Q We say "an apple," "an inkstand," &c. in pre

"a inkstand," &c, why is this?

84. Because it is easier to speak, arpleasant to the ear.

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

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

86. Before words beginning with the

o, u.

Q. In speaking, we say, a man," not an man"

ase a?

87. Before words beginning with co

Q. Which letters are consonants?

88. All the letters of the alphabet, e els, which are a, e, i, o, u; and also at the beginning of words, when they & Q. How, then, do a and an differ?

89. Only in their use; a being used nants, and an before vowels: both are

same name.

Q. How many articles do there appear to be, and whe 90. Two-a or an, and the.

Q. It is customary to say, "a boy," not "a boys not "an inkstands" of what number, then, must the no 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 belo. of the singular number.

Q. We can say, "the boy," and "the boys"; using a singular or plural number after the what, then, is the article?

RULE III.

The definite article THE belongs to singular or plural numbe

CRUSH

EXERCISES IN PARSING.

"The boy."

The is an ARTICLE, a word placed b
meaning-DEFINITE; it means a p
gs to boy, according to

III. The definite article the belongs
or plural number.

is a NOUN; it is a name-COMMON; I'
MASCULINE GENDER; it is the name of a
it is spoken of and SINGULAR NUM

acorn. "The boys."

"The girls' room.

ounce." "The mice." "The lady's box"

II. OF ADJECTIVES.

ohn is an obedient, industrious, and good boy," I use e boy which are they?

s, obedient, and good.

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

un man.

word adjective mean?

added to.

we call such describing words as good, obedient, in

CS.

adjectives?

are words joined to nouns to describe

Which word is the adjective here, and why?

d boy, but James is a better one." How are Rufus re?

ison with each other.

the last example are good and better can you tell denotes a higher degree of excellence than the other 1 better.

comparison, then, shall we call better?

ive degree.

the comparative degree imply?

-ison between two.

homas is taller, but Rufus is the tallest boy in school.' llest?

gall in height.

rd superlative mean?

all; the highest or lowest degree omparison, then, shall we call tallest? e degree.

he superlative degree do?

es or lessens the positive to the high

ee.

mes is a good boy," I make no comparison between imply assert, in a positive manner, that James is a a sentence, then, would you call this?

sentence.

Q. What, then, does the positive degree do?

108. It merely describes, without any comparison. Q. Will you compare great?

109. "Positive, great; Comparative, greater; Su perlative, greatest.

وو

Q. Will you compare wise in the same manner?

Q. Wise and great are words of one syllable: how, then, are the com parative and superlative degrees of words of this sort formed?

110. By adding r or er, st or est, to the positive. Q. Will you in this manner compare small? high? mean?

Q. Will you compare beautiful?

111. "Pos. beautiful; Comp. more beautiful; Sup inost beautiful."

Q. How many syllables compose the word beautiful?

112. Three.

Q. How, then, are words of three, or more syllables than one, usualy compared ?

113. By placing more and most before the positive. Q. Will you in this manner compare industrious? ingenious? dutiful? Q. Will you compare wise, by using the words less and least?

114. "Pos. wise; Comp. less wise; Sup. least wise." Q. Will you in like manner compare benevolent? distinguished? dilatory? Q. "Good men, better men, best men." Which adjective here is the positive, and why? (108.) Which the comparative? why? (101.) Which the superlative? why? (105.)

Q. Good, you perceive, is not compared regularly, like great, beautiful, &c.; and since there are many words of this description, I will give you a list of the principal ones, together with others, regularly compared will you re peat the comparative and superlative degrees, as I name the positive?

Q. From the foregoing, how many degrees of comparison do there appear to be, and what are they?

116. Three-the positive, comparative, and super

.ative.

Q. Adjectives, you recollect, describe nouns to what, then, do they natu rally belong?

RULE IV.

Adjectives belong to the nouns which they describe

EXERCISES IN PARSING.

"A wiser child."

117. A is an ARTICLE, a word placed before nouns to limit their meaning-INDEFINITE; it means no particular childand belongs to child, agreeably to

RULE II. The indefinite article a or an belongs to nouns

Wiser is an ADJECTIVE, a word joined with a noun to describe it-"Pos. wise; Comp. wiser; Sup. wisest❞—made in the comparative degree-and belongs to child, by

RULE IV. Adjectives belong to the nouns which they do scribe.

Child is a NOUN; it is a name-COMMON; it is a genera name-COMMON GENDER; it may be either male or femaleTHIRD PERSON; it is spoken of—and SINGULAR NUMBER; it means but one.

Q. When I say, "John goes to school, John learns fast, and John will ex. cel," how can I speak so as to avoid repeating John so often?

118. By using the word he in its place; thus, “John goes to school, he learns fast, and he will excel." Q. What little word, then, may stand for John?

119. He.

Q. What does the word pronoun mean?

120. Standing for, or instead of, a noun

Q. What, then, shall we call the word he, above?

121. A PRONOUN.

Q. What, then, is a pronoun ?

122. A pronoun is a word used for a noun, to avoid repetition of the same word.

Q. When James says, "I will study," you perceive that I stands for the person speaking: what person, then, is it? (39.)

Q. When I say, "James, you must study," the word you evidently is applied to James, who is spoken to: what person, then, ought you to be? 123. The second person.

To be omitted in parsing. 2. Johnson's is gove ned by dictionary, by Rule I.