Graded Lessons in English by Alonzo Reed and Brainerd Kellogg (find a book to read .TXT) 📖

denotes the one speaking.

The Second Person denotes the one spoken to.

The Third Person denotes the one spoken of.

Case is that modification of a noun or pronoun which denotes its office in the sentence.

The Nominative Case of a noun or pronoun denotes its office as subject or as attribute complement.

The Possessive Case of a noun or pronoun denotes its office as possessive modifier.

The Objective Case of a noun or pronoun denotes its office as object complement, or as principal word in a prepositional phrase+.

 

LESSON 82.

NOUNS AND PRONOUNS.—PERSON AND CASE.

Tell the person and case of each of the following nouns and pronouns.

+_Remember_+ that a noun or pronoun used as an explanatory modifier is in the same case as the word which it explains, and that a noun or pronoun used independently is in the nominative case.

We Americans do things in a hurry. You Englishmen take more time to think. The Germans do their work with the most patience and deliberation. We boys desire a holiday. Come on, my men; I will lead you. I, your teacher, desire your success. You, my pupils, are attentive. I called on Tom, the tinker. Friends, countrymen, and lovers, hear me for my cause.

Write simple sentences in which each of the following nouns shall be used in the three persons and in the three cases.

Andrew Jackson, Alexander, Yankees.

Write a sentence containing a noun in the nominative case, used as an attribute; one in the nominative, used as an explanatory modifier; one in the nominative, used independently.

Write a sentence containing a noun in the objective case, used to complete two predicate verbs; one used to complete a participle; one used to complete an infinitive; one used with a preposition to make a phrase; one used as an explanatory modifier.

+To the Teacher+.—See pp. 183, 184.

 

LESSON 83.

NOUNS AND PRONOUNS.—DECLENSION.

+DEFINITION.—_Declension_ is the arrangement of the cases of nouns and pronouns in the two numbers+.

Declension of Nouns.

LADY.

Singular. Plural. Nom. lady, ladies, Pos. lady’s, ladies’, Obj. lady; ladies.

CHILD.

Singular. Plural. Nom. child, children, Pos. child’s, children’s, Obj. child; children.

 

Declension of Pronouns.

PERSONAL PRONOUNS.

FIRST PERSON.

Singular. Plural. Nom. I, we, Pos. my or mine, our or ours, Obj. me; us.

SECOND PERSON—_common form_.

Singular. Plural. Nom. you, you, Pos. your or yours, your or yours, Obj. you; you.

 

SECOND PERSON—_old form_.

Singular. Plural. Nom. thou, ye or you, Pos. thy or thine, your or yours, Obj. thee; you.

THIRD PERSON—_masculine_.

Singular. Plural. Nom. he, they, Pos. his, their or theirs, Obj. him; them.

THIRD PERSON—_feminine_.

Singular. Plural. Nom. she, they, Pos. her or hers, their or theirs, Obj. her; them.

THIRD PERSON–-_neuter_.

Singular. Plural. Nom. it, they, Pos. its, their or theirs, Obj. it; them.

 

Mine, ours, yours, thine, hers, and theirs are used when the name of the thing possessed is omitted; as, This rose is yours = This rose is your rose.

COMPOUND PERSONAL PRONOUNS.

By joining the word self to the possessive forms my, thy, your, and to the objective forms him, her, it, the +_Compound Personal Pronouns_+ are formed. They have no possessive case, and are alike in the nominative and the objective.

Their plurals are ourselves, yourselves, and themselves. Form the compound personal pronouns, and write their declension.

RELATIVE AND INTERROGATIVE PRONOUNS.

Sing. and Plu. Nom. who, Pos. whose, Obj. whom.

Sing. and Plu. Nom. which, Pos. whose, Obj. which.

Of which is often used instead of the possessive form of the latter pronoun.

Sing. and Plu. Nom. that, Pos. –-, Obj. that.

Sing. and Plu. Nom. what, Pos. –-, Obj. what.

Ever and soever are added to who, which, and what to form the +_Compound Relative Pronouns_+. They are used when the antecedent is omitted. For declension, see above.

 

LESSON 84.

POSSESSIVE FORMS.

+RULE.—The possessive case of nouns is formed in the singular by adding to the nominative the apostrophe and the letter s (‘s); in the plural, by adding (‘) only. If the plural does not end in s, the apostrophe and the s are both added+.

Write the possessive singular and the possessive plural of the following nouns, and place an appropriate noun after each.

Robin, friend, fly, hero, woman, bee, mouse, cuckoo, fox, ox, man, thief, fairy, mosquito, wolf, shepherd, farmer, child, neighbor, cow.

Possession may be expressed also by the preposition of and the objective; as, the mosquito’s bill = the bill of the mosquito.

The possessive sign (‘s) is confined chiefly to the names of persons and animals.

We do not say the chair’s legs, but the legs of the chair. Regard must be had also to the sound.

IMPROVE THE FOLLOWING EXPRESSIONS, and expand each into a simple sentence.

The sky’s color; the cloud’s brilliancy; the rose’s leaves; my uncle’s partner’s house; George’s father’s friend’s farm; the mane of the horse of my brother; my brother’s horse’s mane.

When there are several possessive nouns, all belonging to one word, the possessive sign is added to the last only. If they modify different words, the sign is added to each.

CORRECT THE FOLLOWING EXPRESSIONS, and expand each into a simple sentence.

+Model+.—_Webster and Worcester’s dictionary may be bought at Ticknor’s and Field’s book-store_.

The possessive sign should be added to Webster, for the word dictionary is understood immediately after. Webster and Worcester do not together possess the same dictionary. The sign should not be added to Ticknor, for the two men, Tieknor and Field, possess the same store.

Adam’s and Eve’s garden; Jacob’s and Esau’s father; Shakespeare and Milton’s works; Maud, Kate, and Clara’s gloves; Maud’s, Kate’s, and Clara’s teacher was –-.

When one possessive noun is explanatory of another, the possessive sign is added to the last only.

CORRECT THE FOLLOWING ERRORS.

I called at Tom’s the tinker’s. They listened to Peter’s the Hermit’s eloquence. This was the Apostle’s Paul’s advice.

CORRECT THE FOLLOWING ERRORS.

Our’s, your’s, hi’s, their’s, her’s, it’s, hisn, yourn, hern.

 

LESSON 85.

FORMS OF THE PRONOUN.

+_Remember_+ that I, we, thou, ye, he, she, they, and who are +nominative+ forms, and must not be used in the objective case.

+_Remember_+ that me, us, thee, him, her, them, and whom are +objective+ forms, and must not be used in the nominative case.

+To the Teacher+.—The eight nominative forms and the seven objective forms given above are the only distinctive nominative and objective forms in the English language. Let the pupils become familiar with them.

CORRECT THE FOLLOWING ERRORS.

Him and me are good friends. The two persons were her and me. Us girls had a jolly time. It is them, surely. Who will catch this? Me. Them that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. Who is there? Me. It was not us, it was him. Who did you see? Who did you ask for?

+_Remember_+ that pronouns must agree with their antecedents in number, gender, and person.

CORRECT THE FOLLOWING ERRORS.

Every boy must read their own sentences. I gave the horse oats, but he would not eat it. Every one must read it for themselves. I took up the little boy, and set it on my knee.

+_Remember_+ that the relative who represents persons; which, animals and things; that, persons, animals, and things; and what, things.

CORRECT THE FOLLOWING ERRORS.

I have a dog who runs to meet me. The boy which I met was quite lame. Those which live in glass houses must not throw stones.

REVIEW QUESTIONS.

+To the Teacher+.—For “Schemes,” see p. 186.

How many modifications have nouns and pronouns? Name and define each. How many persons are there? Define each. How many cases are there? Define each. How do you determine the case of an explanatory noun or pronoun? What is declension? How are the forms mine, yours, etc., now used? What is the rule for forming the possessive case? What words are used only in the nominative case? What words are used only in the objective case? [Footnote: Her is used in the possessive case also.] How do you determine the number, gender, and person of pronouns?

 

LESSON 86.

NOUNS AND PRONOUNS—PARSING.

+To the Teacher+.—For general “Scheme” for parsing, see p. 189.

Select and parse all the nouns and pronouns in Lesson 53.

+Model for Written Parsing+.—_Elizabeth’s favorite, Raleigh, was beheaded by James I._

Elizabeth’s CLASSIFICATION. Nouns. Kind. Prop. MODIFICATIONS. Person. 3d Number. Sing. Gender. Fem. Case. Pos. SYNTAX. Pos. Mod. of favorite.

favorite CLASSIFICATION. Nouns. Kind. Com. MODIFICATIONS. Person. 3d Number. Sing. Gender. Mas. Case. Nom. SYNTAX. Sub. of was beheaded.

Raleigh CLASSIFICATION. Nouns. Kind. Prop. MODIFICATIONS. Person. 3d Number. Sing. Gender. Mas. Case. Nom. SYNTAX. Exp. Mod. of favorite.

James I. CLASSIFICATION. Nouns. Kind. Prop. MODIFICATIONS. Person. 3d Number. Sing. Gender. Mas. Case. Obj. SYNTAX. Prin. word after by.

+To the Teacher+.—Select other exercises, and continue this work as long as it may be profitable. See Lessons 56, 57, 61, 64, and 65.

 

LESSON 87.

COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES.

+Adjectives have one modification;+ viz., Comparison.

DEFINITIONS.

+Comparison is a modification of the adjective to express the relative degree of the quality in the things compared+.

+The Positive degree expresses the simple quality+.

+The Comparative degree expresses a greater or a less degree of the quality+.

+The Superlative degree expresses the greatest or the least degree of the quality+.

+RULE.—Adjectives are regularly compared by adding er to the positive to form the comparative, and est to the positive to form the superlative+.

Adjectives of one syllable are generally compared regularly; adjectives of two or more syllables are often compared by prefixing more and most.

When there are two correct forms, choose the one that can be more easily pronounced.

Compare the following adjectives. For the spelling, consult your dictionaries.

Model.—Positive. Comparative. Superlative. Lovely, lovelier, loveliest; or lovely, more lovely, most lovely.

Tame, warm, beautiful, brilliant, amiable, high, mad, greedy, pretty, hot.

Some adjectives are compared irregularly. Learn the following forms.

Positive. Comparative. Superlative. Good, better, best. Bad, | Evil, + worse, worst. Ill, | Little, less, least. Much, | Many, | more, most.

 

LESSON 88.

COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS.

+_Remember_+ that, when two things or groups of things are compared, the comparative degree is commonly used; when more than two, the superlative is employed.

+_Caution_+.—Adjectives should not be doubly compared.

CORRECT THE FOLLOWING ERRORS.

Of all the boys, George is the more industrious. Peter was older than the twelve apostles. Which is the longer of the rivers of America? This was the most unkindest cut of all. He chose a more humbler part. My hat is more handsomer than yours. The younger of those three boys is the smarter. Which is the more northerly, Maine, Oregon, or Minnesota?

+_Caution_+.—Do not use adjectives and adverbs extravagantly.

CORRECT THE FOLLOWING ERRORS.

The weather is horrid. That dress is perfectly awful. Your coat sits