LEARNING CORRECT LANGUAGE FROM BOOKS 21

pronounce exactly, to articulate clearly, to choose the best words to express thought, to speak sincerely, to speak in a pleasant voice. These are things that your book will help you to do. But your book can only help; you must do.

As you begin this work, find your American "I can." Match it with "I will." So you will prove that you, too, are trying to become a true American. If you are willing to try to do this, copy and sign this pledge.

American Speech Pledge

I will try to speak the speech of America correctly, clearly, sincerely, and in a pleasant voice.

II. LEARNING CORRECT LANGUAGE FROM BOOKS

One way to learn to use language correctly is to read good books. As you will learn later, the boy who called on Mr. Carson began to read good books. He made his selections from a list such as you will find near the end of this book (page 355). There are many books in that list which you will like. Your teacher will tell you about them.1

1 Note to the teacher: See Manual, page 24.

III. USING SAW AND SEEN CORRECTLY

1. The boy who answered Mr. Carson's advertisement, said, "I seen yer ad." He should have said, "I saw your advertisement."

The word "seen" must never be used alone. It must always have one or more words before it to help it express its meaning, as:

The word "saw" needs no other word to help it express its meaning. It is used when speaking of something that has been seen at some past time.

2. The following sentences use "seen" and "saw" correctly. Read them, speaking every word clearly and distinctly.

(a) I saw an airplane yesterday.
(b) It was seen by all our family.
(c) John saw it first.

(d) It was the first airplane he had seen.

(e) My big brother had seen ever so many.

(f) He saw them when he was fighting in France.

3. Answer the following questions, using "saw" and "seen" correctly in each of your sentences. (a) Have you seen a lost dog?

(b) Whom did you see this morning?

USING WAS AND WERE CORRECTLY

23

(c) Could the sun be seen at five o'clock this morning?

(d) What animals did you see at the circus?

(e) What animals may be seen on the streets?

4. Copy the following sentences, writing "saw or "seen" in the blanks.

(f) He was almost upon her before she

truck.

(g) If she had

have been run down.

the

it one second later, she would

(h) As she jumped back, I

was

her drop something.

(i) After the truck had passed, a flattened rag doll

on the road.

IV. USING WAS AND WERE CORRECTLY; WORDS IN PLACE OF AIN'T

1. When to Use Was and Were

The boy said, "I was born in the United States." That is correct. He was speaking of one person, himself. When speaking of one it is correct to use "was."

In the next sentence he said, "My father and my mother was born here."

How many people did he say "was born here"?

It is incorrect to use "was" when speaking of more than one. The boy should have said, "My father and my mother were born here."

Fill in the blanks in the following sentences, using "was" and "were" correctly.

John

Fred

hurrying home from school. Tom and with him. They in a hurry, as they

wanted to ask permission to go to a ball game with

their teacher who

Suddenly there

willing to take them.

a great noise.

Men and women

gine

seen rushing to the sidewalk. A great red fire enhurrying down the street. Home, teacher, and forgotten, as the boys ran off to the fire.

ball game

2. Words to Use in Place of Ain't

"am

The boy in the story used the word "ain't.' This is not a real word; it should never be used. If the boy keeps his promise to become a true American in speech, he must learn to say, not," "is not, ""are not," in place of "ain't." Show that you can do this by reading the following sentences, filling the blanks correctly.

If you wish to be a true American in speech, say: "I can and I will use correct words in place of That word I will never use."

' ain't.'

V. PRONOUNCING WORDS CORRECTLY

1. The boy in the story said:

Pronounce each of these words clearly and

distinctly as it should be pronounced.

2. Below is a list of common words often mis

pronounced through carelessness.

Pronounce each

3. Read the following sentences, pronouncing every word clearly and correctly.

(a) A hundred children sang America the Beautiful. (b) Eleven hundred handkerchiefs waved again and again.