RULE VIII-A noun in the possessive case limits the meaning of another RULE X.-The object of a preposition is put in the objective case. Note. It is not necessary to keep the pupil constantly repeating the definitions; when he becomes perfectly familiar with the subject, let him tell the gender, etc., without giving the reason. "Coffee is spelled with two f's." the name of an object; common noun- etc.; plural ADJECTIVE. 66 An adjective is a word which qualifies or limits the meaning of a noun; as, "A good boy;" “a sweet apple;" "one book;" "this man." Remark. The word adjective signifies adding or added; and this part of speech is so called because it adds a quality or limitation to the meaning of a noun, or because it is added to a noun.* There are two classes of adjectives; qualifying adjectives, and limiting adjectives. A qualifying adjective expresses some quality which belongs to the object; as, "A bad road;" "a ripe nut;""a violent storm." Remark.-Qualifying adjectives not only express qualities belonging to the object, but at the same time limit the application of the noun. Thus, the expression, "a red apple," does not apply to so many objects as the word apple does, since there are not so many red apples are there are apples. The more adjectives we add to a noun, the fewer objects we include. The expression, a sweet, mellow, red apple," comprehends more qualities than "a red apple," but does not extend to so many objects. 66 What is an adjective? What does the word adjective signify? Into what two classes are adjectives divided? What does a qualifying adjective express? *The word adjective is generally said to signify added to; but words ending in ive have usually an active sense. Thus, destructive signifies not destroyed, but destroying; corrosive signifies not corroded, but corroding. This is what grammarians mean when they say that adjectives increase the comprehension, but decrease the extension of nouns. Limiting adjectives affect only the extension. Limiting adjectives do not express any quality belonging to the object; but merely limit the meaning of the noun; as, "One book;" "the first man ;” "that thing;" "forty thieves." Those limiting adjectives which are used in counting and numbering are called numeral adjectives; as, one, two, three, etc.; first, second, third, etc. Adjectives derived from proper names are sometimes called proper adjectives. Remarks.-1. The limiting adjectives, each, every, either, neither, former, latter, some, other, any, one, all, such, none, this, that, and the plural forms, these, those, are sometimes improperly called adjective pronouns. 2. The reason given for this is, that they sometimes belong to nouns like adjectives, and at other times stand for nouns like pronouns. Thus, in this sentence, "Each man has his faults," each limits the meaning of the noun man; but if man is omitted, it is said that each stands for man; as, “Each has his faults." 3. But it seems hardly correct to represent these adjectives as becoming pronouns when the noun is omitted. Other adjectives might be called pronouns on the same grounds. Thus, good might be called a pronoun in this sentence, "The good may err," because persons is omitted. Note.-Other and one will be mentioned again when we come to speak of pronouns. 4. The limiting adjective what is sometimes called an interrogative pronoun, when it is used in asking questions, as, "What man is that?” 5. This and that are the only adjectives which have a different form before plural nouns. 6. None is used for no, when the noun is omitted; when no is used, the noun is always expressed. Thus, "No person is so deaf that he will not hear;" "None is so deaf that he will not hear." None, in this case, should be parsed as belonging to person understood. This word was formerly used when the noun was expressed; "We shall have none end."-Bacon. What is a limiting adjective? What limiting adjectives are sometimes What adjectives change their forms before plural nouns? What is said of what? What is said of the use of none and no? EXERCISES. 1. Join a qualifying adjective to each of the following nouns. Table, chair, hat, cap, book, inkstand, pen, hand, hair, knife, window, boy, girl, woman, man, bird, cow, horse, dog, cat, coat, shoe, watch, tree, day, night, sun, moon, star. 2. Join a limiting adjective to each of the following. Pen, gun, bullets, box, watch, table, birds, men, hand, gate, feather, foot. 3. Join one qualifying and one limiting adjective to each of the following. Apple, pear, peach, road, street, town, bottle, fire, broom, boxes, balls. 4. Join a noun to each of the following adjectives. Good, bad, fair, one, this, that, what, benevolent, happy, every, former, rich, poor, high, low, latter, tall, weak, longhanded, weak-minded, profitable, amusing, loving, Roman, American, English, Scotch, Irish. 5. Which of the preceding are qualifying and which limiting adjectives? 6. What nouns do the adjectives in the following sentences qualify or limit? You may take this book, and I will take that. Let me die the death of the righteous. The wicked are like the troubled ocean. Anne is a good, but Jane is a bad girl. Providence rewards the good, but punishes the bad. What boy is that? What do I see? All have their faults. Round o and crooked s. Note.-Nouns become adjectives when used to qualify other nouns; as, "The river bank;" "a gold cup;" "Boston crackers;" "the fire king;" "Kentucky girls." 7. Use the following nouns in such a way as to make them adjectives. Silver, ocean, iron, mountain, corn, tin, rose, hemp, oak, taper, leather, cloth, muslin, coat, New York. COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES. The variations, which adjectives undergo when objects are compared, are called comparison. When do nouns becomes adjectives? I What is comparison? There are three degrees of comparison; the positive, the comparative, and the superlative. The positive degree, or simple form of the adjective, simply expresses the quality of an object, without reference to other degrees of the same quality; as, "A sweet apple." The comparative is used when the quality is represented as belonging to one of two objects, or sets of objects, in a higher degree than to the other; as, "This apple is sweeter than that;" "These apples are sweeter than those." The superlative is used when the quality is represented as belonging to one of several objects, or sets of objects, in a higher degree than to any of the rest; as, "This apple is the sweetest of all;" "The rose is the fairest of flowers." Remarks.-1. The office of the comparative and superlative is not to express a higher degree of the quality than the positive; the latter may express a higher degree than either of the others. Thus, when we say of an apple, that it is sweet, we may assert the existence of a greater degree of the quality than when we say that it is sweeter than some other apple, or the sweetest of all on the tree. 2. When the comparative is used, a comparison is made between th、 me quality, usually as it exists in different objects; but sometimes the comparison is made between two degrees of the quality in the same object at different times, or in different circumstances; as, "He is wiser to-day than he was yesterday;" ;" "He is happier at home than he is abroad." 3. Sometimes the comparison is made between the degree of the quality which really exists, and that which is supposed or said to exist; as, "He is wiser than he is supposed to be.". 4. The comparison is sometimes made between two degrees of different How many degrees? Define the positive degree-the comparative-the superlative. What is the remark about the office of the comparative and superlative? When the comparative is used, is the comparison always made between two degrees of the same quality in different objects? qualities of the same object; as, "He is more learned than wise;" that is, "His learning is greater than his wisdom." This is, in reality, a comparison between two objects-learning and wisdom. FORMATION OF THE COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE. The comparative is regularly formed by adding er, and the superlative by adding est, to the posi The same change in signification is made by prefixing the adverbs more and most; as, sweet, more sweet, most sweet. This is the usual way of comparing adjectives of more than one syllable; as, graceful, more graceful, most graceful; not gracefuler, gracefulest. In such cases the comparison is made by the adverb, and not by the adjective. But words of two syllables, ending in y, or in le after a mute, or accented on the last syllable, may be regularly compared ; as, happy, happier, happisst; able, abler, ablest; polite, politer, politest. Some other adjectives of two syllables are sometimes compared by adding er and est; as, handsome, handsomer, handsomest. Some adjectives are compared in an irregular manner; as, Comparative. Superlative. Much ....more Positive. Comparative. Superlative. Positive. ..most. Remarks.-1. Near and late have, besides the regular forms of the superlative, next and last. How are the comparative and superlative | What is the usual way of comparing adjecregularly formed? tives of more than one syllable? In what other way may the same change What adjectives of two syllables are comin meaning be expressed? pared by adding er and est? Compare good, bad, etc. Compare near. * Sometimes lesser |