VERBS.

59. A Verb is an asserting word or phrase.

The word "verb " means word,- that which is spoken.

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60. A Verb-phrase is a group of words used as a single verb. Verb-phrases are often called verbs.

We shall learn sometime that many other groups of words used like single words are also called phrases.

EXERCISE 51.

1. Select the single verbs and the verb-phrases.

1. The air thickens. 2. Familiar objects are hidden as by a mist. 3. Paths disappear. 4. Voices of teamsters are heard. 5. Nothing can be seen in the road. 6. Like a fog the snow hides all things. 7. Not a breath of wind disturbs its descent. 8. The branches of the trees are clothed as with wool. 9. Still the noiseless flakes fill the sky. 10. A change has taken place. 11. Now and then a puff of wind comes around the corner. 12. The storm is growing wilder every moment.

2. Write a description of a snow-storm.

EXERCISE 52.

Fill the blanks with suitable verbs as you read these sentences:— 1. Twenty-nine years ago Christmas

on Saturday.

2. How well I the time! 3. Such dreams as I in those days! 4. The Thursday night before, I about Santa Claus. 5. In a low whisper he "To-morrow, my little maid, you very soundly till morning. 8. Bewith a fir-tree for you. 9. But you

to me thus:

to sleep early. 7. And

fore sunrise I

6.

11. All the stars

not

your secret to any but your sister." 10. At last the wished-for morning brightly. 12. The crystals of snow upon the ground like diamonds. 13. Through all my exquisite delight. 14. After our

these years I never

sud

arrival at my uncle's across the road, some folding doors denly open wide. 15. There in a blaze of light - the bright - 17. And how we

vision of my dreams. 16. How the candles

at the sight of such dolls and such gowns!

61. It very often happens, as in these sentences,

that there is no difference in the spelling of two words, one of which is a noun and the other a verb: and we must remember to decide about them by their use.

EXERCISE 53.

Distinguish between the nouns and the verbs that are spelled alike in these sentences. Thus:

"Pass" in first sentence is a verb; "pass" in the seventh sentence is a noun.

1. Pass through here.

2. Order a load of stones.

3. Load them with care.

4. They work with their hands.

5. They care not for play.
6. He stones the stray dogs.

7. Fear not the pass.

8. He drives without fear.
9. He hands me a whip.

10. He dogs me while at my work.
11. We whip them by your order.
12. They play during my drives.

EXERCISE 54.

Write sentences, using each word once as a noun and once as a

Make little groups of the words that are synonyms.

Substitute other words for those in italics without much changing

the meaning.

The man informed me just now that he had completed his task, and asserted that he never would labor for me again. When I inquired for the reason, he replied that he had stated the reason already. I bade him depart; for I desired to conceal my wrath before the ungrateful fellow.

EXERCISE 57.

Select one of the following topics, and write five short sentences about it. Draw a wavy line under the subject, and a straight line under the verb.

1. A thunder-storm.

2. Getting breakfast.

3. Making hay.

4. A game of ball.

5. Taking a photograph.
6. A bicycle ride.

7. A drive in the country.
8. A ride to the city.

TEST QUESTIONS.

1. What is the use of verbs in sentences? 2. What do you call a verb that consists of several words? Give three examples. 3. What is the difference between "I'll do it" and "I will do it"? 4. What besides a noun may be the subject of a verb? 5. Define verb and verb-phrase. 6. Mention several words that can be used either as verbs or as nouns.

IV. ADJECTIVES.

62. We must have seen that most sentences are made up of something more than a noun (or a pronoun) and a verb.

It is true, of course, that the very shortest ones may give us some information about their subjects. For example: in

Ice breaks and Diamonds glitter,

ice and diamonds are described a little; but nobody wants to say,

Ice is or Diamonds are,

for these verbs is and are do not tell us anything worth saying.

We have to add the descriptive words, thus:

1. Which are the descriptive words in these sentences? What is

2. Could the descriptive words be used like nouns as the subject of a sentence? Tell the reason.

3. Change these expressions to assertions; ther change them to questions:

Make assertions, using with the verbs words descriptive of these subjects. Thus :

"Foxes are cunning."

ADJECTIVES.

EXERCISE 60.

What could these words be used to describe? Thus:

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63. Even when we use a verb that does not require something to be added, as in

Roses grow,

still we commonly wish to tell what kind of roses is meant, and how, or where, or when they grow. Thus :

Yellow roses grow by still rivers.

"Roses" alone would remind us of prickly bushes and the wellknown flowers. We could only guess about their color. But the descriptive word adds something more, as much as to say,"the roses are yellow that grow there,”- not pink, nor white, nor crimson. They may have had many good qualities and some bad ones, but yellow shows that they had at least the quality of yellowness. Still, also, shows that one of the qualities of the rivers was stillness. If we had wished to show that depth and width were other qualities, we might have said deep rivers or wide rivers.

EXERCISE 61.

What descriptive words can be used with these nouns to imply that they have the qualities set opposite them? Thus: :