The parser's manual : embracing classified examples in nearly every variety of English construction : designed for schools and for the use of private students

Front matter

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_ UNITED STATES OP AMERICA. _

Preface

The text-books of English Grammar are universally deficient in two particulars : the first is, that the parsing exercises are not sufficiently varied ; and the second is, that the exercises lack in point of copiousness. Difficult constructions are often left unnoticed ; important principles are frequently illustrated hy only a single example, and that not. designed to be parsed; and when a formal exercise in parsing is given, the examples are hardly ever sufficiently numerous.

As a consequence of this paucity of examples in the text-books, and the deficiency in drill resulting therefrom, students generally fail to become adepts in this department of learning. But few of the pupils in our best taught schools ever acquire the ability to tell, in many instances, to what part of speech a word in a given sentence belongs. There is not one in a hundred of those who have graduated in the study of English Grammar, that can recognize adjectives with certainty when they stand immediately after the nouns to which they relate. There is not one in a thousand who ever masters the subject of the participles, or becomes familiar with the subjunctive and infinitive modes in all their phases. The list of prepositions being small, most students learn to call at sight the more common words belonging to this part of speech ; but there is hardly one in ten thousand who can distinguish a preposition by its office, or who, when he meets with an unusual preposition, will recognize it as belonging to this class of words.

To the very important and extensive subject of ellipsis, authors commonly devote about the third of a page, in which space they

4 PREFACE.

define the term, and give four or five examples. It is, therefore, not to be wondered at that hardly one student in a hundred thousand becomes able to supply words that are understood with a tolerable degree of readiness and correctness.

That our students of grammar are thus deficient is not altogether the fault of their teachers ; for grammar can not be thoroughly taught without the use of a well-digested system of printed or written parsing exercises. Nor is it the fault of the authors who have prepared our text-books in grammar. We have many excellent treatises which are all that a text-book in grammar ought to be. The introduction into a text-book of such an amount of drill exercises as would be necessary to make learners perfectly familiar with the parsing and analysis of all kinds of sentences, would either make a volume too large to be conveniently handled, or it would crow d out every thing else that should find a place in a text-book on grammar. It is, therefore, indispensably necessary that we should have a book specially devoted to the subject of parsing.

The present volume is designed to be a companion of any of the text-books used in our schools. It is not intended that the articles shall be taken up and studied consecutively in the order in which they stand in the book, but that such articles shall be taken up, or referred to from day to day, as will serve to impress more deeply on the minds of the pupils the lesson of their text-book.

The author would suggest that in going over an example parsed as a " model," the members of the class should close their books. It would not be advisable that every word of a sentence should always be parsed, but only so much of the sentence as serves to illustrate the rule or principle under consideration. Neither would it always be expedient to parse all the examples belonging to any particular section or sub-section.

The author would advise that, in parsing, the pupils should apply the rules of their text-books.

SYNOPSIS.

PAGE

Article I. — Infinitives used as Nouns • ... 13

Article II. — Participles used as Nouns . . . . 16

Article III. — Adjectives used as Nouns .... 24

Article IV. — Words used as Nouns, independently of their

meaning 28

Article V. — Phrases used as Nouns . . . .28

Article VI. — Sentences used as Nouns .... 34

Article VII. — Proper and Common Nouns distinguished 39

Article VIII. — Compound Nouns . . . . . 41

Article IX. — Collective Nouns 47

Article X. — Personification 52

Article XI. — Pronouns 59

Article XII. — Adjectives 82

Article XIII. — Participles 100

Article XIV. — Verbs 115

Article XV. — Adverbs 141

Article XVL— Prepositions . . . ... .152

Article XVII.— Conjunctions 162

Article XVIII.— The Nominative Cnse Independent . 170

Article XIX.— Apposition 178

Article XX.— The same Case after a Verb as before it . 196

6 SYNOPSIS.

PAGE

Article XXI. — The same word used as different parts of

Article XXII. — Transposition 225

Article XXIII.— Ellipsis . ... . .236

Article XXIV. — The Possessive Case .... 256

Article XXV. — A Noun singular preceded by two or

more Adjectives connected by and .... 258

Article XXVI. — Primary and Attributive Objects . . 259

Article XXVII. — The Objective Case after Passive Verbs 260

Article XXVIII.— The Infinitive Attribute ... 260 Article XXIX. — Infinitives following the Correlatives

Article XXX. — Infinitives preceded by the Correlatives

other .... than 261

Article XXXI. — Interjections . . 262

Article XXXIL— Words used as Substitutes for Sentences 26 Article XXXIII. — The use of present will, past would, as

a Principal Verb 264

Article XXXIV. — Infinitives used abstractly . . . 264

THE RULES OF SYNTAX.

Rule I. — A noun or personal pronoun used to explain a preceding noun or pronoun, is put by apposition in the same case. (See Examples in Article XIX.)

Rule II. — A noun or pronoun in the possessive case is governed by the noun denoting the thing possessed.

Note l.~ When two or more possessives refer conjointly to the same thing, the sign of possession is used only in the last. (See Examples in Article XXIV, 1, a.)

Note 2. — When two or more possessives refer separately to the thing possessed, the sign must be used in each. (See Examples in Article XXIV, 1, b.)

Note 3. — When the governing noun is expressed, the possessive in apposition has the sign expressed, and the noun with which the possessive is in apposition omits the sign. (See Examples in Article XXIV, 2, a.)

Note 4. — When the governing noun is understood, a possessive in apposition with a preceding noun omits the sign, and the preceding noun has the sign expressed. (See Examples in Article XXIV, 2, b.)

Note 5. — When a noun denoting occupation, office, etc., is in apposition with a preceding noun or pronoun in the possessive, if the governing noun is understood, the noun in apposition omits the sign. (See Examples in Article XXIV, 2, c.)

Rule III. — Transitive verbs in the active voice govern the objective case.

8 THE RULES OF SYNTAX.

State 1. — The transitive verbs to call, to name, and the like, govern two objectives denoting the same person or thing, the one being called the primary, and the other the attributive object. (See Examples in Article XXVI, 1.)

"Note 2. — A transitive verb sometimes governs the subject of an infinitive as a primary object, and the infinitive itself as an attributive object. (See Examples in Article XXVI, 2.)

Note S. — The passive verbs to be asked, to be taught, and a few others, are sometimes followed by the objective case. (See Examples in Article XXVII.)

Kule IV. — Prepositions govern the objective case.

Utile V. — A noun or pronoun is in the nominative case independent, when its case depends on no other word.

Note 1. — When a noun is of the second person, it is in the nominative case independent by way of address. (See Examples in Article XVIII, 1.)

Note 2. — When the name of an object is uttered without connection with other words, to give expression to some emotion of the mind, it is in the nominative case independent by way of exclamation. (See Examples in Article XVIII, 3.)

Note 3. — When a noun in the nominative case is not the subject of any verb, but is represented by a pronoun which is the subject of the next verb, the noun is in the nominative case independent by way of pleonasm. (See Examples in Article XVIII, 4.)

Note 4. — A noun written on any object as its name, is in the nominative case independent by way of inscription. (See Examples in Article XVIII, 5.)

Note 5. — When a noun associated with a participle or infinitive is, in construction, independent of the sentence with which it is connected by location, it is in the nominative case absolute. (See Examples in Article XVIII, 6; and in Article V, 1 and 3.)

Itwle VI. — Pronouns must agree with their iintecedents in person, number, and gender. (See Examples in Article XI.)

THE RULES OF SYNTAX. 9

Note 1. — A pronoun representing two or more antecedents taken together, must be of the plural number. (See Examples in Article XI, 6.)

Note 2. — If the antecedents are singular, and refer to the same person or thing, the pronoun must be singular. (See Examples in Article XI, 6, c.)

Note 3. — A pronoun referring separately to two or more antecedents in the singular, must be in the singular. (See Examples in Article XI, 7.)

Note 4. — If the antecedents are of different persons, the pronoun must agree with the second in preference to the third, and with the first in preference either to the second or to the third. (See Examples in Article XI, 6, b.)

Note 5. — If a pronoun refer to two or more antecedents, one of the antecedents being feminine, and the other antecedent or antecedents being masculine, the pronoun must be parsed as masculine. (See Examples in Article XI, 6.)

Note 6. — If the antecedent is a collective noun conveying the idea of plurality, the pronoun must be plural.

Rule VII* — Adjectives qualify nouns and pronouns.

Note 1. — An adjective sometimes qualifies another adjective. (See Examples in Article XII, 7, g.)

Note 2. — An adjective may qualify a noun and adjective taken together. (See Examples in Article XII, 4.)

Note 3. — An adjective may qualify both the verb and its subject at the same time. (See Examples in Article XII, 5.)

Note 4. — Adjectives involving the idea of unity should be followed by singular nouns, and those involving the idea of plurality should be followed by plural nouns.

Remark 1. — The adjectives requiring singular nouns are the distributives each, every, either, neither ; the demonstratives this and that ; the indefinites a or an and another, and all denoting quantity; the ordinals first, second, third, etc., and the cardinal one.

Remark 2. — The adjectives sundry, divers, various, several, and the cardinals two, three, four, etc., and all denoting number, require nouns in the plural.

10 THE RULES OF SYNTAX.

Note 5. — When the basis of a substantive phrase consists of an infinitive or participle of an intransitive or passive verb, and of an adjective following the infinitive or participle, the adjective is used abstractly. (See Examples in Article V, 2 and 4.)

Remark. — An adjective or noun is said to be used abstractly when it is the implied attribute of some indefinite subject. (See Examples in Article XII, 2, c.) "*»

Mule VIII. — A noun or pronoun which is the subject of a finite verb must be in the nominative case.

Mule IXo — A finite verb must agree with its subject in number and person.

Note 1. — Verbs having two or more subjects taken together, and not signifying the same thing, must be in the plural number. (See Examples in Article XIV, 12, a.)

Note 2. — If the nominatives are in the singular number, and mean the same person or thing, the verb must be in the singular. (See Examples in Article XIV, 12, b.)

Note 3. — If the nominatives are in the singular, and are considered separately in reference to the verb, the verb must be in the singular number. (See Examples in Article XIV, 12, c.)

Note 4. — If a verb preceded by two or more nominatives, taken separately, refer to one of the nominatives, and not to the others, it must be parsed as agreeing with the nominative to which it refers, and the verb, in the proper person and number, must be supplied after each of the other nominatives. (See Examples in Article XIV, 12, d.)

Note 5. — When two or more nominatives of different persons are connected by and, the verb prefers the second person to the third, and the first person to either the second or the third. (See Examples in Article XIV, 12, e.)

Note 6. — If nominatives of different persons are connected by or or nor, the verb must agree with the nominative which stands next to it. (See Examples in Article XIV, 12, f.)

Note 7. — If the subject be a collective noun conveying the idea of plurality, the verb must be plural. (See Examples in Article IX, 1.)

THE RULES OF SYS TAX. 11

STote 8. — If the subject be a collective noun conveying unity of idea, the verb must be singular. (See Examples in Article IX, 2.)

Rule X. — An intransitive or passive verb may have the same case after it as before it, when both words refer to the same person or thing. (See Examples in Article

XX.)

3Tote. — When the basis of a substantive phrase consists of an infinitive or participle of an intransitive or passive verb, and of a noun or pronoun following the infinitive or participle, the noun or pronoun is in the nominative case, and is used abstractly.

OTHERWISE.

A noun or pronoun used as in the foregoing note may be parsed as being in the nominative absolute.

Mule XI. — An infinitive or participle generally relates to some noun or pronoun as its subject.

Xote 1. — An infinitive or participle is sometimes used independently.

Note 2. — To, the sign of the infinitive, is omitted after the verbs bid, dare, let, and some others. (See Examples in Article XXIII,

Note 3. — Verbs in the infinitive are sometimes used abstractly. (See Examples in Article XXXIV.)

Remark. — Verbs in the infinitive are used abstractly when they follow the participle or infinitive of an intransitive or passive verb.

Note 4. — Infinitives following passive verbs which in the active voice may govern an infinitive as an attributive object, also infinitives following the intransitive verbs to be, to seem, to appear, and some others, are called the infinitive attribute. (See Examples in Article XXVIII.)

Rule XII. — Adverbs qualify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. (See Examples in Article XV.)

Rule XIII. — Conjunctions connect words, phrases, and sentences.

12 THE RULES OE SYNTAX.

Mule XI V. — An interjection has no grammatical relation to other words in a sentence.

ABBEEVIATIONS.

N., noun; adj., adjective ; pron., pronoun ; v., verb ; adv., adverb; prep., preposition; conj., conjunction; com., common; prop., proper; masc, masculine gender; fern., feminine gender; neut., neuter gender; sing., singular number; plu., plural number; noni., nominative case; poss., possessive case; obj., objective case; ind., indicative mode; subj., subjunctive mode; inf., infinitive mode; pres., present tense ; 1st, first person ; 2d, second person ; 3d, third person ; comp., compound.

Explanation. — The brackets [ ] indicate the position of an ellipsis.

THE PARSER'S MANUAL.

ARTICLE I.

INFINITIVES USED AS NOUNS.

Section 1

An infinitive may be used as a noun in the nominative case, and be the subject of a 'proposition.

EXAMPLES.

1. To err is human (a). 2. To forgive is divine. 3. To see the sun is pleasant. 4. To break a promise is dishonorable. 5. To lie is a sin (b). 6. To steal is a crime. 7. To love our enemies is a Christian duty (c). 8. To do unto others as we would that they should do unto us is the golden rule. 9. To be ridiculed is unpleasant.

MODELS FOR PARSING.

(a) To err is a verb, regular, intransitive, infinitive, present. It is here used as a noun of the neuter gender, third person, singular number, nominative case, and subject of the verb is. — Rule VIII.

Is is a verb, irregular, intransitive, indicative, present, third person, and singular number, to agree with its subject to err. — Rule IX.

Human is an adjective, not compared, and qualifies the subject to err.— Eule VII.

(6) Sin is a noun, neut., 3d, sing., and nom. after is, because it refers to the same thing with the subject to lie. — Kule X.

(c) To love is a verb, reg., trans., inf., pres., and is here used as a noun ; com., neut., 3d, sing., nom., and is the subj. of the verb is. — Eule VIII.

Duty is a noun, etc., in the nom. after is, referring to the same thing with the subj. to love. — Rule X.

An infinitive may be used as a noun in the predicate nominative.

EXAMPLES.

1. My intention is to return (a). 2. My hope is to succeed. 3. His aim is to excel. 4. His wish is to be relieved. 5. His delight is to do good. 6. Where is the child that would willingly forget the most tender of parents, though to remember be but to lament?

MODEL FOR PARSING.

(a) To return is a verb, reg., intrans., inf., pres. ; used as a noun, etc., and nom. after the verb is, referring to the same thing with the subj. intention. — Rule X.

An infinitive may be used as a noun in the objective case, governed by a transitive verb.

EXAMPLES.

1. Children love to play (a). 2. John desires to learn. 3. Thomas neglected to study his lesson. 4. James asked to be excused. 5. The vessel attempted to

INFINITIVES USED AS NOUNS. 15

run the blockade. 6. The wind began to blow. 7. One must begin to love somewhere, and to do good somewhere.

MODEL FOR PARSING.

(a) To play is a verb, etc. ; inf., pres. ; used as a noun, etc. ; obj., and governed by love. — Rule III.

An infinitive may be used as a noun in the objective case, governed by a 'preposition.

EXAMPLES.

1. We are liable [to] to be disappointed (a). 2. He is certain [of] to be disappointed (6). 3. He has a desire [for] to excel. 4. The means [ ] to accomplish the end were wanting. 5. Pytheas is come [ ] to die, and to redeem his friend. — Translated from Fenelon. 6. On the day of her death, Lord Guilford asked permission [ ] to see her. 7. I return [ ] to suffer, though I do not deserve death. — Translated from Fenelon. 8. He who is accustomed [ ] to turn aside from the world, and [ ] to commune with himself, will sometimes hear truths which the multitude do not tell him.

MODEL FOR PARSING.

(a) To be disappointed is a verb, etc. ; inf., pres. ; used as a noun, etc. ; obj., and governed by the preposition to understood. — Rule IV.

OTHERWISE.

Supply an ellipsis and read thus : " We are liable [to this thing, namely,] to be disappointed ;" and parse to be disappointed as a noun in the objective case, and put in apposition with thing understood. — Rule I.

ARTICLE II.

PAETICIPLES USED AS NOUNS.

Section 1.

The present active participle may be used as a noun in the nominative case, and be the subject of a proposition.

EXAMPLES.

1. Singing strengthens the voice (a). 2. Walking is a healthful exercise. 3. Yawning is contagious. 4. Lying is a mean vice. 5. Loving all fulfills the divine law (b). 6. The forgiving of one's enemies is enjoined by the Savior.

MODELS FOR PARSING.

(a) Singing is the present active participle of the irregular intransitive verb to sing, and is here construed as a noun, neut., 3d, sing., and nora. case to the verb strengthens. — Rule VIII.

(b) liOving is the pres. act. participle of the reg. trans, verb to love, and is here construed as a noun, etc., and is the subj. of the verb fulfills.— Rule VIII.

All is a noun, etc. ; obj., and governed by the participle loving. — Rule III.

The present active participle may be used as the nominative after the verb to be.

EXAMPLES.

1. Love is the fulfilling of the law (a). 2. Seeing is believing. 3. Analysis is a separating or taking apart (6). 4. Friction is the rubbing of bodies together.

PARTICIPLES USED AS NOUNS. 17

5. Congelation is the solidifying of liquids by cold.

6. Combustion is the consuming of bodies by fire.

MODELS FOR PARSING.

(a) Fulfilling is the pres. active participle of the reg. trans, verb to fulfill, and is here construed as a noun in the nom. case after the intrans. verb is. — Eule X.

(b) Talting apart is the pres. act. participle of the irreg. trans, compound verb to take apart, and has here the construction of a noun in the nom. after is. — Rule X.

Tlie present active participle may be used as a noun in the objective case, governed by a transitive verb.

EXAMPLES.

1. The farmer has commenced the cutting of his corn (a). 2. The merchant has finished the invoicing of his goods. 3. The carelessness of the engineer caused the bursting of the boiler. 4. The skill of the pilot prevented the wrecking of the vessel.

MODEL FOR PARSING.

(a) Cutting is the pres. act. participle of the irreg. trans, verb to cut, and is used here as a noun, neut., 3d, sing., obj., and governed by has commenced. — Rule III.

The present active participle may be used as a noun in the objective case, governed by a preposition.

EXAMPLES.

1. The pupils are engaged in studying their lessons (a). 2. The farmers are occupied in cutting their corn. P. M.-2.

3. Temperance, by fortifying the mind and body, leads to happiness ; intemperance, by enervating them, ends generally in misery. — Blair. 4. I am far from advising any measure that would, in future, endanger the state. — Lord Mansfield.

MODELS FOR PARSING.

(a) Studying is the present active participle of the reg. trans, verb to study. It is here used as a noun, etc. ; obj., and governed by the preposition in. — Rule IV.

Lessons is a noun, etc. ; objective, and governed by the participle studying. — Rule III.

The perfect active 'participle may be used as a noun in the nominative case.

EXAMPLES.

1. His having left was unknown to me (a). 2. His having studied Latin facilitated his acquisition of the French (6). 3. His having neglected to improve his time and opportunities, while young, was a source of regret to him in after life.

MODELS FOR PARSING.

(a) Having left is the perf. act. part, of the irreg. intrans. verb to leave. It is here used as a noun, etc., in the nom., and subj. of the verb was. — Rule VIII.

His is a pron., personal, 3d, sing., masc, poss., and is governed by the noun having left. — Rule II.

Unknown is an adj., qualifying the noun having left. — Rule VII.

(b) Latin is a noun, prop., neut., 3d, sing., obj., and governed by the participle having studied. — Rule ITT.

PARTICIPLES USED AS NOUNS. 19

The perfect active participle may be used as a noun in the objective case, governed by a preposition.

EXAMPLES.

1. He was suspected of having corresponded (a) with the enemy.

2. He was accused of having embezzled (6) the money (c) of the Government.

3. We at length ended our distressful voyage by arriving at Naples, after having escaped a thousand dangers, both at sea and land. — Goldsmith.

4. The jailer was not aware of the prisoner's (d) having escaped.

5. I am not conscious of having neglected any duty.

6. The conspirators were not suspicious of the Government's having got information in regard to their plans.

MODELS FOR PARSING.

(a) Having corresponded is the 2d past part, of the reg. intrans. verb to correspond. It is used here as a noun, 3d, sing., neut., obj., and governed by of. — Eule IV.

(6) Having embezzled is the 2d past part, of the reg. trans, verb to embezzle. It is here used as a noun, 3d, sing., neut., obj., and is governed by of. — Rule IV.

(c) Money is a noun, etc. ; obj., and governed by having embezzled.— "Rule III.

(d) Prisoner's is a noun, etc. ; poss., and governed by the participial noun having escaped. — Rule II.

The present passive participle may be used as a noun in the nominative case.

EXAMPLES.

1. His being provided with letters of introduction was an advantage to him (a). 2. His being discouraged was the cause of his abandoning the enterprise. 3. His being provided afresh with means enabled him to resume his business.

MODELS FOR PARSING.

(a) Being provide*! is the pres. pass. part, of the reg. trans, verb to provide. It is here used as a noun, neut., 3d, sing., nom., and is the subj. of the verb was. — Kule VIII.

His is a pron., masc., 3d, sing., poss., and is governed by the noun being provided. — Rule II.

Advantage is a noun, etc., in the nom. case after was, because it relates to the same thing with the noun being provided, which is also in the nom. case, and is the subj. of was. — Rule X.

The present passive participle may be used as a noun in the objective case, governed by a transitive verb.

EXAMPLES.

1 . He could not help being discouraged by his repeated failures (a). 2. The careful guarding of the treasure prevented its being plundered. 3. Who, on contemplating the close of life, can avoid being touched with sensations at once awful and tender? — Blair.

MODEL FOR PARSING.

(a) Being discouraged is the pass. part, of the reg. trans, verb to discourage. It is here used as a noun, etc.; obj., and governed by the trans, verb help. — Rule III.

PARTICIPLES USED AS NOUNS, 21

Tlie present passive participle may be used as a noun in the

objective case, governed by a preposition.

EXAMPLES.

1. Upon being dismissed, the scholars went home (a). 2. Upon being provided with a light, we entered the cavern. 3. The health of the prisoners suffered in consequence of their not being provided with wholesome food. 4. The laborers complained of not being duly paid. 5. It is supposed that persons surfer no pain in being killed by lightning. 6. From not being properly cared for, the patient died (6).

MODELS FOR PARSING.

(a) Being dismissed is the pre?, pass. part, of the reg. trans, verb to dismiss. It is here used as a noun, etc. ; obj., and is governed by the preposition upon. — Rule IV.

(h) Being eared for is the pres. pass. part, of the reg. trans, compound verb to care for. It is here used as a noun, etc. ; obj., and governed by the preposition from. — Rule IV.

Tlie perfect passive participle may be used as a noun in the nominative case.

EXAMPLES.

1. Its having been planted too late was the cause of the corn's not maturing (a). 2. The wall's having been poorly constructed was the cause of its falling. 3. His not having been provided with adequate means was the cause of his not succeeding in the enterprise. 4. The child's having been burned was the cause of his dreading the fire. 5. Their having been often deceived rendered them distrustful.

MODELS FOR PARSING.

(a) Having been planted is the perf. pass. part, of the reg. trans, verb to plant. It is here used as a noun, etc., in the nom. case, and is the subj. of was. — Rule VIII.

Its is a pron., etc., agreeing with com as its antecedent — Rule VI ; and is in the poss. case, being governed by the noun having been planted. — Kule II.

Cause is a noun, etc. ; nom. after was, because it relates to the same thing with the noun having been planted, which is the subj. of ivas. — Rule X.

The perfect passive participle mag be used as a noun in the objective case, governed by a preposition .

EXAMPLES.

1. On account of its having been planted too late, the corn did not mature (a). 2. In consequence of its not having been carefully built, the wall fell. ' 3. From its not having been properly prepared, the food was unpalatable. 4. In consequence of his having been injured by a fall, he was unable to labor. 5. On account of his having been disabled by a wound, the soldier was discharged.

MODEL FOR PARSING.

(a) Having been planted is the perf. pass. part, of the reg. trans, verb to plant. It is here used as a noun, etc.; obj. case, and governed by the prep. of. — Kule IV.

Section 12,

The past participle passive may be used as a noun.

PARTICIPLES USED AS NOUS& 23

EXAMPLES.

1. They press the besieged (a) hard upon the outer wall. — Scott.

2. The departed ! (6) the departed !

They visit us in dreams, And they glide above our memories, Like shadows over streams.