Harvey's Elementary Grammar and Composition · Lesson 45–46 · Part 1: Part I: The elementary course
46. Simple and compound sentences
Goal: Your child can tell a simple sentence from a compound one, and can join or shorten sentences.
You'll need
- The book, open to this lesson
- Paper and a pencil (or a slate)
What's in the book
Lesson 45 defines the simple sentence ("Wheat is a vegetable") and shows how to combine sentences with common parts. Lesson 46 defines the compound sentence and its members, with sentences to write, to change to simple ones, and to analyze.
The lesson, step by step
Review
Ask your child for a sentence with a compound subject.
Simple sentences
Read:
A Simple Sentence consists of a single proposition.
The book's example is "Wheat is a vegetable."
Compound sentences
Read the book's example: "Wheat grows in the field, and men reap it." Each half makes sense alone.
Read:
A Compound Sentence consists of two or more connected sentences,
each of which will make complete sense when standing alone.
The parts are called members.
Combine common parts
The book shows how "Exercise strengthens the constitution, and temperance strengthens the constitution" becomes
Exercise and temperance strengthen the constitution.
Change these to simple sentences:
Washington was a warrior and Washington was a statesman.
The river was swift, and it was very deep.
Write and analyze
Write five compound sentences with two members each. Then analyze one of the book's:
Art is long, and time is fleeting.
Name the two members and the connective.
Check together
Check with the answers.
Use it today
Find one compound sentence in today's reading. Read each member alone.
Answers to the book's problems
Behold my mother and my brethren. I saw a man in a boat and a boy in the water. Washington was a warrior and a statesman. The man you saw was sick or in trouble. The river was swift and very deep. Analysis: in each compound sentence, the members are the parts before and after the joining word (and, but, or).
Worked out for this site from the scan. If a number in your copy differs, trust the book.