Plain English Part 103

{ _Words_--The man works hard.

SIMPLE SENTENCES { _Phrases_--The man _on your right_ works _in the CONTAIN ONLY { factory._

{ _Words_, The man works steadily +Complex sentences+ { _Phrases_ in the factory _whenever +contain+ { and there is work_.

{ _Dependent clauses._

+Compound sentences contain+ two or more princ.i.p.al clauses, as:

_The sun rises_ and _the day dawns_.

+462.+ Take the simple subjects and simple predicates in Exercise 5, and build up sentences; first, by adding a word, then a phrase and then a clause to modify the subject; then add a word and a phrase and a clause to modify the predicate.

So long as you have only words and phrases you have simple sentences.

When you add a dependent clause you have a complex sentence. When you unite two independent clauses in one sentence, then you have a compound sentence, and the connecting word will always be a co-ordinate conjunction. These will be readily distinguished for there are only a few co-ordinate conjunctions.

Go back to the lesson on co-ordinate conjunctions and find out what these are, and whenever you find two clauses connected by these co-ordinate conjunctions you know that you have a compound sentence.

Remember that each clause must contain a subject and predicate of its own. When you have two words connected by these co-ordinate conjunctions you do not have a clause. Each clause must contain a subject and a predicate of its own.

+463.+ Here is an example of a sentence built up from a simple subject and a simple predicate:

SIMPLE SUBJECT ENLARGED

+Simple Subject and Predicate+--_Soldiers obey._

_Adjectives_ added--_The enlisted_ soldiers obey.

_Phrase_ added--The enlisted soldiers _in the trenches_ obey.

_Clause_ added--The enlisted soldiers in the trenches, _who are doomed to die_, obey.

SIMPLE PREDICATE ENLARGED

+Simple Subject and Predicate+--_Soldiers obey._

_Object_ added--Soldiers obey _orders_.

_Adverb_ added--Soldiers obey orders _quickly_.

_Phrase_ added--Soldiers obey orders quickly and _without question_.

_Clause_ added--Soldiers obey orders quickly and without question _because they are taught to do so_.

Combining our enlarged subject and predicate we have the sentence:

The enlisted soldiers in the trenches, who are doomed to die, obey orders quickly and without question because they are taught to do so.

This is a complex sentence because it contains dependent clauses. We might add another independent clause and make of this a compound sentence. For example:

The enlisted soldiers in the trenches, who are doomed to die, obey orders quickly and without question because they are taught to do so, and _this is patriotism_.

Exercise 5

Enlarge the following simple subjects and simple predicates:

Men write.

Boys play.

People study.

The law rules.

Exercise 6

In the following poem underscore all of the dependent clauses.

Determine whether they are noun, adjective or adverb clauses. Do you find any simple or compound sentences in this poem?

MEN! whose boast it is that ye Come of fathers brave and free, If there breathe on earth a slave, Are you truly free and brave?

If ye do not feel the chain, When it works a brother's pain, Are ye not base slaves indeed, Slaves unworthy to be freed?

Women! who shall one day bear Sons to breathe New England air, If ye hear without a blush, Deeds to make the roused blood rush Like red lava through your veins, For your sisters now in chains,-- Answer! are you fit to be Mothers of the brave and free?

Is true Freedom but to break Fetters for our own dear sake, And, with leathern hearts, forget That we owe mankind a debt?

No! true freedom is to share All the chains our brothers wear, And, with heart and hand, to be Earnest to make others free!

They are slaves who fear to speak For the fallen and the weak; They are slaves who will not choose Hatred, scoffing, and abuse, Rather than in silence shrink From the truth they needs must think; They are slaves who dare not be In the right with two or three.

--_Lowell_.

SPELLING

LESSON 27

We have studied concerning the formation of derivatives by the addition of suffixes. Derivatives are also formed by the addition of prefixes.

You remember that a prefix is a syllable which is placed before a simple word to form the derivative. Among the most common of these prefixes are _in_, _un_ and _mis_. The prefix _in_ used with an adjective or adverb means _not_; for example, _insane_ means _not_ sane; _incorrect_ means _not_ correct, etc.

The prefix _in_ used with a noun means _lack of_; for example, _inexperience_ means _lack of_ experience; _inability_ means _lack of_ ability, etc.

In words beginning with _m_ or _p_, _in_, meaning _not_ or _lack of_, is changed to _im_. This is done for the sake of euphony. The _n_ does not unite readily with the sound of _m_ or _p_. So we do not say _inmodest_ and _inpartial_, but _immodest_ and _impartial_.

The prefix _un_, used with participles, means _not_; for example, _unprepared_ means _not_ prepared; _unguarded_ means _not_ guarded, etc.

The prefix _un_ used with verbs, means to take off or to reverse; for example, _uncover_ means to take off the cover; _untwist_ means to reverse the process of the twisting.