EXERCISE 17

(General)

Tell the part of speech of each word in the following selections:

Model for written exercise:

Noun Pro. Adj. Verb Adv. Prep. Conj. Int.

I.

I shot an arrow into the air,
It fell to earth, I know not where;
For, so swiftly it flew, the sight
Could not follow it in its flight.

I breathed a song into the air,
It fell to earth, I know not where;
For who has sight so keen and strong,
That it can follow the flight of song?

Long, long afterward, in an oak,
I found the arrow still unbroke;
And the song from beginning to end,
I found again in the heart of a friend.

II.

Breathes there a man with soul so dead,
Who never to himself hath said,

This is my own, my native land?

Whose heart hath ne'er within him burned.
As home his footsteps he hath turned

From wandering on a foreign strand?

CHAPTER III

SUBJECT SUBSTANTIVE; PREDICATE VERB

26. Subject Substantive Defined. Note these examples: Mary is here.

A friend of Mary's is here.

As we see here, the subject of a sentence may consist of a single word, as Mary; or of a group of words, as A friend of Mary's.

If the subject consists of a single word, the word is always a substantive (noun or pronoun or word used as a noun).

If the subject consists of a group of words, the group contains a substantive, which forms the essential, or principal, part of the subject, as friend in the foregoing example. The essential, or principal, part of the subject is called the subject substantive to distinguish it from the entire, or complete, subject.

For other examples of subject substantive, note the italicized part of the complete subject of the following sentences:

will help.
is interesting.

I myself
This book of his

meets our approval.
can be used.

Your plan to help us
Only one or two of them

The subject substantive is the essential, or principal,

part of the complete subject.

The subject substantive is often called the simple subject.

27. Predicate Verb Defined. Note these examples:

Charles came.

Mary stayed in school.

As we see here, the predicate of a sentence may consist of a single word, as came; or a group of words, as stayed in school.

If the predicate consists of a single word, the word is always a verb.

If the predicate consists of a group of words, the group contains a verb, which forms the essential, or principal, part of the predicate, as stayed in the foregoing example. The essential, or principal, part of the predicate is called the predicate verb to distinguish it from the entire, or complete, predicate.

For other examples of predicate verb, note the italicized part of the complete predicate of the following sentences:

Who told you this?

Charles has not yet come home.

A lie faces God and shrinks from man.

The predicate verb is the essential, or principal, part of the complete predicate.

The predicate verb is often called the simple predicate.

28. Subject or Verb Omitted. The subject of an imperative sentence is not generally expressed except for emphasis; as,

Go (you go) with me.

The verb, when it can readily be supplied, is sometimes omitted; as,

This is mine; that, yours (is yours).

SUBJECT SUBSTANTIVE; PREDICATE VERB

EXERCISE 18

31

(1) Tell whether each of the following sentences lacks the subject substantive or the predicate verb, and complete the sense by supplying an appropriate word:

(2) Separate the complete subject of the following sentences from the complete predicate, then point out the subject substantive and the predicate verb:

Model for written exercise:

The little boy looked up and began to smile.

1. The news came too late.

2. We live in deeds, not years.

3. The groves were God's first temples.
4. The darkest hour is just before dawn.
5. Honor and shame from no condition rise.
6. Be still, sad heart, and cease repining.
7. Oh, what a goodly outside falsehood hath.
8. The clouds are at play in the azure space.

9. Profanity never did any man the least good.

10. Nature fits all her children with something to do.

(3) Find ten additional sentences, separate the complete subject from the complete predicate, point out the subject substantive and the predicate verb, and bring these sentences to the class.

CHAPTER IV

COMPLEMENTS

29. Complement Defined. Some verbs within themselves form a complete predication. Note these examples:

The girls laughed.

The bright sun rose.

A verb that within itself forms a complete predication is called a complete verb.

Other verbs within themselves do not form a complete predication but need an additional word to complete their meaning. Note these examples:

Predicate Incomplete

I am

You seem

He has

Predicate Complete

I am glad.

You seem happy.

He has money.

Sometimes a group of words is used to complete the predicate verb; thus,

We want to go home.

I know what you want.

A word or a group of words used to complete the predicate verb is called a complement, a term meaning "that which fills out."

A complete verb is a verb that within itself forms a complete predication.

A complement is a word or a group of words used to complete the predicate verb.

30. Caution. Adverbs and complements are not to be confounded. An adverb modifies the verb; a complement completes the verb. An adverb tells when,