ELLIPTICAL SENTENCES

52. Words which are necessary to complete the Grammatical Construction of a Sentence are often omitted, because they are understood. Such a Sentence is said to be Elliptical.

EXAMPLES.

(1) An Adjective often qualifies a Substantive understood. And there we lay,

The dying on the dead.

(i.e. the dying man on the dead horse.)

(2) The Subject of a Verb in the Imperative is often understood.

Oh, save me! Oh, guide me!

And bid the deep hide me!

(i.e. "save thou," "guide thou," "bid thou.")

(3) The Verb is understood here:

Sweet to the morning traveller
The song amid the sky.

("Is" understood.)

And here:

Hence, loathed Melancholy!

("Depart" understood.)

(5) A Preposition is understood here:

The first Scots kirk that they came to

They gart the bells be rung.

(i.e. at the first Scots kirk.)

(6) From Tamworth thither is but one day's march. Here "the march" is understood; it is the Subject of the Verb "is."

THE COMPOUND SENTENCE

53. A Compound Sentence consists of a Principal Sentence, with one or more Dependent Clauses.

54. The Principal Sentence is either:

A Direct Statement;

A Direct Command (Request or Petition); or A Direct Question.

OBS.-The Principal Sentence is independent of the other Clauses, and makes complete sense by itself, though the sense is generally modified by the Dependent Clause.

55. The Dependent Clause qualifies some word in another Clause.

Dependent Clauses are of three kinds :

Substantival: taking the place of a Substantive.
Adjectival: taking the place of an Adjective.
Adverbial: taking the place of an Adverb.

SUBSTANTIVAL CLAUSES.

56. A Substantival Clause stands:

(1) As Subject of a Verb;

(2) As Object of a Verb of Thought or Utterance; or (3) In Apposition to a Substantive.

EXAMPLES.

[The Substantival Clause in italics.]

(1) That he had been poisoned was clear to all. Here the Clause is the Subject of "was."

(2) He commanded that they should tell no man. Here the Clause is the Object of "commanded."

(3) It is doubtful whether he will come. Here the Clause is in Apposition to “it."

OBS.-Example (1) is generally expressed thus:
It was clear to all that he had been poisoned,

where the Clause is in Apposition to "it," which is then the Subject of “was.”

57. When a Direct Sentence is made the Subject or Object of a Verb, or put in Apposition to a Substantive, it is said to be Indirect.

Thus, in (1), "He has been poisoned" is a Direct Statement. "That he had been poisoned" is an Indirect Statement.

In (2), "Tell no man is a Direct Command. "That they should tell no man" is an Indirect Command.

In (3), "Will he come?" is a Direct Question. "Whether he will come" is an Indirect Question.

In other words, a Direct Sentence is the form in which we express our own thoughts.

An Indirect Sentence is the form in which we report what others have thought or spoken.

58. OBS.-Substantives and Adjectives that have a Transitive force may take a Substantival Clause as Object. (1) I have no proof that he did it.

Here the Clause in italics is the Object of the Substantive "proof."

(2) And be ye mindful that Hyperion,

Our brightest brother, still is undisgraced.

Here the Clause in italics is the Object of the Adjective "mindful."

59. An Indirect Statement is generally joined to the Principal Sentence by the Conjunction "that." This Conjunction, however, is often omitted; as:

I hope he will come.

An Indirect Command is joined to the Principal Sentence by the Conjunction "that."

OBS.-The Indirect Command is frequently expressed by the Prepositional Infinitive:

He begged me to stay.

An Indirect Question is joined to the Principal Sentence by an Interrogative word of some kind, such as who? what? why? whither?

60. The above examples may be analysed thus:

ADJECTIVAL CLAUSES.

61. An Adjectival Clause takes the place of an Adjective; that is, it qualifies a Substantive.

Ex. Have you read the books which I gave you?

Here the Clause in italics qualifies the Substantive "books," distinguishing these "books" from others.

The Adjectival Clause is joined to the Principal Sentence by the Relative Pronoun "which." This Pronoun stands for "books," and also serves as a Conjunction. (14.)

FORMS OF THE RELATIVE PRONOUN.

62. (1) The forms "who," "whom," "whose," are used when the Antecedent is a Person.

(2) The form "which" is generally used when the Antecedent is an Animal or Thing.

(3) The form "that" is used either of Persons or Things.

(4) The form "what" is used when the Antecedent is understood.

Ex. What can't be cured must be endured.