The object is an important part of some predicate attributes.

If the predicate attribute expresses a transitive act, the object represents some other thing which is necessary to the act besides the actor and about which the act can be asserted. It may represent the result of the act or the thing affected by the act.

If the predicate attribute expresses possession, lack, need, or obligation, the object represents that which is possessed, lacked, needed, or owed.

One other kind of object will be studied later.

Exercise 38

Describe each predicate attribute and each object. Recite in good sentences, thus making each recitation a valuable composition exercise.

Models

1. The hail broke the window.

The word broke is the predicate attribute. It expresses transitive action.

The word window is the object. We may say The window was broken by the hail. This object represents the thing affected by the act.

2. The child has a pleasant nature.

The word has is the predicate attribute. It expresses possession.

The word nature is the object. It shows what is possessed.

1. The baby hurt the cat.

2. The rain purified the air.

3. John built a snow fort.

4. Every herd of cows has individuals which are kept at a loss.

5. Alice baked the bread.

6. Henry owes five dollars.

7. The dog drew the cart.

8. You will need your cloak.

9. Kate painted a picture.

10. She possesses a good mind.

11. Carlo met his master at the gate.

12. Every one needs a good education.

13. I saw a kinglet yesterday.

14. He owes much to his mother.

15. The wild crab apple tree has beautiful flowers.

16. Mr. White composed the music for the song.

17. You ought to help.

18. She moved the chair from the wall.

19. Mr. Brown took this photograph.

20. Few people possess wisdom.

21. The ingenious boy constructed an interesting machine.

22. You should study thoughtfully.

23. These words the preacher uttered thoughtfully.

24. Did you notice the clouds?

25. That woman lacks good manners.

26. Have you a knife?

27. Does she need encouragement?

Exercise 39

Make as long a list of predicate attributes as you can. You should be able to add to the list given in Exercise 8, page 18.

Which kinds of predicate attributes call for objects? Be able to recite upon § 41, illustrating each point.

Exercise 40

Some of the following sentences contain objects and others do not. Describe the predicate of each. Think the points out in the following order:

(1) Attribute asserted of subject of thought.

(2) Predicate attribute.

(3) Object, if there be one.

(4) Description of object.

(5) Copula.

1. I have cracked the dish.

2. Have you my pencil?

3. The boys dug a cave.

4. I owe him a debt of gratitude.

5. Alice has drawn an illustration for the story.

6. The horses are drawing a heavy load.

7. Mary turned the cake.

8. Mary turned around.

9. Mary turned faint.

10. This mushroom grew last night.

11. The sound of the train grew faint.

12. Anna grows beautiful sweet peas.

13. Birds destroy many insects.

14. Many insects are destroyed by birds.

15. No sound of birds I hear.

16. The family has moved East.

17. I moved the box.

18. The cream smells sour.

19. He lacks a fine sense of honor.

20. John will become an engineer.

21. Orioles build hanging nests.

22. That man must be a tramp.

23. The first automobiles were high-priced, heavy, and wasteful.

24. The cattle are in the corn.

25. There are many kinds of corn.

26. The chief types of corn are flint corn, Dent corn, sweet corn, pop corn, flour corn, and pod corn.

27. Two good friends had Hiawatha.

28. Write the letter quickly.

29. She seems to be a lady.

30. He owns many farms.

31. Are there many peaches this year?

32. You should report the matter.

33. The apple tastes sweet.

Exercise 41. Description

Robert Louis Stevenson was about to take a solitary foot journey through the Cevennes Mountains in southern France. He wanted a beast of burden, and the following passage shows how he reasoned about the animal that he needed.

As you read Stevenson's description, decide whether he was thinking about a particular horse and a particular donkey, or about horses and donkeys in general.

The Horse And The Donkey

" Now a horse is a fine young lady among animals, flighty, timid, delicate in eating, of tender health; he is too valuable and too restive to be left alone, so that you are chained to your brute as to a fellow galley slave; a dangerous road puts him out of his wits; in short, he is an uncertain and exacting ally, and adds thirty-fold to the troubles of the voyager.

"What I required was something cheap and small and hardy and of a stolid and peaceful temper; and all these requisites pointed to a donkey."

Exercise 42. Word Studies

Make a list of words and groups of words used by Stevenson to express attributes of the horse. Put together any that have similar meanings.

Think of single words that mean about the same as the expression, "puts him out of his wits."

What does the word ally mean? Look in the dictionary if you are not sure of its meaning and pronunciation. Why did Stevenson call the horse an uncertain ally? An exacting one?

Make a list of the words and groups of words used to describe the donkey. Be sure you know the meaning of every one.

See how many pairs of expressions having opposite meanings you can find in the two lists of attribute words.

Make a list of those words in the selection that you have never used. How many of these did you understand the meaning of when you first read the description?

Exercise 43. Class Discussion

You have seen that Stevenson wrote about horses and donkeys in general. Discuss in class the correctness or incorrectness of his judgments. Do not be afraid to use his descriptive words if you cannot think of others equally good. For which purpose do you suppose Stevenson wrote these descriptions, to give information or to entertain?

Exercise 44. A Description

The following passage describes a well-known breed of chickens. You will probably recognize it. See if you can find any mistake in the description.

For what purpose do you suppose that the author wrote this description?

"It is of a grayish white color, each feather is regularly crossed by narrow parallel lines of dark blue-black. These bars run in distinct lines throughout the entire length of the feather and show on the down, or under color, of the feather. The barring is somewhat smaller on the hackle and saddle feathers than on other parts of the body. It is a medium-sized bird, with a broad, full breast, a rather long and broad body, and medium-sized wings that fold gracefully. It has a moderately large head, ornamented with an upright bright red comb and wattles. Its large eye is bright red or bay, and its beak, shanks, and toes are bright yellow.

"For the farmer or market poultry man these fowls are favorites. Their medium size, good proportions, and deep, full breast make them admirable for market purposes. They are hardy, mature early, and make excellent broilers when they are from eight to twelve weeks old. They are good layers the year round, and in winter they lay exceptionally well. Their eggs are brown in color and of good size. They are good sitters and excellent mothers.

"They are also one of the breeds most sought after by fanciers. No class is better filled at the average poultry show. Their graceful figure, upright carriage, and active nature endear them to all who raise fowls for pleasure."1

Exercise 45

Write a topic for each paragraph of the description you have just read.

Notice that the first sentence in each of the last two paragraphs gives briefly the thought of the paragraph, while the other sentences explain it. Such a sentence is called a topic sentence. Count the points made under each topic sentence.

1 Adapted from Farmer's Bulletin, No. 51, issued by the U. S. Department of Agriculture.

Make a list of names of different parts of the fowl. Put at the right of each name any words or groups of words used to describe the part.

Make a list of words and groups of words used to give attributes of the fowl itself.

Make a list of well-chosen descriptive words not included in the other lists.

Copy five sentences of the passage, and underline the subjects with one line, the copulas with two lines, and the predicate attributes with three.