A phrase is a group of words, not containing a subject and predicate, which is used as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb. Point out the phrases in the following sentences: 1. The church stood on the hill. 2. The bell in the tower called the people to church. 3. The bell of Atri was once tolled by a horse. 4. They stood on the bridge at midnight. 5. Here is your bowl of porridge, made from the last oatmeal we have in the house. 6. The party entered the hall at eight o'clock. 7. The last rays of light were fading from the tops of the distant hills. 8. She filled her shoes with fern-seed, This foolish little Nell, And in the summer sunshine Went dancing down the dell. 9. To doze, to sleep, to dream, to wake, to play, to plan, and to do, make up the sum of life. XIV. CLAUSES. COMPLEX SENTENCES. What he said was instructive. Here the words what he said name that of which we think; therefore they are used as a subject, like a noun. The scout reported what he had seen. Here the words what he had seen are used to tell what the scout reported, and are used as an object, like a noun. The boys who are studious will learn. Here the words who are studious describe the noun boys; therefore they are used as an adjective. John stopped when you spoke. Here the words when you spoke tell when John stopped, and limit the meaning of the verb stopped; therefore they are used as an adverb. In these sentences each of the groups of words what he said, what he had seen, who are studious, and when you spoke, contains a subject and a predicate. They are used as nouns, or as modifiers of words in the sentences like adjectives or adverbs. Such groups of words are called clauses. A clause is a group of words containing a subject and a predicate, which is used like a noun, an adjective, or an adverb. NOTE. - The principal statement of a complex sentence is sometimes called the principal clause. Point out the clauses in the following sentences, and tell whether they are used as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. 1. He did the work which was assigned him. 2. The chief signaled those who followed him to conceal themselves at once. 3. When the time comes you will find him ready. 4. When winter came, the boys helped their father fell the trees and haul the logs to the mill. 5. The largest trout were found in the deepest water. 6. He lives a noble life who always does his duty. 7. The man who earns more than he spends will never come to want. 8. The bird chorus began when the first faint flush of dawn appeared in the east. 9. When the summer sun is shining And the sky is blue above, Radiant smiles of joy and love. Since a clause may be used as a noun, as an adjective, or as an adverb, we have noun clauses, adjective clauses, and adverbial clauses, according to their use. A complex sentence is a sentence that contains one principal statement, modified by one or more clauses. A clause is sometimes called a subordinate or dependent clause. XV. COMPOUND SENTENCES. Peter read and I listened. Here we have two sentences, each complete in itself, but united by the word and to show that they are related in thought. Each of these sentences, by itself is a simple sentence, but when the two are combined as above, they form a compound sentence. It will be seen that Peter read does not modify I listened, neither does I listened modify Peter read. Each of these parts of the sentence which is of equal importance with the other part is called a coördinate sentence. A compound sentence may have more than two coördinate parts. A compound sentence is a sentence that contains two or more coördinate sentences. Point out and name the coördinate sentences in each of the following compound sentences. Prove to yourself that each sentence is or is not compound. 1. The hand of the diligent maketh rich, but a fool and his money are soon parted. 2. The storm ceased, but the vessel was lost. 3. Thomas walked, Carl rode his wheel, and Edith rode in the carriage with her father. 4. The hour for sailing had arrived, everything on board was in trim condition, the anchor was weighed, and the huge steamer started on her homeward journey. 5. The way was long, the wind was cold, The minstrel was infirm and old. 6. Thick clouds of dust afar appeared, And trampling steeds were faintly heard. 7. The air was mild, the wind was calm, The stream was smooth, the dew was balm. 8. The castle gates were open flung, The quivering drawbridge rocked and rung, Beneath the courser's clattering feet. 9. The lion perceiving this, made a prodigious leap, but the dog was happily beyond his reach. 10. "It is true," said Sancho, "that I once did keep swine, but I was only a boy then." 11. The pastor came; his snowy locks Hallowed his brow of thought and care; 12. The curfew tolls the knell of parting day, The lowing herd winds slowly o'er the lea. Breathless with adoration; the broad sun We have now briefly studied the parts of sentences. However much we may read or write, we shall find no elements of sentences not already mentioned. The parts of sentences are words, phrases, and clauses. The main parts of a compound sentence are coördinate sentences. We shall study these parts more fully as we proceed. XVI. KINDS OF SUBJECTS AND PREDICATES. As we have already seen, every sentence contains a subject and a predicate. The subject is the word, or words, that name the thing about which something is asserted. The predicate is the word, or words, that express what is asserted about the thing named by the subject. The subject of a sentence may be: 1. A noun; as, Birds have feathers. 2. A pronoun; as, They went home. 3. A phrase; as, To see the sun is pleasant. 4. A clause; as, What he said was true. The predicate of every sentence is a verb or contains a verb; for the verb, as we have seen, is the part of speech which is used in making assertions. Point out the subjects in the following sentences: 1. Truth crushed to earth will rise again. 2. Good books are worthy companions. 3. The love of money is the root of all evil. 4. How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank. |