Use in the three different degrees such of the following adjectives as admit of comparison : — All, serene, excellent, immortal, first, two, total, universal, threelegged, bright. Adverbs are compared in the same manner as adjectives. The following are compared regularly. Compare them : Fast, often, soon, late, early. In the preceding and in the following list, find words that may be used as adjectives. The following are compared irregularly; learn them : Adverbs ending in ly are generally compared by prefixing more and most. Compare the following: Firmly, gracefully, actively, easily. To the Teacher. - Let the pupils select and parse all the adjectives and adverbs in Lesson 27. Select other exercises, and continue the work as long as it is profitable. See "Schemes" for review, p. 270. REVIEW QUESTIONS. How is a noun parsed? What modifications have adjectives? What is comparison? How many degrees of comparison are there? Define each. How are adjectives regularly compared? Distinguish the uses of the comparative and the superlative degree. Give the directions for using adjectives and adverbs (Lesson 88). Illustrate. What adjectives cannot be compared? How are adverbs compared ? LESSON 89. MODIFICATION OF VERBS. VOICE. way. The "The rose was Hints for Oral Instruction. "I picked the rose." same thing may be said in another picked by me." The first verb, picked, shows that the subject represents the actor, and the second form of the verb, was picked, shows that the subject names the thing acted upon. This change in the form and use of the verb is called Voice. The first form is called the Active Voice; and the second, the Passive Voice. 66 The passive form is very convenient when we wish to assert an action without naming any actor. Money is coined" is better than "Somebody coins money." DEFINITIONS. Voice is that modification of the transitive verb which shows whether the subject names the actor or the thing acted upon. The Active Voice shows that the subject names the actor. The Passive Voice shows that the subject names the thing acted upon. In each of the following sentences, change the voice of the verb without changing the meaning of the sentence, and note the other changes that occur in the sentence: The industrious bees gather honey from the flowers. The storm drove the vessel against the rock. Our words should be carefully chosen. Death separates the dearest friends. His vices have weakened his mind and destroyed his health. The Duke of Wellington, who commanded the English armies in the Peninsula, never lost a battle. Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt. Dr. Livingstone explored a large part of Africa. The English were conquered by the Normans. Name all the transitive verbs in Lessons 20 and 22, and give their voice. LESSON 90. MODE, TENSE, NUMBER, AND PERSON. Hints for Oral Instruction. When I say, "James walks," I assert the walking as a fact. When I say, "James may walk," I do not assert the action as a fact, but as a possible action. When I say, "If James walk out, he will improve," I assert the action, not as an actual fact, but as a condition of James's improving-a condition that may or may not become a fact. When I say to James, "Walk out," I do not assert that James actually does the act, I assert the action as a command. The action expressed by the verb walk is here asserted in four different ways, or Modes.1 The first way is called the Indicative Mode; the second, the Potential Mode; the third, the Subjunctive Mode; the fourth, the Imperative Mode. Let the teacher give other examples and require the pupils to repeat this instruction. For the two forms of the verb called the Infinitive and the Participle, see "Hints," Lessons 48 and 49. "I walk;" "I walked;" "I shall walk." In each of these sentences, the manner of asserting the action is the same. "I walk" expresses the action as present; "I walked" expresses the action as past; "I shall walk” expresses the action as future. As Tense means time, the first form is called the Present Tense; the second, the Past Tense; and the third, the Future Tense. We have three other forms of the verb, expressing the action as completed in the present, the past, or the future. "I have walked out to-day;" "I had walked out when he called;" "I shall have walked out by to-morrow." The form, have walked, expressing the action as completed in the present, is called the Present Perfect Tense. The form, had walked, expressing the action as completed in the past, is called the Past Perfect Tense. The form, 1 Many grammarians reject the potential mode, insisting that, when we assert the power, liberty, or possibility of acting or being, we assert it (1) as a fact, and the verb is in the indicative; or we assert it (2) as a supposition or conception merely, and the verb is in the subjunctive. shall have walked, expressing an action to be completed in the future, is called the Future Perfect Tense. Let the teacher give other verbs, and require the pupils to name and explain the different tenses. "I walk;" "Thou walkest;""He walks;" "They walk." In the second sentence, the verb walk was changed by adding est; and in the third, it was changed by adding s. These changes are for the sake of agreement with the person of the subject. The verb ending in est agrees with the subject thou in the second person, and the verb ending in s agrees with he in the third person. In the fourth sentence, the subject is in the third person; but it is plural, and so the verb drops the s to agree with the plural they. Verbs are said to agree in Person and Number with their subjects. The person and number forms may be found in Lessons 93, 94. DEFINITIONS. Mode is that modification of the verb which denotes the manner of asserting the action or being. The Indicative Mode asserts the action or being as a fact. The Potential Mode asserts the power, liberty, possibility, or necessity of acting or being. The Subjunctive Mode asserts the action or being as a mere condition, supposition, or wish. |