Let us take somewhat longer sentences and divide them into subject and predicate. In the sentence, - Many birds fly south. Many birds is the subject; fly south is the prediWhat are the subjects and predicates of the two following sentences? cate. Many birds fly south in the autumn. Many birds, both large and small, fly south in the autumn. In each of the following sentences what do we talk about? What do we say about it? What is the subject, what is the predicate of each ? Jack and Jill went up the hill. Rain refreshes the dry earth. I ran home like a deer. Nearly all domestic animals appreciate kindness. Every sentence has a subject and a predicate. All of the grandchildren returned to the old home for Christmas. 102. WRITTEN LESSON BUILDING SENTENCES Write sentences, supplying predicates for the following subjects: Every sentence can be divided into two parts, the complete subject and the complete predicate. I The subject is what we are talking about. The predicate is what we say about the subject. Supply predicates for the following subjects: The dinner bell The largest building in town. 4. A year has three hundred and sixty-five days. 5. Taffy was a Welshman. 6. The village smithy stands under a spreading chestnut tree. 7. Dirt and disease go together. 8. George and May were brother and sister. Study the picture carefully. Describe the little girl, her dog, the other dog. Do you see anything that indicates to whom this other dog belongs? Can you imagine how his owner looks? Where is the scene? What is the girl doing? Define mute and appeal. Is the title of the picture a good one? Why? Several pupils may tell the story of the picture. One may give the little girl's account of the story; another, her dog's account; another, the other dog's account. Order of Subject and Predicate 105. WRITTEN LESSON 93. Write a single paragraph on one of the following topics: 1. A description of the picture in Lesson 104. 2. A vacation outing. These paragraphs are to be corrected by the class, for (1) title, (2) indention, (3) capitals, (4) punctuation. 106. LANGUAGE LESSON ORDER OF SUBJECT AND PREDICATE Examine the following sentences. The subject is in italics, the predicate in roman type. What kind of sentence is each? 1. Down the hill ran the boys and girls. 2. Where is James? 3. Where did your brother Tom go yesterday? 4. Please give me a dime. In the first sentence, the usual order is changed, and the predicate comes first and the subject second. In declarative sentences, the natural order is (1) subject, (2) predicate. When a sentence has (1) predicate, (2) subject, this is called inverted order. In the second sentence, the subject comes last, as frequently in interrogative sentences. In the third sentence, a part of the predicate precedes and a part follows the subject. This order occurs in all kinds of sentences. In the fourth sentence, the subject you is omitted, but must be understood. The subject you is frequently omitted in imperative sentences. Select the subject and the predicate in each of the following sentences: 1. Young Walter Raleigh was waiting to see the queen. 2. At the foot of the stairs lay the queen's barge. 3. In a minute the queen would pass down the stairs. 4. From the great gates forth marched the ushers. 5. Amid a crowd of lords and ladies came the queen herself. 6. Where was Raleigh's companion? 7. He was hiding behind Walter. 8. It had rained the night before. 9. In the queen's path was a small quantity of mud. 12. The queen passed over this strange bridge. 13. Into the barge she stepped without saying a word. 14. The crowd watched and wondered. 15. One of the queen's officers appeared. 16. Follow me to the queen. 107. ORAL LESSON THE GROWTH OF A PLANT Every spring you have seen trees put forth new leaves, flowers and weeds spring up in field and woodside, and all nature take. on new life. Every step in these changes is wonderful; each is a new act of creation. Most of the common plants continue their lives from generation to generation by means of seeds. Have you ever watched a seed grow into a plant? This is a picture of a bean. Place several beans in damp sand or earth, and keep them warm. In two or three days, if you take |