VI. COMPOUND SUBJECT AND COMPOUND PREDICATE
18. It frequently happens that a person performs several actions at the same time, and that all of them are worth telling. In such a case we do not make several separate sentences, but one sentence with several predicates; as, “I looked at my plate and winked back the tears.” Here we have two predicate verbs, looked and winked, hence two assertions. In such a sentence we say that there is a compound predicate.
19. The compound predicate is used also when we tell of a number of actions performed in succession by one subject; as, “Father Wolf woke up from his day’s rest, scratched himself, yawned, and spread out his paws one after the other to get rid of the sleepy feeling in the tips.” How many predicates are there in this sentence? What mark separates them? Two or more predicates in succession, having the same subject, form what is called a series. Words or groups of words in a series are separated from each other by the comma unless some joining word is used; but when only the last two of a series are joined by some word, the comma is used before this word.
20. We frequently wish to make the same assertion about several persons or things, but we do not make several sentences, repeating the predicate each time, for that would be tedious. Instead, we make one sentence with several subjects; as, “The fresh fruit and milk and the slices of cold chicken looked very nice.” This sentence has three distinct subjects. What are they? In such a sentence we say that there is a compound subject. Why is no comma used in this sentence?
Summary.—A compound subject is one that consists of two or more distinct subjects united into one.
A compound predicate is one that consists of two or more distinct predicates united into one.
Two parts of a compound predicate are separated from each other by a comma unless they are very short. When there are more than two parts, and the last two are joined by some such word as and, a comma is placed after each part, even before the joining word.
When a compound subject consists of more than two parts, a comma is placed after each part, unless all the parts are joined by some word.
Any sentence may have a compound subject, or a compound predicate, or both.
Exercise.—Tell why the following sentences are declarative. Tell whether each has a compound subject, or a compound predicate, or both. Write each sentence, and draw a vertical line between subject and predicate. Underline the simple subjects, and tell what part of speech they are. Underline also the simple predicates, or predicate verbs. Account for the punctuation.
1. The oars dipped, arose, poised a moment, then dipped again, with winglike action, and in perfect time.
2. The eyes and mouths of the auditors opened wide.
3. This poor child became the scapegoat of the house, and was blamed for everything.
4. The four cane-seated chairs, the walnut table, the haircloth sofa, and the little stand always spoke to me of my childhood days.
5. She took the key bravely, but opened with a trembling hand the door of the little room.
6. Such timber and such workmanship don’t come together often in houses built nowadays.
7. Vast crowds of spectators lined the way, or gazed upon the scene from the housetops.
8. The rider then put his foot upon the camel’s slender neck, and stepped upon the sand.
9. The laborers paused, sat up, wrung the water from their hands, and returned the salutation.
10. The statue of the Indian chief or the soldiers’ monument in the public square was given to the city by one of the pioneers.
11. Spruce bachelors looked sidelong at the pretty maidens, and fancied that the Sabbath sunshine made them prettier than on week days.
12. Grandmothers, mothers, and aunts sat across the end of the hall.
13. He brought a carpet or square rug from the litter, and covered the floor of the tent on the side from the sun.
14. Children with bright faces tripped merrily beside their parents, or mimicked a graver gait in the conscious dignity of their Sunday clothes.