CHAPTER I.

THE SENTENCE.

PREPARATORY REVIEW.

1. Write your address.

2. Write the date of your birth.

3. Write your father's, or guardian's, name.

4. Write a group of words that is

5. Write an emotion-word, and an exclamation.

LESSON I.

WHAT A SENTENCE IS.

1. Think of some object in the room. Express a thought about it in the form of statement.

Whenever we make a statement about anything, we express a thought; as, The birds are in the nest.

Because a statement expresses a thought it is called a sentence.* 2. Express a thought in the form of a question. Another thought. Another thought.

* The word sentence is made from the Latin word sententia, which means a thought.

Whenever we ask a question about anything, we express a thought; thus, Can the birds fly?

Because an inquiry expresses a thought it is called a sentence. Every command, as, Let the nest alone; every request, as, Please let me count the eggs; every wish, as, May no harm come to them, is a group of words used to express a thought of the person speaking or writing, and any such group of words is called a sentence.

When an exclamation makes complete sense, as, How bright the day is! it expresses a thought, and is called a sentence.

3. What is a sentence?

I. A group of words that expresses a thought is a sentence.

II. A sentence may be a statement, an inquiry, a command, or an exclamation.*

4. As you read each of these groups of words, give your reason for thinking that it is, or is not, a sentence:

Beautiful marble is brought from Italy.

What are you good for, my brave little man?

What a large slate you have!

Dare to do right. Dare to be true.

Let us go home together.

The week between Christmas and New Year's.

May you have a pleasant day.

Always going the wrong way.
Twice twelve is twenty-four.

5. Write a sentence that states something about

* Paragraphs noted by Roman numerals should be committed to memory.

6. Write a sentence that asks a question about —

7. Write a sentence that makes a request.

8. Write a sentence that orders something to be done.

9. Write an exclamation that is a sentence.

10. Copy I. and II., page 2.

“Little children, you must seek

Rather to be good than wise;
For the thoughts you do not speak
Shine out in your cheeks and eyes."

1. Read the story of

EXERCISE.

THE FOX AND THE STORK.

A fox once invited a stork to dine with him. The cruel fellow only wanted to play a trick on the stork.

When the stork came, he said, "I am glad to see you; I hope you are well." The stork said, "I am well, and very hungry. Where do we eat?" The fox led the way. What do you think the stork saw? A nice dinner all spread out on a large flat rock!

Of course the fox could easily lap up the food; but the stork could not eat anything. His long bill cannot take food from a shallow dish. How naughty the fox was! He kept saying, "Do eat some of my nice dinner." But the poor stork could eat nothing, and went away very hungry and very angry.

Soon he invited the fox to dinner. The fox had taken a long walk, and was unusually hungry. The stork was very pleasant, and said, "I am so glad you have come; see what a nice dinner I have prepared for you!"

The fox gladly followed the stork. What did he see? A longnecked bottle to hold the dinner!

"Please help yourself," said the stork. "Eat all you like; I shall have enough!”

Now, the fox could not get his nose into the bottle; but the stork's long bill easily reached to the bottom. The fox looked up sadly. The stork said, "Never do to others what you do not wish them to do to you.”

2. Tell the story of the fox and the stork. What lesson is taught by the story?

3. Read the story, sentence by sentence, and tell which of the sentences are statements, which are questions, and which are commands.

4. Read the exclamations that are sentences.

5. Select from the story two groups of words that are not sentences. Why are those groups of words not sentences?

LESSON II.

HOW SENTENCES ARE USED.

1. What is a sentence? When is an exclamation a sentence?

2. Why is a statement called a sentence? Why is an inquiry called a sentence? What is any group of words that expresses a thought?

3. Read from a book or paper

four sentences used to tell something,
two sentences used to ask questions,
two sentences used as exclamations,
a sentence used to give a command,
a sentence used to make a request.

4. Mention some of the uses of sentences.

A sentence may be used to tell something, to ask a question, to give a command, to make a request, or as an exclamation.* 5. Arrange these words so that each group shall express a thought; and tell whether the sentence formed is a statement, an inquiry, a command, or an exclamation:

again, we, him, see, shall, never.
hay, shines, the, while, make, sun.
is, grass, green, how, the.

lesson, a, very, long, have, we.
it, day, warm, is, what, a.
hungry, they, go, never, may.

room, carpet, my, the, in, is, very, dusty.
snow-drifts, the, high, are, how.

as, fence, high, as, the, are, they.

them, gather, flowers, we, some, will, and, press.

6. Learn this question, and the answer to it: "Who is thy neighbor? He whom Thou canst aid or bless."

EXERCISE 1.

1. Write a group of words on the blackboard. 2. Let the class decide

(a) whether it is a sentence or not.

(b) for what the sentence is used.

* Paragraphs printed in this type are designed to preserve, for reference and study, matter that has been taught orally, While the pupil need not recite them verbatim, he should be able to state clearly and to make a daily use, or application, of what is taught in them,