Europe is interesting. To read is easy; to think is not so easy. Blessed are the meek. Blessed are the merciful. Writing good books is useful. We are expecting our aunt; she is coming from France. France is a large country. Reading maketh a full man. To wait is tiresome. THE SIMPLE PREDICATE. 462. Many Intransitive Verbs may by themselves form a Predicate; as, Birds fly. Transitive Verbs, however, require an Object to complete their predication or assertion; and Copulative Verbs (see pars. 301-307) require an Attribute to complete their predication. 463. The Simple Predicate may therefore be (1) An Intransitive Verb; as, "We were talking." (2) A Transitive Verb with its Object; as, "Horses eat hay.” (3) A Copulative Verb and the Attribute; as, "Oaks grow tall," "Men are animals." 464. Like the Subject, the Object may be (1) A Noun'; as, "Bakers make bread." (2) A Pronoun; as, "We love him." (3) An Adjective used as a Noun; as, "You should pity the poor." (4) A Gerund; as, "I like reading history." (5) An Infinitive; as, "I like to read." Exercise 192. Pick out the Object and say of what it consists. The cook made a pie. Tom broke the window. The gardener sowed seeds. Some one stole the horse. Artists paint pictures. The sailor lost his ship. Children learn lessons. Authors write books. Farmers grow corn. Birds build nests. I heard her. We have just met him. Mr. Smith will meet us. We like them. I hurt myself. She cut her 1 It will be seen when Complex Sentences are taken that the Object or the Attribute may also consist of a Noun Clause. self. They are dressing themselves. The child is learning to read. He tries to succeed. We hope to pass. She studies painting. He teaches drawing. We had begun to dance. They intend to write. She helps We love the meek. Comfort the miserable. the poor. 465. The Attribute may be (1) A Noun'; as, "Thou art the man.” (2) A Pronoun; as, "I am he." (3) An Adjective; as, "It is good.” (4) An Adjective used as a Noun; as, "These are the merciful." (5) A Gerund; as, "His weakness is his believing too readily." (6) An Infinitive; as, “The house is to be sold.” (7) A Prepositional Phrase; as, "The horse is for sale," "The gun seems out of order." Exercise 193. In Exercise 141 pick out each Attribute and say of what it consists. COMPLETE OR ENLARGED SUBJECT. Read again pars. 142, 145. 466. The Simple Subject, when it is a Noun or a Pronoun, may be enlarged by (1) An Adjective'; as, The birds built a nest. Those birds built nests. Twenty birds built nests. (2) A Noun or Pronoun in the Possessive Case; as, My father is a farmer. William's brother is a captain. 1 See footnote on p. 219. 2 Also in Complex Sentences, as we shall see, by an Adjective Clause. (3) A Noun in Apposition; as, "George the gamekeeper (4) A Participle or a Participle with Adjuncts; as, The king being defeated desired peace. The victor, having brought his enemies to submit, ended the war. (5) A Prepositional Phrase; as, "The Tower of London is ancient." (6) An Infinitive Phrase; as, "A wish to please is the root of politeness." 467. Since the above Adjuncts describe or limit Nouns or Pronouns, they are either Adjectives or words which do the work of Adjectives; and they are therefore called Adjective Elements. 468. When the Subject is an Adjective used as a Noun, or a Gerund or an Infinitive, it may be modified by an Adverb; as, "The truly good are the happiest." "Walking briskly is a good exercise." "To eat rapidly is unwise." 469. When the Subject is an Infinitive or a Gerund, it may be enlarged by (1) An Object; as, To read good books is instructive. Loving our friends is easy. To try (or trying) to study is bad for a sick man. (2) An Attribute; as, To be wise is the last thing we learn. Being thought a wit flatters him. (3) A Prepositional or other phrase; as, To read in a bad light is foolish. Walking here in the fields is pleasant, Exercise 194. Pick out the Enlargements or Adjuncts of the Subject and say what they are. The old man is tired. My name is Norval. A little ship was on the sea. Peters the baker makes bread. Robinson the tailor sells cloths. Tom's father was Dick's son. Her uncle is in India. The ship being strong withstood the storm. The woman being in great trouble was weeping. The house on the hill is Mr. Bosworth's. The lady on horseback is Mrs. Bosworth. Teaching lazy children is hard work. Learning to row is pleasant. Fearing the storm, we returned. The path of duty is the way to glory. Every turf beneath their feet shall be a soldier's sepulchre. The really good are few. Seeming learned is his one accomplishment. To be good is to be happy. To play the piano was his delight. The man to see is Robinson. To be thought original was his chief aim. Her being considered beautiful has been her pride. Reading in bed is bad for the eyes. COMPLETE OR ENLARGED PREDICATE. 470. The Simple Predicate, since it always contains a Verb, and since it may contain an Object or an Attribute, may be enlarged (1) By Adjuncts to the Verb. Read again pars. 143, 144, 146. ADJUNCTS TO THE VERB. 471. Adjuncts to the Verb may be (1) An Adverb'; as, "He writes badly." (2) A Prepositional Phrase; as, "He writes on paper." 1 Also, in Complex Sentences, as we shall see, by an Adverbial Clause. (5) A Phrase with the Nominative Absolute'; as, "Winter being over, the swallows returned." "The day being rainy, we stayed at home." NOTE. This kind of phrase is usually called a Participial Phrase. It generally states a reason or cause for the action denoted by the main Verb. Observe that the Noun in a Participial Phrase is not the Subject, but stands apart, with the Participle. Exercise 195. Pick out the Adjuncts to the Verb and say what they are. The battle won, the victors pitched their tents upon the field. The gate being left open, the cattle strayed. We lived at Hastings ten months. The soldiers marched thirty miles in one day. The book is well written, some parts being excellent. Additional Sentences:—Exercise 93. 472. As the Adjuncts of the Verb are either Adverbs or words which do the work of Adverbs, they can be divided into classes as Adverbs can, and they are called Adverbial Elements. 473. The Adjuncts of the Verb may show (1) Time; as, He will return soon. The child was born in the year 1880. (2) Place; as, The man fell here. We bought these books in Paris. (3) Degree or Number; as, I like it much. I have read the book several times. (4) Manner; as, You acted wisely. The boy ran like the wind. He lit the candle with a match. 1 See par. 152. |