RULE XXI. In the use of verbs, and words that in point of time relate to each other, the order and consistency of time should be observed; as, instead of saying, 'The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken away,' it should be, The Lord gave,' &c. 'I tell you that I will do it if I can,' it should be, I told you that I would do it if I could.' In such cases, as Dr. Lowth remarks, the best rule "is to observe what the sense necessarily requires." Note. The past tense should never be used for the past participle, nor the past participle for the past tense; as, He is came,' instead of 'he is come;' 'I seen,' instead of 'I saw;' I sung,' instead of 'I sang.' EXERCISES To be corrected and parsed according to the twenty-first Rule and the Note under it. 1. I shall be at school two years next June. 2. And he that was dead sat up. 3. And the multitude wondered when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame walk, and the blind see. 4. After I came to London, I went to France. 5. Be that as it will, he cannot justify his conduct. 6. He would have assisted one of his friends if he could do it without injuring the other. 7. They continue with me four weeks. 8. The bread that has been eat is soon forgot. 10. It was his window that was broke. RULE XXII. Two negatives in the English language destroy each other, or are equivalent to an affirmative; as, Nor did they not see him;' that is, 'they did see him.' never be no richer;' that is, 'he will be richer.' He will Note. It is always better to express an affirmation by a regular affirmative than by two separate negatives; but when one of the negatives is joined to another word, as, 'He is not ungentlemanly,' it forms a pleasing sound, EXERCISES To be corrected and parsed according to the twentysecond Rule and the Note under it. 1. He will never be no better. 2. I cannot by any means do this. 3. Never no imitator ever grew up to his author. RULE XXIII. When the qualities of different things are compared, the latter noun or pronoun is not governed by the conjunction than or as, but agrees with the verb, or is governed by the verb or the preposition, expressed or understood; as, "Thou art better than I;' that is to say, 'than I am.' EXERCISES To be corrected and parsed according to the twentythird Rule. 1. They gained more than me by this expedition. RULE XXIV. The interjections have no government, but they are sometimes followed by the objective case of pronouns, and by the nominative of pronouns of the second person. The objective case after an interjection is not governed by it, but by a preposition understood, and the nominative case after it is the nominative case of address; as, 'Ah me!' —that is, Alas! for me;' Ah thou! - thou' is the nominative case of address. RULE XXV. ELLIPSIS. Ellipsis, in grammar, is the omission of some word or words in a sentence for the sake of brevity and smoothness of style thus, instead of saying, 'He was a learned, he was a wise, he was a good man,' we make use of the ellipsis, and say, 'He was a learned, wise, and good man.' But when the omission of words would obscure the sentence, or be attended by any ambiguity, the elliptical words should be supplied. EXERCISES To be corrected and parsed according to the twentyfifth Rule. 1. A man, a woman and a child died last night. 2. The day and the hour were fixed for his execution. 3. This is the man they love. 4. The man was old, and was blind. 5. He regards his word, but thou dost not regard it. 6. He spoke wisely, and acted wisely. RULE XXII. Nor did Two negatives in the English language destroy each other, or are equivalent to an affirmative; as, they not see him;' that is, 'they did see him.' never be no richer; that is, 'he will be richer.' Note. It is always better to express an affirmation by a regular affirmative than by two separate negatives; but when one of the negatives is joined to another word, as, 'He is not ungentlemanly,' it forms a pleasing sound. EXERCISES To be corrected and parsed according to the twentysecond Rule and the Note under it. 1. He will never be no better. 2. I cannot by any means do this. 3. Never no imitator ever grew up to his author. RULE XXIII. When the qualities of different things are compared, the latter noun or pronoun is not governed by the conjunction than or as, but agrees with the verb, or is governed by the verb or the preposition, expressed or understood; as, "Thou art better than I;' that is to say, ‘than I am.' EXERCISES To be corrected and parsed according to the twentythird Rule. 1. They gained more than me by this expedition. RULE XXIV. The interjections have no government, but they are sometimes followed by the objective case of pronouns, and by the nominative of pronouns of the second person. The objective case after an interjection is not governed by it, but by a preposition understood, and the nominative case after it is the nominative case of address; as, 'Ah me!' -that is, Alas! for me;' 'Ah thou! 'thou' is the nominative case of address. RULE XXV. ELLIPSIS. Ellipsis, in grammar, is the omission of some word or words in a sentence for the sake of brevity and smoothness of style thus, instead of saying, 'He was a learned, he was a wise, he was a good man,' we make use of the ellipsis, and say, 'He was a learned, wise, and good man.' But when the omission of words would obscure the sentence, or be attended by any ambiguity, the elliptical words should be supplied. EXERCISES To be corrected and parsed according to the twentyfifth Rule. 1. A man, a woman and a child died last night. 2. The day and the hour were fixed for his execution. 3. This is the man they love. 4. The man was old, and was blind. 5. He regards his word, but thou dost not regard it. 6. He spoke wisely, and acted wisely. |