ANALYSIS OF SIMPLE SENTENCES

1. We have learnt that a Sentence is a set or group of words which makes complete sense.

We have also learnt that the first stage in the analysis of a sentence is to divide it into two

main parts - the Subject and the Predicate; as,

No. -- SUBJECT -- PREDICATE

1. Dogs -- bark.

2. The sun -- gives light.

3. The child -- is dead.

4. The boys -- made Rama captain.

5. My father -- gave me a watch.

6. The flames -- spread everywhere.

7. The flames -- spread in every direction.

8. The hour to prepare lessons -- has arrived.

The subject denotes the person or thing about which something is said.

The predicate is what is said about the person or thing denoted by toe Subject.

We see that the Subject may consist of one word or several words. "Us, in sentence 1 the

subject consists of one word, viz., the Noun dogs; in sentence 8 the Subject consists of

five words of which the most important word is the Noun hour.

Verb bark; in sentence 5 the Predicate consists of four words of which the essential word

is the Verb gave.

Exercise 1.

In the following sentences separate the Subject and the Predicate:-

1.The cackling of geese saved Rome.

2. Stone walls do not a prison make.

3. All matter is indestructible.

4. No man can serve two masters.

5. A sick room should be well aired.

6. I shot an arrow in the air.

7. A barking sound the shepherd hears.

8. Up went the balloon.

9. The naked every day he clad,

10. Into the street the piper slept.

11. Sweet are the uses of adversity.

12. Dear, gentle, patient, noble Nell was dead.

2. When the Subject of a sentence consists of several words, there is always one word in

it which is more important than the other words. This chief word in the complete Subject

is called the Subject-word or

Simple Subject. Thus, in the sentence,

The little child, tired of play, / is sleeping,

the Noun child is the Subject-word.

The Subject-word is always a Noun, or a word or group of words that does the work of a

Noun ; as,

He /tried his best.

The rich / are not always happy.

Talking overmuch / is a sign of vanity.

To err /is human.

To find fault I is easy.

3. In the complete Subject, the Subject-word is qualified by an Adjective or Adjectiveequivalent

(A word or group of words which does the work of an adverb is called an

Adverb - equivalent) called its Enlargement or attribute; as,

1. New brooms / sweep clean.

2. Barking dogs / seldom bite.

3. Hari's father / is an engineer.

4. My views / are quite different.

5. Firdousi, the poet, / wrote the Shah Namah.

6. A desire to excel / is commendable.

7. A stitch in time / saves nine.

No. -- SUBJECT (Subject word -- Attribute) -- PREDICATE

1. brooms -- New -- sweep clean.

2. dogs -- Barking -- seldom byte.

3. father -- Hari’s -- Is an engineer.

4. views -- My -- are quit different.

5. firdousi -- The poet -- wrote the Shah Namah.

6. desire -- (1) A, (2) To Excel -- is commendable.

7. stitch -- (1) A, (2) In Time -- saves nine.

It will be noted thatin

1, the Attribute is an Adjective;

in 2, the Attribute is a Participle (or Participial Adjective);

in 3, the Attribute is a Noun in the Possessive or Genitive Case;

in 4, the Attribute is a Possessive Adjective;

in 5, the Attribute is a Noun in Apposition;

in 6, the Attribute (to excel) is a Gerundial Infinitive;

in 7, the Attribute (in time) is a group of words doing the work of an Adjective.

Note:- A or an and the are really Attributes, but they are sometimes treated as parts of the

Subject-word.

Exercise 2.

In the following sentences pick out the complete Subject; then separate Subject-word

from its Attributes:-

1. The boy, anxious to learn, worked hard.

2. A burnt child dreads £he fire.

3. Birds of a feather flock together.

4. The attempt to scale the fort was an utter failure.

5. The days of our youth are the days of our glory.

6. Ill habits gather by unseen degrees.

7. The dog, seizing the man by the collar, dragged him out.

8. The streets of some of our cities are noted for their crookedness.

9. A house divided against itself cannot stand.

10. Deceived by his friends, he lost all hope.

11. The man carrying a hoe is a gardener.

12. One man's meal is another man's poison.

13. My days among the Dead are past.

14. With his white hair unbonneted, the stoul old sheriff comes.

4. We have seen that the Predicate may consist of one word or several words.

When the Predicate consists of one word that word is always a Verb, because we cannot

say anything without using a saying-word, i.e., a Verb. (See sentence 1 in § 1).

When the Predicate consists of several words, the essential word in the Predicate is

always a Verb. (As the Verb is the essential word in the Predicate it is sometimes called

the Predicate-word).

5. Just as the Subject-word may be qualified by an Adjective or Adjective-equivalent, the

Verb in the Predicate may be qualified by an Adverb or Adverb-equivalent(A word or

group of words which does the work of an adverb is called an Adverb - equivalent),

called, in analysis, its Extension or Adverbial Qualification ; as,

1. The flames spread everywhere.

2. He went home.

3. He rose in go.

4. The flames spread in every direction.

5. Spring advancing, the swallows appear.

No. -- SUBJECT (Subject-word -- Attribute) -- PREDICATE (Verb --

Adverbial Qualification)

1. flames -- The -- spread -- everywhere

2. He -- -- went -- home

3. He -- -- rose -- to go

4. flames -- The -- spread -- in every direction

5. swallows -- The -- appear -- Spring advancing

It will be noted that:-

in 1, the Adverbial Qualification is an Adverb;

in 2, the Adverbial Qualification is an Adverbial Accusative;

in 3, the Adverbial Qualification is a Gerundial Infinitive;

in 4, the Adverbial Qualification is a group of words doing the work of an Adverb;

in 5, the Adverbial Qualification is an Absolute Phrase.

Exercise 3.

Point out the Adverbial Qualification in each of the following sentences and say whether

it is an Adverb, an Adverbial Accusative, a Gerundial Infinitive, a group of words doing

the work of an Adverb, or an Absolute Phrase:-

1. She spoke distinctly.

2. He spoke in a distinct voice.

3. The boy ran a mile.

4. The postman called again.

5. He has come to stay.

6. Wait a minute.

7. The book is printed in clear type.

8. I recognized your voice at once.

9. Help a lame dog over a stile.

10. The tide having turned, the ship set sail.

11. He sold his horse below its value.

12. He leaves two children behind him.

13. He gets his living by trade.

14. He made his money by trade.

15. The enemy disputed the ground inch by inch.

16. He saw a new world spread about him.

17. The village life suited him in all respects.

18. Him will I follow to the ends of the earth.