EXERCISE III.

Adjectives.

An adjective is a word used to limit or qualify the meaning of a noun.

Adjectives are divided into two principal classes,-limiting and qualifying.

A limiting adjective is one used to define or restrict the meaning of a noun without expressing any of its qualities; as, this pen; many men; the house; five books.

NOTE. The limiting adjectives, a, an, and the, are sometimes called articles. The further subdivision of limiting adjectives is more bookish than useful. A qualifying adjective is one that limits the application of a noun by denoting some quality or property of the noun; as, a good man; a beautiful child; a yellow flower; a studious pupil; a running horse; a roaring sea.

Adjectives are compared to denote different degrees of quality. There are three degrees of quality,—the positive, the comparative, the superlative.

The positive degree expresses a quality without comparison; as, He is a righteous man. Thursday was a pleasant day.

The comparative degree expresses a higher or a lower quality than the positive; as, The sun is larger than the moon. The march was less difficult by night than by day. The comparative degree implies a comparison of only two objects.

The comparative degree of most monosyllables is regularly formed by suffixing r or er to the simple adjective, or positive degree, and the superlative by suffixing st or est to the positive; as, wise, wiser, wisest; brave, braver, bravest; strong, stronger, strongest; bold, bolder, boldest.

The superlative degree expresses the highest or the lowest quality; as, The dog is the most faithful of animals. The miser is the least esteemed of men.

The superlative degree implies a comparison of more than two objects.

The comparative degree of most adjectives of more than one syllable (sometimes of only one) is formed by prefixing more or less, and the superlative by prefixing most or least, to the positive; as, industrious, more industrious, most industrious; beautiful, less beautiful, least beautiful.

An adjective of two syllables is compared regularly, when the terminations can be added to it without making an awkward word; as, pretty, prettier, prettiest; noble, nobler, noblest.

Some adjectives form their comparatives and superlatives irregularly; as,

Compare the following adjectives :

Lazy, ugly, red, slim, thin, sad, glad, snug, frail, deep, green, black, great, proud, serene, true, remote, able, happy, balmy, cruel, prudent, sensible, dangerous, virtuous, ancient, learned, honorable, famous, polite, tender, expensive, heavy, lucky.

Adjectives derived from verbs are called participial adjectives. Adjectives derived from proper nouns are called proper adjectives. What and which when used to ask questions are called interrogative adjectives. The only adjectives that have a plural form are this and that; plural these, those. An adjective implying number must agree in this respect with the substantive to which it relates.

Parsing.

In parsing an adjective tell:

1. The class to which it belongs.
2. The degree of comparison.

3. The use in the sentence.

Parse the adjectives in the following sentences:

1. The old house stood by the lindens.

2. Unto the pure all things are pure.

3. I feel bad early in the morning.

4. Our sweetest songs are those which tell of saddest thought.

5. Jupiter is larger than the earth.

6. He planed the board smooth.

7. She is worthy of the highest praise.

8. Three birds were killed.

9. Shining characters are not always the most agreeable. 10. Give me this peach and I will give you an apple.

11. The field of combat fills the young and bold.

12. The whispering wind stirred the weeping willow and the moaning pine.

13. Columbus had thought about this plan for many years, during which time he had vainly sought help from royal courts.

14. He was a ready orator, an elegant poet, a skilful gardener, an excellent cook, and a most contemptible sovereign.

15. He is wiser than he seems.

16. She is the most studious of the class.

17. Whatever things were gain to him, those he counted loss. 18. A clear, running brook is a beautiful sight.

19. The French soldier shot him dead.

20. He is a just, but not a generous man.

Test Questions.-Sentence-Making.

1. Into how many classes are adjectives divided ? 2. What distinguishes a limiting adjective from a qualifying adjective?

3. What does the word comparison mean in the phrase comparison of adjectives?

4. What does an adjective of the positive degree denote ? Of the comparative degree? Of the superlative degree?

5. How is the comparative degree of most monosyllables formed? Give three illustrations.

6. How is the comparative degree of most adjectives of more than one syllable formed? Give three illustrations.

7. How is the superlative degree of most adjectives of one syllable formed. Give three illustrations.

8. How is the superlative degree of most adjectives of more than one syllable formed? Give three illustrations.

9. Why is it incorrect to use the superlative degree in comparing two objects?

10. What is an interrogative adjective? How many interrogative adjectives are there?

EXERCISE IV.

Verbs.-Verb-Phrases.

A verb is a word that is used to assert something of a person or a thing.

Verbs may be classified as complete or incomplete.

A complete verb is one that does not require a complement to complete the predicate; as, 1. The old house stood by the lindens. 2. He walked home in haste.

An incomplete verb is one that requires a complement to complete the predicate; as, 1. He teaches arithmetic. 2. He seems very happy. 3. Cortez was a Spaniard. Verbs of incomplete predication must be followed by a nounterm or an adjective-term to make complete predicates. Incomplete verbs are transitive or copulative.

Verbs may also be divided into transitive, intransitive. copulative, regular, irregular, and auxiliary verbs.

A transitive verb is one that, in the active voice, requires an object to complete the predicate; as, 1. Columbus believed that the earth is round. 2. Mary wishes to study Latin. 3. He said, "I will be there."

An intransitive verb is one that does not require an object to complete the predicate; as, 1. He walked to the city. 2. The moonbeams glistened on the snow. 3. Our deeds live after us.