As the gills grow smaller, it finds difficulty in breathing water-air. One fine day it pokes its nose out of the water. Astonished (possibly) to find that it can breathe in the air. A new life has come upon it. No particular reason for spending all its time in water; crawls out upon land; sits down upon its haunches; surveys the world. It is no longer a fish; has entered upon a higher stage of existence; has become a frog.
This work of analyzing a composition to find the leading thoughts under which the other thoughts may be grouped is in many ways a most valuable discipline.
It teaches the pupil to compare, to discriminate, to weigh, to systematize, to read intelligently and profitably.
The reading-book will afford excellent practice in finding heads for paragraphs. Such work is an essential preparation for the reading-class.
This composition work should serve as a constant review of all that has been passed over in the text-book.
ADJECTIVE COMPLEMENTS AND ADVERBS.
It is often difficult to distinguish an adjective complement from an adverb modifier. We offer the following explanation:—
"Mary arrived safe." As we here wish to tell the condition of Mary on her arrival, and not the manner of her arriving, we use safe, not safely. "My head feels bad" (is in a bad condition, as perceived by the sense of feeling). "The sun shines bright" (is bright—quality,—as perceived by its shining).
You must determine whether you wish to tell the quality of the thing named or the manner of the action.
When the idea of being is prominent in the verb, as in the examples above, you see that the adjective, and not the adverb, follows.