PREFACE. Of all the writers on English Grammar, Lindley Murray has enjoyed by far the greatest share of popularity; and the fact that his little Abridgment of his own work, having gone through one hundred and twentythree editions, is at present sold most extensively in stereotype, must be a convincing proof that the author and his work have not yet begun to experience any change of popular opinion. It has been thought that a new edition of this Abridgment, augmented and adapted to the use of the intermediate classes of learners, may be a useful volume in the hands of the English teacher. Besides those, to whom the smaller Abridgment is serviceable, there are others to whom the tutor would gladly convey a little more extended information on the subject of their grammatical studies; and, it might be considered highly useful for those who have gone through the small volume, to retrace their steps and take an enlarged view of the ground which they have traversed. Moreover, as example is always better than precept, the utility of analysing the whole subject of English Grammar by means of copious exercises, must be evident to all. With these views, the present volume is sent forth, being, as it were, an enlarged Abridgment of Lindley Murray, and containing examples and exercises so numerous that a pupil, who has gone through them all, may be fairly supposed to possess a very competent and satisfactory knowledge of the subject. ENGLISH GRAMMAR. ENGLISH GRAMMAR is the art of speaking and writing the English language with propriety. It is divided into four parts, viz. ORTHOGRAPHY, ETYMOLOGY, SYNTAX, and PROSODY. ORTHOGRAPHY. LETTERS. Orthography teaches the nature and powers of letters, and the just method of spelling words. A letter is the first principle, or least part, of a word. The letters of the English language, called the English Alphabet, are twenty-six in number. These letters are the representatives of certain articulate sounds, which are the elements of the language. An articulate sound is the sound of the human voice, formed by the organs of speech. B |