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LESSON XLI.

SINGULAR AND PLURAL FORMS OF NOUNS.

Tell which of these words mean one, and which mean more than

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How many forms has each of these nouns?

The form of a word used in speaking of one thing is called the singular form. The word is said to be in the singular number.

The form of a word used in speaking of more than one thing is called the plural form. The word is said to be in the plural number. Copy the following nouns, and opposite each noun write its plural: —

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Tell how the nouns of each class form the plural.†

Name three nouns that have the same form in both numbers.

DICTATION EXERCISE.

I. Butterflies have short lives.

2. Two families have already engaged rooms for the summer. 3. The thieves escaped.

4. The chimneys of three cities are in sight.

5. The hills and valleys are bright with autumn leaves.

6. Monkeys are found in the forests of Central America. 7. The streams of Holland furnish no water-power, but the thrifty Dutch make windmills perform all kinds of work. 8. The lilies are waving in the meadows.

LESSON XLII.

POSSESSIVE FORMS OF NOUNS.

1. A child came to meet us.

2. The child's eyes were blue.

* Messrs. Brown or Mr. Browns.

To the Teacher.- Lead the pupil to form his own rules. Rules for reference

are given on page 184.

3. David stood by the gate.

4. Have you seen David's knife?

Name the subject and the predicate in each sentence.

What words in these sentences have more than one form? How does the second form of each word differ from the first form? What is the office of the word child's? Of the word David's? What are these forms of the noun called? How is the possessive of singular nouns formed?*

1. Two sailors came to the meeting.

2. Sailors' lives are full of peril.
3. Where are the boys?

4. The boys' sleds have come.

What is the subject of the verb came? In what number is the word sailors?

What is the office of the word sailors' in the second sentence?

Find a plural noun in the third sentence. What form does this word have in the fourth sentence? With what letter do the words sailors and boys end?

What do we add to plural nouns ending in s to form the possessive?

1. Mr. Brown sells men's clothing.

2. Children's voices are sweet.

*

What is the office of the word men's? Of the word children's? What has been added to each word?

What do we add to plural nouns not ending in s, to denote possession ? *

* See page 185, or see pages 73-76, Part II.

DICTATION EXERCISE.

1. Yonder is a robin's nest.

2. Call at the grocer's, and order three pounds of sweet potatoes.

3. Edwin's sister stopped at Mrs. Hunt's.

4. We have new styles in ladies' and children's suits.

5. Where is the yesterday's paper?

6. The grocers' and butchers' shops were filled with cus

tomers.

7. See whether the word is in Webster's dictionary.

8. Edith's and Emma's exercises are neatly written.

9. Where is James's hat?

10. Charles's brother has gone to Montreal.

LESSON XLIII.

COMPOUND POSSESSIVES.

1. Smith & Blake's store closes at six o'clock.

2. The dress was bought at Lord & Taylor's.

What does the first statement tell? Whose store closes at six o'clock? Why are the apostrophe and s added to the name of the firm?

Read the second sentence, supplying the word omitted at the end. What firm is mentioned in this sentence? Of how many words is the name of the firm composed? Which word has the possessive form?

When a name is composed of two or more words, add the possessive sign to the last word only.

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