Practical Exercises in English Part 13

53. ---- did he refer to, he (him) or I (me)?

54. Ariel was a spirit ---- a certain witch had shut up in a tree.

55. If she did not take after Anne, ---- did she take after?

p.r.o.nOUNS BEFORE VERBAL NOUNS.[52]--Grammarians distinguish three kinds of words formed from verbs by the adding of "-ing."

1. "We found Katharine _singing_ a merry song." In this sentence "singing"--equivalent to "who was singing"--describes Katharine, and is therefore used as an adjective; but it also partakes of the nature of a verb, for it has a direct object, "song." Such words, partaking of the nature of both adjective and verb, are called PARTICIPLES.

2. "Blithely _singing_ pretty songs keeps one's spirits up."

Here "singing" is a noun, the subject of the sentence; yet it has a direct object, "songs," and is modified by the adverb "blithely." Such words, partaking of the nature of both noun and verb, are called GERUNDS.

A noun or a p.r.o.noun used before a gerund to denote the subject of the action should be put in the possessive case. The reason for this becomes evident if, in the sentence "Do you remember _Katharine (Katharine's) singing?"_ we subst.i.tute for the noun "singing" another noun, "song;"

thus, "Do you remember _Katharine (Katharine's) song?"_ The direct object of "remember" is "singing," which is described by the possessive "Katharine's."

3. "Katharine's blithe _singing_ of merry songs helps to make home happy."

Here, too, "singing" is a noun; but now its verbal character has disappeared, for it is modified by an adjective "blithe," and instead of a direct object we have the prepositional phrase "of merry songs." Such words derived from verbs are ABSTRACT VERBAL NOUNS.

When a word in "-ing" is modified by "the" or some other adjective, it is an abstract verbal noun, and cannot have an object. Conversely, if it, is followed by "of" and a noun instead of by a direct object, it should be modified by "the" or some other adjective.

[51] In the first of these sentences the p.r.o.noun to be supplied is the subject of "is honest," and "I know" is parenthetical. In the second sentence, the p.r.o.noun to be supplied is the subject of "to be honest,"

which is the complement of "I know."

[52] "Foundations," pp. 62-64.

EXERCISE XXVIII.

_Which of the following forms is preferable? Give the reason:_--

1. I heard of him (his) coming home.

2. What do you think of Marguerite (Marguerite's) studying Latin?

3. Have you any doubt of Kathleen (Kathleen's) being happy?

4. We saw the lady (lady's) crossing the street.

5. Do you remember my (me) speaking to you about your penmans.h.i.+p?

6. We saw the old miser (miser's) sitting alone in front of his hut.

7. What is the good of your (you) going now?

8. There was no doubt of him (his) being promoted.

9. Trust to me (my) being on time.

10. Are you surprised at it (its) being him (he)?

11. No doubt his example will be followed by others, with the consequence of the country (country's) being overrun by tramps.

12. Look at him (his) reading a book.

13. The delay was caused by us (our) missing the train.

14. I found him (his) reading Idyls of the King.

15. This may lead to Harry (Harry's) getting a position.

16. We did not see the house (house's) burning.

17. You (your) writing the letter so neatly secured for you the position.

18. The man's (man) breaking jail is evidence of his guilt.

19. What do you think about this cloth (cloth's) wearing well?

20. We must insist upon every man (man's) doing his duty.

21. Mr. R.'s (Mr. R.) having come to town will soon be known.

22. There is prospect of the Senate (Senate's) pa.s.sing the tariff bill.

23. What use is there in a man (man's) swearing?

24. His parents are opposed to him (his) playing football.

25. No one ever saw fat men (men's) heading a riot.

26. A fierce struggle ensued, ending in the intruder (intruder's) being worsted.

27. Professor C. relies on us (our) pa.s.sing our examinations.

28. I felt my heart (heart's) beating faster.

29. There is no use in me (my) trying to learn Hebrew.

30. I enjoy nothing more than the sight of a yacht (yacht's) sailing in a stiff breeze.

31. Brown (Brown's) being a manufacturer prevented his election.

EXERCISE XXIX.

_Distinguish in meaning between the following sentences:_--

1. The man (man's) asking to be allowed to vote started a quarrel.

2. Did you see him (his) riding?

3. I had to laugh at John (John's) riding a bicycle.

4. Think of me (my) eating frogs' legs.

5. Much depends on the teacher (teacher's) correcting the papers.

6. Did you watch him (his) entering the room?

7. Did you hear Ruth (Ruth's) singing?

8. No one ever heard of that man (man's) running for office.

EXERCISE x.x.x.

_Explain the faults in the following sentences and correct them in several ways:--_

1. He read the parable about the sowing the seed.

2. Good writing depends on reading of good books.

3. Youth is the time for the forming the character.

4. "In building of chaises, I tell you what, There is always somewhere a weakest spot."

5. He would not aid me so much as by the lifting a hand.

6. Groaning of prisoners and clanking of chains were heard.

7. By the obtaining wisdom you will command esteem.

8. By reading of good books his style was improved.

9. The taking things by force is apt to make trouble.

10. A more careful guarding the prisoners would have prevented this accident.

CHOICE OF RELATIVE p.r.o.nOUNS.[53]--_Who_ is now used only of persons; _which_, of things; _that_, of either persons or things. As a rule, euphony decides between _who_ or _which_ and _that_.

"_Who_ is used chiefly of persons (though also often of the higher animals), _which_ almost only of animals and things (in old English also of persons), and _that_ indifferently of either, except after a preposition, where only _who_ [_whom_] or _which_ can stand. Some recent authorities teach that only _that_ should be used when the relative clause is limiting or defining: as, the man _that_ runs fastest wins the race; but _who_ or _which_ when it is descriptive or co-ordinating: as, this man, _who_ ran fastest, won the race; but, though present usage is perhaps tending in the direction of such a distinction, it neither has been nor is a rule of English speech, nor is it likely to become one, especially on account of the impossibility of setting _that_ after a preposition; for to turn all relative clauses into the form 'the house _that_ Jack lived _in_'

(instead of 'the house _in which_ Jack lived') would be intolerable. In good punctuation the defining relative is distinguished (as in the examples above) by never taking a comma before it, whether it be _who_ or _which_ or _that_. Wherever _that_ could be properly used, but only there, the relative may be, and very often is, omitted altogether; thus, the house Jack built or lived in; the man he built it for."[54]

When the antecedent includes both persons and things, _that_ is preferable to _who_ or _which_.

"When the antecedent is a neuter noun not personified, a writer should prefer _of which_ to _whose_, unless euphony requires the latter."[55]

_What_, as a relative p.r.o.noun, is equivalent to "that which." It is never used with an antecedent, since the antecedent is included in the meaning of the word.