I. GRAMMAR. PART I. THE SENTENCE AND ITS ELEMENTS. WORDS AND THEIR USES IN THE SENTENCE 1. THE SENTENCE. When we wish to express a thought clearly, we must arrange our words so that taken together they form what is called a sentence. If we arrange words without relation to one another, we express only disconnected ideas; as, Beautiful the on hillside trees. These words may be made to convey a meaning by changing their order and thus relating them; as, Beautiful trees on the hillside. As they are now arranged, these words are related and have some meaning; but they do not express a complete thought, and can not properly be called a sentence. The question arises, "What about the beautiful trees on the hillside?' To answer this question we must supply a predicating word or expression: Beautiful trees grow on the hillside; or, Beautiful trees on the hillside were blown down. The word grow and the words were blown down predicate, or tell, something about the trees, and thus completely express a thought. DEFINITION. A Sentence is the complete expression of a thought in words. Exercise. Study the following expressions, and distinguish the five that are sentences. Change those that are parts of sentences into sentences by supplying appropriate words: 1. Birds in the tree. 2. Trees growing on the hillside. 7. But the sweet face of Lucy 8. Electricity in the air. 9. A penny for your thoughts. 10. Knowledge is power. 11. The boys study their lessons. 12. The boys, studying their les sons. 13. If you want learning you must work. 14. Better late than never. 2. KINDS OF SENTENCES. Sentences are used to express three different kinds of thoughts. Observe the following sentences and select : I. Those that are used to tell something. 2. Those used to command or request something. 1. We have only twenty-six letters in our alphabet. 2. The Japanese have forty-seven letters. 3. Do they write as we do? 4. Come, let us visit a Japanese school. 5. Notice how they write. 6. Do they write with pens or pencils? 7. No, they have brushes much like those we use for water colors. 8. All men are equal; there is naught in birth; 'Tis Virtue only makes the difference. DEFINITIONS. A sentence that tells, or declares, something is a Declarative Sentence. A sentence that commands or requests is an Imperative Sentence. A sentence that asks a question is an Interrogative Sentence. When a declarative, an imperative, or an interrogative sentence is used to express emotion, such as sorrow, surprise, or impatience, it is called an Exclamatory Sentence; as, 1. Few, few shall part where many meet! 2. Woodman, spare that tree! 3. Where, oh, where was Roderick then! Which of these sentences tells something? Which commands? Which asks a question? Why are they followed by exclamation points? RULES OF CAPITALIZATION AND PUNCTUATION. In writing, the first word of every sentence should begin with a capital letter. (Comp. 17,1 p. 243.) The close of a declarative or an imperative sentence is usually marked by a period (.). (Comp. 17.) The close of an interrogative sentence is usually marked by an interrogation point (?). (Comp. 17.) When a sentence is exclamatory it is followed by an exclamation point (1). (Comp. 70, pp. 305, 306.) Exercises. Ex. I. Tell whether each of the following sentences is declarative, interrogative, or imperative, and give reasons. Mention those that are also exclamatory: 1. There is nothing so imperishable as a book. 2. Wear the old coat and buy the new book. — Phelps. 3. Truth needs not the foil of rhetoric. - Middleton. 4. Who ever knew truth put to the worse in a free and open encounter? - Milton. 5. Vain pomp and glory of the world, I hate thee! — Shakespeare. 1 References to the Composition, which occupies the latter part of this book, are indicated in this manner. 6. The world globes itself in a drop of dew.—Emerson. 7. Who can direct when all pretend to know?- Coleridge. 8. How soon a smile of God can change the world!— Browning. 9. He who quells an angry thought is greater thạn a king. II. 10. What mighty contests rise from trivial things! — Pope. 12. Where'er the wide old kitchen hearth Sends up its smoky curls, Who will not thank the kindly earth, Ex. II. Select from another book five declarative, five interrogative, five imperative, and five exclamatory sentences. Tell whether each of the exclamatory sentences is declarative, imperative, or interrogative in meaning. 3. SUBJECT AND PREDICATE. Two words, at least, are needed in the English language to express a thought completely, one to name something, and one to say, or state, something about what is named. When we say "Trees grow," we use the word Trees to name something, and the word grow to state, or assert, something about what is named. If we say "Beautiful trees grow on the hillside," we use Beautiful trees to name something, and grow on the hillside to assert something about what is named. DEFINITION. In a sentence the word or group of words naming that about which something is asserted, is called the Subject; and the word or group of words that asserts (predicates) something of the subject, is called the Predicate. |