Analysis is the separation of a sentence into the parts

which compose it.

Every sentence must contain at least two principal parts; namely, the subject and the predicate.

The subject of a sentence is that of which it treats; as, "The sun has set."-" Can you write?"

It is

The predicate is that which expresses the action, being, or passion, as belonging to the subject. therefore always a verb.

Any combination of the subject and predicate is called a proposition.

A simple sentence is one that contains only one proposition; as, "Fire burns."-"The truth will prevail.'

A simple sentence may be declarative, interrogative, imperative, or exclamatory.

It is declarative when it expresses an affirmation or negation; interrogative, when it expresses a question; imperative, when it expresses a command; and exclamatory, when it expresses an exclamation.

Obs. In analyzing simple sentences, the subject and predicate should be found first, and then the object, if the sentence contain The object is defined in Obs. 4. on the preceding page. The subject, in imperative sentences, is not expressed, but must be supplied in analysis. It is thou or you, (understood.)

one.

EXERCISES.-ANALYSIS AND PARSING.

EXERCISE I.-Analyze each of the following sentences by pointing out the subject, the predicate, and the object (if there be any), and

state whether it is declarative, interrogative, imperative, or exclamatory.

EXAMPLE. "Contentment brings happiness."

This is a simple declarative sentence. The subject is contentment; the predicate, brings; the object, happiness.

Crimes deserve punishment. Robbers are imprisoned. Generosity makes friends. Vice brings misery. Does William study grammar? Can he speak French? Love truth. Justice will prevail. Perseverance overcomes obstacles. Honor merit. Can you avoid errors? Matilda possesses beauty. Despise meanness. friends. Vanity excites disgust. Plants produce flowers. indolence bestow wealth? Diligence should be rewarded. Could he have avoided disgrace? Will you give assistance?

Jane has

Can

EXERCISE II.-Parse each word in the above sentences according to the following example.

EXAMPLE.-"Contentment brings happiness."

Contentment is a common noun; of the third person, because it is spoken of; of the singular number, because it denotes only one; of the neuter gender, becausə it is neither male nor female; of the nominative case, because it is the subject of the verb brings.

Brings is a verb, because it signifies action.

Happiness is a common noun of the third person, singular number, neuter gender. and of the objective case, because it is the object of the verb brings.

CHAPTER IV.-OF ADJECTIVES.

An Adjective is a word added to a noun or pronoun, and generally expresses quality: as, A wise man; a new book.-You two are diligent.

CLASSES.

Adjectives may be divided into six classes; namely, common, proper, numeral, pronominal, participial, and compound.

I. A common adjective is any ordinary epithet, or adjective denoting quality or situation; as, Good, bad, peaceful, warlike-eastern, western, outer, inner.

II. A proper adjective is one that is formed from a proper name; as, American, English, Platonic.

III. A numeral adjective is one that expresses a definite number; as, One, two, three, four, etc.

IV. A pronominal adjective is a definitive word which may either accompany its noun, or represent it understood; as, "All [men] join to guard what each [man] desires to gain."-Pope.

V. A participial adjective is one that has the form of a participle, but differs from it by reject ing the idea of time; as, An amusing story.

VI. A compound adjective is one that consists cf two or more words joined together; as, Nutbrown, laughter-loving, four-footed.

etc.

Obs.-Numeral adjectives are of three kinds: namely,

1. Cardinal; as, One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, etc. 2. Ordinal; as, First, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh,

3. Multiplicative; as, Single or alone, double or twofold, triple or threefold, quadruple or fourfold, etc.

MODIFICATIONS.

Adjectives have, commonly, no modifications but the forms of comparison.

Comparison is a variation of the adjective, to express quality in aferent degrees; as, hard, harder, hardest.

There are three degrees of comparison; the positive, the comparative, and the superlative. The positive degree is that which is expressed by the adjective in its simple form; as, hard, soft, good.

The comparative degree is that which exceeds the positive; as, harder, softer, better.

The superlative degree is that which is not exceeded; as, hardest, softest, best.

Those adjectives whose signification does not admit of different degrees, cannot be compared; as, two, second, all, total, immortal, infinite.

Those adjectives which may be varied in sense, but not in form, are compared by means of adverbs; as, skillful, more skillful, most skillful,skillful, less skillful, least skillful.

Adjectives are regularly compared, when the comparative degree is expressed by adding er, and the superlative by adding est, to them; as,

The following adjectives are compared irregularly good, better, best; bad or ill, worse, worst; little, less, least; much, more, most; many, more, most; far, farther, farthest; late, later or latter, latest or last.

Obs. 1.-As the simple form of the adjective does not necessarily imply comparison, and as many adjectives admit no other, some think it is not requisite in parsing, to mention the degree, unless it be the comparative or the superlative.

Obs. 2.-The method of coinparison by er and est, is chiefly applicable to monosyllables, and to dissyllables ending in y or mute e

Obs. 3.-The different degrees of a quality may also be expressed, with precisely the same import, by prefixing to the adjective, the adverbs more and most: as, wise, more wise, most wise; famous, more famous, most famous; amiable, more amiable, most amiable.

Obs. 4.-Diminution of quality is expressed, in like manner, by the adverbs less and least: as, wise, less wise, least wise; famous, less famous, least famous.

Obs. 5.-The prefixing of an adverb can hardly be called a variation of the adjective. The words may with more propriety be parsed separately, the degree being ascribed to the adverb, or to each word.

Obs. 6.—Most adjectives of more than one syllable, must be compared by means of the adverbs; because they do not admit a change of termination: thus, we may say, virtuous, more virtuous, most virtuous; but not virtuous, virtuouser, virtuousest.

Obs. 7.-Common adjectives are more numerous than all the other adjectives put together. Very many of these, and a few pronominals and participials, may be compared; but adjectives formed from proper names, all the nu erals, and most of the compounds, are in no way susceptible of comparison.

*See Rules forelling, III and VI.

Obs. 8.-Nouns are often used as adjectives; as, An iron bar— An evening school-A mahogany chair-A South-Sea dream. These also are incapable of comparison.

Obs. 9.-The numerals are often used as nouns; and, as such, are regularly declined: as, Such a one-One's own seif-The little ones -By tens-For twenty's sake.

Obs. 10.-Comparatives, and the word other, are sometimes also employed as nouns, and have the regular declension; as, Our superiors-His betters-The elder's advice-An* other's woe-Let others do as they will. But, as adjectives, these words are invariable.

Obs. 11.-Pronominal adjectives, when their nouns are expressed, simply relate to them, and have no modifications; except this and that, which form the plural these and those; and much, many, and a few others, which are compared.

Obs. 12.-Pronominal adjectives, when their nouns are not expressed, may be parsed as representing them in person, number, gender, and case.

Obs. 13. The following are the principal pronominal adjectives: All, any, both, each, either, every, few, former, first, latter, last, many, neither, none, one, other, same, some, such, this, that, which, what. Which and what, when they are not prefixed to nouns, are, for the most part, relative or interrogative pronouns.

ANALYSIS.

Words, added to either of the principal parts of a sentence to modify or limit its meaning, are called adjuncts.

Primary adjuncts are those added directly to either of the principal parts; as, "Good books always deserve a careful perusal."

Secondary adjuncts are those added to other adjuncts; as, "Suddenly acquired wealth very rarely brings happiness.

Adjuncts are sometimes called modifications.

Obs. 1.-The subject or the object may be modified by different parts of speech; as, 1. By an article or adjective; as, "The diligent

There seems to be no good reason for joining an and other. An here excludes any other article; and analogy and consistency require that the words be separated. Their union has led sometimes to an improper repetition of the article; as, “Another such a man,"-for, "An other such man."