7. PUNCTUATION.-An Explanatory Noun, or expression, is set off by a comma or by commas.

Notice, in the illustrations just given, how the Explanatory Nouns and expressions are all separated by commas. In the sentence, "Warren, the gallant, young hero, fell at Bunker Hill," the whole expression, the-gallant-young-hero, is separated by commas; and then, as there are two Adjectives-gallant, young—these Adjectives are separated by a

comma.

8. The sentence,

"Warren, the gallant, young hero, fell at Bunker Hill," may be separated into several distinct statements, thus:

1. Warren fell at Bunker Hill.

2. Warren was a hero.

3. He was a gallant hero.

4. He was a young hero.

9. In like manner, the following statements may be combined into one sentence:

1. Howard was loved by all.

2. Howard was a philanthropist.

3. He was a distinguished philanthropist. Combined: "Howard, the distinguished philanthropist, was loved by all."

In the following Exercise, each group of statements is to be combined into a single sentence in the manner above shown.

Exercise 20.
A.

Combine into SINGLE SENTENCES, using the NOUN EXPLANATORY. The Noun intended to be explanatory is printed in italics.

1. James Watt was born in Greenock.

He was the inventor of the steam-engine.

2. Bryant wrote the "Thanatopsis."

He is an American poet.

He is an illustrious poet.

3. Benjamin Franklin learned his trade.
Benjamin Franklin was a philosopher.
He was a distinguished philosopher.

He learned his trade in the office of his brother.
His brother was a printer in Boston.

4. David slew Goliath.

David was the son of Jesse.

Goliath was a Philistine.

5. William the Conqueror defeated Harold. Harold was the Saxon king.

6. The whale is found in the Arctic and Antarctic seas. The whale is the largest [mammal] of mammals.

7. Coral is highly prized for ornaments.

Coral is a secretion from the body of an animal.
This animal is called a polyp.

8. Sago is excellent for sick people and young children.
Sago is a food.

It is a cheap food.

It is a nourishing food.

B.

Let each pupil compose a similar group of statements to be combined in the same way.

OBSERVATION.-In writing the exercise given above, a class of young pupils made mistakes like the following:

"James Watt, who was the inventor of the steam-engine, was born in Greenock."

"James Watt was born in Greenock, and he was the inventor of the steam-engine."

These forms are incorrect, because the bringing in of another verb and subject, who was, and he was, causes the word inventor not to be in apposition with James Watt. The correct form is:

"James Watt, the inventor of the steam-engine, was born in Greenock."

XXIII. VERBS WITH OBJECTS.

1. We have thus far learned about only one kind of Verb-the kind found in the sentences,

Birds fly.
Fishes swim.

The Verb fly makes a complete statement by itself; so does the Verb swim.

2. But take the following Verbs:

Columbus discovered

James Watt invented

These are not complete statements; they do not make full sense. We ask, discovered what? invented what? We are waiting to be told of some object that Columbus discovered, some object that Watt invented.

3. We may make complete statements in this way:

Columbus discovered America.

James Watt invented the steam-engine.

discovered" was America. What was "invented" was

the steam-engine.

4. Verbs that make complete statements by themselves are called Complete Verbs.

5. Verbs that do not make complete statements by themselves, but require some word to complete the sense, are called Incomplete Verbs.

6. These are the two great classes into which all Verbs are divided-Complete and Incomplete Verbs.

7. Almost all the Incomplete Verbs are completed by Nouns, called the OBJECT; as, “Thomas bought a kite," "Men hate their enemies."

Verbs that take Objects are called Transitive Verbs.

NOTE.-When a Verb is followed by a number of Noun-objects, the Nouns are to be separated by commas, in the same manner as the Adjectives in a series. Thus: All children require clothing, food, lodging, and instruction.

8. The Verb be is an Incomplete Verb; and its meaning may be filled out either by Nouns or by Adjectives. 9. Do the words "Gold is" make a full statement? Ans. No. Do the words "Washington was?"

We may complete the sense in this way:

Gold is yellow.

Gold is a metal.

Washington was prudent.

Washington was a general.

10. In the sentences "Gold is yellow," " Washington was prudent," the Verbs is and was (parts of the Verb be) are completed by Adjectives—“ yellow" and "prudent.'

NOTE.—The Verb be is the only Verb that is completed by an Adjective, except a few verbs, such as feel, look, grow, etc., which contain in themselves the sense of the Verb be. We shall see about these afterward.

11. The Adjective that completes the sense of the Verb be is called the Predicate Adjective.

12. In the sentences, "Gold is a metal," "Washington was a general," the Verbs is and was are completed by Nouns-"metal" and "general." A Noun that completes the Verb be is not called its Object, but is called the Predicate Nominative. This means that the Noun in the Predicate means the same person or thing as the Noun forming the Subject.

Exercise 21.
A.

Name the VERBS, and tell which are COMPLETE, and which INCOMPLETE.

1. The India-rubber-tree grows in Brazil.

2. Whitney invented the cotton-gin.

3. Fulton constructed the first steamship.

4. The moon moves round the earth.

5. Machines for making solid-headed pins were invented in the United States.

6. William Cullen Bryant wrote Thanatopsis.

B.

1. Write a sentence telling what you saw at the museum. [Use as many Noun-objects as you choose.]

2. Write a sentence telling several objects that the carpenter makes. 3. Write a sentence telling three things that California produces. 4. Write a sentence naming four things that you study.

5. Write a sentence specifying several objects that the hardware merchant sells.

6. Write a sentence naming several books that you have read.

Draw a line under each NOUN - OBJECT, and two lines under each Incomplete Verb whose sense is completed by these objects. Exchange papers, and give particular attention to the punctuation of the Nouns.

C.

Fill out the blanks; first by a PREDICATE NOUN, then by a PREDICATE ADJECTIVE. When done, unite the two