XXVII. EXERCISES IN GRAMMAR

I. A. Tell the part of speech of each word in the following

sentences:

1. The pretty young girl is pulling her little brother on his sled.

2. The street cleaners are noisily shoveling the snow.

3.

The warm sun will soon melt the ice.

4. A bright coal fire is pleasant on this cold day.

5. We called loudly for help and then waited patiently.

B. Use the following words as nouns:

II. A. In each of the following sentences tell what constitutes the principal or independent clause, and what constitutes the subordinate clause. Give the subject substantive and the predicate verb of each clause:

1. When we had finished skating we had good appetites for supper. 2. Mercury is the only metal that is normally a liquid.

3. I think mother will give me a new dress, because she promised me one for Christmas.

4. If it gets warmer, we cannot skate to-morrow.

5. We never see snow where I live.

6. While I like to help people who are really needy, I will not give

to street beggars.

B. Use the following clauses in making complex sentences:

1. When spring comes

2. If I am promoted this term

3.

4.

because he is the brightest boy in the class.

whom we saw on the street.

5. Although she is very thin

What is the subject substantive of a sentence? the predicate verb? the object? What are modifiers?

III. Tell the subject substantive and the predicate verb of each of the following sentences and clauses. Also tell the modifiers of each subject substantive and of each predicate verb, and the object of each transitive verb:

1. Nobody knew the poor old man. His hair and beard were long and white. His old gun was rusty. His dog, whose tail hung dejectedly between his legs, looked hungry and scared.

2. The snow brings the children to the park with their sleds.

3. Philip Nolan cursed his flag and his country.

4. The boys who live on that street sell papers.

5. The price of sugar has dropped in the last few months.

6. This child of eight plays chess remarkably well.

7. The other boys in the room hid Julian's cap while he was downstairs.

8. The left-handed pitcher won the game for the home team.

9. I see two little children on the street.

IV. Tell the part of speech of each word in the following sentences and give the subject substantive and the predicate verb of each sentence and clause:

1. The squirrels in the park are busily burying their nuts.

2. She and I usually play together.

3. The fire broke out in the middle of the night while all the guests

of the hotel were asleep.

EXERCISES IN GRAMMAR

4. We sometimes see redbirds on snowy days.

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5. If I cannot come on Saturday, I shall telephone you in time. 6. When you were in Florida did you go down to Key West?

7. Gum boots are very useful on the farm.

V. A. Combine each of the following groups of simple sentences into a complex sentence:

1. His face was thin and haggard. He was hungry.

2. I prepared a warm breakfast for him. I set it on the table.

3. The robbers avoided the main traveled roads. They did not wish to be followed.

4. He was little. He was poor. He had nowhere to go. He had no

home.

5. I retired to my cabin. The awful scene still followed me.

6. I heard the waves rushing along the side of the ship. Death was raging round this floating prison.

7. You are late for school this morning. You did not get up in time. 8. At times the black volumes of clouds seemed rent asunder by flashes of lightning. They quivered along the foaming billows.

B. Change each of the following complex sentences to a simple sentence by changing the subordinate clause to an adjective, an adverb, or a phrase:

I. I shall be ready when it is time to go.

2. Mr. Thomas did work that was valuable.

3. The fireman who had fallen asleep was awakened by the electric signal.

4. A fire horse, when he has retired, never forgets that he was a fire

horse.

5. The love which children feel for fire horses is fully equaled by the love of the horses for the children.

When is a noun or a pronoun in the nominative case? When is a noun in the genitive case? When is it in the accusative case? What is the accusative form of we? of I? of she? of he? of they?

VI. In the following sentences tell the case of each noun and pronoun and give the reason for each case:

1. The travelers drank the milk in their bowls at one draft.

2. Quicksilver started from the table and took the pitcher by the handle.

3. He filled his own bowl and his companion's bowl from the pitcher. 4. The good woman could scarcely believe us.

5. I am old, and perhaps I made a mistake.

6. She lifted the pitcher. An abundant cascade of milk fell into the bowl.

7. The snakes stretched out their heads and lapped up the milk.

What is a declarative sentence? an interrogative sentence? an exclamatory sentence? How should each of these kinds of sentences be punctuated?

VII. A. Tell what kind of sentence each of the following is, and punctuate it correctly:

1. What a delicious fragrance the milk had

2. May I have a little more milk

3. There was a bunch of grapes for each of the guests

4. Please give me a slice of your brown loaf and a little honey

5. Baucis cut him a slice of bread

6. Did you ever hear the like

7. Oh, how thirsty I am

8. Close the door and I will tell you a secret

9. These grapes grew on my own vine

10. They are perfectly delicious

II. Will you not stay all night with us

B. Write a declarative sentence; an interrogative sentence; a declarative sentence that is exclamatory. Which kind of sentence is most frequently used in writing?

A predicate nominative always means the same as the subject. In what case is it? The object of a transitive verb

EXERCISES IN GRAMMAR

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is different from the subject and receives some action from the subject. In what case is it?

VIII. A. In each of the following sentences select the nouns and the pronouns that are predicate nominatives:

I. At one end of the beach there was a pleasant spot.

2. It was the Old Man of the Sea.

3. Ernest was president of the club.

4. It was really a terrible spectacle.

5. The Old Man of the Sea was a fishy, scaly, web-footed person. 6. This is the day for examinations.

7. The giant's name was Antaeus.

8. This is the nearest way to the post office.

9. The baby's name was James.

10. The light in the sky was the moon as it rose above the hills. II. It is you that I came to see.

12. He is the most terrible creature I ever saw.

13. It was I that started the fight.

14. This is he.

B. In each of the following sentences tell whether the word used after the verb is a predicate nominative or the object of a transitive verb:

1. He struck me on the head.

2. It was a bright object like the sun.

3. It was a great, golden cup.

4. Atlas supported the sky on his shoulders.

5. She is my mother.

6. I am Hercules.

7. The giant could see Hercules on the seashore.

8. It was he.

9. Hercules had a kind heart.

10. He was a remarkably strong man.