"Savage dog," "John's savage dog," "in the yard," are not sentences, for not one of these groups of words expresses a complete thought. 2. Here are some groups of words. Not one of the groups in the first column expresses a complete thought; each one of the groups in the second column expresses a complete GROUPS OF WORDS; NOT SENTENCES (a) The boy's new hat (b) Football (c) The American flag (d) The brave soldier thought. GROUPS OF WORDS; SENTENCES The boy's new hat is torn. game. The American flag waves over the school. The brave soldier was shot. (e) The frightened horses The frightened horses ran Just what does this group of words tell? "The hat" tells what the thought is about; "boy's" tells to whom the hat belongs. All together, these words tell and describe what the thought is about, but they do not tell what the thought about this thing is; they do not tell the complete thought, hence they are not a sentence. But if we add to these words "is torn," we complete the thought, for "is torn " tells what is thought about " the boy's new hat." The complete thought is expressed in the sentence, The boy's new hat is torn. In this same way, study each one of the above groups of words and sentences. Read 3. Below are some groups of words. each group to yourself, asking yourself this question: Does this group of words express a complete thought? If the answer is "yes," you may know it is a sentence; if the answer is "no," you may be sure it is not a sentence. Think what you could add to the groups of words that are not sentences to make complete thoughts, and so make them sentences. (a) A game of baseball. (b) The boy's lost baseball. (c) The boy has lost his baseball. (d) An exciting game. (e) I like to play baseball. (ƒ) The new, white baseball. (g) John has a new, white baseball. STATEMENTS, QUESTIONS, AND EXCLAMATIONS 43 (h) I want a new baseball. (2) I have found a good baseball. (1) Baseball is my favorite sport. (k) This afternoon's game. (1) We are going to the game this afternoon. (m) The blue sky. (n) The sky is blue. (0) The train rushed through the town. (p) The rushing, dashing, noisy train. (q) The quiet, industrious children. (r) The children are quiet and industrious. II. MAKING SENTENCES This is a test exercise and a game. Your teacher will tell you what to do.1 III. SENTENCES: STATEMENTS, QUESTIONS, AND EXCLAMATIONS Read the following sentences: (a) Last night we heard a sound on our porch. (b) What could it be? (c) Father opened the door. (d) There stood a large black dog. (e) How big he seemed! (f) He held up a forepaw. (g) What do you think he wanted? (h) The poor paw was cut and bleeding. 1 Note to the teacher: Find full directions in your Manual, page 43. (i) How sorry we all felt! (j) Mother washed and bandaged the paw. (k) How it must have hurt! (1) Yet how patient he was! (m) How did he know where to come? (n) The dog looked very grateful. (0) He stayed at our house all night. (p) Was he not a wise dog? With what kind of letter does the first word of each sentence begin? The first word in every sentence begins with a capital letter. Read the first sentence. This sentence tells or states something. A sentence that tells or states something is called a statement. The mark after the statement (.) is called a period. Every statement is followed by a period. Read the second sentence. This sentence asks something. A sentence that asks something is called a question. The mark after a question (?) is called a question mark. Every question is followed by a question mark. STATEMENTS, QUESTIONS, AND EXCLAMATIONS 45 The question mark is said to have been formed from the first and last letters of the Latin word Quaestio, "question," placed one above the other (3). Read the sentence marked (e). This sentence not only tells that the dog was big; it tells that he was so big that we were surprised. A sentence that expresses strong or sudden feeling -as joy, surprise, anger, fear, or admiration — is called an exclamatory sentence. The mark after an exclamatory sentence (!) is called an exclamation mark. Every exclamatory sentence is followed by an exclamation mark. The exclamation mark is said to have been formed from the Italian word Io, "joy," written (!). Study in order each of the sentences on pages 43 and 44, telling yourself how it begins, how it ends, and the reasons. Study them like this: (a) Last night we heard a sound on our porch. "Last" begins with a capital letter because it is the first word in a sentence. There is a period after the sentence because it is a statement. (b) What could it be? |