CONSTABLE'S EDUCATIONAL SERIES.

PRACTICAL TEXT-BOOK OF ENGLISH COMPOSITION.

Pp. 96. Cloth, price 18.

PREFACE.

THE object of this little work is to train the pupil by progressive steps in the art of Composition. In the first chapter he is initiated into the construction and composition of sentences. He is then shown that something more is wanted in the formation of sentences than mere correctness and intelligibility; that they must be constructed in a becoming manner or style; and the exercises under this head are intended to prevent him from falling into slovenly and inaccurate writing. The ornaments of Style, or Figures of Speech, are also explained,-those, at least, that are chiefly employed in Prose Composition. The next point to be gained is Facility of Expression; and here ample space is allowed for practice in the ready use and application of words. The pupil is now ready to begin Composition Proper, which implies the power of expressing a train of thought in appropriate language. Numerous exercises are prescribed, many of them in the skeleton form, under the three different kinds of Composition,-Descriptive, Narrative, and Didactic; and, in the Theme or Essay, he is required to combine these in the manner best adapted for the elucidation of his subject.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.-On the Composition of Sentences.

SECT. I.-Explanation and Composition
of Simple Sentences.

II.-Explanation and Composition
of Compound Sentences.

III.-Explanation and Composition of Complex Sentences.

IV.-General Exercises in the Combination of Sentences.

SECT. I.-The Period.

II.

The Comma.

III.-The Semicolon.

VI.-Hyperbole.
VII.-Personification.

CHAPTER IV.-On Punctuation.

Exclamation,

IV. The Colon.
V.-Interrogation,
Dash, Parenthesis.

CHAPTER V.-On Facility of Expression.

SECT. I.-Synonymous Words and Ex

pressions.

II.-Elliptical Exercises.

III.-Direct and Indirect Speech.
IV. Variation of Language.
V.-Conversion of Poetry into Proso

CONSTABLE'S EDUCATIONAL SERIES.

SPELLING AND DICTATION CLASS-BOOK: With

Etymological Exercises. By an INSPECTOR OF SCHOOLS. Fcap. 8vo, Cloth Boards, price 1s. 6d.

The Compiler has aimed above all at judicious omission in constructing this Classbook. He has had in view the collecting together, in a classified form, of all the more difficult words in common use. Words difficult but rarely met with by the ordinary reader are better learned as they occur in the course of reading, and after the pupil has obtained an accurate knowledge of the great mass of words that occur in daily conversation, in newspapers, and in current literature.

It is presumed that the pupil into whose hands this book is put has already been accustomed to spell from his daily lessons for some years, and also to write simple sentences from dictation. He will find here a revisal of the knowledge acquired, and a test of it.

The pupil is understood to learn the columns of words by heart as a home-task and to copy on his slate, either at home or during school hours, the dictation exer cises; writing them afterwards from the dictation of the master. Writing to dictation will never be thoroughly acquired unless the pupils prepare dictation lessons at home, just as they prepare their grammar or geography.

The spelling rules have been reduced to three.

The dictation exercises in this book have been so constructed as to convey knowledge as well as to teach spelling.

Masters will find that a dictation book of this kind will afford much better material for the daily writing lessons than the wearisome and unmeaning repetition of words commonly found in copy-books. As soon as a scholar can write small-text fairly, his copy should, frequently at least, if not always, be a portion of his dictation book. In this way he will not only gain a more sure and rapid mastery over the art of writing, but he will learn other things at the same time.

It is scarcely necessary to apologise for the etymological portion of the volume, as a knowledge of prefixes and affixes has a close connexion with accurate and intelligent spelling. The Compiler has, except in this one respect, carefully avoided the almost universal error of confounding a spelling-book proper with either a reading-book, on the one hand, or a bad dictionary of signification, on the other. The Dictation Exercises are so selected and constructed as to afford the means of giving 'essons in the writing of précis or abstracts.

CONTENTS
FIRST PART.

Section I.-Difficult Monosyllables, and Exercises on them.

Section II.-Spelling Rules, and Exercises on them.

Section III-Difficult Dissyllables, and Exercises on them.

Section IV.-Words sounded alike, but spelled differently, and Exercises on them.

Miscellaneous Dictation Exercises.
Extracts from Newspapers.

Forms of Letters.

Section V.-Words not sounded alike but apt to
be confounded in spelling, with Exercises on
them. Exercises on Possessive Case. Cautions.
Section VI-Alphabetical List of Difficult
Polysyllables.

Section VII.-Etymology-Prefixes-Affixes-
Roots-Compound Roots, with numerous
Exercises.

SECOND PART.

Words mis-spelt by Candidates for the Civil
Service.

Latin and French Phrases in common use.

From W. F. COLLIER, Esq., LL.D., Edinburgh Academy.

"It is an admirable book. I know of none in which the difficulties of English spelling are presented to the learner with so much point and plainness, and in such a workable shape for class instruction."

From R. DUNNING, Esq., Professor of the Art of Teaching, Home and Colonial Society's Training College, London.

"I have no hesitation in saying that it is the most complete book of the kind we possess. I shall have great pleasure in submitting it to the students."

THOMAS LAURIE, 38, COCKBURN STREET, EDINBURGH.