PART I. GRAMMAR CHAPTER I THE SENTENCE 14. Sounds or letters combine to form syllables and words. Words are the spoken or written symbols of ideas. 15. Words combine to form sentences. When words are isolated, each representing an isolated idea―as, boys, good, read, many, these, books, school-they cannot produce intelligible language. When these words combine according to certain definite habits of speech called rules of usage, they form a sentence and express a thought; as, These school boys read many good books. A sentence is a combination of words expressing a complete thought. 16. In every expression of thought there are two essential elements: an idea about which we are thinking or speaking; and what we are thinking or saying about this idea. When we say, "Birds fly," these essential elements are present. The idea or word, birds, about which we think or speak is the subject; what is thought or said about birds, namely, that they fly, is the predicate. The subject of a sentence names that about which a thought is expressed. The predicate of a sentence expresses what is thought of the subject. The sentence "Birds fly" has a simple subject and a simple predicate. This simple subject or predicate may have modifiers words which limit and — qualify the meaning of the subject or predicate word. These groups of related words are called the complete subject; as, Many beautiful tropical birds; and the complete predicate; as, fly over our tent daily. 17. Any group of related words expressing a single idea is called a phrase. The group of words 66 many beautiful tropical birds" is a phrase. These four words combine to express a single idea; but as they contain neither subject nor predicate, they do not express a complete thought. When you add the predicate fly and use birds as subject, you get the complete thought and the sentence; as, Many beautiful tropical birds fly over our tent daily. The sentence is therefore the unit of intelligible speech. Every intelligible utterance is a sentence; every sentence is an intelligible expression of thought. 18. The minimum requirement of this unit of speech the sentence is the presence of a subject - and a predicate. These constitute the simple sentence, which expresses a single thought about a single idea; as, 1. Thieves run. 2. Dogs bark. When two thoughts are so related that the one completes or defines the other, the sentence is complex (§ 210); as, 1. Thieves run when dogs bark. 2. The thieves heard the dogs bark. In (1) the second thought defines the time of the principal statement "thieves run"; in (2) the second thought completes the meaning of the verb in the principal statement. These defining and completing thoughts are called clauses. A clause has a subject and a predicate of its own and expresses a complete thought, but it is always dependent on some other word in the sentence. Kinds of Sentences 19. The state of mind of the speaker or writer determines the kind of sentence he will use. He may declare or deny a fact; he may ask a question ; he may give a command or prohibition; he may do any of these under strong emotion or without emotion. Sentences are therefore classified according to the manner in which the thought is expressed or according to the purpose of the speaker or writer, as declarative, interrogative, and imperative. Each of these three forms of sentences may be exclamatory. 1. The declarative sentence declares or denies a fact. (1) The sun shines. (2) Our friends have not come. (3) Mercy! They are hurting my child! 2. The interrogative sentence thought in the form of a question. (1) Have our friends arrived ? expresses a In this sentence the question asks for information. You may indicate that you expect an affirmative reply by saying, (2) Our friends have not arrived? Or a negative reply by saying, (3) Our friends have not arrived, have they? 3. The imperative sentence expresses a command or a prohibition. (1) Come forth. (2) Don't forget the letter. Syntax 20. Syntax deals with the relations between the words in a sentence and shows how words must be arranged to form a sentence. The Greek word σvvτağıs (pronounced syntaxis) means arrangement. In English the order of words is of great importance. You may say, "See the birds," or "The birds see." The same words are used in each sentence, but the change of place completely changes the thought. Syntax explains the arrangement of words in a sentence, and states the rules of usage in accordance with which sentences are constructed. EXERCISE 3 1. Write sentences to illustrate declarative, interrogative, and imperative forms. 2. Write an exclamatory sentence to illustrate each form. EXERCISE 4 Name (1) the simple subject and predicate; and (2) the complete subject and predicate, in each of the following sentences: 1. The table was covered with papers. 2. Did a policeman ring your door bell? 3. Ring out, ye bells. 4. Benjamin Franklin wrote Poor Richard's Almanac. 6. "Now is the time for action," he shouted. 7. Our public library building was erected in 1900. 8. Mr. Kipling is certainly wrong in his worship of militarism. 9. Down the field and over the goal went the ball. 10. Let us then be up and doing, with a heart for any 11. Shall you play tennis this afternoon? 12. The discontent of the colonists increased daily. 13. "You may fire when you are ready," said Dewey. fate. 14. Provide tents for thirty men and provender for the horses. 15. The stag at eve had drunk his fill Where danced the moon on Monan's rill. |