SECTION V.

SYNTAX.

Syntax is that division of grammar which treats of the relations of words in sentences.

It is divided into two parts parsing and the rules of con

struction.

Parsing consists in stating the class, subdivision, and modifications of the words in a sentence.

The rules of construction are statements of the general principles governing the relations of words in sentences.

I. PARSING.

In parsing the different parts of speech the method indicated in the following tables may be followed:

Noun........

SUBDIVISION—proper, common, or abstract.

NUMBER-singular or plural. (Number in proper nouns may be omitted.)

CASE-nominative, possessive, or objective (as denoted by form or use).

SUBDIVISION-personal, relative, or interrogative.

PERSON-(in personal pronouns; in relative pronouns of the 1st or 2d person only).

Pronoun... NUMBER-singular or plural.

GENDER-(in personal pronouns of the 3d person singular only).

CASE-nominative, possessive, or objective.

SUBDIVISION-limiting (pronominal) or qualifying.

Adjective... COMPARISON-positive, comparative, or superlative.
OFFICE-attributive or complementary.

CONJUGATION-regular or irregular.

SUBDIVISION-transitive or intransitive.

VOICE-active or passive.

Verb......... MOOD-indicative, potential, etc.

TENSE-present, past, etc.

PERSON-first, second, or third.

NUMBER-singular or plural.

(SUBDIVISION-simple or conjunctive.

Adverb..... COMPARISON—(if comparative or superlative).

Prepositions....words connected.
Conjunctions...words or propositions connected.

II. RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.

Rule I. The subject of a verb is in the nominative case.

Rule II. A verb agrees with its subject in person and number.

Rule III.-Adjectives and participles modify nouns or

pronouns.

Rule IV. A noun modifying another noun signifying a different thing is in the possessive case.

Rule V. A noun or pronoun used to explain another noun or pronoun is put by apposition in the same case.

Rule VI.-The object of a transitive verb is in the objective case.

Rule VII.-A noun or pronoun used as the complement of an intransitive or a passive verb is in the nominative

case.

Rule VIII.-An adverb modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.

Rule IX. A pronoun agrees in person, gender, and number with its antecedent or the word that it represents.

Rule X.-1. A preposition joins a noun or pronoun to some other word.

2. A noun or pronoun depending on a preposition is in the objective case.

Rule XI. Conjunctions connect words, phrases, or propositions.

Rule XII.-1. A noun or pronoun whose case depends on no other word is put in the nominative case.

2. The interjection has no grammatical relation to the other parts of the sentence.

THE SUBJECT.

Rule I.-The subject of a verb is in the nominative case: as—

1. Water consists of two gases.

2. He is the man who I think wrote the letter.

Model for Parsing.

water...is a common noun, of the singular number and nominative case, subject of the verb "consists," according to Rule I.

he........is a personal pronoun, of the third person, singular number,

masculine gender, and nominative case, subject of the verb

"is," according to Rule I.

who......is a relative pronoun, of the singular number and nominative case, subject of the verb "wrote," according to Rule I. I..........is a personal pronoun, of the first person, singular number, nominative case, subject of the verb "think," according to Rule I.

EXERCISE 37.

In the following sentences parse the subjects according to the model.

1. Books are not dead things.

2. The teacher taught the pupils to sing.

3. The crows which are feeding in the field are easily frightened. 4. I heard a wonderful story when I was a little girl.

5. We will know our lesson better to-morrow.

6. He lives in the old cottage at the foot of the hill.
7. And the mother gave, in tears and pain,

The flowers she most did love;

She knew she should find them all again,
In the fields of light above.

CAUTION.-Never use a pronoun in the objective case as the subject of a verb: thus

Betsey and me were out.

This is incorrect, because the pronoun "me" in the objective case is made the subject of the verb "were." It should be, "Betsey and I were out."

EXERCISE 38.

Correct by the caution the following examples:

1. Suppose you and me go a-gunning.

2. Ida is the girl whom we supposed would read the poem.

8. Who will go after a pail of water? Her and me [will go].

4. Who did the mischief? Them [did].
5. Them are the books which we wanted.
6. You learn faster than me [learn].

AGREEMENT OF THE VERB.

Rule II. A verb agrees with its subject in number and in person: as

1. I am that merry wanderer.

2. A bee among the flowers of spring is one of the most cheerful objects that can be seen.

Model for Parsing.

am.........................................is an irregular intransitive verb (be), of the indicative mood, present tense, first person singular, and agrees with its subject "I," according to Rule II.

is..................................................is an irregular intransitive verb, of the indicative mood, present tense, third person singular, and agrees with its subject "bee," according to Rule II.

can be seen.....is an irregular transitive verb (see), of the passive voice, potential mood, present tense, third person plural, and agrees with its subject "that.”

EXERCISE 39.

In the following sentences parse the verbs according to the model.

1. Letters pass through the post-office.

2. We wandered across the meadows.

3. The goats were feeding on the mountain-side.

4. Still waters run deep.

5. Where have you been?

6. Men may come, and men may go.

7. "For oh!" say the children, "we are weary,

And we cannot run or leap."