The Printable KISS Grammar Workbooks
The Tiger
[From McGuffey's Second Reader]
Analysis Key

     The tiger is a giant cat (PN). | His body is nearly covered (P) 

{with black stripes}. |

     {Unlike the lion} [#1], he runs so fast [Adv. (result) to "so" that the

swiftest horse can not overtake him (DO)]. | He goes {over the 

ground} {by making bounds or springs [#2] }, one [NuA] {after another}. |

     {By night,} as well as [#3] {by day}, the tiger watches {for his prey}. | 

{With a frightful roar}, he will seize a man (DO), and carry him (DO) off. |

     Have you ever though [DO what use (PN) whiskers are {to cats}]? | 

Lions have great whiskers (DO), | and so have tigers and all other

animals {of the cat kind}. |

     [Adv. to "may be" Whenever you find an animal (DO) {with whiskers}

{like the cat's}], you may be sure (PA) [Adv. to "sure" that animal steals 

softly {among branches and thick bushes}]. |

     {By the slightest touch} {on the tiger's whiskers}, he knows [DO when 

there is anything (PN) {in his road}. |

      A few years [NuA] ago, some English officers went out to hunt [#4]. | 

[Adv. to "found" [#5] When coming home [NuA] {from their day's sport}],

they found a little tiger kitten (DO). |

     They took it (DO) {with them} and tied it (DO) , {with a collar and

chain}, {to the pole} {of their tent}. | It played about, {to the delight} {of all} 

[Adj. to "all" who saw it (DO) ]. |

     One evening [NuA], just [Adv. to "heard" as it was growing dark

(PA)], they heard a sound (DO) [Adj. to "sound" that frightened them

(DO) greatly]. | It was the roar (PN) {of a tiger}. |

     The kitten pulled {at the chain} and tried to break [#6] away. | {With a 

sharp cry}, it answered the voice (DO) outside [#7] . |

     All {at once}, a large tigress bounded {into the middle} {of the tent}. | 

She caught her kitten (DO) {by the neck}, and broke the chain (DO)

[Adj. to "chain" which bound it (DO)]. |

     Then turning [#8] {to the door} {of the tent}, she dashed away as suddenly

[Adv. to the previous "as" as she had come]. |

1. The phrase "unlike the lion" can be seen either as an adverb to "runs" or as an adjective to "he."
2. "Bounds" and "springs" are direct objects of the gerund "making" which functions as the object of "by."
3. "As well as" can be explained as an adverb modified by an ellipsed subordinate clause -- "as well *as he watches* by day." The simpler explanation is to consider it an idiomatic equivalent of "and."
4. The verbal (infinitive) "to hunt" functions as an adverb (of purpose) to "went out."
5. This is a semi-reduced clause -- "When *they were* coming . . . . " See KISS Level 3.2.1 - Semi-Reduced and Other Ellipsed Clauses.
6. The verbal (infinitive) "to break" functions as the direct object of "tried."
7. Technically, "outside" can be explained as a post-positioned adjective, a reduction of "voice *that was* outside." See KISS Level 5.5 - Post-Positioned Adjectives.
8. The verbal (gerundive) "Turning" modifies "she."