I. NOUN (OR SUBSTANTIVE) CLAUSES.
{ Success | That we should succeed in this plan } is improbable.
The thought in these two sentences is the same, but in the second it is more fully expressed. In the first sentence, the subject is the noun success ; in the second, the subject is the noun clause, that we should succeed in this plan . This clause is introduced by the conjunction that ; the simple subject of the clause is the pronoun we , and the simple predicate is the verb-phrase should succeed . The
first sentence is simple ; the second is complex .
Substantive clauses are often introduced by the conjunction that .
II. ADJECTIVE CLAUSES. The following sentences illustrate the use of (1) an adjective , (2) an adjective phrase , (3) an adjective clause , as a modifier of the subject noun.
{An honorable man | A man of honor | A man who values his honor } will not lie.
{A seasonable word | A word in season | A word that is spoken at the right moment } may save a soul.
{My native land | The land of my birth | The land where I was born } lies far across the sea.
The first two sentences in each group are simple , the third is complex .
III. ADVERBIAL CLAUSES. The following sentences illustrate the use of (1) an adverb , (2) an adverbial phrase , (3) an adverbial
clause , as a modifier of the predicate verb (or verb-phrase).
The lightning struck { here . | on this spot . | where we stand .}
Mr. Andrews lives { near . | in this neighborhood . | where you see that elm .}
The game began { punctually . | on the stroke of one . | when the clock struck .}
The banker will make the loan { conditionally . | on one condition . | if you endorse my note .}
The first two sentences in each group are simple , the third is complex .
Adjective clauses may be introduced (1) by the pronouns who , which , and that , or (2) by adverbs like where , whence , whither , when .
Adverbial clauses may be introduced (1) by the adverbs where , whither , whence , when , while , before , after , until , how , as , or (2) by the conjunctions because , though , although , if , that ( in order that , so that ), lest , etc.
NOTE. The use of phrases and clauses as parts of speech increases enormously the richness and power of language. Though English has a huge stock of words, it cannot provide a separate noun or adjective or adverb for every idea. By grouping words, however, in phrases and clauses we, in effect, make a great variety of new nouns, adjectives, and adverbs, each precisely fitted to the needs of the moment in the expression of thought.
SUMMARY OF DEFINITIONS
THE SENTENCE
1. Language is thought expressed in words.
2. To express thought words are combined into sentences.
3. A sentence is a group of words which expresses a complete thought.
4. Sentences may be declarative, interrogative, imperative, or exclamatory.
(1) A declarative sentence declares or asserts something as a fact.
(2) An interrogative sentence asks a question.
(3) An imperative sentence expresses a command or a request.
(4) An exclamatory sentence expresses surprise, grief, or some other emotion in the form of an exclamation or cry.
A declarative, an interrogative, or an imperative sentence may also be exclamatory.
SUBJECT AND PREDICATE
5. Every sentence consists of a subject and a predicate.
The subject of a sentence designates the person, place, or thing that is spoken of; the predicate is that which is said of the subject.
6. The simple subject of a sentence is a noun or pronoun.
The simple predicate of a sentence is a verb or verb-phrase.
7. The simple subject, with such words as explain or complete its meaning, forms the complete subject.
The simple predicate, with such words as explain or complete its meaning, forms the complete predicate.
8. A compound subject or predicate consists of two or more simple subjects or predicates, joined, when necessary, by conjunctions.
Either the subject or the predicate, or both, may be compound.
THE PARTS OF SPEECH
9. In accordance with their use in the sentence, words are divided into eight classes called parts of speech,--namely, nouns, pronouns,
adjectives, verbs, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections.
(1) A noun is the name of a person, place, or thing.
(2) A pronoun is a word used instead of a noun. It designates a person, place, or thing without naming it.
Nouns and pronouns are called substantives.
The substantive to which a pronoun refers is called its antecedent.
(3) An adjective is a word which describes or limits a substantive.
This it usually does by indicating some quality.
An adjective is said to belong to the substantive which it describes or limits.
An adjective which describes is called a descriptive adjective; one which points out or designates is called a definitive adjective.
(4) A verb is a word which can assert something (usually an action) concerning a person, place, or thing.
Some verbs express state or condition rather than action.
A group of words that is used as a verb is called a verb-phrase.
Certain verbs, when used to make verb-phrases, are called auxiliary (that is, “aiding”) verbs, because they help other verbs to express action or state of some particular kind.
Is (in its various forms) and several other verbs may be used to frame sentences in which some word or words in the predicate describe or define the subject. In such sentences, is and other verbs that are used for the same purpose are called copulative (that is, “joining”) verbs.
(5) An adverb is a word which modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.
A word or group of words that changes or modifies the meaning of another word is called a modifier.
Adjectives and adverbs are both modifiers.
(6) A preposition is a word placed before a substantive to show its relation to some other word in the sentence.
The substantive which follows a preposition is called its object.
(7) A conjunction connects words or groups of words.
(8) An interjection is a cry or other exclamatory sound expressing surprise, anger, pleasure, or some other emotion or feeling.
10. The meaning of a word in the sentence determines to what part of speech it belongs.
The same word may be sometimes one part of speech, sometimes another.
11. The infinitive is a verb-form which partakes of the nature of a noun. It is commonly preceded by the preposition to , which is called the sign of the infinitive.
12. The participle is a verb-form which has no subject, but which partakes of the nature of an adjective and expresses action or state in such a way as to describe or limit a substantive.
A participle is said to belong to the substantive which it describes or limits.
The chief classes of participles are present participles and past participles, so called from the time which they denote.
SUBSTITUTES FOR THE PARTS OF SPEECH
PHRASES
13. A group of connected words, not containing a subject and a predicate, is called a phrase.
A phrase is often equivalent to a part of speech.
(1) A phrase used as a noun is called a noun-phrase.
(2) A phrase used as a verb is called a verb-phrase.
(3) A phrase used as an adjective is called an adjective phrase.
(4) A phrase used as an adverb is called an adverbial phrase.
14. Adjective or adverbial phrases consisting of a preposition and its object, with or without other words, may be called prepositional phrases.
CLAUSES
15. A clause is a group of words that forms part of a sentence and that contains a subject and a predicate.
16. A clause used as a part of speech is called a subordinate clause. All other clauses are said to be independent.
17. Clauses of the same order or rank are said to be coördinate.
18. Sentences may be simple, compound, or complex.
(1) A simple sentence has but one subject and one predicate, either or both of which may be compound.
(2) A compound sentence consists of two or more independent coördinate clauses, which may or may not be joined by conjunctions.
(3) A complex sentence consists of two or more clauses, one of which is independent and the rest subordinate.
A compound sentence in which one or more of the coördinate clauses are complex is called a compound complex sentence.
19. Subordinate clauses, like phrases, are used as parts of speech. They serve as substitutes for nouns, for adjectives, or for adverbs.
(1) A subordinate clause that is used as a noun is called a noun (or substantive) clause.
(2) A subordinate clause that modifies a substantive is called an adjective clause.
(3) A subordinate clause that serves as an adverbial modifier is called an adverbial clause.
{ Success | That we should succeed in this plan } is improbable.
The thought in these two sentences is the same, but in the second it is more fully expressed. In the first sentence, the subject is the noun success ; in the second, the subject is the noun clause, that we should succeed in this plan . This clause is introduced by the conjunction that ; the simple subject of the clause is the pronoun we , and the simple predicate is the verb-phrase should succeed . The
first sentence is simple ; the second is complex .
Substantive clauses are often introduced by the conjunction that .
II. ADJECTIVE CLAUSES. The following sentences illustrate the use of (1) an adjective , (2) an adjective phrase , (3) an adjective clause , as a modifier of the subject noun.
{An honorable man | A man of honor | A man who values his honor } will not lie.
{A seasonable word | A word in season | A word that is spoken at the right moment } may save a soul.
{My native land | The land of my birth | The land where I was born } lies far across the sea.
The first two sentences in each group are simple , the third is complex .
III. ADVERBIAL CLAUSES. The following sentences illustrate the use of (1) an adverb , (2) an adverbial phrase , (3) an adverbial
clause , as a modifier of the predicate verb (or verb-phrase).
The lightning struck { here . | on this spot . | where we stand .}
Mr. Andrews lives { near . | in this neighborhood . | where you see that elm .}
The game began { punctually . | on the stroke of one . | when the clock struck .}
The banker will make the loan { conditionally . | on one condition . | if you endorse my note .}
The first two sentences in each group are simple , the third is complex .
Adjective clauses may be introduced (1) by the pronouns who , which , and that , or (2) by adverbs like where , whence , whither , when .
Adverbial clauses may be introduced (1) by the adverbs where , whither , whence , when , while , before , after , until , how , as , or (2) by the conjunctions because , though , although , if , that ( in order that , so that ), lest , etc.
NOTE. The use of phrases and clauses as parts of speech increases enormously the richness and power of language. Though English has a huge stock of words, it cannot provide a separate noun or adjective or adverb for every idea. By grouping words, however, in phrases and clauses we, in effect, make a great variety of new nouns, adjectives, and adverbs, each precisely fitted to the needs of the moment in the expression of thought.
SUMMARY OF DEFINITIONS
THE SENTENCE
1. Language is thought expressed in words.
2. To express thought words are combined into sentences.
3. A sentence is a group of words which expresses a complete thought.
4. Sentences may be declarative, interrogative, imperative, or exclamatory.
(1) A declarative sentence declares or asserts something as a fact.
(2) An interrogative sentence asks a question.
(3) An imperative sentence expresses a command or a request.
(4) An exclamatory sentence expresses surprise, grief, or some other emotion in the form of an exclamation or cry.
A declarative, an interrogative, or an imperative sentence may also be exclamatory.
SUBJECT AND PREDICATE
5. Every sentence consists of a subject and a predicate.
The subject of a sentence designates the person, place, or thing that is spoken of; the predicate is that which is said of the subject.
6. The simple subject of a sentence is a noun or pronoun.
The simple predicate of a sentence is a verb or verb-phrase.
7. The simple subject, with such words as explain or complete its meaning, forms the complete subject.
The simple predicate, with such words as explain or complete its meaning, forms the complete predicate.
8. A compound subject or predicate consists of two or more simple subjects or predicates, joined, when necessary, by conjunctions.
Either the subject or the predicate, or both, may be compound.
THE PARTS OF SPEECH
9. In accordance with their use in the sentence, words are divided into eight classes called parts of speech,--namely, nouns, pronouns,
adjectives, verbs, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections.
(1) A noun is the name of a person, place, or thing.
(2) A pronoun is a word used instead of a noun. It designates a person, place, or thing without naming it.
Nouns and pronouns are called substantives.
The substantive to which a pronoun refers is called its antecedent.
(3) An adjective is a word which describes or limits a substantive.
This it usually does by indicating some quality.
An adjective is said to belong to the substantive which it describes or limits.
An adjective which describes is called a descriptive adjective; one which points out or designates is called a definitive adjective.
(4) A verb is a word which can assert something (usually an action) concerning a person, place, or thing.
Some verbs express state or condition rather than action.
A group of words that is used as a verb is called a verb-phrase.
Certain verbs, when used to make verb-phrases, are called auxiliary (that is, “aiding”) verbs, because they help other verbs to express action or state of some particular kind.
Is (in its various forms) and several other verbs may be used to frame sentences in which some word or words in the predicate describe or define the subject. In such sentences, is and other verbs that are used for the same purpose are called copulative (that is, “joining”) verbs.
(5) An adverb is a word which modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.
A word or group of words that changes or modifies the meaning of another word is called a modifier.
Adjectives and adverbs are both modifiers.
(6) A preposition is a word placed before a substantive to show its relation to some other word in the sentence.
The substantive which follows a preposition is called its object.
(7) A conjunction connects words or groups of words.
(8) An interjection is a cry or other exclamatory sound expressing surprise, anger, pleasure, or some other emotion or feeling.
10. The meaning of a word in the sentence determines to what part of speech it belongs.
The same word may be sometimes one part of speech, sometimes another.
11. The infinitive is a verb-form which partakes of the nature of a noun. It is commonly preceded by the preposition to , which is called the sign of the infinitive.
12. The participle is a verb-form which has no subject, but which partakes of the nature of an adjective and expresses action or state in such a way as to describe or limit a substantive.
A participle is said to belong to the substantive which it describes or limits.
The chief classes of participles are present participles and past participles, so called from the time which they denote.
SUBSTITUTES FOR THE PARTS OF SPEECH
PHRASES
13. A group of connected words, not containing a subject and a predicate, is called a phrase.
A phrase is often equivalent to a part of speech.
(1) A phrase used as a noun is called a noun-phrase.
(2) A phrase used as a verb is called a verb-phrase.
(3) A phrase used as an adjective is called an adjective phrase.
(4) A phrase used as an adverb is called an adverbial phrase.
14. Adjective or adverbial phrases consisting of a preposition and its object, with or without other words, may be called prepositional phrases.
CLAUSES
15. A clause is a group of words that forms part of a sentence and that contains a subject and a predicate.
16. A clause used as a part of speech is called a subordinate clause. All other clauses are said to be independent.
17. Clauses of the same order or rank are said to be coördinate.
18. Sentences may be simple, compound, or complex.
(1) A simple sentence has but one subject and one predicate, either or both of which may be compound.
(2) A compound sentence consists of two or more independent coördinate clauses, which may or may not be joined by conjunctions.
(3) A complex sentence consists of two or more clauses, one of which is independent and the rest subordinate.
A compound sentence in which one or more of the coördinate clauses are complex is called a compound complex sentence.
19. Subordinate clauses, like phrases, are used as parts of speech. They serve as substitutes for nouns, for adjectives, or for adverbs.
(1) A subordinate clause that is used as a noun is called a noun (or substantive) clause.
(2) A subordinate clause that modifies a substantive is called an adjective clause.
(3) A subordinate clause that serves as an adverbial modifier is called an adverbial clause.
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