EXERCISE. Predicate. 49. In the following sentences, point out the modifiers, and tell what element of the sentence is modified by each. 1. Small courtesies sweeten life. 2. Small cheer and great welcome make a very merry feast. 3. A thin meadow is soon mowed. 4. The ripest fruit falls first. 5. Somewhere the birds are singing evermore. 6. I planted an old, dry, white, fairy seed. 7. Its blossoms were magic golden flowers. 8. The ripened fruit was a yellow jack-o'-lantern. 9. One plant bore a very large Thanksgiving pie. EXERCISE. 50. Find or make sentences with bare predicates of the following form: (1) an unmodified copula and predicate attribute; (2) an unmodified copula-attribute; (3) an unmodified copula-attribute and object complement; and (4) an unmodified copula-attribute, object complement, and objective complement. Frame definitions of complete subject, bare subject, complete predicate, and bare predicate. Give examples of each. EXERCISE. 51. Analyze the following sentences according to this model, and those previously given. MODEL. "The setting sun slowly descended" is a sentence. The complete predicate is "slowly descended." The bare subject is "sun," modified by the words “The” and "setting." The bare predicate is "descended," a copula-attribute. The sentence is, therefore, of the second type. The copula-attribute is modified by the word "slowly." 1. Fame is very cheap. 2. The gentle dew refreshes the parched grass. 3. Great men are sincere. 4. God's glory is his goodness. 5. A constant friend is rare. 6. Evil news rides post. 7. An undevout astronomer is mad. 8. A free country life makes strong, true men. 9. A lazy man is a bad man. 10. Guilt has quick ears. 11. Pride is seldom delicate. 12. The lonely pine waves its sombre boughs. 13. Friendship is a sheltering tree. 14. A clear conscience is a soft pillow. 15. A sunny spirit quickly dispels angry frowns. ADJECTIVES. 52. Modifiers are divided into groups, or classes, according to their use. All the modifiers indicated by special type in the following sentences belong to the same class. (a) Grant, determined and persevering, had carried on a vigorous, daring, and offensive campaign. (b) These victories caused much suffering and the loss of many lives. (c) He was brave and strong. (d) The still, warm, misty, dreamy Indian summer cannot be truly painted. (e) Unjust gains give short-lived pleasures. (f) The Father of Waters is calm and untroubled. (g) It is deep and broad. What three words in (a) describe the campaign? What two words describe Grant? What words in (d) describe summer? All these words, then, are modifiers of nouns. They are called adjectives. What words in (f) are attribute complements? What do they describe? They are adjectives, because they describe a noun. What words are attribute complements in (c)? in (g)? Whom do brave and strong describe? What do deep and broad describe? These words are used to describe objects represented by pronouns. They are also adjectives. The adjectives determined, persevering, vigorous, daring, offensive, brave, strong, deep, and broad, and the other modifiers named, all describe some object. They express qualities. In (b), there are modifiers of nouns which do not describe. They do, however, affect the meaning of nouns. If we should say, "Victories caused suffering and loss of lives," the meaning of the nouns would be indefinite with respect to amount and number. The words much and many add to the meaning of the nouns, and make it more definite. And the word these limits the application of victories to definite successes. In the same way The is a modifier of Father of Waters, definitely pointing it out. These words, much, many, these, and the, are modifiers. Since they modify the meaning of nouns, they are adjectives. AN ADJECTIVE IS A WORD THAT MODIFIES THE MEANING OF A NOUN OR PRONOUN. In the sentences at the beginning of this lesson, point out the adjectives that stand before the words they modify; those that follow the noun or pronoun modified; those that are used as attribute complements, coming after the copula. Find in your readers sentences containing adjectives. Where in the sentence are adjectives most commonly placed? |