alytical practical grammar - Toronto Public Library

ETYMOLOGY-AD.JECTI'VES • 43
.lIfo~e precious is a common adjective, compared by more and most, com·
parative, and qualifies wisdom (705, 4).
n"iser is a common adjective. compared by er and est, comparative, and
qualifies sluggard (196) and (705, 4).
Seven is a nunural adjective, cardinal, not compared, and qualifies men.
Blessed is 1\ participinl adjective, cumpared by more and most, positive,
and qualifies men, undcntood.
Pure is a common adjective, compared by er ant! est, positive, and quali·
fies men, understood.
226. ABUREVIATlON.-This process may be abbreviated without loss, by
omitting the class (202), liS of no u~c in Syntax (5S4), and also omitting
to mention the degree of comparison (209), except the comparative 01'
superlative, taking it for granted, in adjectives compared, that it is in the
positive, unless otherwise stated. Any mention of degree, in IIdjcctives
not compared, would be improper. In this way the preceding adjectiYl's
may be parsed thus,-
IVise is an adjective, compared by eJ' and est, lind qualifies son.
More precious is an adjective, compared by more and most, comparative.
and qualifies wisdom.
n"jsCl' is an adjective, compared by cr and cst, comprrrative, and quali·
fies sluggard.
227. PRELIMINARY ORAL EXERCISES.
What is an adjective 1 The pupil having given the definition (H)5) in
answer, for the pnrpose of illustrating it, a list of nouns rnay again be
formed on the blackboard as directed (lSI); aIHI supposing the list to be
man, horse, apple, house, tree, book, &c., the teacher may take them up,
each in order, and proceed in some such way as the following :-
MAN.-What part of speech is man? Why? Arc all men exactly
alike I If not, mention some things in which they differ. AilS. Sume
are tall; some are short; some old; some young; some learned; some
unlearned; some wise; some foolish, &c.
When you say, " a tall man, a short man, an old mrrn, II young man,"
what is tbe use of tbe words tali, short, 0[,/, &c. i Ans. They are used
to qualify the word" man," by telling what sort of a man is meant( 19(;.1).
What part of speech Rl"e woros used to qualify nouns 1 Then what part
of speech are tall, short, old, young, &c. ~ Prefix an adjective to each of
the nouns in the list above, so as to make sense. Prefix as many adj ec·
tives to each noun separately, as you can think of, to make sense; thus:
HORSE-a large horse, a small horse. a young bOI'se, &c. What pllrt of
speech is large, small, young, &c. ·Wby 1
COMPARATIVE DEGREE.
Are 1111 men equally lall? Ans. No; some men are taller than others.
When you eay, "James is tall~r than John," in what fqrm or degree is
the adjective taller? What does tbe comparative degree express (217) I
Row is the comparative degree formed' When is the comparative formed