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But when two or more simple sentences are united by connective words, that combination is called a compound sentence; as, "God is love, and dwelleth in love."

A simple sentence comprehends a subject, an object, and an attribute.

The subject is the person or thing, concerning which, some action or property is affirmed; the object is the person or thing affected by that action or property; the attribute is the action or property, that is affirmed concerning the subject.

The subject is the nominative case, which usually precedes the verb; the object, is the accusative, objective, or oblique case, which commonly follows the verb; as, "The pious man fears God." In this sentence, the pious man is the subject, fears is the affirmation, and God is the object.

Syntax may be considered as consisting of two parts; concord, or the agreement that one word has with another, in number, case, gender, or person; government, or the influence exerted by one part of speech over another, in directing its mood, tense, or case.

For the proper observance of these, rules have been collected from common use and practice.

RULE 1. The verb must agree with its subject or nominative case in number and person; as, "Our father commands, and we obey;" "I

read the verses which thou hast written;" Thou art advanced greatly in thy studies;" "You are taller than they are."

1. The nominative case is sometimes found united with a participle, without having any appropriate verb, but, then, it is always requisite that there be a verb in the same sentence; as, "Sentence being passed, the criminal was removed from the bar." This construction is called the nominative case absolute, and always requires the participle active.

2. The expression "as follows" must always be in the singular number, though it may refer to plural nouns, because it is, in that case, an impersonal verb: as, "The numbers were, as follows;" "conduct yourselves as becometh followers of the pure and Holy Lamb of God."

3. The infinitive mood, or part of a sentence, is sometimes the nominative case to the verb: as, "To rise early in the morning conduces to health;" "to do good to others' is pure pleasure ;" "to endeavour to excel others in learning and virtue is truly laudable;" "that war should harden the heart, and deaden the feelings, is easy to believe."

4. Every verb, excepting in the infinitive mood, or the participle, requires a nominative case, expressed or understood; as, "Awake! arise! or be for ever fallen!" the nominative pronoun ye is here understood after each verb. 5. Every nominative case, except the nominative absolute, and when an address is made to a person, ought to belong to some verb either expressed or implied: as, "Who wrote that book?" "your cousin ;" that is, "your cousin wrote the book:" "who advanced that false charge against me?" "he who professed himself thy friend;" that is, "he who professed himself thy friend, advanced it."

6. When a verb stands between two substantives, either of which may be regarded as its subject, it may agree with

the one or the other of them indifferently: as, "His des truction was, the wicked companions with whom he consorted ;"" the wages of sin is death;" "his meat was locusts and wild honey;" "his dissolute manners are his ruin."

7. The nominative case is sometimes placed after the verb, when it is in a simple tense; and between the auxiliary and the verb or participle, when it is in a compound tense. Examples: "Comest thou to me with sword and with spear?" "speedily mayst thou recover;" "long live the king!" "were you not blinded by prejudice you would not say so;" "on a sudden came one running, and crying, escape for your lives!". "here fell the general and his principal officers;" "hence arose contention ;" "ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, least ye die."

RULE 2. Two or more nouns, though in the singular number, connected by one or more conjunctions copulative, govern verbs, nouns, and pronouns in the plural number: as, "The pen, and the ink, and the paper, are upon the table;" 'they are ready for you;" "virtue and vice are as different in their consequences, as in their nature;" "joy, tranquillity, and peace dwell in the tents of the righteous."

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1. When the singular nouns are connected by the preposition with, their verb is sometimes found in the singular, and sometimes in the plural number: when the noun attached is of comparative importance, the plural verb is most commonly used; but otherwise, the verb singular: as, "The emperor, with the Allied sovereigns, repair to the field of battle;" "the architect, with his models and plans, is just arrived;""the ship, with all her stores, was des

troyed;" "the king, with the lords and commons, constitute the legislature of the British empire."

2. When the singular nouns, or pronouns, connected by conjunctions copulative, are of different persons, in making the plural verb agree with them in person, it must agree with the first person, rather than with the second; and with the second person rather than with the third; agreeably to the rule of Latin Syntax, the first person is more worthy than the second; and the second person is more worthy than the third; as, "Thou, he, and I, are the first in the place;" "thou and he are worthy rivals in fame;" that is, "thou, he, and I, we are the first in the place;" "thou and he, you are worthy rivals in fame."

RULE 3. Nouns singular connected by a disjunctive conjunction, require verbs singular: as, "Neither the pen, nor the ink, nor the paper, is upon the table;" "bread, or flesh, or fruit, was allotted to them for food;" "the king, or his general, or his minister was to blame;" "in the conduct of too many, neither honour nor honesty appears."

1. Nouns connected by the disjunctives either, or, neither and nor, require the verb to agree with the one placed nearest to it: as, "Neither he nor I am admitted to her confidence;" "either he or they have committed the crime;" "neither I, nor you, nor he is in fault."

2. When a disjunctive conjunction comes between a singular noun or pronoun, and a plural one, the verb must agree with the plural noun or pronoun: as, "Neither house nor lands were left him;" "neither he, nor his relations were injured by it;" "neither I, nor they are chargeable with the debt." But this case supposes the verb to stand next to the plural noun, or pronoun.

RULE 4. Nouns of the singular number in form, but conveying the idea of multitude, have their verbs sometimes singular, and at other times plural, according as they imply unity or plurality. If the affirmation can be applied to the parts constituting the whole, as well as to the whole, it ought to be plural; but if the affirmation cannot be applied to each several part of the whole aggregate, then it should be in the singular number: as, "The assembly was numerous;" "my people do not consider;" "the parliament is dissolved;" "the parliament are sitting;" "the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me." these examples, the term numerous, cannot be applied to any single member of an assembly, and therefore the verb is in the singular number; the act of considering may be affirmed of any individual of a people, as well as of the whole people collectively, and therefore the verb is in the plural number.

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RULE 5. The pronoun must agree with its antecedent, in gender, number, and person: as, "This is the man whom I revere and love;" "avarice is a disposition which I abhor;" "the queen went to St. Paul's to return God thanks for the victory;" "she was clad in her royal robes;"" the knowledge of grammar is a necessary acquisition, since without it we should not be able to speak and write correctly; it is, therefore, worthy of great attention."

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