15. Talking of exercise, you have heard, of course, of Dickens's "constitutionals."
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LESSON 39.
COMPOSITION—PARTICIPLES.
+COMMA—RULE.—The Participle used as an adjective modifier, with the words belonging to it, is set off+ [Footnote: An expression in the body of a sentence is set off by two commas; at the beginning or at the end, by one comma.] +by the comma unless restrictive+.
+Explanation+.—A bird, lighting near my window, greeted me with a song. The bird sitting on the wall is a wren. Lighting describes without restricting; sitting restricts—limits the application of bird to a particular bird.
+Direction+.—Justify the punctuation of the participle phrases in Lesson 37.
+Caution+.—In using a participle, be careful to leave no doubt as to what you intend it to modify.
+Direction+.—Correct these errors in arrangement, and punctuate, giving your reasons:—
1. A gentleman will let his house going abroad for the summer to a small
family containing all the improvements.
2. The town contains fifty houses and one hundred inhabitants built of
brick.
3. Suits ready made of material cut by an experienced tailor handsomely
trimmed and bought at a bargain are offered cheap.
4. Seated on the topmost branch of a tall tree busily engaged in gnawing an
acorn we espied a squirrel.
5. A poor child was found in the streets by a wealthy and benevolent
gentleman suffering from cold and hunger.