(This tense, when used without a preceding conjunction, is sometimes called the Conditional Mood. "I should be struck were I to go there.")

ADVERBS.

1. An Adverb is a word which goes with a verb, with an adjective, or with another adverb, to modify its meaning :

(i) He writes badly. Here badly modifies the verb writes.

(ii) The weather is very hot. Here very modifies the adjective

hot.

(iii) She writes very rapidly. Here rapidly modifies writes, and very, rapidly.

THE CLASSIFICATION OF ADVERBS.

2. Adverbs-so far as their function is concerned-are of two kinds: (i) Simple Adverbs and (ii) Conjunctive Adverbs. (i) A Simple Adverb merely modifies the word it goes with. A Conjunctive Adverb has two functions: (a) it modifies, and (b) joins one sentence with another. Thus, if I say "He came when he was ready," the adverb when not only modifies the verb came, and shows the time of his coming, but it joins together the two sentences "He came" and "he was ready."

3. Adverbs—so far as their meaning is concerned-are of several kinds. There are Adverbs: (i) of Time, (ii) of Place, (iii) of Number, (iv) of Manner, (v) of Degree, (vi) of Assertion, and (vii) of Reasoning :—

(i) Of Time: Now, then; to-day, to-morrow; by-and-by, etc.
(ii) of Place: Here, there; hither, thither; hence, thence, etc.
(iii) of Number: Once, twice, thrice; singly, two by two, etc.
(iv) Of Manner: Well, ill; slowly, quickly; better, worse, etc.
(v) Of Degree: Very, little; almost, quite; all, half, etc.

(vi) Of Assertion: Nay, yea; no, aye; yes, etc.

(vii) Of Reasoning: Therefore, wherefore; thus; consequently.

THE COMPARISON OF ADVERBS.

4. Adverbs, like adjectives, admit of degrees of comparison. Thus we can say, John works hard; Tom works harder; but William works hardest of all.

(i) Worse comes from A.S weors, bad. Shakespeare has worser.

(ii) Much is an adverb in the phrase much better.

(iii) Little is an adverb in the phrase little inclined.

(iv) Next=nighest; and so we had also hext=highest. Near is really the comparative of nigh.

(v) Farrer would be the proper comparative.

Chaucer has farrë,

and this is still found in Yorkshire. The th in farther comes from a false analogy with forth, further, furthest.

(vi) Late is an adverb in the phrase He arrived late.

(vii) “Till rathe she rose, half-cheated in the thought.”—Tennyson ('Lancelot and Elaine').

CONNECTIVES.

1. There is, in grammar, a class of words which may be called joining words or connectives. They are of two classes: (i) those which join nouns or pronouns to some other word; and (ii) those which join sentences. The first class are called Prepositions; the second Conjunctions.

PREPOSITIONS.

2. A Preposition is a word which connects a noun or pronoun with a verb, an adjective, or another noun or pronoun. (It thus shows the relation between things, or between a thing and an action, etc.)

(i) He stood on the table. Here on joins a verb and a noun.

(ii) Mary is fond of music. Here of joins an adjective and a noun. (iii) The man at the door is waiting. Here at joins two nouns.

The word preposition comes from the Lat. præ, before, and positus, placed. We have similar compounds in composition and deposition.

3. The noun or pronoun which follows the preposition is in the objective case, and is said to be governed by the preposition.

(i) But the preposition may come at the end of the sentence. Thus we can say, "This is the house we were looking at." But at still governs which (understood) in the objective. We can also say, "Whom were you talking to?"

4. Prepositions are divided into two classes: (i) simple; and (ii) compound.

(i) The following are simple prepositions: at, by, for, in, of, off, on, out, to, with, up.

(ii) The compound prepositions are formed in several ways :—

(a) By adding a comparative suffix to an adverb: after, over, under.

(b) By prefixing a preposition to an adverb: above, about, before, behind, beneath, but (=be-out), throughout, within, etc.

(c) By prefixing a preposition to a noun: aboard, across, around, among, beside, outside, etc.

(d) By prefixing an adverb or adverbial particle to a preposition: into, upon, until, etc.

(iii) The preposition but is to be carefully distinguished from the con- . junction but. "All were there but him." Here but is a preposition. "We waited an hour; but he did not come." Here but is a conjunction. But, the preposition, was in O.E. be-útan, and meant on the outside of, and then without: but, the conjunction, was in O.E. bot. The old proverb, "Touch not the cat but a glove," means without a glove."

(iv) Down was adown of down=off the down or hill.
(v) Among was on gemong, in the crowd.

(vi) There are several compound prepositions made up of separate words: instead of, on account of, in spite of, etc.

(vii) Some participles are used as prepositions: notwithstanding, concerning, respecting. The prepositions except and save may be regarded as imperatives.

5. The same words are used sometimes as adverbs, and sometimes as prepositions. We distinguish these words by their function. They can also be used as nouns or as adjectives.