Reading Help How to speak and write correctly Ch.I-VI
`
` `
` ADJECTIVE `
` `
` An _adjective_ is a word which qualifies a noun, that is, shows or `
` points out some distinguishing mark or feature of the noun; as, A `
` _black_ dog. `
` `
` Adjectives have three forms called degrees of comparison, the _positive_, `
` the _comparative_ and the _superlative_. `
` `
` The _positive_ is the simple form of the adjective without expressing `
` increase or diminution of the original quality: _nice_. `
` `
` The _comparative_ is that form of the adjective which expresses increase `
` or diminution of the quality: _nicer_. `
` `
` The _superlative_ is that form which expresses the greatest increase or `
` diminution of the quality: _nicest_. `
` `
` _or_ `
` `
` An adjective is in the positive form when it does not express comparison; `
` as, "A _rich_ man." `
` `
` An adjective is in the comparative form when it expresses comparison `
` between two or between one and a number taken collectively, as, "John is `
` _richer_ than James"; "he is _richer_ than all the men in Boston." `
` `
` An adjective is in the superlative form when it expresses a comparison `
` between one and a number of individuals taken separately; as, "John is `
` the _richest_ man in Boston." `
` `
` Adjectives expressive of properties or circumstances which cannot be `
` increased have only the positive form; as, A _circular_ road; the _chief_ `
` end; an _extreme_ measure. `
` `
` Adjectives are compared in two ways, either by adding _er_ to the positive `
` to form the comparative and _est_ to the positive to form the superlative, `
` or by prefixing _more_ to the positive for the comparative and _most_ to `
` the positive for the superlative; as, _handsome_, _handsomer_, _handsomest_ `
` or _handsome_, _more handsome_, _most handsome_. `
` `
` Adjectives of two or more syllables are generally compared by prefixing `
` more and most. `
` `
` Many adjectives are irregular in comparison; as, Bad, worse, worst; Good, `
` better, best. `
` `
` `
` PRONOUN `
` `
` A _pronoun_ is a word used in place of a noun; as, "John gave his pen to `
` James and _he_ lent it to Jane to write _her_ copy with _it_." Without `
` the pronouns we would have to write this sentence,--"John gave John's pen `
` to James and James lent the pen to Jane to write Jane's copy with the `
` pen." `
` `
` There are three kinds of pronouns--Personal, Relative and Adjective `
` Pronouns. `
` `
` _Personal_ Pronouns are so called because they are used instead of the `
` names of persons, places and things. The Personal Pronouns are _I_, `
` _Thou_, _He_, _She_, and _It_, with their plurals, _We_, _Ye_ or _You_ `
` and _They_. `
` `
` _I_ is the pronoun of the first person because it represents the person `
` speaking. `
` `
` _Thou_ is the pronoun of the second person because it represents the `
` person spoken to. `
` `
` _He_, _She_, _It_ are the pronouns of the third person because they `
` represent the persons or things of whom we are speaking. `
` `
` Like nouns, the Personal Pronouns have number, gender and case. The `
` gender of the first and second person is obvious, as they represent the `
` person or persons speaking and those who are addressed. The personal `
` pronouns are thus declined: `
` `
` `
` First Person. `
` M. or F. `
` `
` Sing. Plural. `
` N. I We `
` P. Mine Ours `
` O. Me Us `
` `
` `
` Second Person. `
` M. or F. `
` `
` Sing. Plural. `
` N. Thou You `
` P. Thine Yours `
` O. Thee You `
` `
` `
` Third Person. `
` M. `
` `
` Sing. Plural. `
` N. He They `
` P. His Theirs `
` O. Him Them `
` `
` `
` `
` Third Person. `
` F. `
` `
` Sing. Plural. `
` N. She They `
` P. Hers Theirs `
` O. Her Them `
` `
` `
` Third Person. `
` Neuter. `
` `
` Sing. Plural. `
` N. It They `
` P. Its Theirs `
` O. It Them `
` `
` `
` N. B.--In colloquial language and ordinary writing Thou, Thine and Thee `
` are seldom used, except by the Society of Friends. The Plural form You is `
` used for both the nominative and objective singular in the second person `
` and Yours is generally used in the possessive in place of Thine. `
` `
` The _Relative_ Pronouns are so called because they relate to some word or `
` phrase going before; as, "The boy _who_ told the truth;" "He has done `
` well, _which_ gives me great pleasure." `
` `
` Here _who_ and _which_ are not only used in place of other words, but `
` _who_ refers immediately to boy, and _which_ to the circumstance of his `
` having done well. `
` `
` The word or clause to which a relative pronoun refers is called the `
` _Antecedent_. `
` `
` The Relative Pronouns are _who_, _which_, _that_ and _what_. `
` `
` _Who_ is applied to persons only; as, "The man _who_ was here." `
` `
` _Which_ is applied to the lower animals and things without life; as, "The `
` horse _which_ I sold." "The hat _which_ I bought." `
` `
` _That_ is applied to both persons and things; as, "The friend _that_ `
` helps." "The bird _that_ sings." "The knife _that_ cuts." `
` `
` _What_ is a compound relative, including both the antecedent and the `
` relative and is equivalent to _that which_; as, "I did what he desired," `
` i. e. "I did _that which_ he desired." `
` `
` Relative pronouns have the singular and plural alike. `
` `
` _Who_ is either masculine or feminine; _which_ and _that_ are masculine, `
` feminine or neuter; _what_ as a relative pronoun is always neuter. `
` `
` _That_ and _what_ are not inflected. `
` `
` _Who_ and _which_ are thus declined: `
` `
` `
` Sing. and Plural Sing. and Plural `
` `
` N. Who N. Which `
` P. Whose P. Whose `
` O. Whom O. Which `
` `
` `
` _Who_, _which_ and _what_ when used to ask questions are called `
` _Interrogative Pronouns_. `
` `
` _Adjective_ Pronouns partake of the nature of adjectives and pronouns and `
` are subdivided as follows: `
` `
` _Demonstrative Adjective Pronouns_ which directly point out the person or `
` object. They are _this_, _that_ with their plurals _these_, _those_, and `
` _yon_, _same_ and _selfsame_. `
` `
` _Distributive Adjective Pronouns_ used distributively. They are _each_, `
` _every_, _either_, _neither_. `
` `
` _Indefinite Adjective Pronouns_ used more or less indefinitely. They are `
` _any_, _all_, _few_, _some_, _several_, _one_, _other_, _another_, _none_. `
` `
` _Possessive Adjective Pronouns_ denoting possession. They are _my_, _thy_, `
` _his_, _her_, _its_, _our_, _your_, _their_. `
` `
` N. B.--(The possessive adjective pronouns differ from the possessive case `
` of the personal pronouns in that the latter can stand _alone_ while the `
` former _cannot_. "Who owns that book?" "It is _mine_." You cannot say "it `
` is _my_,"--the word book must be repeated.) `
` `
` `
` THE VERB `
` `
`
` `
` ADJECTIVE `
` `
` An _adjective_ is a word which qualifies a noun, that is, shows or `
` points out some distinguishing mark or feature of the noun; as, A `
` _black_ dog. `
` `
` Adjectives have three forms called degrees of comparison, the _positive_, `
` the _comparative_ and the _superlative_. `
` `
` The _positive_ is the simple form of the adjective without expressing `
` increase or diminution of the original quality: _nice_. `
` `
` The _comparative_ is that form of the adjective which expresses increase `
` or diminution of the quality: _nicer_. `
` `
` The _superlative_ is that form which expresses the greatest increase or `
` diminution of the quality: _nicest_. `
` `
` _or_ `
` `
` An adjective is in the positive form when it does not express comparison; `
` as, "A _rich_ man." `
` `
` An adjective is in the comparative form when it expresses comparison `
` between two or between one and a number taken collectively, as, "John is `
` _richer_ than James"; "he is _richer_ than all the men in Boston." `
` `
` An adjective is in the superlative form when it expresses a comparison `
` between one and a number of individuals taken separately; as, "John is `
` the _richest_ man in Boston." `
` `
` Adjectives expressive of properties or circumstances which cannot be `
` increased have only the positive form; as, A _circular_ road; the _chief_ `
` end; an _extreme_ measure. `
` `
` Adjectives are compared in two ways, either by adding _er_ to the positive `
` to form the comparative and _est_ to the positive to form the superlative, `
` or by prefixing _more_ to the positive for the comparative and _most_ to `
` the positive for the superlative; as, _handsome_, _handsomer_, _handsomest_ `
` or _handsome_, _more handsome_, _most handsome_. `
` `
` Adjectives of two or more syllables are generally compared by prefixing `
` more and most. `
` `
` Many adjectives are irregular in comparison; as, Bad, worse, worst; Good, `
` better, best. `
` `
` `
` PRONOUN `
` `
` A _pronoun_ is a word used in place of a noun; as, "John gave his pen to `
` James and _he_ lent it to Jane to write _her_ copy with _it_." Without `
` the pronouns we would have to write this sentence,--"John gave John's pen `
` to James and James lent the pen to Jane to write Jane's copy with the `
` pen." `
` `
` There are three kinds of pronouns--Personal, Relative and Adjective `
` Pronouns. `
` `
` _Personal_ Pronouns are so called because they are used instead of the `
` names of persons, places and things. The Personal Pronouns are _I_, `
` _Thou_, _He_, _She_, and _It_, with their plurals, _We_, _Ye_ or _You_ `
` and _They_. `
` `
` _I_ is the pronoun of the first person because it represents the person `
` speaking. `
` `
` _Thou_ is the pronoun of the second person because it represents the `
` person spoken to. `
` `
` _He_, _She_, _It_ are the pronouns of the third person because they `
` represent the persons or things of whom we are speaking. `
` `
` Like nouns, the Personal Pronouns have number, gender and case. The `
` gender of the first and second person is obvious, as they represent the `
` person or persons speaking and those who are addressed. The personal `
` pronouns are thus declined: `
` `
` `
` First Person. `
` M. or F. `
` `
` Sing. Plural. `
` N. I We `
` P. Mine Ours `
` O. Me Us `
` `
` `
` Second Person. `
` M. or F. `
` `
` Sing. Plural. `
` N. Thou You `
` P. Thine Yours `
` O. Thee You `
` `
` `
` Third Person. `
` M. `
` `
` Sing. Plural. `
` N. He They `
` P. His Theirs `
` O. Him Them `
` `
` `
` `
` Third Person. `
` F. `
` `
` Sing. Plural. `
` N. She They `
` P. Hers Theirs `
` O. Her Them `
` `
` `
` Third Person. `
` Neuter. `
` `
` Sing. Plural. `
` N. It They `
` P. Its Theirs `
` O. It Them `
` `
` `
` N. B.--In colloquial language and ordinary writing Thou, Thine and Thee `
` are seldom used, except by the Society of Friends. The Plural form You is `
` used for both the nominative and objective singular in the second person `
` and Yours is generally used in the possessive in place of Thine. `
` `
` The _Relative_ Pronouns are so called because they relate to some word or `
` phrase going before; as, "The boy _who_ told the truth;" "He has done `
` well, _which_ gives me great pleasure." `
` `
` Here _who_ and _which_ are not only used in place of other words, but `
` _who_ refers immediately to boy, and _which_ to the circumstance of his `
` having done well. `
` `
` The word or clause to which a relative pronoun refers is called the `
` _Antecedent_. `
` `
` The Relative Pronouns are _who_, _which_, _that_ and _what_. `
` `
` _Who_ is applied to persons only; as, "The man _who_ was here." `
` `
` _Which_ is applied to the lower animals and things without life; as, "The `
` horse _which_ I sold." "The hat _which_ I bought." `
` `
` _That_ is applied to both persons and things; as, "The friend _that_ `
` helps." "The bird _that_ sings." "The knife _that_ cuts." `
` `
` _What_ is a compound relative, including both the antecedent and the `
` relative and is equivalent to _that which_; as, "I did what he desired," `
` i. e. "I did _that which_ he desired." `
` `
` Relative pronouns have the singular and plural alike. `
` `
` _Who_ is either masculine or feminine; _which_ and _that_ are masculine, `
` feminine or neuter; _what_ as a relative pronoun is always neuter. `
` `
` _That_ and _what_ are not inflected. `
` `
` _Who_ and _which_ are thus declined: `
` `
` `
` Sing. and Plural Sing. and Plural `
` `
` N. Who N. Which `
` P. Whose P. Whose `
` O. Whom O. Which `
` `
` `
` _Who_, _which_ and _what_ when used to ask questions are called `
` _Interrogative Pronouns_. `
` `
` _Adjective_ Pronouns partake of the nature of adjectives and pronouns and `
` are subdivided as follows: `
` `
` _Demonstrative Adjective Pronouns_ which directly point out the person or `
` object. They are _this_, _that_ with their plurals _these_, _those_, and `
` _yon_, _same_ and _selfsame_. `
` `
` _Distributive Adjective Pronouns_ used distributively. They are _each_, `
` _every_, _either_, _neither_. `
` `
` _Indefinite Adjective Pronouns_ used more or less indefinitely. They are `
` _any_, _all_, _few_, _some_, _several_, _one_, _other_, _another_, _none_. `
` `
` _Possessive Adjective Pronouns_ denoting possession. They are _my_, _thy_, `
` _his_, _her_, _its_, _our_, _your_, _their_. `
` `
` N. B.--(The possessive adjective pronouns differ from the possessive case `
` of the personal pronouns in that the latter can stand _alone_ while the `
` former _cannot_. "Who owns that book?" "It is _mine_." You cannot say "it `
` is _my_,"--the word book must be repeated.) `
` `
` `
` THE VERB `
` `
`