Part 44 (1/2)

+_Example_+.--The Psalmist says, ”I prevented [antic.i.p.ated] the dawning of the morning.”

SENTENCES AND PARAGRAPHS.

+_To the Teacher_+.--It is very profitable to exercise pupils in combining simple statements into complex and compound sentences, and in resolving complex and compound sentences into simple statements. In combining statements, it is an excellent practice for the pupil to contract, expand, transpose, and to subst.i.tute different words. They thus learn to express the same thought in a variety of ways. Any reading-book or history will furnish good material for such practice. A few examples are given below.

+_Direction_+.--Combine in as many ways as possible each of the following groups of sentences:--

+_Example_+.--This man is to be pitied. He has no friends.

1. This man has no friends, and he is to be pitied.

2. This man is to be pitied, because he has no friends.

3. Because this man has no friends, he is to be pitied.

4. This man, who has no friends, is to be pitied.

5. This man, having no friends, is to be pitied.

6. This man, without friends, is to be pitied.

7. This friendless man deserves our pity.

1. The ostrich is unable to fly. It has not wings in proportion to its body.

2. Egypt is a fertile country. It is annually inundated by the Nile.

3. The nerves are little threads, or fibers. They extend, from the brain.

They spread over the whole body.

4. John Gutenberg published a book. It was the first book known to have been printed on a printing-press. He was aided by the patronage of John Paust. He published it in 1455. He published it in the city of Mentz.

5. The human body is a machine. A watch is delicately constructed. This machine is more delicately constructed. A steam-engine is complicated.

This machine is more complicated. A steam-engine is wonderful. This machine is more wonderful.

You see that short statements closely related in meaning may be improved by being combined. But young writers frequently use too many _ands_ and other connectives, and make their sentences too long.

Long sentences should be broken up into short ones when the relations of the parts are not clear.

As clauses may be joined to form sentences, so sentences may be united to make _paragraphs_.

A +_paragraph_+ is a sentence or a group of related sentences developing one point or one division of a general subject.

The first word of a paragraph should begin a new line, and should be written a little farther to the right than the first words of other lines.

+_Direction_+.--Combine the following statements into sentences and paragraphs, and make of them a complete composition:--

Water is a liquid. It is composed of oxygen and hydrogen. It covers about three-fourths of the surface of the earth. It takes the form of ice. It takes the form of snow. It takes the form of vapor. The air is constantly taking up water from rivers, lakes, oceans, and from damp ground. Cool air contains moisture. Heated air contains more moisture. Heated air becomes lighter. It rises. It becomes cool. The moisture is condensed into fine particles. Clouds are formed. They float across the sky. The little particles unite and form rain-drops. They sprinkle the dry fields. At night the gra.s.s and flowers become cool. The air is not so cool. The warm air touches the gra.s.s and flowers. It is chilled. It loses a part of its moisture. Drops of dew are formed. Water has many uses. Men and animals drink it. Trees and plants drink it. They drink it by means of their leaves and roots. Water is a great purifier. It cleanses our bodies. It washes our clothes. It washes the dust from the leaves and the flowers. Water is a great worker. It floats vessels. It turns the wheels of mills. It is converted into steam. It is harnessed to mighty engines. It does the work of thousands of men and horses.

+_To the Teacher_+.--Condensed statements of facts, taken from some book not in the hands of your pupils, may be read to them, and they may be required to expand and combine these and group them into paragraphs.

LETTER-WRITING.

In writing a letter there are six things to consider--the _Heading_, the _Introduction_, the _Body of the Letter_, the _Conclusion_, the _Folding_, and the _Superscription_.

THE HEADING.

+_Parts_+.--The Heading consists of the name of the +_Place_+ at which the letter is written, and the +_Date_+. If you write from a city, give the door-number, the name of the street, the name of the city, and the name of the state. If you are at a hotel or a school, or any other well-known inst.i.tution, its name may take the place of the door-number and the name of the street. If you write from a village or other country place, give your post-office address, the name of the county, and that of the state.