The active always ends in ing, and the passive mostly in ed. The active signifies imperfect action, or begun and not ended, as, I am writing a letter. The passive signifies action perfect or finished, as the letter is written.

The participle is distinguished from the adjective by the former's expressing the idea of time, and the latter's denoting only a quality. The phrases loving to give, moving in haste, heated with wine, are participles giving the idea of time; but the following epithets, a loving child, a moving spectacle, a heated imagination, mark simply the qualities, and may be called participial adjectives.

7. An ADVERB is a part of speech joined to a verb, an adjective, a participle, and sometimes to another adverb, to express the quality or circumstance of it, as, He reads well, a truly good man, a very loving friend, he writes very correctly, how prettily she plays, she dances gracefully.

Some adverbs admit of comparison; as, often, oftener, oftenest; soon, sooner, soonest; and many of them are compared by the other adverbs, much, more, most.

Adverbs have relation to time; as, now, then, lately, &c.; to place, as, here, there, &c.; to number or quantity, as, once, twice, much, &c.

8. A CONJUNCTION is a part of speech that is used to connect words or sentences, as, John and James. He and I went, but we soon returned; because it was my father's desire. However we are to go again soon, if my mother will accompany us. I love you, because you are good. I will go, if you go with me. are diligent, therefore you shall be rewarded.

You

The conjunctions are albeit, although, and, also, because, but, either, else, however, if, neither, nor, though, therefore, thereupon, unless, whereas, whereupon, whether, notwithstanding, yet, &c.

But these six following are sometimes adverbs: also, as, otherwise, since, likewise, then. Except and save are sometimes verbs; for and that are sometimes conjunctions.

9. A PREPOSITION is a word set before nouns or pronouns, to express the relation of persons, places, or things, to each other, as, I go with him; he went from me ; divide this among you; we went before them.

The following are the principal prepositions: about, above, after, against, among or amongst, at, before, behind, below, beneath, between, beyond, by, for, from, in, into, of, off, on, upon, over, through, to, unto, towards, under, with, within, without.

10. An INTERJECTION is a word that expresses any sudden emotions of the mind; as, O! ah! oh! alas! hak! strange! O brave! Bravo! Good Sir! Bless me!

A SHORT SYNTAX,

OR RULES FOR WRITING AND SPEAKING GRAMMATICALLY.

RULE 1. A verb must agree with its noun or pronoun, as, the boy reads, she learns, thou readest, we learn, I love, we play, they look. It would be improper to say, I loves, we plays, they looks, &c.

RULE 2. Pronouns must always agree with the nouns for which they stand, or to which they refer; as, Learn your task, it is easy. Love your parents, they love you. Your sister is arrived, bid her walk in.

RULE 3. The pronouns I, thou, he, she we, ye, they, go before the verbs in sentences; and me, thee, him, her, us, you, them, are put after the verbs; as, I love you, he sees me, she knows him, thou lovest her, we know you, they walk with us, I ride with them.

RULE 4. When two nouns are joined together by a conjunction, they require a plural verb; as, John and James are here. The man and his wife are happy. Socrates and Plato were wise. The king and queen have dined.

RULE 5. When two nouns come together, one of which belongs to the other, the first noun requires to have an s annexed to it; as, My father's house, man's happiness, virtue's reward.

RULE 6. The pronoun who refers to persons, and which to things; as, He who preserves me. The man who commands you. The estate which was bought. The goods which were sold. The prize which the boy gained, who excelled in learning.

OF CAPITALS.

CAPITALS are proper only in the following cases :

1. At the beginning of any writing, book, chapter, paragraph, and the beginning of every line in poetry.

2. After a period or full stop, at the beginning of a new sentence, also in the pronoun I, and the interjection 0.

3. All the names of God must begin with a capital letter, and all proper names, as, Almighty, Lord, Eternal; Thomas, London, Paris, England, France, &c.

4. Adjectives derived from proper names; as, Grecian, Roman, English, Baxterian, &c.

5. Words of importance; as, the Reformation; the Revolution,

THE MARKS AND STOPS IN READING.

() A comma is a pause, or resting in speech, while you may count one; as in the first stop of the following example: Get wisdom, get understanding; forget it not: neither decline from the words of my mouth.

() A semicolon is a pause while you may count two, as in the second pause of the above example.

(:) A colon is a pause while you may count three: it is used when the sense is perfect, but not ended; as in the third stop of the above example.

(.) A period, or full stop, denotes the longest pause, or while you may count four. It is placed after a sentence, when it is complete and fully ended, as in the last stop of the above example.

(—) The dash is used where the sentence breaks off abruptly; or where a significant pause is required, as in page 33.

(?) An interrogation is used when a question is asked, and requires as long a pause as a full stop, as, Who is that?

(1) A note of admiration is used when anything is expressed with wonder, and requires a pause somewhat longer than a period; as, O Lord, how glorious are thy works!

() A parenthesis is used to include words in a sentence which may be left out without injuring the sense, as, Pride (says a great author) was not made for man.

(^) A caret is used only in writing, to denote that a letter or word is left out.

1

(-) The hyphen is used to separate syllables, and the parts of compound words, as watch-ing, coach-man.

(') The apostrophe at the head of a letter denotes the omission of one or more letters; as, lov'd, tho', for loved, though. And it is used to mark the possessive case; as, Virtue's reward, meaning, the reward of virtue.

("or") Quotations are put at the beginning of lines or sentences taken from other authors.

(*) An asterisk, and (†) an obelisk or dagger, and (1) parallels, are used to refer to some note in the margin, or at the foot of the page.

(T). A paragraph is used chiefly in the Bible, and denotes the beginning of a new subject.

(-) An Ellipsis is used when some letters in a word are omitted; as K-g for king.

() An Index points out something very remarkable.

(") A Diaresis divides two vowels into two syllables, that would otherwise make a diphthong; as, Creätor.