Exposition of the Grammatical Structure of the English Language; Being an Attempt to Furnish an Improved Method of Teaching Grammar. for the Use of Schools and Colleges (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1857. Excerpt: ... is a ncran, according to our definition (and may be so called till the learner finds a special name for it), because it expresses the subject of the proposition, "He still maintained a serene and steady countenance." The word "am" in the preceding proposition may be passed over for the present, though, if an inflected form of he, it has claims to be classed as a noun. 23. Classification Of Nouns.--Some knowledge of the classification of nouns is necessary in order to comprehend certain modifications, of which they are susceptible, by a change of form, or by the addition of other words, to fit them to express the various subjects of human thought. But it may be useful, thus early, to dwell longer on the classification of noun?, than would be absolutely necessary for the purpose mentioned, because, next to a careful application of the test already given, a review of the several kinds of nouns will, more than any thing else, assist the young learner in distinguishing readily this important class of words. Besides, it is requisite for other reasons connected with our method of treating grammar to give in this place more extended notice to some of the classes which we shall designate. 24. First Class: Concrete Nouns, Or Names Of SubstanCes.--(1) The names of substances, material and immaterial, constitute the most prominent class of nouns. (2) "We use the word substance here in the philosophical sense to indicate what subsists by itself--what has, or is conceived to have, an independent existence. (3) This class includes the names of all persons, animals, places, of all the objects around us in the universe, whether formed by our Creator, or by the skill, industry, and contrivance of man--in a word, every thing which appears to our senses as a se...