DICTATION EXERCISE. Instruction. (1) The first word of every line of poetry should begin with a capital letter. (2) Names of the days of the week and of the months of the year should begin with capital letters. (3) The apostrophe (') is used to denote possession; also, sometimes, to indicate the omission of a letter or letters in a word. (4) The hyphen (-) is used in dividing a word at the end of a line to show that the word is completed on the next line; also to separate the parts of some compound words. Fred is fond of joking with Kate. He liked to watch the changing clouds. That pressed rosebud will crumble if you handle it. Judging from his looks, he is a simple, kindhearted man. Seeing the little girl stumble, we ran to help her, and I picked up the bundle which she had dropped. The glad birds are singing; Come, let us be hasting! The Queen of the year. le (continued). Instruction. When the termination le is preceded by a single consonant give this consonant to the last syllable. As, a'ble. NOTE TO TEACHER.-Show that the addition of d to the termination le, forming the past tense of verbs, does not change the instructions given in the preceding lessons. ing (verb) ling (noun) NOTE TO TEACHER.-The addition of the suffix ing to the termination le, forming the termination ling (present participle of verbs), does not change the instruction given in the preceding lessons, as han'dling; but when the noun suffix ling is added, let the accent mark immediately precede that suffix, as found'ling. Review Rule, Lesson 15, and require pupils when writing the le words of this lesson to add the suffix ing in accordance with instructions given. When found between two sounded vowels,— (1) A single consonant, if capable of beginning a syllable, generally joins the following vowel, as wa'ter, fa'ther;* except when the suffix displaces a final e silent of the stem. As, mak'er, waving. (2) Double consonants are generally separated, one going to each syllable. As, dif'fer, diz'zy. (3) Two different consonants capable of beginning a syllable ("front-door key") are generally joined to the following vowel. As, i'dler, ha'tred, diphthong. (4) Two different consonants not capable of beginning a syllable are generally separated, one going to each syllable. As, angel, helmet. (5) More than two consonants not capable of beginning a syllable *NOTE.-Consonant digraphs and trigraphs, being sounded as single consonants, are here considered as such 26 PRINCIPLES OF SYLLABICATION (continued). are generally separated, and as many as are capable of beginning a syllable ("front-door key") are joined to the following vowel. As, con'strue, thim'ble, worth'less. (6) EXCEPTION.-These rules give way when the derivatives retain the spelling, accentuation and meaning of the primitive word, as bank'er, cart'er, tell'ing, tab'let; and the tendency of a preceding short vowel is to take with it at least one consonant, especially in accented syllables. As, city, jas'per, as'tral, ban'ish, ver'y, cop'y. TO THE TEACHER. Clearly defined rules for determining the syllable in which each consonant of a word should be placed would require so much space as to be considered impracticable for a book of this character, and it is doubtful whether comprehensive rules in this connection would be as helpful either to teacher or pupil as a few general principles followed by remarks having direct application to the several classifications of words as they are reached and considered. The foregoing are the principles having most general application to this subject. Pupils should be required to apply these principles. The teacher should thoroughly master them and explain and illustrate them until they are fully understood by the pupils. If this is done the constant and practical application of them throughout the book will give the pupils a thorough knowledge of the subject. The division of words at the end of a line is sometimes modified by what Webster terms "Printers' usage." Instruction. When the final letter of an unaccented syllable, y is |