1.-That pronouns are words used instead of nouns, by which we avoid the too frequent repetition of the name. 2. That pronouns have gender, number, case, and person. 3. That the same explanation of the terms-gender, number, and case-under nouns, will also apply to and pronouns ; 4.-That as regards case, some pronouns are always nominative, some objective, and some possessive. 5. That possessive pronouns are sometimes called adjective pronouns. 6. That person means an individual, or thing represented. 7. That person is divided into first person, second person, and third person, whether singular or plural. 8.-That difference of person, whether singular or plural, is marked by different pronouns. 9. The pronouns I and we apply to first person, or parties speaking. 10. The pronouns thou and you to second person, or parties spoken to. 11.-He and they to third person, or parties spoken of. 12.-Pronouns of third person are sometimes antecedent, and sometimes relative. 13.-Antecedent, means going before; and relative, carried back. 14. That relatives must agree with their antecedents in gender, number, case and person. 15. That pronouns are sometimes divided into personal and impersonal. 16.-Personal pronouns refer to individuals, and impersonal refer to things. As the principal word in every sentence, and comes from the Latin word verbum, the word. Why is a verb the principal word in every sentence ?— You have divided verbs into three kinds. Yes; Active Verbs, Passive Verbs, and Neuter Verbs. What do you mean by the word active? Active, signifies motion or action; from the Latin word actum, to lead. What are Active Verbs ? Are not active verbs sometimes called by another name? Yes; they are sometimes called Verbs Transitive, because their action passes over or on, to the noun following; from the Latin word transeo, to go, or pass over. Give an instance of an active verb ? "Noah opened the window of the ark." You say, "Noah opened the window of the ark." Which is the verb in that sentence? The word opened, because it tells the kind of action. What is the word Noah ?— Is Noah a common or proper noun ? A proper, because the name of a particular individual. What gender? Masculine, because the name of a man. What number? Singular number, because only one. What case? Nominative case, because it goes before the verb opened, and names the doer. You call the word opened a verb; what sort of a verb ? An active verb, because the action passes on to the noun which follows. You say, "Noah opened the window"; what is the word the? The word the is properly an adjective of distinction, generally called the definite article because it points out the particular noun. What have you to say about the word window? A proper noun, because the name of a particular thing. Objective case, because it follows the verb and receives Very good; but what have you to say concerning the latter part of your sentence, namely, "of the ark"? Of is a preposition. The is an adjective of distinction, or definite article. Ark is a proper noun-singular number, neuter gender, objective case, because following a preposition. You have defined Passive Verbs as "those words which tell of actions received or suffered by the persons, places, or things, for which the nouns or pronouns stand that go before the verb." Yes; verbs passive are the opposites to verbs active; and the objective case to a verb active would become nominative case to a verb passive. What is the meaning of the verb passive? Passive means suffering without resistance, acted upon, or not acting; from the Latin word patior, to suffer. Can you give me an instance of the use of a passive verb ?— Which is the verb among the words the window was opened?— But you have named two words, was and opened. You said the window was opened-what is the word window ?— What connection has the noun [word] window, with the words was opened ?— Then when you say the window was opened, what sort of a verb would you call the verb was opened ?— Why would you call was opened a passive verb ?— You say the objective case of an active verb would become the nominative case of the passive verb; then, have passive verbs no nouns following in the objective case? Nouns in the objective case will follow verbs passive by introducing a preposition between the verb and the noun-as, "The window was opened by Noah. Now tell me what you have to say concerning the words "the window," and "by Noah." The is an adjective of distinction, properly, but generally called the definite article, going before the noun window. Window is a noun, because a name. A proper noun, because a particular window. Neuter gender, because neither male nor female. Singular number, because only one. Nominative case, because going before the verb opened. Very well; now go on with the words "by Noah." By is a preposition, put before the noun Noah, to show the connection. Noah is a noun, because a name. A proper noun, because a particular person is meant. The objective case, following a preposition, connecting Noah, the doer, with the window, the thing opened. Now let us see what you remember about the neuter verb; but first explain the meaning of the word neuter. Neuter, as applied to verbs, means neither active nor passive; from the Latin. You have explained the active verbs and the passive verbs, now tell me about the neuter verbsWhat are Neuter Verbs ? Give me an instance of the use of a neuter verb.— Which do you call the verb in the words He is?— What is the word he ? What connection is there between the verb is, and the pronoun he? What sort of a verb would you call the word is ?- In the words John sleeps, which is the verb ? When you say John sleeps-what is the word Why do you call the word John in this instance a noun ? G |