+Model+.—The stream flows. The stream, flowing gently, crept through the meadow. The flowing stream slipped away to the sea. The flowing of the stream caused a low murmur. The stream flows. The sun rises. Insects hum. The birds sing. The wind whistles. The bells are ringing. The tide ebbs.
Form infinitive phrases from the following verbs, and use these phrases as adjectives, adverbs, and nouns, in sentences of your own building.
Smoke, dance, burn, eat, lie, try.
+To the Teacher+.—For exercises to distinguish the participle from the predicate verb, see Notes, pp. 181, 182.
LESSON 53.
NOUNS AND PRONOUNS AS MODIFIERS.
+Hints for Oral Instruction+.—In the sentence, The robin's eggs are blue, the noun robin's does what? +P+.—It tells what or whose eggs are blue. +T+.—What word names the things owned or possessed? +P+.—Eggs. +T+.—What word names the owner or possessor? +P+.—Robin's.
+T+.—The noun robin's is here used as a modifier. You see that this word, which I have written on the board, is the word robin with a little mark (') called an apostrophe, and the letter s added. These are added to denote possession.
In the sentence, Webster, the statesman, was born in New Hampshire, the noun statesman modifies the subject Webster by explaining what or which Webster is meant. Both words name the same person.
Let the pupils give examples of each of these two kinds of +Noun
Modifiers+—the +Possessive+ and the +Explanatory+.