Part 48 (2/2)

The teacher may find the following questions suggestive:--

+Observation Lesson+.--Is _Chicago_, or _city of Chicago_ the individual name of the place mentioned in (1)? Is _Chicago_, or _City of Chicago_ the name of the steamer mentioned in (2)? Is the town mentioned in (2) named _Jersey_, or _Jersey City_? Is the body of water mentioned in (1) known as _Michigan_, or _Lake Michigan_? What is the name of the island mentioned in (3)?--in (4)? Is _Irish_, or _Irish Sea_ the name of the body of water mentioned in (4)?

Notice that _Spanish_, in (3), and _English_, in (5), are not names, or nouns. They begin with capitals, because they are derived from the individual names _Spain_ and _England_.

What names in (7) usually denote relations.h.i.+p? Notice that such words as _uncle, captain, professor_, etc., do not necessarily begin with capitals unless prefixed to individual names.

What group of words in (6) is treated as an individual name? What in (8)?

Which words of these groups are regarded as the most important?

In (8) do you find a period after _Miss_?--after _Mrs._?

_Miss_ is not written as an abbreviation.

What words in (9) and (10) are used as names of the Deity? What is _Old Testament_ the particular name of?

What do you discover in the names found in (11)?

For other exercises, pupils may be required to bring in lists of geographical and biographical names, t.i.tles of books, etc.

We earnestly recommend the introduction here of letter-writing to ill.u.s.trate the use of capitals, abbreviations, and punctuation. (See pp.

146-161.) The writing of _headings, introductions, conclusions_, and _superscriptions_ will give most excellent practice in capitals, etc. The _body_ of the letter may be directed to the same end. For instance, an invitation to a friend may be accompanied by a description of the route to be taken and of the places or objects of interest to be seen on the way. Or the writer may mention some of the books he has read, with the names of the characters and of the places mentioned.

ADJECTIVES--CHOICE AND ARRANGEMENT.

Words denoting quality form a very large and important group. Our knowledge of things about us is a knowledge of their qualities. A writer's style is, to a large extent, determined by his use of adjectives. We therefore recommend special drill in the choice and the use of adjectives. The exercises given below may serve as suggestions to the teacher. Groups of adjectives like the following may be presented, the pupils being required to join them to appropriate nouns:--

_Some Qualities learned directly through the Senses_.

+Seeing+, scarlet crimson florid sallow opaque dingy vivid gorgeous gaudy variegated verdant transparent

+Hearing+, audible stunning thundering deafening purling husky monotonous discordant melodious

+Smelling+, fragrant balmy odorous rancid fetid aromatic

+Tasting+, acid acrid pungent delicious insipid brackish palatable savory luscious

+Feeling+.

rough gritty hard keen tepid sultry

Pupils will find little difficulty in largely increasing the lists above.

Many other groupings may be made; as, of qualities learned by comparison, measurement, or experiment; qualities of the mind; qualities pertaining to right and wrong, etc.

Groups of nouns like the following may be made, and the pupils may be required to mention as many qualities as possible belonging to each of the things named:--

chalk ice brooks clouds water snow ocean music

Pupils may mention animals properly described by the following adjectives:--

timid fleet cunning ferocious gentle graceful sagacious venomous

Careless persons and those that have a meager list of adjectives at command overwork and abuse such words as--

_nice, awful, horrid, splendid, elegant, lovely_.

We hear of _nice mountains_, _awful pens_, _horrid ink_, _splendid pie_, _elegant beef_, _lovely cheese_, etc.

<script>