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DOVER BOOKS ON LANGUAGE
FIVE GREAT GERMAN SHORT STORIES/FUNF DEUTSCHE MEISTERERZAHLUNGEN: A
DUAL-LANGUAGE BOOK, Stanley Appelbaum (ed.). (Available in U.S.
only.) (27619-8)
GREAT GERMAN POETS OF THE ROMANTIC ERA, Stanley Appelbaum (ed.).
(28497-2)
INTRODUCTION TO FRENCH POETRY: A DUAL-LANGUAGE BOOK, Stanley
Appelbaum (ed.). (26711-3)
INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE PHRASE BOOK IN SIX LANGUAGES, Joseph W. Bator.
(22017-6)
FLOWERS OF EVIL/FLEURS DU MAL, Charles Baudelaire. (27092-0)
FRENCH WORD GAMES AND PUZZLES, Sister Chantal. (28481-6)
FALLACIES AND PITFALLS OF LANGUAGE, Morris S. Engel. (28274-0)
FIRST SPANISH READER, Angel Flores (ed.). (25810-6)
SPANISH POETRY/POESIA ESPANOLA: A DUAL-LANGUAGE ANTHOLOGY, Angel Flores
(ed.). (40171-5)
SPANISH STORIES/CUENTOS ESPANOLES: A DUAL-LANGUAGE BOOK, Angel Flores
(ed.). (25399-6)
INTRODUCTION TO SPANISH POETRY: A DUAL-LANGUAGE BOOK, Eugenio Florit
(ed.). (26712-1)
FRENCH STORIES/CONTES FRANCAIS: A DUAL-LANGUAGE BOOK, Wallace Fowlie.
(26443-2)
MODERN FRENCH POETS, Wallace Fowlie (ed.). (27323-7)
GAMES AND PUZZLES FOR ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE, Victoria Fremont and
Brenda Flores. (28468-9)
LATIN SELECTIONS/FLORILEGIUM LATINUM, Moses Hadas and Thomas Suits.
(27059-9)
ITALIAN STORIES/NOVELLE ITALIANE: A DUAL-LANGUAGE BOOK, Robert A. Hall, Jr.
(ed.). (26180-8)
EVERYDAY ENGLISH-RUSSIAN CONVERSATIONS, Leonid Kossman. (29877-9)
FRENCH: HOW TO SPEAK AND WRITE IT, Joseph LemaTtre. (20268-2)
INTRODUCTION TO GERMAN POETRY: A DUAL-LANGUAGE BOOK, Gustave Mathieu
and Guy Stern (eds.). (26713-X)
BEST SHORT STORIES/LES MEILLEURS CONTES, Guy de Maupassant. (28918-4)
A NEW RUSSIAN-ENGLISH AND ENGLISH-RUSSIAN DICTIONARY, M. A. O'Brien.
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MODERN CHINESE: A BASIC COURSE (BOOK ONLY), Faculty of Peking University.
(22755-3)
MODERN. CHINESE: A BASIC COURSE (CASSETTE EDITION), Faculty of Peking
University. (99910-6) 3 cassettes, manual
MODERN CHINESE: A SECOND COURSE, Peking University. (24155-6)
(continued on back flap)
Essential
English Grammar
Essential
English Grammar
By
PHILIP GUCKER
DOVER PUBLICATIONS, INC.
NEW YORK
Copyright © 1966 by Philip Gucker.
All rights reserved under Pan American and
International Copyright Conventions.
Essential English Grammar is a new work, first
published by Dover Publications, Inc., in 1966.
International Standard Book Number: 0-486-21649-7
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 66-19046
Manufactured in the United States of America
Dover Publications, Inc., 31 East 2nd Street, Mineola, N.Y. 11501
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART I. T H E ESSENTIALS OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR .
i. The Sentence: Subject and Predicate .
Subject and Predicate . . . . .
Transposed Order . . . . . .
Practice in Recognizing Subjects and Predicates
2. Kinds of Sentences . . . . . .
Declarative, Interrogative, Imperative, and Exclam
atory Sentences . . . . . .
Finding the Subject and Predicate .
Practice in Identifying Kinds of Sentences
More Practice in Recognizing Subjects and Predicates
3. Simple Subject and Verb .
Recognition of Subject and Verb
The Expletive There
Verb Phrases . . . .
Practice in Finding Subject and Verb
More Practice in Finding Subject and Verb
4. Compound Constructions . . . .
Practice in Finding Compound Subjects and Predicates
5. Complements . . . . . . . . *5
Identification of Complements . . . . 15
Transitive and Intransitive . . . . . 16
Practice in Finding Complements . . . . 16
Practice in Finding Subjects, Verbs, and Complements 16
VI TABLE O F C O N T E N T S
page
6. Prepositional Phrases . . . . 18
Phrases; Prepositions and Their Objects . 18
Infinitives . . . . . . 19
Practice in Recognizing Prepositional Phrases 19
7. Parts of Speech . . . .
Practice in Using Parts of Speech
Practice in Recognizing Parts of Speech
8. Verbs: Two Kinds; and Complements
Linking and Action Verbs
Two Kinds of Complements
Indirect Objects . . . .
Practice in Recognizing Complements
9. Forms and Properties of Verbs .
Principal Parts; Irregular Verbs
Auxiliary Verbs
Properties of Verbs
Tense .
Voice and Mood .
Summary
Practice in Using Verb Forms
Practice in Identifying the Perfect Tenses
o. Verbals .
Infinitives
Participles
Gerunds
Practice in Recognizing Infinitives
Practice in Recognizing Participles and Gerunds
11. Nouns
Recognition of Nouns
Proper Nouns
Plurals
Possessive Forms
Practice in Recognizing Nouns
Practice in Using Capital Letters
Practice in Forming Plurals and Possessives
TABLE O F C O N T E N T S vn
12. Pronouns.
Functions of Pronouns
Personal Pronouns .
Compound Personal Pronouns
Relative Pronouns .
Indefinite Relative Pronouns
Interrogative Pronouns .
Demonstrative Pronouns
Indefinite Pronouns
Reciprocal Pronouns
Practice with Personal Pronouns and Adjectives
Practice in Recognizing Uses of Pronouns
Practice in Using Indefinite Pronouns
J
3- Appositives . .
Practice in Recognizing Appositives
14. Adjectives . . . .
Kinds of Adjectives
Comparison of Adjectives
Practice in Identifying Adjectives
Practice in Distinguishing Adjectives from Pronouns
Practice in Comparing Adjectives
J
5- Adverbs .
Functions of Adverbs
Forms of Adverbs .
Position of Adverbs
Comparison of Adverbs
Adverbs and Adjectives Distinguished
Adverbs and Prepositions Distinguished
Practice in Recognizing Adverbs
Practice in Distinguishing Adverbs, Adj ectives, and
Prepositions
16. Prepositions . . . . .
Listing and Functions
Should a Sentence End with a Preposition?
Practice in Identifying Prepositional Phrases
TABLE O F C O N T E N T S
page
17. Conjunctions . . . . . . . 72
Coordinating Conjunctions . . . . 72
Correlative Conjunctions . . . . 73
Subordinating Conjunctions . . . . 73
Practice in Recognizing Coordinating Conjunctions 74
Practice in Recognizing Subordinating Conjunctions 75
18. Kinds of Sentences; Clauses 76
Kinds of Clauses . . . . . 76
Kinds of Sentences . . . . 77
Practice in Recognizing Kinds of Sentences 78
19. More about Subordinate Clauses 79
Adjective Clauses . . . . . 79
Adverb Clauses . . . . . 80
Noun Clauses . . . . . 82
Identifying Main and Subordinate Clauses 83
Practice in Identifying Adjective and Adverb Clauses
Practice in Identifying Noun Clauses
20. A Dictionary of Grammatical Terms 86
PART I I . PUTTING GRAMMAR TO W O R K 97
21. Making Verbs Agree. 99
Background . . . . 99
Basic Grammar 99
Putting It to Work 99
Practice in Making Verbs Agree 102
22. Making Verb Forms Accurate 104
Background . . . . 104
Basic Grammar 104
Putting It to Work 104
Practice in Supplying Parts of Irregular Verbs 107
Practice in Selecting Correct Verb Forms . 108
23. Putting Verbs in the Right Tense and Mood 109
Background . . . . . . 109
Basic Grammar . . . . . 109
Putting It to Work . . . . 109
Practice in Choosing the Right Tense and Mood in
TABLE O F C O N T E N T S ix
page
24. Choosing the Right Case for Pronouns
Background . . . . . . "3
Basic Grammar . . . . . "3
Putting It to Work . . . . 114
Practice in Determining the Case of Pronouns 116
25. Making Pronouns Agree with Antecedents
Background . . . . .
Basic Grammar . . . .
Putting It to Work
Practice in Making Pronouns Agree
26. Making Pronouns Clear
Background . . . . .
Basic Grammar . . . .
Putting It to Work
Practice in Providing Clear Antecedents
27. Using the Right Modifiers .
Background . . . . .
Basic Grammar . . . .
Putting It to Work
Practice in Using Modifiers Accurately
28. Using the Right Connectives
Background . . . . .
Basic Grammar . . . .
Putting It to Work
Practice in Using the Right Connectives
29. Making Sentences Complete and Unified
Background . . . . .
Basic Grammar . . . .
Putting It to Work
Practice in Writing Complete Sentences
Practice in Writing Unified Sentences
30. Placing Modifiers Clearly
Background .
Basic Grammar
Putting It to Work
Practice in Making Modifiers Clear
TABLE O F C O N T E N T S
31. Organizing Sentences Logically 143
Background . 143
Basic Grammar *43
Putting It to Work 143
Practice in Organizing Sentence Elements (Parallel
Structure) . . . . 146
PART I I I . ANSWERS TO PRACTICE EXERCISES x
49
Answers to Practice Exercises *5*
Chapter 1 J
5i
Chapter 2 151
Chapter 3 !52
Chapter 4 x
52
Chapter 5 J
53
Chapter 6 154
Chapter 7 154
Chapter 8 J
55
Chapter 9 J
55
Chapter 10 156
Chapter 11 156
Chapter 12 157
Chapter 13 *59
Chapter 14 159
Chapter 15 160
Chapter 16 161
Chapter 17 161
Chapter 18 162
Chapter 19 162
Chapter 21 164
Chapter 22 164
Chapter 23 164
Chapter 24 165
Chapter 25 165
Chapter 26 165
Chapter 27 166
Chapter 28 166
Chapter 29 167
Chapter 30 169
Chapter 31 170
Index . 173
Parti
THE ESSENTIALS
OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR
In Part I you will find a clear and concise summary of English
g r a m m a r : its forms, principles, and basic terminology. T h e
material is presented in non-technical language and in easy,
natural steps, beginning with the structure of the simple sentence,
and continuing through the various parts of speech and other com
mon sentence elements to the more difficult constructions. All
terms and forms are amply illustrated with models and practice
exercises. T h e section ends with " A Dictionary of Grammatical
T e r m s , " in Chapter 20, which will be useful for ready reference.
This section provides the basic principles which you will be able
to apply in Part I I .
I
THE SENTENCE:
SUBJECT AND PREDICATE
Subject and Predicate
The basic unit of written expression is the sentence.
A sentence is a group of words that says something, all by itself.
It is complete; it can stand alone. It is followed by a period (or,
in certain cases, a question mark or an exclamation point).
In grammatical terms, a sentence is a group of words that con
tains a subject and a predicate. The subject is the person or thing
you're talking about. The predicate (to predicate means to say or
declare) is what you're saying about it. For example:
We won.
The subject is we; the predicate is won.
Mr. Canby's house is at the end of the road.
The subject is Mr. Canby's house; the predicate is is at the end of the
road.
It is fundamental that a subject or a predicate by itself doesn't
say anything. It isn't a sentence. In order to form a sentence
you must have both a subject and a predicate.
My favorite program has been discontinued for the
summer.
She is always busy doing odd jobs
around- the house.
Many of the members have resigned.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
3
4 SUBJECT AND P R E D I C A T E
T r a n s p o s e d Order
You notice, of course, that in these sentences the subject comes
first; that's the normal order. But you can't depend upon that.
Often, for emphasis or variety, we put the predicate first (transposed
order—turned around).
The winning run came across the plate, (normal order)
Across the plate came the winning run. (transposed order)
In such a sentence either way is possible; the writer has his choice.
Each example below of transposed order has been rewritten to
indicate the more usual subject-predicate order:
Down the street came a ragged procession of children.
(A ragged procession of children came down the street.)
Now comes the fun.
(The fun comes now.)
O n the other side of the tracks was a car dump.
(A car dump was on the other side of the tracks.)
Even more commonly the predicate may be split up, part of it
coming at the beginning of the sentence, part at the end. This
order is sometimes called mixed.
At the beginning of the season Klein was benched for weak
hitting.
(Klein was benched at the beginning of the season for weak
hitting.)
Suddenly I heard a voice.
(I suddenly heard a voice.)
Common sense tells you that the expressions " a t the beginning of
the season" and "suddenly" are not part of the person you're
talking about (the subject), but part of what you're saying about
him (the predicate).
Practice in Recognizing Subjects and Predicates
Draw a single line under any word that belongs with the subject,
a double line under any word that belongs with the predicate.
PRACTICE 5
Every word in the sentence must be underlined. Example: After
dinner we all sat around and told stories. (Answers on page 151)
1. One of the covers is missing.
2. Mrs. Wilkinson settled down comfortably in her favorite rocker.
3. Many years ago I heard the same story with a different ending.
4. New countries in Africa and the Near East have become very
important in the U.N.
5. The possibility of a voyage to the moon is no longer remote.
6. Experience is the best teacher.
7. Stamped at the head of the appeal was the single word:
"Refused."
8. After many years his father returned.
9. Slowly, but with increasing speed, the water began to seep
through the cracks.
10. One of the most important men in the community has gone.
2
KINDS OF SENTENCES
Declarative, Interrogative, Imperative, and Exclamatory
Sentences*
So far, every sentence you have been working with has stated or
declared something. Such a sentence is called declarative. It is
followed by a period.
That is a picture of my father.
A car has just stopped in front of the house.
There are three other kinds of sentences.
An interrogative sentence asks a question:
Is that a picture of your father ?
Has the car stopped ?
Note that a question mark is used.
An imperative sentence commands or requests:
Please show me the picture of your father.
Look at the license plate.
Use a period after an imperative sentence.
An exclamatory sentence expresses strong and sudden emotion:
Stop that car!
What a picture!
How old he looks!
Isn't that a shame!
How terrible!
* Classified according to the purpose for which a sentence is used. Classifica
tion according to structure will be discussed in Chapter 18.
6
F I N D I N G SUBJECT AND P R E D I C A T E 7
The exclamatory sentence is different from the others: it doesn't
follow any rules for sentence structure. In fact, as you see in these
examples, it may look like a question or a command. There are
only three things you can say about it:
1. It is usually short.
2. It is always dramatic or emotional.
3. It takes an exclamation point.
At this point we're going to ignore it, since the rules for subject and
predicate do not apply.
Finding the Subject and Predicate
Interrogative and imperative sentences introduce some interesting
problems in finding subject and predicate.
Interrogative sentences are often in transposed order. To find
the subject and predicate of such a sentence you must rephrase it
as a statement (the answer expected):
Was that man at the game ?
(that man was at the game)
This was partly transposed. The subject is that man.
Who took my pencil ?
(he took my pencil)
This was in normal order. The subject is who.
Where is the best road from here to the coast ?
(the best road from here to the coast is . . .)
Transposed. The subject is the best road from here to the coast.
How many times must we do this ?
(we must do this . . . times)
Partly transposed. The subject is we.
Imperative sentences also have a slight peculiarity. The subject
is nearly always the word you, even though it isn't expressed. It is
called you understood.
(you) Please mail this letter for me.
(you) Take your time.
(you) Let me off at Canal Street.
8 K I N D S OF SENTENCES
Practice in Identifying K i n d s of Sentences
Label the following sentences D for declarative, Int for inter
rogative, or Imp for imperative. Example: Please leave your
wraps at the door. {Imp) (Answers on page 151)
1. It is very important to remember this date. ( )
2. Remember this date. ( )
3. Why did you take the book? ( )
4. He asked me about the book. ( )
5. In a situation of this kind you should take extra precautions.
( )
6. Take extra precautions. ( )
7. Please don't waste my time. ( )
8. Why has there been so much controversy about the identity of
the criminal? ( )
9. Who will be the first man on the moon ? ( )
10. He wants to know why. ( )
More Practice in Recognizing Subjects and Predicates
Draw a single line under any word that belongs with the subject,
a double line under any word that belongs with the predicate. If
the subject is you understood, write the word in. Example:
Which of the pencils has soft lead ? (Answers on page 151)
1. Take cover.
2. Only one of his many former followers remained loyal.
3. Which road will take me to the coast?
4. After Labor Day the rates are lowered considerably.
5. Where does your friend Stanley keep his car?
6. You will need a great many more tools for such a job.
7. Arrange the cards in alphabetical order.
8. Please don't bother with any of my things.
9. When does the last train for Baldwin leave today?
10. Only then did we realize the seriousness of our predicament.
FIVE GREAT GERMAN SHORT STORIES/FUNF DEUTSCHE MEISTERERZAHLUNGEN: A
DUAL-LANGUAGE BOOK, Stanley Appelbaum (ed.). (Available in U.S.
only.) (27619-8)
GREAT GERMAN POETS OF THE ROMANTIC ERA, Stanley Appelbaum (ed.).
(28497-2)
INTRODUCTION TO FRENCH POETRY: A DUAL-LANGUAGE BOOK, Stanley
Appelbaum (ed.). (26711-3)
INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE PHRASE BOOK IN SIX LANGUAGES, Joseph W. Bator.
(22017-6)
FLOWERS OF EVIL/FLEURS DU MAL, Charles Baudelaire. (27092-0)
FRENCH WORD GAMES AND PUZZLES, Sister Chantal. (28481-6)
FALLACIES AND PITFALLS OF LANGUAGE, Morris S. Engel. (28274-0)
FIRST SPANISH READER, Angel Flores (ed.). (25810-6)
SPANISH POETRY/POESIA ESPANOLA: A DUAL-LANGUAGE ANTHOLOGY, Angel Flores
(ed.). (40171-5)
SPANISH STORIES/CUENTOS ESPANOLES: A DUAL-LANGUAGE BOOK, Angel Flores
(ed.). (25399-6)
INTRODUCTION TO SPANISH POETRY: A DUAL-LANGUAGE BOOK, Eugenio Florit
(ed.). (26712-1)
FRENCH STORIES/CONTES FRANCAIS: A DUAL-LANGUAGE BOOK, Wallace Fowlie.
(26443-2)
MODERN FRENCH POETS, Wallace Fowlie (ed.). (27323-7)
GAMES AND PUZZLES FOR ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE, Victoria Fremont and
Brenda Flores. (28468-9)
LATIN SELECTIONS/FLORILEGIUM LATINUM, Moses Hadas and Thomas Suits.
(27059-9)
ITALIAN STORIES/NOVELLE ITALIANE: A DUAL-LANGUAGE BOOK, Robert A. Hall, Jr.
(ed.). (26180-8)
EVERYDAY ENGLISH-RUSSIAN CONVERSATIONS, Leonid Kossman. (29877-9)
FRENCH: HOW TO SPEAK AND WRITE IT, Joseph LemaTtre. (20268-2)
INTRODUCTION TO GERMAN POETRY: A DUAL-LANGUAGE BOOK, Gustave Mathieu
and Guy Stern (eds.). (26713-X)
BEST SHORT STORIES/LES MEILLEURS CONTES, Guy de Maupassant. (28918-4)
A NEW RUSSIAN-ENGLISH AND ENGLISH-RUSSIAN DICTIONARY, M. A. O'Brien.
(20208-9)
MODERN CHINESE: A BASIC COURSE (BOOK ONLY), Faculty of Peking University.
(22755-3)
MODERN. CHINESE: A BASIC COURSE (CASSETTE EDITION), Faculty of Peking
University. (99910-6) 3 cassettes, manual
MODERN CHINESE: A SECOND COURSE, Peking University. (24155-6)
(continued on back flap)
Essential
English Grammar
Essential
English Grammar
By
PHILIP GUCKER
DOVER PUBLICATIONS, INC.
NEW YORK
Copyright © 1966 by Philip Gucker.
All rights reserved under Pan American and
International Copyright Conventions.
Essential English Grammar is a new work, first
published by Dover Publications, Inc., in 1966.
International Standard Book Number: 0-486-21649-7
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 66-19046
Manufactured in the United States of America
Dover Publications, Inc., 31 East 2nd Street, Mineola, N.Y. 11501
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART I. T H E ESSENTIALS OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR .
i. The Sentence: Subject and Predicate .
Subject and Predicate . . . . .
Transposed Order . . . . . .
Practice in Recognizing Subjects and Predicates
2. Kinds of Sentences . . . . . .
Declarative, Interrogative, Imperative, and Exclam
atory Sentences . . . . . .
Finding the Subject and Predicate .
Practice in Identifying Kinds of Sentences
More Practice in Recognizing Subjects and Predicates
3. Simple Subject and Verb .
Recognition of Subject and Verb
The Expletive There
Verb Phrases . . . .
Practice in Finding Subject and Verb
More Practice in Finding Subject and Verb
4. Compound Constructions . . . .
Practice in Finding Compound Subjects and Predicates
5. Complements . . . . . . . . *5
Identification of Complements . . . . 15
Transitive and Intransitive . . . . . 16
Practice in Finding Complements . . . . 16
Practice in Finding Subjects, Verbs, and Complements 16
VI TABLE O F C O N T E N T S
page
6. Prepositional Phrases . . . . 18
Phrases; Prepositions and Their Objects . 18
Infinitives . . . . . . 19
Practice in Recognizing Prepositional Phrases 19
7. Parts of Speech . . . .
Practice in Using Parts of Speech
Practice in Recognizing Parts of Speech
8. Verbs: Two Kinds; and Complements
Linking and Action Verbs
Two Kinds of Complements
Indirect Objects . . . .
Practice in Recognizing Complements
9. Forms and Properties of Verbs .
Principal Parts; Irregular Verbs
Auxiliary Verbs
Properties of Verbs
Tense .
Voice and Mood .
Summary
Practice in Using Verb Forms
Practice in Identifying the Perfect Tenses
o. Verbals .
Infinitives
Participles
Gerunds
Practice in Recognizing Infinitives
Practice in Recognizing Participles and Gerunds
11. Nouns
Recognition of Nouns
Proper Nouns
Plurals
Possessive Forms
Practice in Recognizing Nouns
Practice in Using Capital Letters
Practice in Forming Plurals and Possessives
TABLE O F C O N T E N T S vn
12. Pronouns.
Functions of Pronouns
Personal Pronouns .
Compound Personal Pronouns
Relative Pronouns .
Indefinite Relative Pronouns
Interrogative Pronouns .
Demonstrative Pronouns
Indefinite Pronouns
Reciprocal Pronouns
Practice with Personal Pronouns and Adjectives
Practice in Recognizing Uses of Pronouns
Practice in Using Indefinite Pronouns
J
3- Appositives . .
Practice in Recognizing Appositives
14. Adjectives . . . .
Kinds of Adjectives
Comparison of Adjectives
Practice in Identifying Adjectives
Practice in Distinguishing Adjectives from Pronouns
Practice in Comparing Adjectives
J
5- Adverbs .
Functions of Adverbs
Forms of Adverbs .
Position of Adverbs
Comparison of Adverbs
Adverbs and Adjectives Distinguished
Adverbs and Prepositions Distinguished
Practice in Recognizing Adverbs
Practice in Distinguishing Adverbs, Adj ectives, and
Prepositions
16. Prepositions . . . . .
Listing and Functions
Should a Sentence End with a Preposition?
Practice in Identifying Prepositional Phrases
TABLE O F C O N T E N T S
page
17. Conjunctions . . . . . . . 72
Coordinating Conjunctions . . . . 72
Correlative Conjunctions . . . . 73
Subordinating Conjunctions . . . . 73
Practice in Recognizing Coordinating Conjunctions 74
Practice in Recognizing Subordinating Conjunctions 75
18. Kinds of Sentences; Clauses 76
Kinds of Clauses . . . . . 76
Kinds of Sentences . . . . 77
Practice in Recognizing Kinds of Sentences 78
19. More about Subordinate Clauses 79
Adjective Clauses . . . . . 79
Adverb Clauses . . . . . 80
Noun Clauses . . . . . 82
Identifying Main and Subordinate Clauses 83
Practice in Identifying Adjective and Adverb Clauses
Practice in Identifying Noun Clauses
20. A Dictionary of Grammatical Terms 86
PART I I . PUTTING GRAMMAR TO W O R K 97
21. Making Verbs Agree. 99
Background . . . . 99
Basic Grammar 99
Putting It to Work 99
Practice in Making Verbs Agree 102
22. Making Verb Forms Accurate 104
Background . . . . 104
Basic Grammar 104
Putting It to Work 104
Practice in Supplying Parts of Irregular Verbs 107
Practice in Selecting Correct Verb Forms . 108
23. Putting Verbs in the Right Tense and Mood 109
Background . . . . . . 109
Basic Grammar . . . . . 109
Putting It to Work . . . . 109
Practice in Choosing the Right Tense and Mood in
TABLE O F C O N T E N T S ix
page
24. Choosing the Right Case for Pronouns
Background . . . . . . "3
Basic Grammar . . . . . "3
Putting It to Work . . . . 114
Practice in Determining the Case of Pronouns 116
25. Making Pronouns Agree with Antecedents
Background . . . . .
Basic Grammar . . . .
Putting It to Work
Practice in Making Pronouns Agree
26. Making Pronouns Clear
Background . . . . .
Basic Grammar . . . .
Putting It to Work
Practice in Providing Clear Antecedents
27. Using the Right Modifiers .
Background . . . . .
Basic Grammar . . . .
Putting It to Work
Practice in Using Modifiers Accurately
28. Using the Right Connectives
Background . . . . .
Basic Grammar . . . .
Putting It to Work
Practice in Using the Right Connectives
29. Making Sentences Complete and Unified
Background . . . . .
Basic Grammar . . . .
Putting It to Work
Practice in Writing Complete Sentences
Practice in Writing Unified Sentences
30. Placing Modifiers Clearly
Background .
Basic Grammar
Putting It to Work
Practice in Making Modifiers Clear
TABLE O F C O N T E N T S
31. Organizing Sentences Logically 143
Background . 143
Basic Grammar *43
Putting It to Work 143
Practice in Organizing Sentence Elements (Parallel
Structure) . . . . 146
PART I I I . ANSWERS TO PRACTICE EXERCISES x
49
Answers to Practice Exercises *5*
Chapter 1 J
5i
Chapter 2 151
Chapter 3 !52
Chapter 4 x
52
Chapter 5 J
53
Chapter 6 154
Chapter 7 154
Chapter 8 J
55
Chapter 9 J
55
Chapter 10 156
Chapter 11 156
Chapter 12 157
Chapter 13 *59
Chapter 14 159
Chapter 15 160
Chapter 16 161
Chapter 17 161
Chapter 18 162
Chapter 19 162
Chapter 21 164
Chapter 22 164
Chapter 23 164
Chapter 24 165
Chapter 25 165
Chapter 26 165
Chapter 27 166
Chapter 28 166
Chapter 29 167
Chapter 30 169
Chapter 31 170
Index . 173
Parti
THE ESSENTIALS
OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR
In Part I you will find a clear and concise summary of English
g r a m m a r : its forms, principles, and basic terminology. T h e
material is presented in non-technical language and in easy,
natural steps, beginning with the structure of the simple sentence,
and continuing through the various parts of speech and other com
mon sentence elements to the more difficult constructions. All
terms and forms are amply illustrated with models and practice
exercises. T h e section ends with " A Dictionary of Grammatical
T e r m s , " in Chapter 20, which will be useful for ready reference.
This section provides the basic principles which you will be able
to apply in Part I I .
I
THE SENTENCE:
SUBJECT AND PREDICATE
Subject and Predicate
The basic unit of written expression is the sentence.
A sentence is a group of words that says something, all by itself.
It is complete; it can stand alone. It is followed by a period (or,
in certain cases, a question mark or an exclamation point).
In grammatical terms, a sentence is a group of words that con
tains a subject and a predicate. The subject is the person or thing
you're talking about. The predicate (to predicate means to say or
declare) is what you're saying about it. For example:
We won.
The subject is we; the predicate is won.
Mr. Canby's house is at the end of the road.
The subject is Mr. Canby's house; the predicate is is at the end of the
road.
It is fundamental that a subject or a predicate by itself doesn't
say anything. It isn't a sentence. In order to form a sentence
you must have both a subject and a predicate.
My favorite program has been discontinued for the
summer.
She is always busy doing odd jobs
around- the house.
Many of the members have resigned.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
3
4 SUBJECT AND P R E D I C A T E
T r a n s p o s e d Order
You notice, of course, that in these sentences the subject comes
first; that's the normal order. But you can't depend upon that.
Often, for emphasis or variety, we put the predicate first (transposed
order—turned around).
The winning run came across the plate, (normal order)
Across the plate came the winning run. (transposed order)
In such a sentence either way is possible; the writer has his choice.
Each example below of transposed order has been rewritten to
indicate the more usual subject-predicate order:
Down the street came a ragged procession of children.
(A ragged procession of children came down the street.)
Now comes the fun.
(The fun comes now.)
O n the other side of the tracks was a car dump.
(A car dump was on the other side of the tracks.)
Even more commonly the predicate may be split up, part of it
coming at the beginning of the sentence, part at the end. This
order is sometimes called mixed.
At the beginning of the season Klein was benched for weak
hitting.
(Klein was benched at the beginning of the season for weak
hitting.)
Suddenly I heard a voice.
(I suddenly heard a voice.)
Common sense tells you that the expressions " a t the beginning of
the season" and "suddenly" are not part of the person you're
talking about (the subject), but part of what you're saying about
him (the predicate).
Practice in Recognizing Subjects and Predicates
Draw a single line under any word that belongs with the subject,
a double line under any word that belongs with the predicate.
PRACTICE 5
Every word in the sentence must be underlined. Example: After
dinner we all sat around and told stories. (Answers on page 151)
1. One of the covers is missing.
2. Mrs. Wilkinson settled down comfortably in her favorite rocker.
3. Many years ago I heard the same story with a different ending.
4. New countries in Africa and the Near East have become very
important in the U.N.
5. The possibility of a voyage to the moon is no longer remote.
6. Experience is the best teacher.
7. Stamped at the head of the appeal was the single word:
"Refused."
8. After many years his father returned.
9. Slowly, but with increasing speed, the water began to seep
through the cracks.
10. One of the most important men in the community has gone.
2
KINDS OF SENTENCES
Declarative, Interrogative, Imperative, and Exclamatory
Sentences*
So far, every sentence you have been working with has stated or
declared something. Such a sentence is called declarative. It is
followed by a period.
That is a picture of my father.
A car has just stopped in front of the house.
There are three other kinds of sentences.
An interrogative sentence asks a question:
Is that a picture of your father ?
Has the car stopped ?
Note that a question mark is used.
An imperative sentence commands or requests:
Please show me the picture of your father.
Look at the license plate.
Use a period after an imperative sentence.
An exclamatory sentence expresses strong and sudden emotion:
Stop that car!
What a picture!
How old he looks!
Isn't that a shame!
How terrible!
* Classified according to the purpose for which a sentence is used. Classifica
tion according to structure will be discussed in Chapter 18.
6
F I N D I N G SUBJECT AND P R E D I C A T E 7
The exclamatory sentence is different from the others: it doesn't
follow any rules for sentence structure. In fact, as you see in these
examples, it may look like a question or a command. There are
only three things you can say about it:
1. It is usually short.
2. It is always dramatic or emotional.
3. It takes an exclamation point.
At this point we're going to ignore it, since the rules for subject and
predicate do not apply.
Finding the Subject and Predicate
Interrogative and imperative sentences introduce some interesting
problems in finding subject and predicate.
Interrogative sentences are often in transposed order. To find
the subject and predicate of such a sentence you must rephrase it
as a statement (the answer expected):
Was that man at the game ?
(that man was at the game)
This was partly transposed. The subject is that man.
Who took my pencil ?
(he took my pencil)
This was in normal order. The subject is who.
Where is the best road from here to the coast ?
(the best road from here to the coast is . . .)
Transposed. The subject is the best road from here to the coast.
How many times must we do this ?
(we must do this . . . times)
Partly transposed. The subject is we.
Imperative sentences also have a slight peculiarity. The subject
is nearly always the word you, even though it isn't expressed. It is
called you understood.
(you) Please mail this letter for me.
(you) Take your time.
(you) Let me off at Canal Street.
8 K I N D S OF SENTENCES
Practice in Identifying K i n d s of Sentences
Label the following sentences D for declarative, Int for inter
rogative, or Imp for imperative. Example: Please leave your
wraps at the door. {Imp) (Answers on page 151)
1. It is very important to remember this date. ( )
2. Remember this date. ( )
3. Why did you take the book? ( )
4. He asked me about the book. ( )
5. In a situation of this kind you should take extra precautions.
( )
6. Take extra precautions. ( )
7. Please don't waste my time. ( )
8. Why has there been so much controversy about the identity of
the criminal? ( )
9. Who will be the first man on the moon ? ( )
10. He wants to know why. ( )
More Practice in Recognizing Subjects and Predicates
Draw a single line under any word that belongs with the subject,
a double line under any word that belongs with the predicate. If
the subject is you understood, write the word in. Example:
Which of the pencils has soft lead ? (Answers on page 151)
1. Take cover.
2. Only one of his many former followers remained loyal.
3. Which road will take me to the coast?
4. After Labor Day the rates are lowered considerably.
5. Where does your friend Stanley keep his car?
6. You will need a great many more tools for such a job.
7. Arrange the cards in alphabetical order.
8. Please don't bother with any of my things.
9. When does the last train for Baldwin leave today?
10. Only then did we realize the seriousness of our predicament.