The Montessori Elementary Material / The Advanced Montessori Method

CHART C

Permutations

Coordinating and Subordinating Conjunctions

Sequence of Tenses

Series V
(Correlative Sentences)

The clauses are here dependent upon each other:

—The flowers were so beautiful that we picked them all.
—That day he was so lazy that he did not get his work done.
—She sings much better than she plays.
—The more one studies, the more one learns.
—Either you return your objects to their places or some one else must do it.
—Not only was the man very cross, but he actually punished the little boy.

Test Card

Principal Clause	Question	Subordinate Clause
The flowers were so beautiful	with what result?	that we picked them all.
That day he was so lazy	with what result?	that he did not get his work done.
She sings much better	than what?	than she plays.
The more one studies	with what result?	the more one learns.
Either you return your objects to their places	with what result?	or some one else must do it.
Not only was the man very cross	with what result?	but he actually punished the little boy.

Series VI
(The Order of Clauses in Sentences:
Sentence Forms in Prose and Verse)

Our material makes it very easy for the children to understand the mutual dependence of the subordinate clauses. We take the commonest cases within easy reach of the children. There are clauses of the first degree of subordination, dependent directly on the principal clause. There are others of the second degree of subordination which depend on a subordinate clause (clause subordinate to a subordinate). We have the same situation in coordinates. We have the first degree of coordination when the clause is parallel with the principal clause, and the second degree when the clause is parallel with a subordinate clause.

Since the slips have as many sections as there are clauses, the clauses may be arranged on the table in the order of their subordination, keeping, for example, the principal clause to the left, and arranging the subordinate clauses downward and downward to the right. Take, for instance, the sentence:

—The old man liked to tell stories; and he would laugh heartily when the women were frightened at the terrible things that he had to relate.

As the different clauses are torn off they are placed on a chart marked into sections by vertically placed arrows: the principal clause to the right of the first arrow; the first subordinate clause to the right of the second; the subordinate to the subordinate to the right of the third, and so on. The above sentence results as follows:

Principal and Coordinate	1st subordinate	subordinate to subordinate
The old man liked to tell stories
and he would laugh heartily
	when the women were frightened at the terrible things
		that he had to tell.

Principal and coordinate (incidental)	1st subordinate and its coordinates	subordinate to subordinate
I shall feel better
	if you will let me sit next to the window
		where there is more air.

Here is another example:

—I often sit and wish that I
Could be a kite up in the sky,
And ride upon the breeze, and go
Whatever way it chanced to blow.

Here, finally, is another:

—I was a bad boy, I admit, but no one ever paid any attention to me, unless I was to be blamed for something wrong that I had done, or was accused of doing.

I was a bad boy I admit (incidental) but no one ever paid any attention to me
	unless I was to be blamed for something wrong
		that I had done, or was accused of doing. (coordinate of second subordinate)

In using this material, the child tears off the clause-slips using the analytical sentence-chart (Chart B). This gives him the classification of the clauses. The strips are then to be placed on the dependence chart (Chart C) according to the indications of the arrows. This brings out the mutual relation of the clauses.

The preceding exercises have created in the child a notion of sentence construction and of the position of the clauses which make it up. Our material permits, of course, as an exercise supplementary to the analyses, dislocations and translocations of parts just as was true with the simple sentence. To derive the full benefit of this possibility, the teacher should have in mind the general rules for location of clauses:

Adjective clauses (relative, attributive) always follow, and most often directly, the noun they modify.

Subject subordinate clauses may stand either before or after the principal clause. If the subject clause follows, it is usually anticipated before the verb by the pronoun it (just as a following noun subject is anticipated by there).

(In Italian, if the object clause precedes the main clause, it is usually repeated before the noun by a conjunctive object personal pronoun.)

The position of the other clauses depends on considerations of emphasis.

The direct order for complex sentences is in general similar to that for simple sentences:

subject clause
principal clause
object clause
adverbial clauses.

Coordination is possible with subordinate as well as with principal clauses.

The special exercises on the complex sentence conclude with some practise in turning simple inversions as found in poetry into direct sentence order.

Series VII

The detachable strips are used here also. The exercise should be conducted with reference to the sentence charts.

—Just where the tide of battle turns,
Erect and lonely stood old John Burns ...
And buttoned over his manly breast
Was a bright blue coat with a rolling collar.

Old John Burns stood, erect and lonely just where the tide of battle turns....

A bright blue coat, with a rolling collar, was buttoned over his manly breast.

—It was terrible: on the right
Raged for hours the deadly fight,
Thundered the battery's double bass,
Difficult music for men to face;
While on the left, where now the graves
Undulate like the living waves
That all that day unceasing swept
Round shot ploughed the upland glades.
Up to the pits the rebels kept,
Bret Harte.—John Burns of Gettysburg.

It was terrible: the deadly fight raged for hours on the right; the battery's double bassthundered,—difficult music formen to face; while round shot ploughed the upland glades on the left, where now the graves undulate like the living waves that swept unceasing all that day up to the pits the rebels kept.

—Merrily rang the bridle reins, and scarf and plume steamed gay,
As fast beside her father's gate the riders held their way . . .
"Now break your shield asunder and shatter your sign and boss,
Unmeet for peasant-wedded warms, your knightly knee across.

Whittier.—King Volmer.

The bridle reins rang merrily and scarf and plume streamed gay, as the riders, held their way fast by her father's gate.

Now break your shield asunder and shatter across your knightly knee your sign and boss unmeet for peasant-wedded arms.

The breaking waves dashed high
On a stern and rock bound coast;
And the woods against a stormy sky
Their giant branches tossed.
And the heavy night hung dark
The hills and waters o'er,
When a band of Pilgrims moored their bark
On the wild New England shore.

Not as the conqueror comes
They the true hearted came,
Not with the roll of the stirring drums
And the trumpet that sings of fame.

Mrs. Hemans.

The breaking waves dashed high on a stern and rock-bound coast; and the woods tossed their giant branches against a stormy sky.

The heavy night hung dark over (o'er) the hills and waters, when a band of Pilgrims moored their bark on the wild New England shore.

They, the true hearted, came not as the conqueror comes, not with the roll of the stirring drums and the trumpet that sings of fame.

My golden spurs now bring to me
And bring to me my richest mail,
For tomorrow I go over land and sea
In search of the Holy Grail.
Shall never a bed for me be spread.
Nor shall a pillow be under my head,
Till I begin my vow to keep;
Here on the rushes will I sleep.
And perchance there may come a vision true
Ere day create the world anew.

Lowell.

Bring to me now my golden spurs and bring to me my richest mail; for I go in search of the Holy Grail tomorrow over land and sea; a bed shall never be spread for me, nor shall a pillow be under my head till I begin to keep my vow; I will sleep here on the rushes, and perchance a true vision will come before (ere) day creates the world anew.

Glad tidings of great joy I bring
To you and all mankind:
To you, in David's town this day
Is born of David's line
The Saviour, who is Christ the Lord,
And this shall be the sign:
The heavenly Babe you there shall find
To human view displayed,
All meanly wrapt in swaddling bands
And in a manger laid.

Tate.—While Shepherds Watched.

I bring to you and all mankind glad tidings of great joy. The Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, is born to you this day in David's town, of David's line; and this shall be the sign: you shall find the heavenly Babe there displayed to human view, all meanly wrapt in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger.

The harp that once through Tara's halls
The soul of music shed,
Now hangs on Tara's walls
As if that soul were fled.
So sleeps the pride of former days,
So glory's thrill is o'er,
And hearts that once beat high for praise
Now feel that pulse no more.

No more to chiefs and ladies bright
The harp of Tara swells;
The chord alone that breaks at night
Its tale of ruin tells.
Thus Freedom now so seldom wakes,
The only throb she gives,
Is when some heart indignant breaks
To show that still she lives.

Thomas Moore.

The harp, that once shed the soul of music through Tara's halls, now hangs on Tara's walls, as though that soul were fled. So the pride of former days sleeps, so glory's thrill is over, and hearts that once beat high for praise now feel that pulse no more. The harp of Tara swells no more to chiefs and bright ladies: the chord alone, that breaks at night, tells its tale of ruin. Thus Freedom now wakes so seldom (that) the only throb she gives is when some indignant heart breaks to show that she still lives.

Childhood is the bough where slumbered
Birds and blossoms many numbered;
Age that bough with snow encumbered.

Longfellow.

Childhood is the bough where many numbered birds and blossoms slumbered; Age encumbered that bough with snow.

Test Cards

Just where the tide of battle turns	subordinate of place (locative)
Erect and lonely stood old John Burns	principal
And, buttoned over his manly breast,	(verbal attributive phrase)
Was a bright blue coat with a rolling collar	coordinate of principal

It was terrible	principal
on the right
raged for hours the deadly fight	coordinate of principal
thundered the battery's double bass	coordinate of principal
Difficult music for men to face	(verbal attributive phrase in apposition)
While on the left (round shot ploughed, etc.)	subordinate of time (temporal) begun
where now the graves	(While may be considered as adversative coordinate)
Undulate like the living waves	subordinate to subordinate (locative) 2d degree
That all that day unceasing swept	attributive subordinate (relative adjectival clause modifying waves) of 3d degree
up to the pits
the rebels kept	attributive subordinate (relative pronoun omitted) of 4th degree
Round shot ploughed the upland glades	subordinate of time (concluded).

Merrily rang the bridle reins	principal
and scarf and plume streamed gay	coordinate
As fast beside her father's gate the
riders held their way	subordinate of time
Now break your shield asunder	principal
and shatter
your sign and boss	coordinate
Unmeet for peasant-wedded arms
your knightly knee across

The breaking waves dashed high
On a stern and rock-bound coast	principal
And the woods against a stormy sky
Their giant branches tossed	coordinate
And the heavy night hung dark
The hills and waters o'er	principal (coordinated in paragraph)
When a band of pilgrims moored their bark
On a wild New England shore	subordinate temporal
Not	principal begun
as the conqueror comes	subordinate of manner (modal)
They the true hearted came	principal concluded
Not with the roll of the stirring drums
and the trumpet	coordinate (elipsis of verb they came continued from principal)
that sings of fame	attributive (relative) subordinate to coordinate.

My golden spurs now bring to me	principal
And bring to me my richest mail	coordinate
For tomorrow I go over land and sea	subordinate of cause (causal): may be considered coordinate of reason
In search of the Holy Grail
Shall never a bed for me be spread	principal
Nor shall a pillow be under my head	coordinate
Till I begin my vow to keep	subordinate of time (temporal)
Here on the rushes will I sleep	principal
And perchance there may come a vision true	coordinate
Ere day create the world anew	subordinate temporal.

Great tidings of great joy I bring
To you and all mankind	principal
To you in David's town this day
Is born of David's line
The Saviour	principal
who is Christ the Lord	attributive (relative) subordinate
And this shall be the sign	coordinate
The heavenly Babe you there shall find
To human view displayed
All meanly wrapped in swaddling bands
And in a manger laid.	simple sentence with three coordinate verbal phrases.

The harp	principal begun
that once through
Tara's hall
The soul of music shed	attributive subordinate (relative)
Now hangs on Tara's walls	principal concluded
As if that soul were fled	subordinate of manner (modal)
So sleeps the pride of former days	principal
So glory's thrill is o'er	coordinate
And hearts	coordinate begun
that once beat high for praise	attributive relative subordinate
Now feel that pulse no more	coordinate concluded.
No more to chiefs and ladies bright
The harp of Tara swells	principal
The chord alone	coordinate begun
that breaks at night	attributive relative subordinate
Its tale of ruin tells	coordinate concluded.
Thus freedom now so seldom wakes	principal
The only throb	subordinate result begun (conjunction that omitted)
she gives	subordinate to subordinate (2d degree; relative omitted)
Is when some heart indignant breaks
To show	subordinate result concluded
that still she lives	subordinate object (noun) clause of 2d degree.

Childhood is the bough	principal
where slumbered
Birds and blossoms many-numbered	subordinate locative (of place)
Age that bow with snows encumbered	coordinate.

(Note: the best English poetry makes far less use of inversion than does Italian. Such exercises as the above could be profitably applied to the analysis of the different kinds of phrases (adjective, adverbial, etc.). It should be noted that Dr. Montessori in her own exercises treats verbal phrases (participles and infinitives) as subordinate clauses.—Tr.)

This study of the complex sentence leads the child to a more precise comprehension of the values of certain parts of speech as, notably, the conjunction. We have found, in fact, that little difficulty is experienced in realizing the distinction between the terms coordinating and subordinating as applied to conjunctions which unite clauses but in different ways. The following charts serve to cover the vast majority of cases that the child is likely to meet. We may add that at this point it may be found useful to have the child analyze the complex sentences which appeared in the commands and readings already familiar to him (see below under Reading).

COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS

Copulatives: and, also, too, besides, moreover, further, furthermore, nor.

Disjunctives: or else, otherwise, rather.

Adversatives: but, nevertheless, however, notwithstanding, yet, still, while, only, instead.

Declaratives: namely, in other words, that is.

Asseverative: in fact, assuredly, really.

Illative: hence, therefore, then, accordingly, so.

PRINCIPAL AND COORDINATE CLAUSES MAY BEGIN WITH ONE OF THESE CONJUNCTIONS

Chart D
THE CONJUNCTIONS IN THE SUBORDINATE CLAUSE

Principal Clause
Incidental (parenthetical) clause
Adjective (relative, attributive) clause who, which, that, whose, whom
Subordinate subject clause that	Subordinate object clause that
Subordinate clause of time (temporal) when, while, as soon as, before, after, till, until	Subordinate clause of place (locative) where, whence, wherever, whither
Subordinate clause of purpose (final, purpose clause) that, in order that, so that in as much as	Subordinate clause of cause (casual clause) as, because, for, since,
Subordinate clause of manner and comparison (modal clause) as (manner), than (comparison)	Subordinate clause of condition (conditional clause) if, unless, provided, provided that
Subordinate clause of concession (concessive clause) though, although, even if, however, notwithstanding that	Subordinate clause of result and correlatives that, so that (result) so ... as, so ... that (correlative, degree)

Principal and Coordinates

1st subordinate and coordinate

subordinate to subordinate

I often sit
and wish

that I could be a kite up in the sky
and ride upon the breeze
and go whatever way

it chanced to blow.

A special series of exercises on the relations of the subordinate to the principal clause brings out the changes in tense made necessary in the subordinate clause as the tense of the principal clause varies.

Series VIII

Sequence of Tenses

Group A
(Causal Clauses)

—I	am writing	to	you	because	I	have	some	important	news.
"	wrote	"	"	"	"	had	"	"	"

—I	shall	not	go	because	I	must	attend	to	my	work.
"	did	"	"	"	"	had to	"	"	"	"

—I	am	glad	that	you	have	done	so	well.
"	was	"	"	"	had	"	"	"

—I	will give	it	to	you	since	you	insist	on	having	it.
"	gave	"	"	"	"	"	insisted "	"	"

—He	does	not	answer	because	your	letter	is	insulting.
"	did	"	"	"	"	"	was	"

Group B
(Miscellaneous Clauses)

—I	shall be	proud	of	you	if	you	become	a	fine	scholar.
"	should	"	"	"	"	"	became	"	"	"

—I	believe	that	only	the	rich	can	be	happy.
"	believed	"	"	"	"	could	"	"

—I	am	waiting	here	till	my	father	returns	from	town.
"	waited	"	"	"	"	returned	"	"

—They	expect	that	something	will	happen	before	long.
"	expected	"	"	would	"	"	"

—He

is doing

that

for

you,

order

that

you

may

school.

did

might

—He	will let	you	know	where	he	has	been.
"	let	"	"	"	" had	"

Group C
(Object Clauses)

—They	are	telling	me	what	they	have	been	doing.
"	were	"	"	"	"	had	"	"

—I	promise	you	that	I	will	do	everything	punctually.
"	promised	"	"	"	would	"	"	"

—I	think	he	will	not	be	back	before	Wednesday.
"	thought	"	would	"	"	"	"	"

—Do	you	know	that	your	friend	has	gone	away?
Did	"	"	"	"	"	had	"	"

—I	assure	you	that	I	will	take	good	care	of	it.
"	assured	"	"	"	would	"	"	"	"	"

—I	repeat	that	you	ought	to	be	ashamed	of	yourself.
"	repeated	"	"	"	"	have been	"	"	"

Group D
(Conditional Sentences)

—I	would	read	this	book	too,	if	I	could.
"	"	have read	"	"	"	"	"	had been able.

—If	I	see	him,	I	shall	tell	him	what	you	say.
"	"	saw	"	"	should	"	"	"	"	said.