The Printable KISS Grammar Workbooks To Charles Dickens Page
(Code and Color Key)

Apostrophes in Contractions
from Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities
Analysis Key

1. I can't say [DO that I mean to [#1] ]. |  I suppose so (DO). |  

     I don't know. |

____________can not________________________
2. So now *you* let's look [#2] {at you}. |
_____________let us_________________________
3. "That's a Blazing strange answer (PN), too," [ [#3] said he, {at his hoarsest}]. |
____________That is_________________________
4. What's it about [#4] ? |
____________What is ________________________
5. *You* Come on {at a footpace}! | d'ye mind me (DO)? |
_____________do you________________________
6. I'd catch hold (DO) {of your throat} and choke you (DO) {for half

     a guinea} [#5] . |

_____________I would _______________________
7. I do it (DO) [Adv. (cause) to "do" because it's politic (PA)]; | I do 

     it (DO) {on principle}. |

_____________it is___________________________
8. *You* Don't shrink {from anything} [Adj. to "anything" I say]. |
_____________Do not_________________________


9. I suppose [DO they'll be trying Forgeries (DO) this morning [NuA] ]? |

_____________they will ________________________


10. I have had enough (DO) {of witnesses} to-day [NuA] and to-night [NuA]; | 

     who's your pretty witness (PN)? |

______________who is_________________________
Notes
1. This "to" is confusing out of context. "Mean to," however, clearly means "mean to do something." Thus the "to" is here missing an ellipsed verb. If we knew what that verb was, the "to could be explained probably as part of verb that functions as a direct object, as in "He means to win."
2. The contracted "us" is the subject of the verbal (infinitive) "look." The infinitive phrase functions as the direct object of "let."
3. The quotation could be considered the direct object of "said," but in case such as this, the preferred explanation is to view the quotation as the main clause and this clause as a subordinate clause that functions as an interjection. See: KISS Level 3.2.3 - Interjection? Or Direct Object?
4. The "What" is the object of the preposition "about"--It is {about what}?
5. Some people may prefer to see this as two prepositional phrases-- "{for half} {of a guinea}." Technically, that probably is the better explanation, but the question is not important enough for me to tell a student who marks it as one that he or she is wrong.