He gained a world; he gave that world
Its grandest lesson: "On, sail on!"

JOAQUIN MILLER

201. A LANGUAGE LESSON

Notice the use of the comparative and superlative degrees of the adjective in the following sentences: 1. John is stronger than Mary.

2. John is the stronger of the two.

3. John is the strongest boy in school.

Notice that when a comparison is made between two persons or two things the comparative degree is used. Notice also when more than two things are compared, the superlative degree is used.

Fill the blanks in the following sentences with the correct forms of the words in italics at the close.

MODEL: In the first sentence two things are being compared, therefore I must use the comparative degree, which is stronger.

1. They decided that the wind was the

two. (strong)

2. John is the
3. Mary is the
4. She is the

of the two boys. (tall)

of the

girl in her class. (tall) of the three sisters. (eld) of the twins. (pretty) of the two. (short) comfortable of the two.

5. This baby is the
6. This pencil is the
7. This place is the
(more or most)

8. This book is the
9. Alice is

IO. The

of the two. (good)

than she. (happy)

of the three boys can swim. (eld)

Fill the blanks in the following sentences with the correct pronouns. Use a large variety.

2. She sent these to Alice and

3. Was it Alice who rang the bell? No, it was

4. Who did it?

5. Divide this evenly between Frank and

6. She scattered the seeds among

Write sentences, using smaller; happiest; he as a predicate pronoun; himself; themselves; off as a preposition; near as a preposition; shall to denote what is likely to happen; does n't; a possessive pronoun ending in s; the correct form of see with the helper has; the correct form of come to show present time; the correct form of run to show past time without the use of an auxiliary.

202. CONJUNCTIONS

The sentences you have studied so far in your lessons in grammar have consisted of but one subject and one predicate. Find the predicates in the following sentences; also the subjects. How do these subjects differ from those you have had?

1. Mary and John ate oranges.

2. Mary and John peeled and ate oranges.

In these sentences find the word that connects the two objects; the two subject substantives.

I. You may have a book or a doll.

2. A boy or a girl may come.

A word that connects two words or groups of words is called a conjunction. And and or are conjunctions.

When two subjects are connected by a conjunction, the subjects are said to be compound. Two objects connected by a conjunction are compound objects. What would you call two predicates connected by a conjunction?

a. From the following sentences make three lists of words. In the first write the compound predicates (3); in a second, the compound subjects (6); and in a third, the compound objects (4). Draw a line under each conjunction.

1. A man and a boy came to town with their donkey. 2. We keep a horse and a cow.

3. The horses jumped and ran away.

4. Shall I study reading or geography?

5. The road and the path join at the bridge.

6. Oranges or apples will do.

7. The children danced and sang for joy.

8. He writes and spells well.

9. The boy or his friend is coming.

10. The dog or the cat ate the bread and butter.

II. John and she called Mary and me.

b. Make a list of the pronouns used in these sentences, writing after each whether it is singular or plural.

203. CONJUNCTIONS, AND REVIEW

a. Make a list of the conjunctions (11) in the following sentences, and tell whether they connect compound subject substantives, predicate verbs, objects, or predicate adjectives.

1. Having eaten their grain, the horses and the cows were driven into the pasture.

2. To sing a song well requires ability and perse

verance.

3. She and I did not read or write to-day.

4. She tried to catch a butterfly and a grasshopper.

5. She is ill and unhappy.

6. Harry and Dick jumped or ran for an hour.

7. The time to go soon came.

8. She can work with a pencil or a pen.

9. After sending George and Arthur to buy bread, we built the fire.

10. These holes have been dug by squirrels or rats.

b. Select the participles (2) and tell how they are used. Name the objects, if any.

c. Select the infinitives (4) and tell how they are used. Name the modifiers, if any.

204. A REVIEW

a. From the following sentences make a list of the adjective and adverbial modifiers connected by conjunctions (7):

1. Kind and generous men provided the money.
2. He has tried often and earnestly to do right.

3. The man and the boy rode the donkey.

4. He fished in bright and deep pools.

5. John or his brother is tardy.

6. We can sing and play.

7. They carried parcels of candy and nuts.

8. The packages were piled up here and there.

9. His clothes were old and patched.

10. We shall go to her house to-day or to-morrow.

II. Is this book mine or yours?

12. Lilies and roses grow in my garden.

13. They are wise men and women.

14. We heard the roar and rattle of the train.
15. Did she seem happy or sad?

b. Make a list of the pronouns (10) and tell whether each is subject, object, or possessive.

c. Make a list of the compound predicates, compound subjects, and compound objects. Underline the conjunctions.

205. A COMPOSITION

Learn from your geography or your library books what you can about Eskimos, then from the following outline write an account of life in Alaska. It would be interesting to pretend you have been there and are writing an account of what you yourself have seen, or you might pretend that a friend has been