Q. When I say, "Charles strikes William," "William strikes Charles," you may perceive that the state or condition of Charles in the former example is quite different from his state or condition in the latter: in the one, Charles strikes; in the other, he is struck: what, then, is meant by the different cases of nouns ?

48. The different condition or position they have in relation to other words in the same sentence.

Q. What does the word nominative mean?

49. Nominative means naming.

Q. When I say, "John strikes," he evidently does something: what, hen, may John be called?

50. An actor or dcer.

Q. Well, then, as the actor or doer is considered the naming or leading noun, in what case is John, when I say, "John strikes ?"

51. In the nominative case.

Q. What, then, is the nominative case of nouns?

52. The nominative case is the agent or doer.

Q. When I say, "The dog runs," in what case is dog, and why? 53. Dog is in the nominative case, because it is the agent, actor, or doer.

*

"The cat catches mice." In what case is cat, and why?
When I say,
"Thomas is pursuing the thief," what is the object

here which Thomas is pursuing?

54. Thief.

Q. What does the word objective mean?

55. It means belonging to the object.

Q. In what case, then, may thief be reckoned, in the phrase, "Thomas pursues the thief?""

56. In the objective case.

Q. What, then, does the objective case denote?

57. The objective case denotes the object.

Q. When I say, "William whips John," in what case is John, and why? 58. In the objective case, because John is the object. Q. What does the word possessive imply?

59. Possession, ownership, property, &c.

Q. When I say, "It is John's slate," I mean to say that John owns the slate in what case, then, shall we reckon John's?

60. In the possessive case.

Q. What, then, does the possessive case of nouns denote?

61. The possessive case denotes possession, property &c.

When I say,, " Peter's knife," who owns or possesses the knife? Q. In what case, then, is Peter's, and why?

62. In the possessive case, because Peter possesses the knife.

Q. In the example "John's slate," you perceive that John's ends in s, with a comma before it: what is the comma, and what is the 8, (alled in grammar?

63. The comma is called an apostrophe, and the s, an apostrophic s.

Q. You also perceive that John's is singular; how, then, do nouns in the singular number usually form their possessive case?

64. By taking after them an apostrophe with the letter s following it.

Q. "On eagles' wings." Here eagles' is plural, and in the possessive case: how, then, do nouns in the plural usually form their possessive case?

65. Simply by taking the apostrophe without the addition of s.

Q. But if the plural noun does not end in 8, as, "men's concerns," how is the possessive case formed?

66. As the same case in the singular number is formed. Q. From the foregoing remarks, how many cases do nouns appear to have, and what are they?

67. Three-the nominative, possessive, and objective. do 'Decline sometimes means to vary the end Decline sometimes means to vary the endings of a word: what, then,

68. To tell its different cases or endings.

Q. Will you decline John?

Q. When I say, "William's coat, 99

you perceive that the noun coat follows William's: by what is William's said to be governed, and why? 71. By coat, because it follows William's.

Q. What, then, may be considered a rule for governing the possessive case?

RULE I.

The possessive case is governed by the following

noun.

Q. "William's hat." Is William's a proper or common noun? Why? (36.)*

Q. What is its person? why? (45.)* Its number? why? (8.)* Its gender? why? (17.)* Its case? why? (61.)* What noun follows William's? What word, then, governs William's? What is the rule?

Q. When we mention the several properties of the different words in sentences, in the same manner as we have those of William's, above, what is the exercise called?

72. PARSING.

EXERCISES IN PARSING.

"John's knife."

73. Johns is a NOUN, because it is a name PROPER, because it is a particular name-MASCULINE GENDER; it is the name of a male-THIRD PERSON; it is spoken of SINGULAR

* Refer back to this number.

NUMBER; it means but one — POSSESSIVE CASE; it implies possession and it is governed by the noun knife, according to

RULE I. The possessive case is governed by the following

поип.

Knife is a NOUN; it is a name COMMON; it is a general name NEUTER GENDER; it is neither male nor female THIRD PERSON; it is spoken of-SINGULAR NUMBER; it means

but one.

Let the learner parse the foregoing, till the mode of parsing the noun is so familiar to him, that he can do it readily, without looking in the book. He may then take the following exercises, which are to be parsed in a similar manner.

Q. When I say, "Give me a book," I evidently mean no particular book ; but when I say, "Give me the book," what do I mean?

74. Some particular book.

Q. Which are the words that make this difference in meaning?、 75. A and the.

Q. What are these little words called?

76. ARTICLES.

Q. What, then, are articles?

77. Articles are words placed before nouns to limit

their meaning.

Q. What is the meaning of the word definite?

78. Definite means particular.

Q. "Give me the book."

Here a particular book is referred to: what

kind of an article, then, shall we call the?

79. Definite article.

Q. What, then, is a definite article?

80. It points out what particular thing or things are

meant.

Q. The word in, when placed before words, frequently signifies not : what, then, will indefinite mean?

81. Not definite.

Q. When I say,

"Give me a knife," no particular knife is meant: what

kind of an article, then, may a be called?

82. Indefinite article.

Q. Why is it so called?

83. Because it is not used before the name of any

particular person or thing.

Q. We say,

99 66

an apple,' an inkstand," &c. in preference to a apple," a inkstand," &c.: why is this?

84. Because it is easier to speak, and also more pleasant to the ear.

Q. What kind of letters do apple and inkstand begin with? 85. Vowels.

Q. In what cases ao we use an instead of a?

86. Before words beginning with the vowels a, e, i,

o, u.

Q. In speaking, we say, use a?

a man," not an man:" when, then, do we

87. Before words beginning with consonants.

Q. Which letters are consonants?

88. All the letters of the alphabet, except the vowels, which are a, e, i, o, u; and also w and y, except at the beginning of words, when they are consonants.

Q. How, then, do a and an differ?

89. Only in their use; a being used before consonants, and an before vowels: both are called by the same name. Q. How many articles do there appear to be, and what are they? 90. Two-a or an, and the.

Q. It is customary to say, "a boy," not "a boys;" also, "an inkstand," not 'an inkstands:" of what number, then, must the noun be, before which the indefinite article is placed?

91. The singular number.

Q. What, then, is the rule for the indefinite article?

RULE II.

The indefinite article A or AN belongs to nouns the singular number.

Q. We can say, "the boy," and " 'the boys;" using a noun either of the singular or plural number after the: what, then, is the rule for the definite article?

RULE III.

The definite article THE belongs to nouns in the singular or plural number.

EXERCISES IN PARSING.
"The boy."

92. The is an ARTICLE, a word placed before nouns to limit their meaning DEFINITE; it means a particular boy—and belongs to boy, according to

RULE III. The definite article the belongs to nouns of the singular or plural number.

Boy is a NOUN'; it is a name COMMON; it is a general name-MASCULINE GENDER; it is the name of a male-THIRD PERSON; it is spoken of— and ́SINGULAR NUMBER; it means but one.

VIII. OF ADJECTIVES.

Q. When I say, "John is an obedient, industrious, and good boy," I use certain words to describe boy: which are they?

93. Industrious, obedient, and good.

66

Q. When 1 say, good joined or added?

a good man," to what word is the describing word

94. To the noun man.

Q. What does the word adjective mean?

95. Joined or added to.

Q. What, then, shall we call such describing words as good, obedient, industrious, &c.?

96. ADJECTIVES.

Q. What, then, are adjectives?

97. Adjectives are words joined to nouns to describe or qualify them.

Q."A wise man." Which word is the adjective here, and why?

Q." Rufus is a good boy, but James is a better one.' How are Rufus and James spoken of here?

98. In comparison with each other.

Q. The adjectives in the last example are good and better: can you tell me which of these words denotes a higher degree of excellence than the other?

99. The word better.

Q. What degree of comparison, then, shall we call better?

100. Comparative degree.

Q. What, then, does the comparative degree imply?

101. A comparison between two.

Q." William is tall, Thomas is taller, but Rufus is the tallest boy in school." What is meant here by tallest?

102. Exceeding all in height.

Q. What does the word superlative mean?

103. Exceeding all; the highest or lowest degree

Q. What degree of comparison, then, shall we call tallest ?

104. Superlative degree.

Q. What, then, does the superlative degrec do?

105. It increases or lessens the positive to the nighest or lowest degree.

Q. When I say, "James is a good boy," I make no comparison between him and any other; but simply assert in a positive manner, that James is a good boy What kind of a sentence, then, would you call this?

106. A positive sentence.

Q. Of what degree of comparison, then, shall we call good?

107 The positive degree.

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