: Grammar NGLisH MPOSITION >>R»''"',^»K4S«-;R-t7E"^-'U'^ BLIC SCHOOLS H. ARMSTRONG, M.A., B.P«d. fi^-ti-i:'A^X;;f't^i^ TORONTO '(miJ^B™S^y*E:!^'^ hunter, rose CO., LIMHi^D Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2007 with funding from IVIicrosoft Corporation http://www.archive.org/details/englishgrammarcoOOarmsuoft : GRAMMAR ENGLISH AND COMPOSITION For Public Schools BY ^.^e ,^ ofHfARMSTRONG, M.A.. B.Pad., Principal Borden St. School, Toronto. TORONTO The Hunter, Rose Co., Limited, Temple Building. Entered according to Act of Parliament ot Canada in the year one thousand nine hundredandone, byG. H.Armstrong,M.A., B.P^d.,inthe office oftheMinister ofAgriculture. PREFACE. TT is not considered necessary to offer an apology for the publi- cation of a work on English grammar and composition for the Public Schools of Ontario. The plan of the work is inductive and practical, and the author has endeavored to make the book a useful one for the purposes of teaching. Every principle is presented through the observation of examples of good English. The study of grammar aids the student to master his mother- tongue, but its chief function istosecure mentaldiscipline. For the development of the intellectual powers, the capable teacher, wellfurnishedwithrational methods, willfind thisstudy superior toall others. It isa studyin recognizing similarities, in disting- uishingdifferences, inmaking abstractions, informing generaliza- tions. The object of Parts I.-IV. of this book is to contribute something to the science of elementary English grammar. PartY. treats of composition. The usual exercisesincomplet- ing half-built sentences, in straightening outwrecksof sentences, in combining simplesentences intocomplexsentences, in expand- ing phrases into clauses, etc., will not be found therein. They havedonequiteenough towardsfosteringstupidityinour schools. The art of expression is acquired through steady practice, there- fore pupils shouldwrite compositionsnotonceaweek, butduring partofeveryperiod, about things which they understand. They should be taught good form in expression, and trained to correct their own exercises. PREFACE. This part of the work, though brief, will be found suggestive. Teachers and pupils have not been deprived of the pleasure and profit of an independent examination of the construction of the prose selections. This little volume owes something to several English gram- mars, and the debt is hereby acknowledged. G. H. ARMSTRONG. — ENGLISH GRAMMAR. PART FIRST^ LESSON I. THE SENTENCE. Is there a complete thought expressed in each of the follow- ing groups of words? 1. The maple leaf is an emblem of Canada. 2. Honor thy father and thy mother. 3. Who gathered these beautiful flowers1 4. How sweetly the birds sing in spring ! A group of words that expresses a complete thought is called a sentence. Which of the foregoing sentences declares something, which expresses a command, whichasksaquestion, andwhichexpresses a sudden feeling? A sentence that asserts or declares something is called a de- clarative sentence. A sentence that expresses a command or request is called an imperative sentence. A sentence that asks a question is called an interrogative sentence. A sentence that expresses a sudden or strong feeling is called an exclamatory sentence. EXERCISE I. State the use or office of each of the following sentences, and — tell the kind of sentence : 1. The sun rises in the East. / / — ENGLISH GRAMMAR, 2. Every door opens to a smile. 3. Keep thy heart with all diligence. 4. Who is the author of that book ? 5. How tenderly a mother cares for her child ! 6. Every morn is the world made new. 7. Sharpen this pencil for me. 8. What bright uniforms the soldiers wear ! 9. The plowman homeward plods his weary way. 10. How many lines have you written? EXERCISE II. 1. Write four declarative sentences, 2. Write four imperative sentences. 3. Write three interrogative sentences. 4. Write two exclamatory sentences. LESSON II. THE SUBJECT AND THE PREDICATE. Name the thing which is spoken of in each of the following sentences, and what is said about it : 1. Gold is a precious metal. 2. Flowers grow in the fields. 3. The sailor's home is onthe sea. 4. The flag of England floats above the citadel. The part of a sentence that expresses the thing spoken of is called the subject. The part of a sentence that expresses what is said about the subject is called the predicate. The subject ofadeclarative sentenceisgenerally placed before the predicate, but it is sometimes placed after the predicate; as. Sweet was the soundofthe evening hell. Over the swift rapids went the boat.