Lesson VI.

-OF COMMON AND PROPER NAMES.

Some things, which have common names, have another name given to them, that it may be known which person, place or thing is meant; as, man, is the common name for all men, but John Smith is the name of one man. Town is the common name of all towns, but Charlestown is the name of one town. River is the common name for all large streams, but Merrimack is the name of one river. What are these individual names called. Proper

nouns.

What name is given to distinguish all other nouns from those which are called proper nouns? Common; all nouns which are not proper nouns, are common nouns.

Lesson VII.-NUMBER.

Are the names of things so formed that we may understand whether only one thing, or more than one is meant? They are; as, box, boxes, bench, benches, apple, apples. What is this specification of the noun called? Num

ber.

Of what number are those nouns which specify but one thing; as, orange, apple, box? Singular.

Of what number are those nouns which denote more than one thing; as, oranges, apples, boxes? Plural.

Lesson VIII.--OF PERSON.

In the use of language sometimes the person who speaks is designated, sometimes it is the person spoken to; but most commonly it is the person or thing, spoken of. What is this circumstance of the noun called? Person.

When the person who speaks is designated, as I am the man; What is it called? It is the first person.

When the person spoken to, is specified, as, "James, will you come here;" what is it called? It is called the second person.

When it is the person or thing which is spoken of, as,

men make hay when the sun shines; what is it called? It is the third person.

We have now described three persons of the noun; will you name them? First, second, third.

Lesson IX. -OF GENDER.

Are the names of things so formed as to show whether a male or female is denoted? They are; as, man, woman, boy, girl, ox, 'cow.

What is this specification of the noun called? Gender.

When the noun designates a male, what is it called? Masculine gender.

When the noun designates a female what is it called? Feminine gender.

When a thing is named which is neither male nor female, what is it called? Neuter (or neither gender.) What are the three genders? Masculine, feminine,

neuter.

Lesson X.-OF CASE.

There is a circumstance of the noun which we have not yet described. In the use of language a person or thing is sometimes represented as doing an act, sometimes it is represented as the possessor of something, and sometimes as the object which an action falls upon. -What are these different positions of the noun called? They are called the case of the noun.

When a person or thing is represented as doing an act, as, Samuel runs; the wind blows; what is the case of the noun called? Nominative.

as,

When the noun denotes the possession of something, John's hat, Lucy's box, what is the case? Possessive. What is the form of the possessive case? By the addition of s to the noun, separated by an With plural nouns, or with such as end in ss, gular number, how is the possessive formed? tional s is omitted, and the possessive case is the apostrophe alone.

apostrophe. of the sinThe addiformed by

1

[The forms of the possessive case should be exhibited to the sight.]

When a noun is the object on which the act comes; as, ring the bell; call the boys; what is the case? Objective.

The agent and object should be illustrated to children by visible objects. The teacher, striking the hand upon a book, names the example-My hand strikes the book, -then explains the properties of an agent and an object.

Lesson XI-PRONOUNS.

When Lucy was studying she let her book fall and it troubled her; what is the use of the words, she, it and her, in that sentence? They are used instead of repeating the names Lucy and book, and mean the same.

What are these words called, which are used instead of nouns? Pronouns.

Must pronouns be of the same gender of the noun for which they stand? They must; or it will be incorrect. -Example. I love Lucy because he is a good girl.— Corrected. I love Lucy, because she is a good girl.

Must a pronoun be of the same number as the noun for which it stands? as, the children are coming, and they run very fast. It must.-If it were not of the same number it would be bad language, as, the children are coming, and he run very fast.

Are pronouns used in the various cases in which nouns are? They are; as, he struck her, and hurt his hand. He is in the nominative case, his is in the possessive case, and her is in the objective case.

[The children may learn to vary the pronouns for person, number, gender and case, by declining them.]

Lesson XII.-PRONOUNS.

Some pronouns are not only used instead of nouns, but refer to them as meaning the same thing, as, we saw the man, who sells fruit, and the ox, which was killed. What are these pronouns called which relate to the noun that comes before them? Relative pronouns.

What is the noun which comes before them called? The antecedent. (The word antecedent should be explained by the teacher.)

What are the pronouns who, which, and what, called when used in asking questions; as, who is this? which did you take? what did you say? Interrogative pronouns.

What are the pronouns called, which denote possession; as, I have brought my book and his slate? Possessive pronouns.

Will you name the possessive pronouns? My, thy, his, her, our, your, their.

What are the pronouns called which are used to designate which thing is meant, or how much, or how little, is comprehended by the noun, as this book is mine; that is thine; the other is William's; James will not take any one; some persons die young; all must die at some age, such is the state of man? Definitive pronouns.

Will you repeat the definitive pronouns? This, that, other, some, any, all, such.

When it is said, Give Lucy a pen, what is the meaning of a pen? It means any one pen.

When it is said, Give Lucy the pen you took of her, what is the meaning? It is not to give her any pen, but that one which I took of her.

Can you now tell me what is the use of the little words a and the? They are used to help the meaning of the noun, to which they are prefixed.

Would it be easy to speak the words a apron? It would not; we should rather say an apron.

Is the meaning the same if we say an apron as when we say a apron? It is; an is only used before words which begin with a vowel, or vowel sound, that they may be more easily spoken; as an apron, an hour.

These three small words form one class. What is this small class of words called? Article.

Lesson XIV.- -OF THE ARTICLE.

When you speak of one book you say, a book. When you speak of more than one, do you say a books? A is only used when the noun is singular.

Before which number is the used? It is used before both the singular and plural; as, the book is lost, the books are lost.

We have described two articles, one of which is called indefinite, the other definite.

article, and why is it so called?

Which is the indefinite

A is called the indefinite

article because it does not define which particular thing is. meant; as, a man is strong.

Why is the called the definite article?

Because it

helps to define which particular thing is meant; as, the man who rang the bell is strong.

Lesson XV.— -ADJECTIVE.

What is the use of the word red? It tells the color of something; as, red gown, red cherries.

What is the use of the word sweet? It describes the taste of some things; as, sweet orange, sweet berries.

What is the use of the word naughty? It describes a person or thing which is bad, and good for nothing; as, she is a naughty girl, who is idle, and disobedient.

Of what use is the word good? It describes the qual.ity of some persons and things; as, James is a good boy; the bible is a good book.

The words which are used to describe the qualities of persons or things, form a large class; what is this class of words called? Adjective.

Are these words which describe the qualities of things varied, so as to specify whether a thing is good, or only better than another, or the best of all?

They are; as Mary is a good girl; Sarah is better than Emily; but Lucy is the best,-Sugar is sweet; oranges are sweeter than berries; but candy is the sweetest.

What is this varying of the word called? Degrees of comparison.