13. Adjectives formed from Proper Nouns are called Proper Adjectives. They are illustrated in the following sentences: 1. The Russian Government is a despotism. 2. The Italian people are fond of music. 3. The American Constitution is a monument of pclitical wisdom. 14. As Proper Nouns are always written with capitals, so Adjectives derived from them are also written with capitals. Name the mistakes in the following: "The russian government," "The italian people." 15. The Adjective formed from the Proper Noun "Switzerland," is Swiss; from the Proper Noun " China," is Chinese. Write the Adjectives formed from the following Proper Nouns : Select the ADJECTIVES. 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. Gold, wheat, and wine are three great California productions. 5. Some men murmur when their sky is clear. 6. There is a special providence in the fall of a sparrow. 7. In the 16th century, the Spanish nation was one of the leading European powers. 8. All horned animals are ruminant. 9. The cutting of the Dutch dikes let in the waters and drove out the Spanish invaders. B. Write a sentence on each of the following subjects, introducing a NOUN, an ADJECTIVE, and a VERB. Number the Nouns 1; the Verbs 2; and the Adjectives 3. 3 1 2 MODEL-Trees: "Immense trees grow in California." 1. Trees. 2. The Rainbow. 3. Army. 4. Railroad. Exchange papers for correction. C. Write sentences introducing the ADJECTIVE forms of the following Proper Nouns. Underline the ADJECTIVES. MODEL-Switzerland: "Swiss scenery is celebrated for its beauty." 1. Sweden. 2. Holland. 3. Peru. 4. Japan. D. In writing the last requirement, the following mistakes were made by pupils in a young class. Correct them. 1. The Sweedish people all live near each other. 2. The man was a Sweedener. 3. Some holland people are coming here. 4. A Holand merchant has just arrived. 5. The peru girls have just landed. 6. That is a Peruan family. 7. The Puru people are dark complected. 8. He is a Japanees actor. 9. The Japan customs are like the Chinese. 10. She does not like the Japenese ladies. E. The teacher or the pupils will read over the following piece, and then the pupils will make an abstract of it from memory. Underline all the ADJECTIVES. Exchange papers, and correct with reference to 1. Spelling. 2. Capitals. 3. Agreement of Verbs. 4. Whether the Adjectives are correctly underlined. FIVE PEAS IN ONE POD.—[Adapted from Hans Andersen.] Once there were five peas growing in one pod. The peas were green, the pod was green, the vine was green, the leaves were green, and they thought all the world was green. The warm sun shone on the vine the summer rain watered it. The shell grew larger, and the peas grew bigger and bigger. "Are we to lie here cooped up forever?" asked one. "I am tired of it," said another. "I fear we shall become hard," said a third. 66 I want to see what there is outside," said a fourth; while the fifth, a very little pea, cried because he could not get out. At length the vine turned yellow, the pod turned yellow, and the peas turned yellow. "All the world is turning yellow," said the peas, with one voice. Then there came an earthquake, the pod burst open with a crack, and all five peas rolled out into the yellow sunshine. A little boy clutched them, and said they were fine peas for his pea-shooter. He put the biggest one into his gun, and shot it out. "Catch me if you can," said the big pea. "I shall fly straight into the sun," said the next one. "What is to be will be," said the little pea, as he shot up and lodged in an empty flower-pot in the window of a room where lay a poor sick girl. Pretty soon the little pea sprouted, and began to grow up into a beautiful vine. "Dear mother, I think I shall get well," said the little girl one day; "for my pea is growing famously." "God grant it," said the mother; and she took a stick and tied a string to it, so that the green vine might have something to cling to. After many days there stood a beautiful pink pea-blossom smiling in the warm sunshine. The little girl kissed it, and said, "Now I am sure I am going to get well." XIV. COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES. A tall man. A taller man. The tallest man. 1. Here are three Adjectives-tall, taller, tallest. You see that taller and tallest have a kind of relationship to tall. You see that taller is just tall+er, and tallest, tall+est. 2. When we hear a taller man spoken of, we get the idea that, comparing him with some other man, the taller has more of the quality that we call tallness. Also that the tallest man has the most of this quality. 3. In Grammar, such a change of Adjectives as from tall to taller and tallest is called COMPARISON. Taller is called the Comparative Degree. Tallest is called the Superlative (or very highest) Degree. Tall-the simple form of the Adjective-is called the Positive Degree. 4. RULE. The Comparative Degree is formed by adding ER to the Positive. 5. RULE. The Superlative Degree is formed by adding EST to the Positive. NOTE. It is important to note that the addition of er and est some times causes the root-word to undergo certain changes of form. ILLUSTRATIONS. Blue+er not blueer, but bluer. Red+er not reder, but redder. Happy+er not happyer, but happier. RULES FOR SPELLING ADJECTIVES.-I. When an Adjective ends in e, the e is dropped before adding er and est. II. When an Adjective ends in a single consonant preceded by a single vowel, that single consonant is doubled before er and est. Reder redder; but sweeter sweeter, because the t is preceded by two vowels. = III. When an Adjective ends in y preceded by a consonant, the y is changed to i before adding er and est. Happy+er happier; but gray + er grayer, because the y is not preceded by a consonant. = = Pupils will write out the following Comparatives and Superlatives: 1. Nice+er+est. 5. Tame+er+est. 6. When adding er and est would make a word too long to be pleasant to the ear, we form the Comparative by putting more before the Positive, and the Superlative by putting most before the Positive; as beautiful, more beautiful, most beautiful. Form the Comparative and Superlative of— 1. Doleful. 2. Generous. 3. Terrible. 7. There are some old English Adjectives whose Comparatives and Superlatives are not formed in the ordinary way. |