Which form of the verb never has a helper? Which form needs help? What words help it? What do you call a verb form that consists of a group of words? Write sentences using the different forms of the verbs. Read your sentences to the class. Practice saying: I drove The wind blew He chose I have driven The wind has blown- and so on, until your ear is thoroughly trained to the sound. Then you will never speak these verb forms incorrectly. 218 USING VERB PHRASES Select the verb phrases in the sentences that follow. 1. The great problem is solved at last. The air, as well as the earth and ocean, has been conquered. It will become a common and convenient highway for mankind. The Atlantic has been The feat was performed crossed in a balloon. without great danger. -Edgar Allan Poe-Adapted. 2. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. 3. One by one, the hours are passing. 4. Do not put off until to-morrow what should be done to-day. 5. Mary, Mary, quite contrary, How does your garden grow? 6. One step and then another, And the longest walk is ended. 7. To-day the vessel shall be launched! 8. What are the pine trees whispering? The following words help verbs to make verb phrases. Copy the following sentences, filling the blanks with verb phrases. In the first blank in each sentence use one of the words in the list. Have you ever A CORN ROAST in a corn roast? I do not mean a city imitation corn roast, with cordwood and wood supply depot, and corn grocery, but a genuine country affair! at a coal at a corner In the first place it should be impromptu, suggested by a touch of frost in the late August or early September air. Runners are around to the choice spirits of the coming fun. Larders are of butter and salt. Automobiles are and then the sport in earnest, just long enough before dark for the remaining preparations. On the way to the woods the fairest looking cornfield is and, if he themselves their labors. the farmer to be good-natured, the boys and girls the corn. It all the sweeter for Laden with the provisions for the feast, the merry crowd on to a favorably located bit of woodland. the party into One of these for kindling and heavy The organizers of the expedition two groups. wood, which they with the axes for the pur pose. The other which they long, stiff branches of saplings at the end, one apiece for the boys and about at a respect girls. These labors over, they ful distance from the roaring pile and until the bright flames have bed of hot coals stories down and a glowing Then, with their ears of corn firmly long, sharpened sticks, the jolly party amid shrieks of laughter brown. Butter and salt greater fun than this? upon the the fire and the corn to a luscious the process. Can you Fill in the blanks with verbs selected from the fol Are any of the words in this list new to you? Read again the sentences in which you have used them. What other words might you substitute for them. Write other sentences containing these new words. 220 STUDYING THE PARAGRAPH THOUGHT Study the steps by which the roast has been made clear to you. account of a corn You can do this by getting the thought of each of the four paragraphs. You will find that they tell about: 1. A real country corn roast. 2. The preparations before going to the woods. 3. The making of the fire in the woods. 4. The roasting and eating of the corn. In a similar way, plan to tell how to arrange and carry out one of the following: 1. A Halloween Party. 2. A Christmas Eve Party. 3. A Summer Picnic. 4. A Straw Ride. 5. A Barn Dance. 221 A STORY TO FINISH John and I fitted a small mast and rigged a sail in our rowboat. Then we went out on the lake to try it. Everything went well until a strong wind sprang up. "A storm is coming," I cried. "Make for the shore." But. But Some one else Some one may finish the sentence. may continue by making a new sentence that carries the story on. In this way the class may finish the story. One of you may write the sentences on the blackboard as they are made. When the story is completed, read it from beginning to end. Give the story a title. Leave a blank line between the title and the story. |