Exercise 14.

A.

1. Make a sentence telling three qualities of the ocean-expressing the qualities by Predicate Adjectives.

MODEL.-The Ocean is deep, dark, and stormy.

2. Make a sentence telling two qualities of glass.

3. Tell what Franklin was, by means of two Predicate Adjectives.

4. Describe trees by using three Predicate Adjectives.

5. Make a sentence mentioning three qualities of the cumel.

6. Describe our country by means of two Predicate Adjectives.

7. Describe the Himalayas by means of three Predicate Adjectives. 8. Write a sentence saying four things about our dog Adjectives.]

9. Napoleon was

10. Washington was

[Predicate

[Two Predicate Adjectives.]

[Three Predicate Adjectives.]

Exchange Papers, and write letters of criticism.

B.

Let the following piece be read aloud, and then an abstract of it be written by the pupils. Underline the AD

JECTIVES.

SILK.

We get silk from a caterpillar called the silk-worm. This little creature is green in color, and feeds on the leaves of the mulberry-tree. It is hatched from an egg about the size of a mustard-seed, and changes its skin four times before it reaches its full size. When full grown it leaves off eating, and covers itself over with a pretty silken case, inside of which the little spinner goes to sleep for some time. When its sleep is over it makes a hole in its case, and comes out in the shape of a small butterfly, which lays a number of eggs and then dies. It is from the case or ball spun by the silk-worm that all our silk is made. The balls, or cocoons, as they are called, are thrown into warm water, to loosen the gum with which the silk-worm glues the threads together. Then four or five of the threads are fastened to a reel and wound. In this state it is called raw silk; and it is next sent to the silk-mill, to be prepared for the weaver. The silk-worm is now raised in this country. The best silk comes from China, where silk-worms were reared and silk was woven into cloth hundreds of years ago.

XVII. ADJECTIVE FORM OF NOUNS.

1. We are now to learn about a peculiar kind of Adjectives, which may be called Noun Adjectives.

2. Compare

The small shoes......with.. ...ladies' shoes.

His coat.....

with......John's coat.

3. Now what shall we say about John's, and ladies', and father's? These words seem to have the same USE as his, and small, and fine, for each of these words limits the Noun with which it is joined. The words John's, ladies', father's, have no meaning by themselves. When we hear them spoken, we ask John's what? father's what? They must be used with some noun, and hence such words have the use of Adjectives.

4. Words like John's, father's, are generally called Nouns in the Possessive Case. Thus John's is said to be the Possessive Case of John; father's, the Possessive Case of father. But, in fact, they are Adjective forms of Nouns.

Subject form-father; Adjective form-father's.

6. RULE I.-The Possessive Singular of a Noun is formed by adding apostrophe and s ('s) to the subject form of the Noun. Thus, subject form, boy; possessive form, boy's; man: possessive, man's; horse: possessive, horse's.

7. RULE II.-The Possessive Plural of Nouns that have their plural in s (that is, Regular plural) is formed by

writing merely the apostrophe after the s. Thus, plural subject form, boys: possessive, boys'; ladies: possessive, ladies'. But if the plural does not end in s, as men, then add apostrophe and s for the plural. Thus, men: possessive, men's.

By looking down the middle column, and comparing the words there with their subject-form, you will see that it is hardly possible to make a mistake in writing the possessive singular, for all you have to do is to add apostrophe and s to the subject-form; and if you can spell that, you can spell the possessive correctly. But the possessive plural is much more difficult to write. The reason is, that you must first have correctly the subject-form of the plural; and if you do not have perfectly in your mind the different ways of making the plural, you may fall into error in writing the possessive. Thus, for example, the possessive plural of city is cities', not citys', for the reason that the possessive plural is formed by adding the apostrophe to the plural subjectform, and the plural subject-form is cities, the y being changed into ie,

because preceded by a consonant, and s added. (See page 28.) On the other hand, the possessive plural of valley is valleys', because the subject plural is valleys.

☞ The scholars may give the reason for the spelling of all the Possessive Plurals in the above list.

Exercise 15.
A.

Put the following expressions into the POSSESSIVE form:

MODEL.-"The bonnet of Mary:" Possessive formMary's bonnet.

1. The bonnet of Mary. 2. The Church of St. Stephen. 3. The house of Mr. Jacob. 4. The house of Mr. Jacobs. 5. The carriage of the Empress. 6. The lap-dog of the Duchess. 7. For the sake of pity. 8. The tail of the sheep. 9. The tails of several sheep. 10. The hoofs of the oxen.

B.

Write the following Singular Possessives in the PLURAL form:

1. The horse's teeth. 2. The deer's horns. 3. The child's playthings. 4. The hero's harp; the lover's lute. 5. A woman's dress. 6. The soldier's gun. 7. Our teacher's greatest desire. 8. A prince's favor. 9. The sparrow's nest. 10. The gentleman's umbrella.

C.

1. Write a sentence on the elephant, using the Possessive form in the singular.

2. Write a sentence on our country, using the Possessive form in the singular.

3. Write a sentence on lady, using the Possessive form in the plural. 4. Write a sentence on crocodile, using the Possessive form in the plural.

5. Write a sentence on sheep, using the Possessive form in both the singular and the plural.

6. Write a sentence on calf, using the Possessive form in the plural.

Exchange papers for correction. Write letters to your teacher, pointing out the mistakes in your classmate's exercise, so far as regards the Possessive Nouns.

XVIII. ADVERBS.

The big fire burns brightly.
That book is exceedingly dear.
Some birds fly very swiftly.

1. The word brightly modifies the meaning of the Verb burns; exceedingly modifies the meaning of the Adjective dear; very modifies the meaning of the Adverb swiftly. Brightly, exceedingly, very, are called ADVERBS.

2. DEFINITION.-An Adverb is a word which modifies the meaning of a Verb, of an Adjective, or of another Adverb.

3. When, where, or how a thing occurs can be expressed only by the words called Adverbs. For example:

I saw my uncle [When?] yesterday..
I met him [Where?] here........

He spoke to me [How ?] pleasantly...

.Time.

.Place.

.Manner.

Words that express time, place, and manner are called Adverbs, because they are used with Verbs in the same way as Adjectives are used with Nouns.

4. Adverbs lay stress on Adjectives:

This ink is black......
This ink is very black....

That ink is too black...

That ink is rather black...

Simple Quality.

Degree expressed by
VERY, TOO, RATHER.

5. Adverbs of degree may also be used to add force to

other Adverbs:

She plays nicely..

.She plays very nicely.

He talks hastily..

.He talks too hastily.

The bird is there..............The bird is exactly, or just thero.