Plain English Part 64

6. _Sensible_ men readily understand their economic slavery.

7. _Intelligent_ people will not always submit to robbery.

8. _Senseless_ arguments cannot convince us of the truth.

USED AS ADVERBS

+301.+ These phrases may be used in the place of single adverbs also.

You remember an adverb is a word that modifies a verb or an adjective or another adverb. Let us see if we can not use a phrase or a group of words in the place of a single adverb. For example:

The man works rapidly, or, The man works with rapidity.

The man works now, or, The man works at this time.

The man works here, or, The man works at this place.

In these sentences _rapidly_, _now_ and _here_ are single adverbs modifying the verb _work_. The phrases, _with rapidity_, _at this time_, and _at this place_, express practically the same ideas, conveyed by the single adverbs, _rapidly_, _now_ and _here_. These phrases modify the verb in exactly the same manner as the single adverbs. Therefore we call these groups of words used as single adverbs, _adverb phrases_.

We also use adverbs to modify adjectives. Let us see if we can use adverb phrases in the same way:

Rockefeller is _excessively_ rich; or, Rockefeller is rich _to excess_.

He is _bodily_ perfect, but _mentally_ weak; or, He is perfect _in body_ but weak _in mind_.

In the sentences above, the adverb _excessively_ modifies the adjective _rich_; the same meaning is expressed in the adverb phrase, _to excess_.

In the sentence, _He is bodily perfect, but mentally weak_, the adverb _bodily_ modifies the adjective _perfect_ and the adverb _mentally_ modifies the adjective _weak_. In the last sentence, the same meaning is expressed by the adverb phrases, _in body_ and _in mind_. These phrases modify the adjectives _perfect_ and _weak_, just as do the single adverbs _bodily_ and _mentally_.

+302.+ We can use a phrase in the place of almost any adverb or adjective. It very often happens, however, that there is no adjective or adverb which we can use to exactly express our meaning and we are forced to use a phrase. For example:

He bought the large house _by the river_.

The man _on the train_ is going _to the city_.

He came _from the country_.

It is impossible to find single words that express the meaning of these phrases, _by the river_, _on the train_, _to the city_, and _from the country_. You could not say the _river house_; that is not what you mean. You mean the large house _by the river_, yet the phrase _by the river_ modifies and describes the house quite as much as the adjective _large_. It is an adjective phrase used to modify the noun _house_, yet it would be impossible to express its meaning in a single word.

Exercise 2

Which phrases in the following sentences are used as adjectives and which phrases are used as adverbs?

Change these phrases to adjectives or adverbs, if you can think of any that express the same meaning.

1. Men lived _in caves_ long ago.

2. Man's discovery _of fire_ was the beginning _of industry_.

3. _After this discovery_, men lived _in groups_.

4. The work _of the world_ is done _by machinery_.

5. The workers _of Europe_ were betrayed.

6. They are fighting _for their country_.

7. The struggle _for markets_ is the cause _of war_.

8. The history _of the world_ records the struggle _of the workers_.

9. The idea _of democracy_ is equal opportunity _for all_.

10. The invention _of the printing press_ placed knowledge _within the reach_ _of the ma.s.ses_.

11. If you will study _with diligence_ you can learn _with ease_.

12. This knowledge will be _of great value_ _to you_.

13. Diplomacy means that the plans _of nations_ are made _in secret_.

14. The men _in the factory_ are all paid _by the month_.

15. They are afraid to take a trip _through Europe_ _at this time_.

Exercise 3

Use a phrase instead of the adjective or adverb in the following sentences:

1. The men in the trenches are fighting _bravely_.

2. An _uneducated_ man is _easily_ exploited.

3. Our _educational_ system is inadequate.

4. The _skilled_ workers must be organized.

5. _Careless_ men endanger the lives of others.

6. The plans have been _carefully_ laid.

7. _Ambitious_ men often trample on the rights of others.

8. Shall our education be controlled by _wealthy_ men?

9. We want to live _courageously_.

10. We want to face the future _fearlessly_.

11. We want to possess _peacefully_ the fruits of our labor.

12. By constant practice we can learn to speak _effectively_.

13. This book will be a _valuable_ addition to your library.

14. The number of _unemployed_ men _constantly_ increases.

15. The men mastered each step _thoroughly_ as they proceeded.

16. In order to express one's self _eloquently_ it is necessary to think _clearly_.

17. We must consecrate ourselves _completely_ to the cause of humanity.

18. A _kind_ act is its own reward.

19. _Experienced_ workers can _more easily_ secure positions.

20. He spoke _thoughtlessly_ but the people listened _eagerly_.

21. The soldier was rewarded for his _heroic_ deed.

22. He is an _honorable_ man and I am not surprised at this _brave_ act.

23. A _prudent_ man should be chosen to fill that _important_ office.

PREPOSITIONS

+303.+ Have you noticed that all of these phrases, which we have been studying and using as adjectives and adverbs, begin with a little word like _of_, _with_, _from_, _in_, _at_ or _by_, which connects the phrase with the word it modifies? We could scarcely express our meaning without these little words. They are connecting words and fill an important function. These words usually come first in the phrase. For this reason, they are called _prepositions_, which means _to place before_.

Let us see what a useful place these little words fill in our language.

Suppose we were watching the play of some boys outside our windows and were reporting their hiding place. We might say:

The boys are hiding _in_ the bushes.

The boys are hiding _among_ the bushes.

The boys are hiding _under_ the bushes.

The boys are hiding _behind_ the bushes.

The boys are hiding _beyond_ the bushes.

These sentences are all alike except the prepositions _in_, _among_, _under_, _behind_ and _beyond_. If you read the sentences and leave out these prepositions entirely, you will see that n.o.body could possibly tell what connection the _bushes_ had with the rest of the sentence. The prepositions are necessary to express the relation of the word _bushes_ to the rest of the sentence.