it up for removal by the steam shovels. These dug their teeth into the broken rock, scooped up a huge mass, swung round, and emptied it into waiting cars. The slides from the steep, sloping sides of the cut caused constant trouble. There were about fifteen or twenty of these in Gaillard Cut.

The construction of the Panama Canal, probably the greatest engineering feat the world has ever seen, required the services of forty thousand men of various nationalities, and cost the United States $400,000,000.

Adapted from Dodge's Advanced Geography Prepare to tell of the building of the Panama Canal. There are many interesting things about building the canal that are not mentioned in this account. Perhaps you have read how Dr. Lazear lost his life trying to discover the cause of yellow fever and a cure for it. You may know something more of how Jackson Smith fed and sheltered the men who built the canal. You may have read of Colonel Goethals, who had charge of the plans. You may know why the name of Culebra Cut was changed to Gaillard. Can you tell how the locks are used? Do you know when the first ship passed through the canal? It may be you have visited one of the expositions prepared to celebrate its completion.

If you can add something of interest to any topic, do so, but do not tell so much about one topic that it overshadows the remainder of your account. Plan each sentence carefully. When you have finished one sentence, begin another without using and or but.

Use the following outline, adding to it any topics you choose to tell about.

Necessity for building the canal.

Acquisition of the Canal Zone.
Cleaning the Canal Zone.

Providing food, shelter, and clothes for the employees.
The three great tasks.

Number of workers, and cost of the canal.
Opening the canal.

151. A LANGUAGE LESSON

Errors in the use of do and does occur most frequently when these words are combined with not and contracted to does n't and don't. Even then we make no mistake when I and you are the subjects. The error occurs when the subject is a singular noun or the pronoun he, she, or it.

Say: The girl does n't wish to stay, not, The girl don't wish to stay.

He does n't raise onions in his garden, She does n't like to run, It does n't matter are correct.

Fill the blanks in the following sentences with does n't or don't. Then read the sentences again, changing singular subjects to plural, and plural subjects to singular.

I.

2.

3. They

4.

he wish to go?

the baby look like her mother?

play fast enough.

your mother need your help?

5. I think she care for ice cream.

6. The children in our class

7. The little boy

8. That bird

9. The air

study history.

feel well to-day.

build a pretty nest. seem so warm to-day.

10. Why

II.

12.

13.

14. It

you do it to-day? the trees look pretty?

your dog run fast!

the violets smell sweet?

look as if it would rain to-day.

15. Why he finish his work quickly?

Write a declarative, exclamatory sentence, using a noun as subject with the correct helper to show determination. Write a sentence, using the pronoun we, as subject, and the correct helper to show a promise; use I as subject, and ask a question; use we as the subject, and express what is likely to happen. Classify the sentences you have written.

152. THE GERUND

Study the following sentences, telling how the present participle is used in each.

1. John is working in the field.

2. Sitting under a tree, Mary studied her lesson. The sentences below illustrate a third way in which the present participle may be used.

3. Catching a ball sometimes breaks fingers.
4. By running rapidly, John won the race.
5. Mary enjoys rowing a boat.

6. His most enjoyable game is playing ball.

In sentence 3 "sometimes breaks fingers" is the complete predicate. The subject is "catching a ball." Here the present participle, "catching," with its object, "ball," is used where a noun can be used, that is, "catching a ball" is the subject. In sentence 4 won the race by running rapidly"

is the complete predicate. "By" is a preposition having for its object the present participle "running." Because "running" is the object of the preposition "by," it is used where a noun can be used. In sentence 5 what is the predicate verb? How is "rowing a boat" used?

In sentence 6 "playing ball" means the same as the subject and completes the predicate “is." Therefore, "playing ball" is a predicate noun.

The present participle may be (1) an adjective modifier, (2) the subject, (3) the object of a verb, (4) the object of a preposition, or (5) the predicate noun. The present participle when used as a noun is called a gerund.

a. Find the gerunds (11) in the following sentences, and tell how they are used.

CAUTION. Not all present participle forms are gerunds. Only the present participle used as a noun is a gerund.

1. Hearing the approach of the automobile, John ran out quickly.

2. John enjoyed looking at the ocean.

3. The baby is crying.

4. Walking on the grass is not allowed. (See sentence 3, p. 180.)

5. Reading a book is a pleasant pastime.

6. I am teaching her.

7. His greatest recreation was rowing a boat. (See sentence 6, p. 180.)

8. My going to college is not yet decided.

9. His chief delight was shooting wild ducks. 10. The baby enjoys playing in the garden.

11. By climbing the tree quickly, the cat escaped from the dog. (See sentence 4, p. 180.)

12. He had no difficulty in finding the way there. 13. Killing frogs with stones is cruel.

14. We came to a level plain reaching back to the forest.

15. Muscles are often weakened by exercising them too much.

b. Make a list of all other present participles (4) and tell how each is used in the sentence.

153. THE GERUND

Study the words in italics in the sentences below: 1. By running rapidly, he arrived on time. 2. Catching balls is sometimes painful play. 3. Being ill is not always convenient.

Notice, in sentence 1, that the gerund "running" (present participle used as a noun) has an adverbial modifier; in sentence 2, "catching" has an object, "balls"; and in sentence 3, "being" is followed by the predicate adjective "ill.”

Thus a gerund has the same modifiers as a verb, also the same objects or predicate adjectives as the verb of which it is a part.

In the sentences on the opposite page diagram the predicate verbs, subject substantives, and objects, if any; make a list of the gerunds (2); make a list of the participles (7); make a list of the phrases (10). Draw one line under the participles, gerunds, or prepositions, and two lines under the objects or predicate adjectives. Mark an object o, a predicate adjective a, a predicate noun n.