A grammar of the English language

RULE XVII.-Adverbs qualify Verbs chiefly-more rarely, Adjectives, and other Adverbs; as, He rose angrily, and in a very loud voice proclaimed that the business had been wretchedly ill done.

Note 1.-In older English the Adjective was often used, where an Adverb is now required; as, Indifferent honest; thine often infirmities. Note 2.-In expressions like I feel sick; she looks pale; he came late, the Adjectives have a distinct adverbial force.

THE PREPOSITION.

(From Latin pre, before, and positus, placed; so called because it is always placed before the Noun it governs.)

A Preposition expresses relation between things; as, My hat is on my head-He walked along the road.

Note 1.-It therefore stands between and joins the words, which express these things. It is said to govern the latter of the two words in the Objective Case.

Note 2.-It has been already shown that a Preposition and a Case ending are equivalents, both denoting Relation.

When a Case-ending disappears, its place is generally sup

plied by a Preposition; as,

ANGLO-SAXON.

Dative Sing. Smith-e.

The Preposition follows:

ENGLISH.

Dative Sing. To a smith.

1. Nouns; as, The house on the hill.
2. Verbs, as, He swam across the river.
3. Adjectives; as, Earnest in his work.

But it is always followed by a Noun, or some equivalent word.

We may therefore define the Preposition more fully as a word which expresses the Relation

1. Between things.

2. Between an action and a thing.
3. Between a quality and a thing.

Nearly all Prepositions at first expressed the Relation of Place-the simplest and most obvious of all Relations; as,

The book on the table.

The fish in the river.

The picture over the door.

Since we derive our notions of Time mainly from those of Place or Motion, (that is, Change of Place,) many Prepositions of Place were used to express Time; as,

He arrived at two o'clock.

He wrote it in an hour.
He went after dinner.

These are the chief Relations expressed by the Preposition; but there are many others; as,

Instrumentality

Cause

= With, by, through.
= From, for.

Ownership or Material = Of.
Subject-matter

= On, about, concerning, &c.

A Prepositional Phrase is a group of words, which, taken together, have the power of a Preposition; as, for the sake of, in place of, apart from.

The Preposition and the Adverb are closely allied, and most of the Simple Prepositions may be used as Adverbs;

as,

Prepositions.

He fell down stairs.

I have a pain in the head.

He passed through the town.

Adverbs.

He moved down.

Go in, and see him.

He passed through.

Note. The Adverbs here can be turned into Prepositions by supplying a governed Noun; as, He moved down (the class ;) Go in (-to the house.)

As to form, Prepositions may be divided into Simple, Compound, and Verbal :

1. Simple; as, With, to, at, on.

2. Compound; as, Into, upon, beside, throughout.

3. Verbal;

as, Save, concerning, touching.

In writing English it is necessary to use care in attaching Prepositions to words; for certain words require particular Prepositions after them, according to the meaning they express; as,

To correspond with.

To correspond to.

To differ from. To attend to. To wait for.

To differ with.
Preferable to.

To attend on. To wait on.
Worthy of.

The Preposition does not change its form at all. parsing it we have simply to give,

as,

1. Name.

2. Use in the sentence.

Example.-My book lay on the table.
On.

1. A Preposition denoting Place.
2. Connecting lay and table.

THE CONJUNCTION.

(From Latin con, with, and junctus, joined.)

A Conjunction joins together words, clauses, and sentences;

Words. All men are white, black, red, or yellow.

Clauses. My son will go, if the weather clear up.

Note.-A Conjunction often appears to couple words, when it really couples clauses; as, The moon and stars shine. This may be unfolded into The moon shines and the stars shine.

There are two great kinds of Conjunction.

I. Those which serve as links to join assertions of equal importance, keeping the connected clauses on a level with each other; as,

The snow was deep and the wind was cold.

He has either forgotten his appointment or has missed the train.

Conjunctions of this class may be subdivided thus :

1. Copulative-that is, connecting both the words and their meaning; as, and, also, therefore.

2. Disjunctive-connecting the words, but expressing separation as to their meaning; as, or, nor, but, yet.

3. Comparative-used after Adjectives to join the two sides of a comparison; than, as.

Note.-Than, (derived from then,) is a Conjunction, after which the Verb is generally left out; as, My brother works harder than you (work.) Some English authors of eminence, however, use such expressions as, Mary, than whom a more beautiful woman never wore a crown; I think he is taller than me. In these cases it is used as a Preposition, and

governs the objective.

II. Those which serve as steps, leading from a higher to a lower clause; as, The barons met in armour, because they were resolved to assert their rights.

To this class belong Relatives, both Pronouns and Adverbs, and such Conjunctions as :

Note 1.-This kind of Conjunction ought to be followed by the Subjunctive Mood, (the clause being subjoined); but usage prefers the Indicative, unless doubt be very distinctly meant.

Note 2.-It will be seen afterwards, that a knowledge of the Structure of Sentences depends greatly upon the clear understanding of the Conjunction and its uses.

Some Conjunctions are attended by others, which go before, and assist them either to join or disjoin in meaning;

as,

And has both.

Both Louis and Charlie came.

Neither the horse nor the cab was injured.