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COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES.

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LESSON XLVII.

COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES.

Adjectives are varied in form in order to express the different degrees of quality in objects compared with one another.

Thus we may say: "Iron is heavy, lead is heavier, but gold is the heaviest of these three metals; while platinum is the heaviest of all metals."

The variation of the form of the adjective to express quality in different degrees is called comparison.

There are three degrees of comparison; the positive, the comparative, and the superlative.

The positive degree is expressed by the adjective in its simple form.

Thus heavy, in the above sentence, is of the positive degree. The quality of heaviness as existing in iron is taken as a standard of comparison with the other metals referred to.

The comparative degree is that which exceeds the positive.

Thus we say, "Lead is heavier than iron; gold is heavier than lead; but platinum is heavier than gold." The comparative degree can be used only when two objects are compared.

The superlative degree is that which is not exceeded.

The superlative degree implies the comparison of three or more objects, and expresses a superiority to all others compared.

Thus gold is the heaviest of the three metals, iron, lead, and gold, but platinum is the heaviest of all metals.

The regular form of comparison is by adding to the positive er to form the comparative, and est to form the superlative. Thus :

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As will be seen, when the positive ends in e, r only is added. There are several irregular modes of comparison; as, good, better, best; bad or ill, worse, worst; little, less, least; much or many, more, most; far, farther, farthest; late, later or latter, latest or last.

Only monosyllables and dissyllables which end in y or mute e can, with few exceptions, be regularly compared.

Other adjectives are compared by using the adverbs more and most; as, virtuous, more virtuous, most virtuous. This is, of course, not a variation of the adjective.

Diminution of quality is expressed by the adverbs less and least. Thus: diligent, less diligent, least diligent.

Adjectives that do not express quality cannot be compared, nor any adjective whose signification does not admit of degrees; as, central, equal, total, perfect, infinite, eternal.

The termination ish is sometimes used to imply a quality inferior to the positive; as, reddish, meaning somewhat red.

The adjectives this and that change their form to express the plural number. Thus, this man, these men; that book, these books.

Exercise.

Write the comparison of the following adjectives, regularly, irregularly, or by means of adverbs, as each may require.

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6. Happy.

12. Little.

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SIMPLE AND COMPOUND SENTENCES.

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LESSON XLVIII.

SIMPLE AND COMPOUND SENTENCES.

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

A simple sentence is one that contains only a single proposition.

EXAMPLES. -Riches have wings. -I laugh and weep. -The sun and moon give us light.

In each of these sentences there is but one proposition or combination of subject and predicate, though in some there may be more than one subject noun or predicate verb, since the subject or predicate of a proposition may be simple or compound. (See Lesson XXXVII.)

A compound sentence is one that is composed of two or more simple sentences, connected by a conjunction.

EXAMPLES.

1. Art is long, and time is fleeting.

2. Home is home, though it be ever so homely.

3. Life is short, but it is followed by eternity.

4. Virtue is its own reward, and vice brings its own punish

ment.

5. Hatred stirreth up strifes, but love covereth all sins.

6. The tulip is a gorgeous flower, the lily is a beautiful one, but the rose is the fairest of all.

A sentence that forms a part of a sentence is called a clause.

How many clauses are there in each of the above sentences?

Exercise.

Write in diagram form the analysis of each of the above sentences; analyze them orally, and parse the words in each. (See example of written exercise below.)

EXAMPLE ANALYZED.

"Avoid not the struggle for truth, though it be ever so formidable."

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The pupil will observe how the secondary adjunct ever (adjunct of an adjunct) is represented.

ORAL ANALYSIS. - This is a compound imperative sentence, consisting of the clauses, Avoid not the struggle for truth, and be it ever so formidable, connected by the conjunction though. The separate clauses are to be analyzed as in preceding examples.

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What is construction? What is composition? How many classes of adjectives? What are they? What is a common adjective? Ans. A common adjective is one that simply denotes quality or situation. What is a proper adjective? A numeral

CLASSES OF PRONOUNS.

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adjective? A pronominal adjective? A participial adjective? A compound adjective? What is comparison? How many degrees of comparison? Positive degree? Comparative degree? Superlative degree? What is the regular form of comparison? What adjectives can be regularly compared? What adjectives vary their form to express the plural? What is a proposition? A simple sentence? A compound sentence? A clause?

LESSON XLIX.

CLASSES OF PRONOUNS.

Pronouns have the same modifications as nouns; namely, persons, numbers, genders, and cases.

Some pronouns show by their form that they are of the first, second, or third person.

Thus the pronoun I always stands for the speaker; thou, for the person spoken to; and he, she, or it, for the person or thing spoken of.

A pronoun that shows by its form of what person it is, is called a personal pronoun.

The personal pronouns are I, thou, he, she, and it, with their variations.

When a pronoun is used in one clause of a sentence to represent a noun or pronoun in a preceding clause, and thus connects the clauses, it is called a relative pronoun.

The word which the relative pronoun represents, or to which it relates, is called its antecedent.

Thus in the sentence, The flowers which bloom in the spring are beautiful, there are two clauses: The flowers are beautiful, and which bloom in the spring. The word which, representing the antecedent word flowers, is the subject of the second clause; and in

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