Graded Lessons in English - Alonzo Reed and Brainerd Kellogg (classic reads txt) 📗

limit its meaning, we say that the subject is modified.

The words the, a, this, and that modify the subject by limiting the word to one coin, or to one particular coin.

We can modify the subject by joining some word which will tell what kind of coin is meant.

Here is a coin dated 18—. We can say, The new coin is stamped. Here the word new tells what kind of coin is meant. What other words can I use to modify coin? +P.—+_Beautiful, bright, new, round, silver_. +T.—+These words beautiful, bright, new, round, and silver modify the subject by telling the qualities of the coin.

We call the words the, beautiful, etc., +Modifiers+.

 

+DEFINITION.—A Modifier is a word or group of words joined to some part of the sentence to qualify or limit the meaning+.

The +Subject+ with its +_Modifiers_+ is called the +_Modified Subject_+.

ANALYSIS.

Analyze and diagram the following sentences.

+Model.—+_The genial summer days have come_.

days | have come =====================|============= The genial summer |

+Explanation of the Diagram.—+The lighter lines, joined to the subject line, stand for the modifiers, the less important parts.

+Oral Analysis.—+This is a sentence, because–-; days is the subject, because–-; have come is the predicate, because–-; The, genial, and summer are modifiers of the subject, because they are words joined to the subject to modify its meaning. The genial summer days is the modified subject.

+To the Teacher.—+To excite thought and guard against mere routine, pupils may, so far as they are able, make the reasons specific. For example, “The points out some particular clouds, dark tells their color,” etc.

Here and elsewhere the teacher must determine how far it is profitable to follow “Models.” There is great danger of wasting time in repeating forms that require no mental effort.

1. The angry wind is howling. 2. The dead leaves fall. 3. The dark clouds lower. 4. The tall elm bends. 5. All men must die. 6. The lusty bellows roared. 7. A boding silence reigned. 8. Little Arthur was murdered. 9. The mighty oak was uprooted. 10. The fragile violet was crushed. 11. The beautiful marble statue was carved. 12. The turbid torrent roared. 13. The affrighted shepherds fled. 14. The vivid lightning flashes. 15. Those elegant Etruscan vases are broken.

REVIEW QUESTIONS.

What is a verb? Give examples of verbs of action. Of being. Of state of being. May a verb consist of more than one word? Illustrate. Verbs are the only words that do what? What must every predicate contain?

What parts of speech are explained in the preceding Lessons? What is a pronoun? Give the rule for writing the words I and 0.

What is the foundation on which every sentence is built? May the subject be modified? What is a modifier? What is the modified subject?

 

LESSON 21.

SENTENCE-BUILDING.

We have here prepared the foundations of sentences which you are to complete by writing two or more suitable modifiers to each subject. Be careful to choose and arrange your material so as to make a neat and appropriate structure.

+Model+.–––- eminence was reached. That lofty eminence was reached.

1. –- speaker was applauded. 2. –- difficulties were overcome. 3. –- leaf trembles. 4. –- accident happened. 5. –- books should be read. 6. –- houses are built. 7. –- soldiers perished. 8. –- opinions prevailed. 9. –- leader fell. 10. –- task is completed.

For other subjects and predicates, the teacher is referred to Lessons 7 and

11.

 

Build sentences by prefixing modified subjects to the following predicates.

1. –- frolic. 2. –- crawl. 3. –- are dashing. 4. –- was caught. 5. –- escaped. 6. –- chatter. 7. –- flourished. 8. –- whistles.

Build, on each of the following subjects, three sentences similar to those in the model.

+Model+ ––––- sun –––––

The bright sun is shining. The glorious sun has risen. The unclouded sun is sinking.

1. –- snow –-. 2. –- dew –-. 3. –- wind –-. 4. –- landscape –-.

+To the Teacher+.—Please take notice that the next Lesson begins with “Hints for Oral Instruction.”

 

LESSON 22.

ADJECTIVES.

+Hints for Oral Instruction+.—You are now prepared to consider the fourth part of speech. Those words that are added to the subject to modify its meaning are called +Adjectives+.

Some grammarians have formed a separate class of the little words the, and an or a, calling them articles.

I will write the word boys on the board, and you may name adjectives that will appropriately modify it. As you give them, I will write these adjectives in a column.

Adjectives.

small | large | white | black | straight + boys. crooked | five | some | all |

What words here modify boys by adding the idea of size? What by adding the idea of color? What by adding the idea of form? What by adding the idea of number? What are such words called? Why?

Let the teacher name familiar objects and require the pupils to join appropriate adjectives to the names till their stock is exhausted.

 

+DEFINITION.—An Adjective is a word used to modify a noun or a pronoun+.

Analysis and Parsing.

+Model+.—_A fearful storm was raging_. Diagram and analyze as in Lesson

20.

 

+Written Parsing+.

Nouns. | Pronouns. | Adjectives. | Verbs. storm | –- | A fearful | was raging.

+Oral Parsing+.—A is an adjective, because it is joined to the noun storm, to modify its meaning; fearful is an adjective, because ––; storm is a noun, because ––; was raging is a verb, because

–—.

 

1. The rosy morn advances. 2. The humble boon was obtained. 3. An unyielding firmness was displayed. 4. The whole earth smiles. 5. Several subsequent voyages were made. 6. That burly mastiff must be secured. 7. The slender greyhound was released. 8. The cold November rain is falling. 9. That valuable English watch has been sold. 10. I alone have escaped. 11. Both positions can be defended. 12. All such discussions should have been avoided. 13. That dilapidated old wooden building has fallen.

+To the Teacher+.—See Notes, pp. 169, 170.

 

LESSON 23.

SENTENCE-BUILDING.

Prefix five adjectives to each of the following nouns.

Shrubs, wilderness, beggar, cattle, cloud.

Write ten sentences with modified subjects, using in each two or more of the following adjectives.

A, an, the, heroic, one, all, many, every, either, first, tenth, frugal, great, good, wise, honest, immense, square, circular, oblong, oval, mild, virtuous, universal, sweet, careless, fragrant.

Write five sentences with modified subjects, each of which shall contain one of the following words as a subject.

Chimney, hay, coach, robber, horizon.

An and a are forms of the same word, once spelled an, and meaning one. After losing something of this force, an was still used before vowels and consonants alike; as, an eagle, an ball, an hair, an use. Still later, and for the sake of ease in speaking, the word came to have the two forms mentioned above; and an was retained before letters having vowel sounds, but it dropped its n and became a before letters having consonant sounds. This is the present usage.

CORRECT THESE ERRORS.

A apple; a obedient child; an brickbat; an busy boy.

CORRECT THESE ERRORS.

A heir; a hour; a honor.

Notice, the first letter of these words is silent.

CORRECT THESE ERRORS.

An unit; an utensil; an university; an ewe; an ewer; an union; an use; an history; an one.

Unit begins with the sound of the consonant y; and one, with that of w.

+To the Teacher+.—See “Suggestions for COMPOSITION EXERCISES,” p. 8, last paragraph.

 

LESSON 24.

MODIFIED PREDICATES.

+Hints for Oral Instruction+.—I will now show you how the predicate of a sentence may be modified.

The ship sails gracefully. What word is here joined to sails to tell the manner of sailing? +P+.—_Gracefully_.

+T+.—_The ship sails immediately_. What word is here joined to sails to tell the time of sailing? +P+.—_Immediately_.

+T+.—_The, ship sails homeward_. What word is here joined to sails to tell the direction of sailing? +P+.—_Homeward_.

+T+.—These words gracefully, immediately, and homeward are modifiers of the predicate. In the first sentence, sails gracefully is the +_Modified Predicate_+.

Let the following modifiers be written on the board as the pupil suggests them.

| instantly. | soon. | daily. | hither. The ship sails + hence. | there. | rapidly. | smoothly. | well.

Which words indicate the time of sailing? Which, the place? Which, the manner?

The teacher may suggest predicates, and require the pupils to find as many appropriate modifiers as they can.

 

The Predicate with its modifiers is called the +_Modified Predicate_+.

Analysis and Parsing.

Analyze and diagram the following sentences, and parse the nouns, pronouns, verbs, and adjectives.

+Model+.—_The letters were rudely carved_.

letters | were carved =========|=============== The | rudely

+Written Parsing+.—See Model, Lesson 22.

+Oral Analysis+.—This is a sentence, because–-; letters is the subject, because–-; were carved is the predicate, because–-; The is a modifier of the subject, because–-; rudely is a modifier of the predicate, because–-; The letters is the modified subject, were rudely carved is the modified predicate.

1. He spoke eloquently. 2. She chattered incessantly. 3. They searched everywhere. 4. I shall know presently. 5. The bobolink sings joyously. 6. The crowd cheered heartily. 7. A great victory was finally won. 8. Threatening clouds are moving slowly. 9. The deafening waves dash angrily. 10. These questions may be settled peaceably. 11. The wounded soldier fought bravely. 12. The ranks were quickly broken. 13. The south wind blows softly. 14. Times will surely change. 15. An hour stole on.

 

LESSON 25.

ANALYSIS AND PARSING.

ONE MODIFIER JOINED TO ANOTHER.

Analyze and diagram the following sentences, and parse the nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and verbs.

+Model+.—_The frightened animal fled still more rapidly_.

animal | fled ===================|===================== The frightened | rapidly more still

+Explanation of the Diagram+.—Notice that the three lines forming this group all slant the same way to show that each stands for a modifying word. The line standing for the principal word of the group is joined to the predicate line. The end of each of the other two lines is broken, and turned to touch its principal at an angle.

+Oral Analysis+.—This is a sentence, because–-; animal is the subject, because–-; fled is the predicate, because–-; The and frightened are modifiers of the subject, because–-; still more rapidly is a modifier of the predicate, because it is a group of words joined to it to limit its meaning; rapidly is the principal word of the group; more modifies rapidly, and still modifies more, The frightened animal is the modified subject; fled still more rapidly is the modified predicate.

1. The crocus flowers very early. 2. A violet bed is budding near. 3. The Quakers were most shamefully persecuted. 4. Perhaps he will return. 5. We laughed very heartily. 6. The yellow poplar leaves floated down. 7. The wind sighs so mournfully. 8. Few men have ever fought so stubbornly. 9. The debt will probably be paid. 10. The visitor will soon be here. 11. That humane project was quite generously sustained. 12. A perfectly innocent man was very cruelly persecuted.

REVIEW QUESTIONS.

What is an adjective? What are the words an or a, and the called by some grammarians? When is a used, and when