Substantives are of two numbers, the singular and plural.

The singular number expresses but one object; as, a chair, a table.

The plural number signities more objects than one; as, chairs, tables.

Some nouns, from the nature of the things which they express, are used only in the singular, others only in the plural, form; as, wheat, pitch, gold, sloth, pride, &c. and bellows, scissors, lungs, riches, &c.

Some words are the same in both numbers; as, deer, sheep, swine, &c.

The plural number of nouns is generally formed by adding s to the singular; as, dove, doves; face, faces; thought, thoughts. But when the substantive singular ends in x, ch, sh, or ss, we add es in the plural; as, box, boxes; church, churches; lash, lashes; kiss, kisses.

Nouns ending in for fe, are generally rendered plural by the change of those terminations into ves; as, loaf, loaves; wife, wives. Those which end in ff, have the regular plural; as ruff, ruffs.

Such as have y in the singular, with no other vowel in the same syllable, change it into ies in the plural; as, beauty, beauties; ily, flies; but the y is not changed, when there is another vowel in the syllable; as, key, keys; delay, delays.

CASE.

In English substantives have three cases,

the Nominative, the Possessive, and the Obiective.*

The nominative case simply expresses the name of a thing, or the subject of the verb; as, "The boy plays ;" "The girls

learn."

1

The possessive case expresses the relation of property or possession; and has an apostrophe with the letters coming after it; as, "The scholar's duty;" "My father's house."

When the plural ends in s, the others is omitted, but the apostrophic is retained; as, "On eagles' wings; "The drapers' company."

Sometimes also, when the singular terminates in s,the apostrophes is not added; as, "For goodness' sake;" For righteousness' sake."

The objective case expresses the object of an action, or of a relation; and generally follows a verb active, or a preposition; as," John assists Charles ;"" They live in London."

English substantives are declined in the following manner :

Singular.

Nominative Case. A mother.

Possessive Case.

Plural.

Mothers.

A mother's. Mothers'.

Objective Case. A mother.

Mothers.

* the propriety of this objective case, see the

farge grammar, pp. 54, 55.

An Adjective is a word added to a substantive, to express its quality; as, "An industrious man ;" "A virtuous woman;' .28 "A benevolent mind."

In English the adjective is not varied on account of gender, number, or case.

we say,

Thus "A careless boy; careless girls." The only variation which it admits, is that of the degrees of comparison.

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

The positive state expresses the quality of an object, without any increase or diminution; as good, wise, great.

The comparative degree increases or lessens the posititive in signification; as, wiser, greater, less wise.

The superlative degree increases or lessens the positive to the highest or lowest degree; as, wisest, greatest, least wise.

The simple word, or positive, becomes the comparative, by adding r or er; and the superlative, by adding st or est, to the end of it; as, wise, wiser, wisest; great, greater, greatest. And the adverbs more and most, placed before the adjective, have

the same effect; as, wise, more wise, most wise.

Monosyllables, for the most part, are conpared by er or est; and dissyllables by more and most; as, mild, milder, mildest'; frug, more frugal, most frugal.

Done words of very common use are irregularly formed; as, good, better best; bad, worse, worst; little, less, least; much or many, more, most; and a few others.

PRONOUNS.

A Pronoun is a word used instead of a noun, to avoid the too frequent repetition of the one word; as, “The man is happy; hes benevolent; he is useful."

There are three kinds of Pronouns, viz. the Personal, the Relative, and the Adjective Pronouns.

PERSONAL PRONOUNS.

There are five Personal Pronouns; viz. I, thou, he, she, it; with their plurais, we, ye or you, they.

Personal pronouns admit of person, number, gender, and case.

The persons of pronouns are three in each of the numbers, viz.

I, is the first persoa

Then, is the second person

He, she, or it, is the third person

Singular

We, is the first person

Ye, or

r you,

is the second person

They, is the third person

Plural

The numbers of pronouns, like those of substantives, are two, the singular and the plural; as, I, thou, he; we, ye, they.

Gender has respect only to the third person singular of the pronouns, he, she, it. He is masculine; she is feminine; it is neuter. Pronouns have three cases; the nomina tive, the possessive, and the objective.

The objective case of a pronoun has, in general, a form different from that of the nominative or the possessive case.