In these sentences the connectives because, than, and that are neither pronouns nor adverbs. They are used merely to introduce clauses and to connect them with the elements they modify. Connectives of this kind are called Subordinate Conjunctions.

Can you tell why they are so called?

2. When a subordinate conjunction denotes time, place, manner, or degree, it is usually classified as a Conjunctive Adverb. If desired, its use both as a conjunction and as an adverb may be shown in the diagram by placing it on a dotted line as in diagram 2 below. Sometimes it is desir

TO THE TEACHER. The classification of the conjunctive adverb is of slight grammatical importance, and its distinction in the diagram may be omitted if desired.

Care should be taken that such distinctions do not take rank over more important ideas, and thus destroy the simplicity and value of the subject.

The diagram has no equal as a device for saving time in the recitation and for prompting pupils to make a careful study of the use and meaning of each element in the sentence, but it should never lead to distinctions that bear no importance to the interpretation of thought or to its correct expression.

Exercise.

Determine the adverbial clauses in the following sentences, tell what part of speech each modifies, point out the connectives, and diagram the sentences:

1. He succeeds because he is industrious.

2. What is better than success (is)?
3. He is so industrious that he succeeds.

4. The rain is falling where they lie.

5.1 Tobacco is an American plant, as Raleigh found it here. 6. Heaven's blue is larger than its clouds (are).

7. Childhood shows the man as morning shows the day.

8. If you fear difficulties you will fail.

9. When school commenced, Henry was in his seat.

10. He remained in his seat, though he was quite ill.

11. Where the heart is well guarded, temptation can not enter.

12. Before men made us citizens, great Nature made us men.

13. No nation can be destroyed while it possesses a good home life.

14. Man can be great when great occasions call.

15. Laziness travels so slowly that poverty soon overtakes him. 16. Wagner, when he composed. "Siegfried," arrayed himself in mediæval garb.

47. THE ABSOLUTE PHRASE.

An Absolute Phrase has for its principal word a noun or a pronoun that is the subject only of a participle. An absolute phrase is an abridged clause, and is usually adverbial in office. Thus,

Because our time was occupied (adverbial clause), we could not attend.

Our time being occupied (absolute phrase), we could not attend.

W'e

could attend
not

Because

time
our

was occupied

1 In sentence 5 and some others the clauses may be said to modify the principal member as a whole. In diagramming such sentences the clause is treated as though it modified the verb.

The use of the absolute phrase should not be confused with the use of a participial phrase as the subject of a An absolute phrase is always set off by a A participial phrase used as a subject is never set off by a comma (Comp. 53, pp. 284-286).

sentence. comma.

ABSOLUTE PHRASE.

(Set off by comma.)

1. He (not his) having arrived, the meeting was disorganized.

meeting___was disorganized

the

He having arrived

2. They having returned,

all rejoiced.

3. I refusing to comply, they withdrew.

Thus :

48. NOUN CLAUSES.

Examine the following sentences and note how the clauses are used:

3. I know where the violets bloom.

violets A. bloom

the

where

know

4. I have no knowledge of where the violets bloom.

5. The secret, where the violets bloom, was discovered by Helen.

These sentences show the use of a noun clause, (1) as subject; (2) as attribute complement; (3) as object complement; (4) as object of a preposition; (5) as an appositive.

Note in the fifth sentence that the clause denotes the same thing as does the noun secret, which it explains.

A clause placed after a noun or pronoun to denote the same person or thing, and to explain or show more clearly what is meant by the noun or pronoun, is called an Appositive Noun Clause. (See page 20 for meaning of apposition.)

Exercise.

In the following sentences tell how the noun clauses are used. Diagram each sentence, observing the cxamples given above:

1. How he escaped is still a mystery.

2. Reputation is what1 we seem.

1 What is an attribute complement of seem.

3. Trouble teaches how much there1 is in manhood.

4. The good is always the road to what is true.

5. The fact that lightning is electricity was discovered by Franklin.

6. Whatever makes men good Christians,2 makes them good citizens.2 Webster.

7. Poor Richard's saying, "Lost time is never found again," should be remembered by all.

8. Who never tries will never win.

9. What is done wisely is done well.

10. Who keeps one end in view makes all things serve.

49. THE STRUCTURE OF THE SENTENCE.

We have learned in Part I. that sentences are classified according to their form and use into declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory. We are now prepared to study the sentence according to its structure, or build.