These are two forms of the same word. This word means to come about, to happen. Think of the meaning of the sentence, John became angry. It surely does not mean that John became, or came about; therefore the word became is not the predicate attribute. What word does show some-thing about John? The word angry is the predicate attribute, and the word became is a peculiar copula. Use the common copula was in place of became, and see how the two sentences differ in meaning. You see it was the anger instead of John that came about.

Sometimes this word became is used with an entirely different meaning as both copula and predicate attribute; thus, The hat became her, Modesty becomes children.

Exercise 19

Put the subjects, copulas, and predicate attributes in separate columns. Describe each predicate attribute. Tell all you can about the copulas.

1. The lesson was long.

2.. The children have been playing.

3. Alice is angry.

4. Alice became angry.

5. Alice seems to be angry.

6. I shall be ready.

7. She talks rapidly.

8. The wheat grew yellow.

9. The wheat grew slowly.

10. Mary became interested.

11. Henry got the book.

12. Henry got impatient.

13. There has been a wreck.

14. She has been sick.

15. I smell smoke.

16. The milk smells sour.

17. There is Mary.

18. The man turned around.

19. Mary will get wiser some day.

20. The speaker is confused.

21. The speaker seems to be confused.

22. Then pealed the bells.

23. I have been in the library.

24. She looks intelligent..

25. The milk will become sour.

26. Good English is good business.

27. Radishes grow rapidly.

28. I have repented.

29. She felt very sad.

30. She left very sad.

31. She felt around in the dark.

32. Squares are parallelograms.

33. Great was the people's amazement.

34. The frightened man grew weak.

35. That child will be an inventor.

36. The Golden-Crowned Kinglet is a gem among our spring and fall birds.

37. He is continually in motion.

38. He generally hops about for some minutes in the same bush or tree.

39. He seems very fearless.

40. I have come within a few feet of him.

41. He is a tiny bird.

42. Only keen-eyed people notice him.

43. He is very beautiful.

44. His color is greenish olive.

45. There are yellowish edges on his wings and tail.

46. On the head are two black stripes separated by bright yellow or orange.

47. He frequently utters a creaking note like the swinging of a rusty hinge.

48. His real song he saves for home consumption.

49. His home where he nests is far to the north of us.

50. The Ruby-Crowned Kinglet is a relative of his.1

1 The last fifteen sentences are a slightly adapted form of a description given in the School News.