PARTS OF SPEECH.

The Parts of Speech in the English language are Ime, viz. The Article, Noun, Adjective, Pronoun, Verb, Adverb, Preposition, Interjection and Conjunction.

Of these the Noun, Pronoun, and Verb are declined, the rest are indeclinable.

QUESTIONS.*

What is English Grammar? Into how many parts is it divided? Mention them. What is Orthography? What is a letter? How many letters are there in English? How are they divided? What is a vowel ?-a consonant? Name the vowels. When are w and y vowels? When consonants? What is a diphthong?-a proper diphthong?- -an improper diphthong?-a triphthong? What is a Syllable? What is a word of one Syllable termed ?—of two?—of three ?-of four or more?

(§ 2.) What is spelling? Repeat the rules.

(§ 3.) What does Etymology treat of? What are words? How may words be classed in respect of their Formation? What is a primitive word?-a derivative word?-a simple word ?—a compound word? How may words be classed in respect of Form? What is a declinable word?—an indeclinable word? How many PARTS OF SPEECH are there in English? Name them. Which of these are declinable? Which are indeclinable ?

* The list of questions subjoined at intervals is not intended for the use, much less for the direction, of the teacher, who, if competent, will always put such questions to the pupil as will enable him to ascertain whether he understands what he has studied, or to draw his attention to any particular point which he may wish to illustrate at greater length. The principal design of their insertion is to exercise the judgment of the pupil in his private studies in finding appropriate answers,—to enable him the better to prepare his lessons by suggesting such questions as are likely to be asked,-and to furnish a test whether he is sufficiently prepared for recitation, which he cannot be unless he can furnish a correct and prompt answer to the questions proposed. They may also prove useful in schools conducted on the monitorial plan as a guide to the Monitor. That the correct answer may be more readily found, the sections ($) to which the questions refer are marked; those which refer to the text or large print, are printed in Italics; and those which refer to the notes and observations, in the ordinary Roman letter.

§ 4. I. OF THE ARTICLES.

AN ARTICLE is a word put before a noun, to show the extent of its meaning; as, a man, the man.

There are two Articles, A or AN, and THE.

A or AN is called the Indefinite Article, because it does not point out a particular person or thing; as, A king; that is, any king.

THE is called the Definite Article, because it refers to a particular person or thing; as, The king; i. e. some particular king.

A noun without an Article to limit it is taken in its widest sense; as, Man is mortal, i. e. All mankind-Or in an indefinite sense; as, There are men destitute of all shame, i. e. some men. § 81.

OBSERVATIONS.

1. A is used before a Consonant; as, a book. An is used before a Vowel or silent h; as, an age an hour.

But

A and not An is used before u long, and the diphthong eu, because these letters have, combined with their sound, the power of initial y; thus, a unit, a use, a eulogy. On the other hand, An is used before words beginning with h sounded, when the accent is on the second syllable; as, an heroic action, an historical account; because the h in such words is but slightly sounded.

EXERCISES ON THE ARTICLES.

Prefix the Indefinite article to the words, river, hope, army, hermit, infant, uncle, humour, usurper, hostler, wish, youth, umbrage, oyster, herb, thought, honour, elephant. husband.

Correct what follows, and give a reason for the change. A inkstand, an handful, a article, a humble man, an ewe, a anchor, an useful book, an history, an humorous tale, an hedge, an union.

§ 5. OF NOUNS.

A NOUN is the name of a thing; as, John, London, book. Nouns are of two kinds, Proper and Common.

A Proper Noun is the name applied to an individual only; as Albany, Washington, the Hudson.

A Common Noun is a name applied to all things of the same sort; as, man, chair, table, book.

REMARK.-Proper nouns distinguish individuals of the same class from each other.-Common nouns distinguish sorts or classes, and are equally applicable to all things of the same class.

OBS. 1. Proper nouns denoting persons usually become common by having an article prefixed; as, "He is the Cicero of his age." OBS. 2. Common nouns become Proper when personified, and also when used as proper names; as, Hail Liberty! The Park. OBS. 3. Under Common nouns are usually ranked,

1st. Collective nouns, or nouns of multitude, which signify many in the singular number; as, army, people.

2d. Abstract nouns, or names of qualities; as, piety, wickedness. 3d. Verbal nouns, or the names of actions, or states of being ; as, reading, writing, sleeping. § 30, 7.

To Nouns belong Person, Gender, Number, and Case.

§ 6. OF PERSON.

PERSON, in grammar, is the relation of a noun or pronoun to what is said in discourse. There are

three persons, the first, second, and third.

The First person denotes the speaker or writer; as, "I Paul have written it."

The Second denotes the person addressed; as, "Thou God seest me."

The Third denotes the person or thing spoken of; as, Truth is mighty." See Appendix, III. 2. 1st.

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7. OF GENDER.

GENDER is the distinction of nouns with regard to Sex. There are three genders, the Mascuiine, Feminine and Neuter. App. III. 2. 2d.

The Masculine Gender denotes the male sex; as, A man, a boy.

The Feminine Gender denotes the female sex ; as, A woman, a girl.

The Neuter Gender denotes whatever is without sex; as, Milk.

There are three ways of distinguishing the sex.

1. By different words; as,

OBSERVATIONS ON GENDER.

1. Some nouns are either masculine or feminine; such as, parent, child, cousin, infant, servant, neighbor. Such are sometimes said to be of the common gender.

2. Some nouns naturally neuter are converted by a figure of speech into the masculine or feminine; as when we say of the sun, He is setting;-of the moon, She is eclipsed; and of a ship, She sails.

3. In speaking of animals whose sex is not known to us, or not regarded, we assign the masculine gender to those distinguished for boldness, fidelity, generosity, size, strength, &c., as the dog, the horse, the elephant. Thus we say, "The dog is remarkably various in his species." On the other hand, we assign the feminine gender to animals characterized by weakness and timidity; as, the hare, the cat, &c., thus, "The cat, as she beholds the light, draws the ball of her eye small and long."

4. In speaking of animals, particularly those of inferior size, we fre