449. Sequence of Tenses. It is very important that the time relations be correctly expressed in the various parts of the sentence. This is a matter of some difficulty, especially in dependent clauses and infinitive phrases, in which cases the tense is to be decided relatively to the principal assertion, not absolutely in itself. 1. General truths are timeless, and hence require the present tense, whatever the accompanying tenses may be. Ex. I believed that honesty is the best policy. 2. Should, would, and all the potential and obligative auxiliaries, are used in principal statements with indefinite tense significations; but should and would bear to shall and will the relation of a past to a present tense; and might and could bear the same relation to may and can. This fact explains some peculiarities in their uses. a. In a dependent clause, shall, will, may, and can naturally follow a present or a future tense, expressing a time future to the principal tense. Ex. Mother says we may go. Ex. Ex. Do you think we can go? We will go if we can. b. In a dependent clause, should, would, might, and could naturally follow a past tense, but express future time relatively to it. Did you think we could go? c. Must and ought have no variation of tense form or meaning, and follow either present or past tenses. Do you think that we must go? I thought that I ought to go. 3. In a dependent clause, the present perfect phrase naturally follows a present tense, Ex. I see that I have made a mistake, Ex. but it may follow a future tense when the connective implies future time. I will go when I have finished. 4. A past perfect phrase is used to throw the completion of an act back of a definite past time, expressed or implied. This definite point of past time is usually expressed by a simple past tense, in a dependent clause. Ex. I had finished the work before you came. In a dependent clause, it naturally follows a past tense. Ex. I saw that I had made a mistake. 5. The root infinitive in itself implies indefinite future time; and when used after a principal tense, it expresses future time relatively to that. 6. The use of the perfect infinitive phrase throws the completion of the act back of the time expressed by the principal verb, or by an adverbial adjunct. Ex. He is supposed to have gone to Chicago. I intended to have finished the work before this date. 7. With the verb like, the infinitive is often made perfect when the sense requires the perfect form of the principal verb. Ex. - I should like to have gone; instead of, I should have liked to go. This is possibly because of the difficulty in pronouncing liked to. CHAPTER XVI. THE DIAGRAM. 450. Its Use and Abuse. The use of the diagram in analysis has been so perverted that with many teachers it has fallen into disrepute. Its supporters have relied upon it so exclusively as a means of expression that they seem to have regarded it as "A device of genius to make genius unnecessary." A true system of analysis should foster, not stultify genius. A diagram is a strictly mechanical device, and should never usurp the function of the mind, or in any way hamper its action. It should be an aid to the teacher rather than to the pupil. After the intellectual power to discriminate and analyze has been acquired, the diagram has a certain modest value in enabling the teacher to test the knowledge of many pupils with a minimum of effort, or in enabling a student to display much knowledge in a minimum of time. In the hands of the teacher, it has also some value in furnishing concrete illustration of difficult relations; but as a daily practice, or as a method of mastering a lesson, it is pernicious in the extreme. It robs the pupil of the keen enjoyment which accompanies rapid perception, it keeps in undue prominence the symbols of thought, and pre vents the drill in oral expression which should accompany the logical analysis of the sentence. Because, however, of the slight value which has been acknowledged, a few general characteristics of a good diagram will be pointed out, and a simple form presented. Any well-taught pupil who has mastered the intellectual difficulties of the sentence will have the ingenuity to make a diagram which will express his thoughts. 451. Principles Which Should Determine the Form of a Diagram. The diagram should expound, not obscure the thought, therefore, 1. The scheme should be as simple as possible. 2. The various elements should be written on horizontal lines, as we are accustomed to read them. 3. The unity and essential character of the base should be indicated by writing it upon a single horizontal line. 4. The connection of a complement with the verb should be shown by writing it on the same line; and the three complements should be distinguished by lines which show their respective allegiance to subject, verb, or object. 5. Coördination is best shown by preserving a common margin. 6. Subordination is best shown by indentation. 7. Simple phrases should appear as units in a diagram. 8. Dependent clauses should be so displayed as to appear as elements in the main statement. The following diagrams will illustrate the above principles, and will sufficiently explain themselves. |