EXERCISE 1. a. 1. Mention (or write) the names of all the things you see in the school-room. 2. Mention (or write) the names of five persons of whom you have read. 3. Mention (or write) the names of five places of which you have read. 4. Mention (or write) the names of five actions, as singing. 5. Mention (or write) the names of five feelings of the body (as hunger), or of the mind (as pity). b. Copy the following sentences on slates or paper, drawing a line under each noun. 1. Tea grows in China. 2. The oak bears acorns. 3. Webster 16. Go where glory waits thee; But when fame elates thee, O then remember me. C. Mention each noun in the preceding exercise, and apply the definition of a noun: MODEL: "Tea grows in China." "Tea" is a noun, because it is the name of something; "China" is a noun, because it is the name of something. II.-VERBS, OR ACTION-WORDS. 1. The sun shines. 2. Are you writing? Analysis.-The word "shines" tells or states something about the sun; it is used in making a statement. The words "are writing” are used in asking a question. The word "bring" is used in expressing a command. Explanation.-A word that is used in stating what any person or thing does or is, or in asking what a person does or is, or in telling another person to do or be something, is called a verb. DEFINITION.-A verb is a word that expresses action or being. NOTES. I. "A verb is a word that predicates action or being" (Swinton's English Grammar). To "predicate" signifies to express, assert, or declare. This is the principal use of verbs, though they are also employed in asking questions and expressing commands. II. A verb may consist of more than one word: as, is learning, will be told, has been requested. Hence, in selecting verbs, care must be taken to include all the words needed to express the action or state of being intended to be expressed in the given sentence. b. Join verbs telling about the following things being-(something). Fill up the blanks with suitable verbs. 1. Trees.......in forests. 2. David The apple is sour. 5. Soldiers 6. Honesty a lion and a bear. 3. The the window. 4. The artist a picture. tea. 6. The servant ...... down stairs. ...... ...... Copy the following sentences, drawing one line under each noun, and two lines under each verb. 1. The cuckoo builds no nest for herself. 2. The elephant surpasses all other land animals in size. 3. Vast prairies extend beyond the Mississippi. 4. Before our house a prattling river runs. 5. A herd of cattle grazed in a meadow. 6. The timid bird saw the snake in the grass. 7. My father's fields have produced corn. 8. Those pears may ripen on the wall. 9. Diogenes lived in a tub. 10. The ship was wrecked on the coast. 11. Some might have been saved. 12. "Will you walk into my parlor ?” Said the spider to the fly. e. Mention each verb in the preceding paragraph, and state how you know that it is a verb. MODEL: "Builds " is a verb, because it expresses action. --- III.-ADJECTIVES. 1. Bring me that book. 2. Here is a drove of ten cattle. แ Analysis. The word "that" is added to the noun book" to tell which book is meant; the word "ten" is added to the noun 66 cattle to tell how many are meant; the word “ripe" is added to the noun 'fruit" to tell what kind or quality of fruit is meant. 66 66 Explanation. Words such as "that" and ten" are said to limit the meaning of a noun with which they are joined. A word such as "ripe" is said to express some quality of the thing named by a noun, or to qualify the meaning of a noun. A word which limits or qualifies the meaning of a noun is called an adjective. DEFINITION.-An adjective is a word joined to a noun to limit or qualify its meaning. NOTES. I. Sometimes adjectives are used with the class of words called pronouns. (Sec definition, page 11.) II. The words a, or an, and the are adjectives, because they limit (or define) the meaning of nouns; but they are often called articles. EXERCISE 3. a. Use with each noun an adjective to limit or qualify its meaning. Join with each of the following nouns as many appropriate adjectives as you can think of, and prefix a or an, as in this model. 1. tree. 2. horse. 3. house. 4. man. 5. water. 6. bird. C. In the following sentences, select the adjectives, and tell how you know each is an adjective. MODEL: "Dashing" is an adjective because it is joined to a noun"waves"-to qualify its meaning; "rock-bound" is an adjective, because it is joined to a noun--“coast"-to qualify its meaning; "the" is an article, limiting waves;" "a" is an article, limiting "coast." 1. The dashing waves beat on a rock-bound coast. 2. A large garden is not always a profitable garden. 3. A handsome flower is not always a sweet-smelling flower. --4. Hail, blithesome stranger of the grove! 5. Fresh water is a pleasant drink. 6. A common lamp smoked in the neck of a stone bottle. 7. All horned animals are ruminant. 8. Dear, patient, gentle Nell was dead. 9. Be not like dumb, driven cattle. 10. The way was long, the wind was cold; The minstrel was infirm and old. 11. This silly little grasshopper Despised his wise old mother. |