Recognizing Coordinate Elements (2)

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Directions: In each sentence below, the last coordinate element has been printed in capital letters. Answer the question following the sentence.

Example: The Gypsy workmen came about midday, nailed down the lids on all the boxes, and CARTED THEM OUT OF THE CASTLE.

Your Task: What words from the beginning of the sentence (these words are called the "stem") must be added to the capitalized words to make a complete thought? (Note: These words are called the "stem" of the sentence, and you are to give only the stem, the fewest words from the beginning that will make a complete thought when added to the capitalized words. The words you skip are the first "branch" of the sentence, and the capitalized words are the second branch.)

Response: The Gypsy workmen

Lesson on Punctuation

A coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, for, so, yet) stands between the elements that it joins. These items can be long or short, but all of the elements in any one series are of the same grammatical type:

Werewolves eat bodies, BUT vampires suck blood.
     [2 independent clauses]
The Count controlled both rats AND wolves.
     [2 words: rats, wolves]
To join three or more items, we can use just one conjunction, before the last item:

Dracula studied England,
        planned his voyage,
       AND bought property in London.

Sometimes this conjunction is omitted, but the items are still stacked up, coordinated:

In the coffin lay the Count's body:
        sleek,
        ruddy,
        gorged with blood.

These three elements, all adjectives (one an adjective phrase) modifying "body," are called "branches" and the rest of the sentence is the "stem." Conjunctions join branches, and all branches must be grammatically interchangeable, for they are all connected in an identical manner to the stem.

Off the English coast a strange ship under full sail was sighted running before a black and FURIOUS gale.

Your task: Copy from the beginning of the sentence the shortest sequence of words that can be added to "FURIOUS gale" to make a complete thought.
When the ship ran aground, a huge black dog leaped out and BOUNDED INTO THE HILLS.

Your task: Copy from the beginning of the sentence the shortest sequence of words that can be added to the capitalized words to make a complete thought. (These words are called the sentence's "stem.")
Off the English coast a strange ship under full sail was sighted running before a black and FURIOUS gale.

Your task: The word between the stem of the sentence and the conjunction is the first item in the pair that are joined by the conjunction. It can also be called the first "branch." Copy that word into the answer window.
When the ship ran aground, a huge black dog leaped out and BOUNDED INTO THE HILLS.

Your task: Copy the group of words which "and" pairs with the capitalized word group. These words (the first branch) will be those that come after the stem but before the conjunction.
The ship was a Russian freighter, and ITS CARGO CONSISTED OF LARGE BOXES OF EARTH.

Your task: Copy the group of words which "and" pairs with the capitalized word group.
The captain had died at his post by the tiller, a crucifix around his neck, HIS HANDS TIED TO THE WHEEL.

Your task: There is no conjunction here, but there is a clear pairing of phrases. Copy the other phrase paired with the capitalized one.
The captain's log told of the loss of one crewman after another until only the captain himself and THE FIRST MATE remained.

Your task: Copy the phrase which "and" pairs with the capitalized phrase.
The captain's log told of the loss of one crewman after another until only the captain himself and THE FIRST MATE remained.

Your task: Type the stem of the sentence; the stem is all the words that are not branches, and it is read in turn with each branch to make first one and then another complete thought. Use ellipsis dots (with spaces before and after and between: . . . ) to represent the place for branches.
The mate cried out that he had "seen `It'" and THEN LEAPED INTO THE '" SEA.

Your task: Copy the stem of the sentence, the part that (when read with the capitalized words) will make a complete thought.
Shortly after these events, Lucy grew restless and BEGAN TO WALK IN HER SLEEP.

Your task: Copy the stem of the sentence.
One night she escaped, and I FOUND HER AT LAST ON A STONE SEAT BY THE SEA.

Your task: "And" coordinates equal elements. Copy the first of these elements. The second is capitalized.
She was leaning back in the seat with her head back and HER EYES CLOSED.

Your task: Write the very last word in the sentence's stem, the word that knits "her eyes closed" to the stem to make a complete thought.
I saw a dark figure bend over her and HEARD HER MOAN SOFTLY BEFORE HE GLIDED AWAY.

Your task: The key word in the capitalized phrase is "heard." Is its subject "I" or "figure"?
1. I
2. figure
I saw a dark figure bend over her and HEARD HER MOAN SOFTLY BEFORE HE GLIDED AWAY.

Your task: As the subject of "heard," the pronoun "I" can be called the stem of this sentence. The capitalized words constitute the second branch of a two-branched sentence. What is the first branch?
I ran to her, flung my shawl over her shoulders, fastened it with a pin, and PUT MY SHOES ON HER FEET.

Your task: How many branches are there in this branching sentence? (The capitalized words are the last branch.)
However, I must have pricked the skin of her throat, for NEXT DAY I SAW TWO TINY PUNCTURE MARKS THERE.

Your task: The coordinating conjunction "for" gives a reason. What follows it explains what precedes it. Copy the words that "for" coordinates with the capitalized words.