OF INTERJECTIONS.

Q. What is an interjection?

A. An interjection is a word which expresses some sudden emotion of the mind, but no definite thought; as alas! I am ruined.

T. Name the principal interjections.

P. The principal interjections are the following: Adieu! ah alas ! alack! away! aha! begone! hark! ho! ha! he! hail! halloo! hum! hush! huzza! hist! hey-dey! lo! O! O strange! O brave! pshaw ! see! well-a-day! &c.

EXERCISES IN PARSING.

Q. WHAT is parsing?

A. Parsing is the exercise of examining every word of a sentence, and distinguishing the parts of speech in all their grammatical relations and cir

cumstances.

T. Name some general principles which should be constantly borne in mind in parsing.

P. Every ADJECTIVE belongs to some substantive expressed or understood.

Every NOMINATIVE has a verb expressed or understood.

Every VERB (except the infinitive) has a nominative expressed or understood.

Every ACTIVE VERB has an objective expressed or understood.

Every OBJECTIVE is governed by an active verb or preposition expressed or understood.

Q. Is the supplying of words that are understood of much importance?

A. It is very important in the performance of this exercise to supply words that are only understood, and not expressed, because the supply of such words at once makes the entire construction and force of the sentence clear.

DISTINGUISHING ADJECTIVE AND SUBSTANTIVE.

A Flower.

Q. What part of speech is a?

A. A is the indefinite distinguishing adjective. Q. Why is it indefinite ?

A. Because it is used in a general sense, and here means any.

Q. What part of speech is flower?

A. Flower is a common substantive, of the neuter gender, singular number, and the nominative case.

Q. Why is it a common noun

?

A. Flower is a common noun, because it belongs to all the things of a kind; for flower is a name common to all flowers.

Q. How do you know its gender, number, and case ?

A. Flower is of the neuter gender, because it is neither male nor female; of the singular number, because it expresses but one; and in the nominative case, because it simply names a flower. (Decline the substantive.)

An Orange.

Q. What part of speech is an?

A. An is the indefinite distinguishing adjective.

Q. Why is it an, and not a?

A. Because a becomes an before a vowal, or silent h; and the word orange begins with a vowel. Q. What part of speech is orange?

A. Orange is a common substantive, of the neuter gender, singular number, nominative case. (Decline it.)

The King's Prerogative.

Q. What part of speech is the?

A. The is the definite distinguishing adjective. Q. Why is it definite?

A. The is called definite, because it refers to a particular person or thing; and here implies the king of our own country.

Q. What part of speech is king?

A. King is a common substantive, of the masculine gender, singular number, and possessive case. Q. Why is it the possessive case?

A. It is in the possessive case because it here expresses possession or property, signifying the prerogative belonging to the king.

Q. What part of speech is wiser ?

A. Wiser is an adjective in the comparative degree.

T. Compare the adjective.

P. Positive, wise; comparative, wiser; superlative, wisest.

Q. How do you know that it is an adjective? A. Wiser is an adjective, because it expresses the quality of the noun, and shows what kind of man is meant.

*Possession is sometimes expressed by of as well as by an apostrophic s, in such cases of is called in parsing the sign of the possessive case.

E

NOUN, PRONOUN, VERB, &c.

Prosperity gains friends.

Q. What part of speech is gains?

A. Gains is a regular verb active, indicative mood, present tense, third person singular.

Q. How do you find the nominative case to the verb ?

A. To find the nominative case, take the verb and ask the question who? or what? with it, and the word that answers to the question is the nominative: thus, What gains friends? answer, prosperity; therefore prosperity is the nominative to the verb gains.

Q. How do you find the objective case?

A. To find the objective case, take the verb and ask the question whom? or what? with it, and the word that answers to the question is the objective: thus, What does prosperity gain? answer, friends; therefore friends is the objective after the verb gains.