SENTENCES
An assemblage of words expressing a complete thought, is called a sentence. A succession of sentences forms a composition.
A series of sentences relating to one subject, or to one part of a subject, composes a paragraph. Every successive paragraph commences on a new line. The proper division of a letter, or discourse, or treatise, into paragraphs, is an important matter.
The elements, or constituent parts of a sentence, are words, phrases, or clauses.
The principal parts of a sentence are those words which are necessary to make an assertion. The subordinate parts may be denominated adjuncts. Thus, in the sentence, "Virgil, in the eighteenth book of the Æneid, describes the manners of the primitive inhabitants of the country," the principal parts are, "Virgil describes manners;" all the other words are adjuncts, or subordinate parts, modifying or limiting the principal parts. A sentence has two principal parts: the Subject and the Predicate.
The Subject is the word, or assemblage of words, of which something is declared.
The Predicate is the word, or words, expressing what is declared of the subject. Thus: "The earth is the Lord's." The earth is the subject; is the Lord's, is the predicate. The predicate sometimes includes an Object.
THE SUBJECT OF A SENTENCE
1. The Subject is either Simple, consisting of a single word; or Complex, when it consists of more than one. The former is sometimes called the Grammatical; the latter, the Logical. For example: "Paul, the Apostle, was a truly great man." Here, "Paul" is the simple subject; "Paul, the Apostle," is the complex subject.
2. The complex subject is either a Phrase, or a Clause. By phrase, is meant a series of words associated, but not forming an assertion; as, to the city; over the mountain; in fact; in hand; to write; to compose. The phrase thus consists, either of an infinitive, or of a preposition and its object.
3. A Clause is a subordinate proposition in a sentence; as, "Washington, who was the first President of this coun try, we all venerate." "He said, that Jefferson wrote it." "She arrived, when I was absent."
Clauses may be distinguished by some prominent part of speech which they contain: thus, participial, adverbial, relative, compellative, or vocative. This latter contains the name or title of the object addressed; as, "My son, give me thy heart."
4. The Subject of a Sentence consists, then, either of a word, a phrase, a word with a phrase adjoined, a clause, or even a sentence; for example:
God is to be worshipped. We, his creatures, should worship Him. To worship God, is the duty of all. That God must be worshipped none can deny. "All men are created equal," says our Declaration of Independence.
The subject is generally either a noun or a pronoun. Other parts of speech are sometimes used instead of nouns, and may be employed as the subjects of a sentence, namely: adjectives, verbs in the infinitive mood, and participles. For example: "The wise make good associates." "To err is human." "Walking is healthful."
Even a syllable, or a letter, may be the subject of a sentence; thus, A is an indefinite article. Ab is a syllable. Sub is the prefix of subject.
Any word, as a word, may be the subject; thus, John is a proper noun. Very is an adverb.
Any part of speech used as a noun, may be a subject; as, Up is a relative term. The ins and the outs are ever at war.
The subject of a sentence may always be ascertained by putting who or what before the verb; thus, in regard to the sentences above given, Who make good associates? The answer gives the subject, namely, the wise. What is human? Answer, to err. This phrase is the subject of the sentence.
THE COMPLEX OR MODIFIED SUBJECT
The simple subject may be rendered more full or definite —
1. By apposition; that is, by another noun in the same case, connected to it, for the sake of explaining or describing it; as,
Paul, the Apostle, wrote several Epistles. Napoleon, the emperor, has gained great notoriety.
2. By a prepositional phrase; i. e., a phrase beginning with a preposition. The Emperor of France attracts universal attention.
3. By a noun or pronoun in the possessive case; as, The President's house is worth visiting. My house is for sale.
4. By an adjective; as, Good men are few.
5. By a participle; as, John, having died, was succeeded in office by his brother.
6. By a relative clause; that is, by a clause beginning with a relative pronoun; as, All that believe in Christ shall be saved. Men, who are penitent, may expect mercy. The belief that time is short urges us to repentance.
7. By an infinitive verb, alone, or with its modifying and dependent words adjoined: The desire to improve will prompt to effort. The desire to improve in learning will prompt to effort.
8. By any words, however many, that modify the noun; as, Alfred, being unable to read, though twelve years of age, and loving Saxon poetry, to which he listened with undivided attention, when others read or recited it, applied himself with great zeal and success to the reading of the language.
9. The subject may consist of a quotation, or any phrase; as, "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain," is the noble senti-, ment of Paul. "Death or victory," is the watchword.
THE PREDICATE OF A SENTENCE
1. The Predicate (that which is said of a subject), like the subject, may be either simple or complex-grammatical or logical. It is simple, when it consists of a common verb; as, The horse stands; or when a single noun, or adjective, or pronoun is used with the substantive verb to constitute the predicate; as, He is worthy. Cicero was an orator. It is I.
Other words added to the Simple or Grammatical Predicate, constitute with it a Complex or Logical Predicate; as, The horse runs fast. He is worthy of the highest praise. Cicero was an orator of the highest order of talent. It is I myself whom you see.
2. The Predicate says or affirms something concerning its subject, and consists of what is called the copula (some part of the verb to be), and that which is asserted by add ing a noun, an adjective, a pronoun, or a participle, or some other part of speech. Thus, Gold is a metal. Iron is use ful. He is learned. She is winning. It is I.
3. Sometimes both parts of the Predicate are expressed by a verb; as, The ship sails, is sailing. "The man is," that is, exists. There is the man. There, in such sentences, precedes the verb to be, and the subject follows it.
(1.) The Predicate asserts existence; as, I am; they are.
(2.) It asserts identity, or what a thing is; as, It is I; to live is to exist; oxygen is a gas.
(3.) It asserts an act; as, The earth revolves; the boys write.
(4.) It asserts a quality; as, The stove is hot; the tea is green.
4. The Predicate, then, is expressed:
Either by a verb alone: by a verb and a noun, either in the nominative or objective case: by a verb and what is equivalent to a noun; as, to perambulate is to run: by a transitive verb and its object; as, He has read the book: by a verb and an adjective; as, The air is refreshing: by a verb and an adverb, or adverbial phrase, expressive of time, place, rest, or motion in a place, the cause, effect, manner, instrument, degree, circumstance, &c., of an action; as, "We once again are met in council:" by a quotation; as, Bacon remarked, "to choose time is to save time:" by a verb and a preposition; as, all is over: by a verb and a dependent clause; as, "He tries to do good;" "He desires that you would not go:" by a verb together with a preposition and its object; as, He came over the river.
