The Grammar of English Grammars Part 170

"_His_ and _her_ followed by a noun are possessive p.r.o.nouns: not followed by a noun they are personal p.r.o.nouns."--_Bullions, Practical Lessons_, p.

33.

"He with viny crown advancing, First to the lively pipe his hand addressed."--_Id., E. Gram._, p. 83.

UNDER THE EXCEPTION CONCERNING PARTICIPLES.

"But when they convey the idea of many, acting individually, or separately, they are of the plural number."--_Day's Gram._, p. 15. "Two or more singular antecedents, connected by _and_ require verbs and p.r.o.nouns of the plural number."--_Ib._, pp. 80 and 91. "Words ending in _y_, preceded by a consonant, change _y_ into _i_ when a termination is added."--_Butlers Gram._, p. 11. "A noun, used without an article to limit it, is generally taken in its widest sense."--_Ingersoll's Gram._, p. 30. "Two nouns, meaning the same person or thing, frequently come together."--_Bucke's Gram._, p. 89. "Each one must give an account to G.o.d for the use, or the abuse of the talents, committed to him."--_Coopers Pl. and Pract. Gram._, p. 133. "Two vowels, united in one sound, form a diphthong."--_Frost's El.

of Gram._, p. 6. "Three vowels, united in one sound, form a triphthong."--_Ib._ "Any word, joined to an adverb, is a secondary adverb."--_Barrett's Revised Gram._, p. 68. "The person, spoken to, is put in the Second person. The person, spoken of, in the Third person."--_Cutler's Gram._, p. 14. "A man, devoted to his business, prospers."--_Frost's Pr. Gram._, p. 113.

UNDER RULE XII.--OF ADVERBS.

"So in indirect questions; as, 'Tell me _when_ he will come.'"--_Butler's Gram._, p. 121.

[FORMULE.--Not proper, because the adverb _So_ is not set off by the comma.

But according to Rule 12th, "Adverbs, when they break the connexion of a simple sentence, or when they have not a close dependence on some particular word in the context, should, with their adjuncts, be set off by the comma." Therefore, a comma should be inserted after _So_; thus, "So, in indirect questions; as," &c.]

"Now when the verb tells what one person or thing does to another, the verb is transitive."--_Bullions, Pract. Les._, p 37. "Agreeably to your request I send this letter."--_Id., E. Gram._, p. 141. "There seems therefore, to be no good reason for giving them a different cla.s.sification."--_Id., E.

Gram._, p. 199. "Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchantman, seeking goodly pearls."--ALGER'S BIBLE: _Matt._, xiii, 45. "Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea."--_Ib, ib._, verse 47. "_Cease_ however, is used as a transitive verb by our best writers."--_Webster's Philos. Gram._, p. 171. "Time admits of three natural divisions, namely: Present, Past, and Future."--_Day's Gram._, p. 37.

"There are three kinds of comparison, namely: regular, irregular, and adverbial."--_Ib._, p. 31. "There are five Personal p.r.o.nouns namely: _I, thou, he, she_, and _it_."--_Ib._, p. 22. "Nouns have three cases, viz. the Nominative, Possessive, and Objective."--_Bullions, E. Gram._, p. 16; _P.

Lessons_, p. 19. "Hence in studying Grammar, we have to study words."--_Frazee's Gram._, p. 18. "Participles like Verbs relate to Nouns and p.r.o.nouns."--_Miller's Ready Grammarian_, p. 23. "The time of the participle like that of the infinitive is estimated from the time of the leading verb."--_Bullions, Lat. Gram._, p. 97.

"The dumb shall sing the lame his crutch forego, And leap exulting like the bounding roe."--_Hiley's Gram._, p. 123.

UNDER RULE XIII.--OF CONJUNCTIONS.

"But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them."--FRIENDS' BIBLE, and SMITH'S: _Matt._, xiii, 29.

[FORMULE.--Not proper, because no comma is inserted after _lest_. But, according to Rule 13th, "Conjunctions, when they are separated from the princ.i.p.al clauses that depend on them, or when they introduce examples, are generally set off by the comma." Therefore, a comma should be put after the word _lest_; thus, "But he said, Nay; lest, while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them."--SCOTT'S BIBLE, ALGER'S, BRUCE'S.]

"Their intentions were good; but wanting prudence, they missed the mark at which they aimed."--_Murray's Key_, 8vo, Vol. ii, p. 221. "The verb _be_ often separates the name from its attribute; as war is expensive."-- _Webster's Philos. Gram._, p. 153. "_Either_ and _or_ denote an alternative; as 'I will take _either_ road at your pleasure.'"--_Ib._, p.

63; _Imp. Gram._, 45. "_Either_ is also a subst.i.tute for a name; as '_Either_ of the roads is good.'"--_Webster, both Grams._, 63 and 45. "But alas! I fear the consequence."--_Day's Gram._, p. 74. "Or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?"--_Scott's Bible, and Smith's_. "Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?"--_Smiths Bible_.

"The infinitive sometimes performs the office of a nominative case, as 'To enjoy is to obey.'--POPE."--_Cutler's Gram._, p. 62. "The plural is commonly formed by adding _s_ to the singular, as _book, books_."--_Bullions, E. Gram._, p. 12. "As 'I _were_ to blame, if I did it.'"--_Smart's Accidence_, p. 16.

"Or if it be thy will and pleasure Direct my plough to find a treasure."--_Hiley's Gram._, p. 124.

"Or if it be thy will and pleasure, Direct my plough to find a treasure."--_Hart's Gram._, p. 185.

UNDER RULE XIV.--OF PREPOSITIONS.

"p.r.o.nouns agree with the nouns for which they stand in gender, number, and person."--_Butler's Practical Gram._, pp. 141 and 148; _Bullions's a.n.a.lyt.

and Pract. Gram._, p. 150.

[FORMULE.--Not proper, because the preposition _in_ has not the comma before it, as the text requires. But, according to Rule 14th, "Prepositions and their objects, when they break the connexion of a simple sentence, or when they do not closely follow the words on which they depend, are generally set off by the comma." Therefore, a comma should be here inserted; thus, "p.r.o.nouns agree with the nouns for which they stand, in gender, number, and person." Or the words may be transposed, and the comma set before _with_; thus, "p.r.o.nouns agree _in_ gender, number, and person, _with_ the nouns for which they stand."]

"In the first two examples the antecedent is _person_, or something equivalent; in the last it is _thing_."--_Butler_, ib., p. 53. "In what character he was admitted is unknown."--_Ib._, p. 55. "To what place he was going is not known."--_Ib._, p. 55. "In the preceding examples _John, Caesar_, and _James_ are the subjects."--_Ib._, p. 59. "_Yes_ is generally used to denote a.s.sent in _the_ answer to a question."--_Ib._, p. 120.

"_That_ in its origin is the pa.s.sive participle of the Anglo-Saxon verb _thean, to take_"--_Ib._, p. 127. "But in all these sentences _as_ and _so_ are _adverbs_."--_Ib._, p. 127. "After an interjection or exclamatory sentence is placed the mark of exclamation."--_Blair's Gram._, p. 116.

"Intransitive verbs from their nature can have no distinction of voice."--_Bullions, E. Gram._, p. 30. "To the inflection of verbs belong Voices, Moods, Tenses, Numbers, and Persons."--_Id._, ib., p. 33; _Pract.

Lessons_, p. 41. "_As_ and _so_ in the antecedent member of a comparison are properly adverbs."--_Id., E. Gram._, p. 113. "In the following Exercise point out the words in apposition."--_Id., P. Lessons_, p. 103. "In the following Exercise point out the noun or p.r.o.noun denoting the possessor."-- _Id., ib._, p. 105. "_Its_ is not found in the Bible except by misprint."--_Hallock's Gram._, p. 68. "No one's interest is concerned except mine."--_Ib._, p. 70. "In most of the modern languages there are four concords."--_St. Quentin's Gen. Gram._, p. 143. "In ill.u.s.tration of these remarks let us suppose a case."--_Hart's Gram._, p. 104. "On the right management of the emphasis depends the life of p.r.o.nunciation."-- _Ib._, p. 172; _Murray's_, 8vo, p. 242.

UNDER RULE XV.--OF INTERJECTIONS.

"Behold he is in the desert."--SCOTT'S BIBLE: _Matt._, xxiv, 26.

[FORMULE.--Not proper, because the interjection _Behold_, which has usually a comma after it in Scripture, has here no point. But, according to Rule 15th, "Interjections that require a pause, though more commonly emphatic and followed by the ecphoneme, are sometimes set off by the comma." In this instance, a comma should be used; thus, "Behold, he is in the desert."--_Common Bible_.]

"And Lot said unto them, Oh not so my Lord."--SCOTT'S BIBLE: _Gen._, xix, 18. "Oh let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live."--SCOTT: _Gen._, xix, 20. "Behold! I come quickly.--BIBLE."--_Day's Gram._, p. 74. "Lo! I am with you always."--_Day's Gram._, pp. 10 and 73.

"And lo! I am with you always."--_Ib._, pp. 78 and 110. "And lo, I am with you alway."--SCOTT'S BIBLE, and BRUCE'S: _Matt._, xxviii, 20. "Ha! ha! ha!

how laughable that is."--_Bullions, Pract. Les._, p. 83. "Interjections of _Laughter_,--Ha! he! hi! ho!"--_Wright's Gram._, p. 121.

UNDER RULE XVI.--OF WORDS REPEATED.

"Lend lend your wings! I mount! I fly!"--_Example varied_.

[FORMULE.--Not proper, because the repeated word _lend_ has here no comma.

But, according to Rule 16th, "A word emphatically repeated, is generally set off by the comma." In this instance, a comma is required after the former _lend_, but not after the latter; thus,

"Lend, lend your wings! I mount! I fly!"--_Pope's Poems_, p. 317.

"To bed to bed to bed. There is a knocking at the gate. Come come come.

What is done cannot be undone. To bed to bed to bed."--See _Burgh's Speaker_, p. 130. "I will roar, that the duke shall cry, Encore encore let him roar let him roar once more once more."--See ib., p. 136.

"Vital spark of heav'nly flame, Quit oh quit this mortal frame."--_Hiley's Gram._, p. 126.

"Vital spark of heav'nly flame, Quit, oh quit, this mortal frame!"--_Bullions, E. Gr._, p. 172.

"O the pleasing pleasing Anguish, When we love, and when we languish."--_Ward's Gram._, p. 161.

"Praise to G.o.d immortal praise For the love that crowns our days!"--_Hiley's Gram._, p. 124.

UNDER RULE XVII.--OF DEPENDENT QUOTATIONS.

"Thus, of an infant, we say '_It_ is a lovely creature.'"--_Bullions, Prin.

of E. Gram._, p. 12.

[FORMULE.--Not proper, because no comma is here inserted between _say_ and the citation which follows. But, according to Rule 17th, "A quotation, observation, or description, when it is introduced in close dependence on a verb, (as, _say, reply, cry_, or the like.) is generally separated from the rest of the sentence by the comma." Therefore, a comma should be put after _say_; as, "Thus, of an infant, we say, '_It_ is a lovely creature.'"]

"No being can state a falsehood in saying _I am_; for no one can utter it, if it is not true."--_Cardell's Gram._, 18mo, p. 118. "I know they will cry out against this and say 'should he pay, means if he should pay.'"--_O. B.

Peirce's Gram._, p. 352. "For instance, when we say '_the house is building_,' the advocates of the new theory ask, 'building _what_?' We might ask in turn, when you say 'the field ploughs well,' ploughs _what_?

'Wheat sells well,' sells _what_? If _usage_ allows us to say 'wheat _sells_ at a dollar' in a sense that is not active, why may it not also allow us to say 'wheat _is selling_ at a dollar' in a sense that is not active?"--_Hart's English Gram._, p. 76. "_Man_ is accountable, equals _mankind_ are accountable."--_S. Barrett's Revised Gram._, p. 37. "Thus, when we say 'He may be reading,' _may_ is the real verb; the other parts are verbs by name only."--_Smart's English Accidence_, p. 8. "Thus we say _an apple, an hour_, that two vowel sounds may not come together."--_Ib._, p. 27. "It would be as improper to say _an unit_, as to say _an youth_; to say _an one_, as to say _an wonder_."--_Ib._, p. 27. "When we say 'He died for the truth,' _for_ is a preposition."--_Ib._, p. 28. "We do not say 'I might go yesterday,' but 'I might have gone yesterday.'"--_Ib._, p. 11. "By student, we understand one who has by matriculation acquired the rights of academical citizenship; but, by bursche, we understand one who has already spent a certain time at the university."--_Howitt's Student-Life in Germany_, p. 27.