NOTE 1, TO RULE 12. A noun in the possessive case, should always be
distinguished by the apostrophe, or mark of elision; as, The _nation's_
glory.
That girls book is cleaner than those boys books.
Not correct, because the nouns _girls_ and _boys_ are both in the
possessive case, and, therefore, require the apostrophe, by which they
should be distinguished; thus, "_girl's, boys'"_ according to the
preceding NOTE. [Repeat the note.]
Thy ancestors virtue is not thine.
If the writer of this sentence meant _one_ ancestor, he should have
inserted the apostrophe after _r_, thus, "_ancestor's"_; if more than
one, after _s_, thus, _"ancestors'_ virtue;" but, by neglecting to place
the apostrophe, he has left his meaning ambiguous, and we cannot
ascertain it. This, and a thousand other mistakes you will often meet
with, demonstrate the truth of my declaration, namely, that "without the
knowledge and application of grammar rules, you will often speak and
write in such a manner as not to be _understood."_ You may now turn back
and re-examine the "illustration" of Rules 3, 4, and 12, on page 52, and
then correct the following examples about _five_ times over.
A mothers tenderness and a fathers care, are natures gift's for mans
advantage. Wisdoms precept's form the good mans interest and happiness.
They suffer for conscience's sake. He is reading Cowpers poems. James
bought Johnsons Dictionary.
RULE 4. A verb must agree with its nominative in number and person.
Those boys improves rapidly. The men labors in the field. Nothing
delight some persons. Thou shuns the light. He dare not do it. They
reads well.
I know you can correct these sentences without a rule, for they all have
a harsh sound, which offends the ear. I wish you, however, to adopt the
habit of correcting errors by applying rules; for, by-and-by, you will
meet with errors in composition which you cannot correct, if you are
ignorant of the application of grammar rules.
Now let us clearly understand this 4th Rule. Recollect, it applies to
the _verb_ and not to the noun; therefore, in these examples the verb is
ungrammatical. The noun _boys_, in the first sentence, is of the third
person _plural_, and the verb _improves_ is of the third person
_singular_; therefore, Rule 4th is violated, because the verb dues not
agree with its nominative in _number_. It should be, "boys _improve_."
The verb would then be _plural_, and agree with its nominative according
to the Rule. In the fourth sentence, the verb does not agree in _person_
with its nominative. _Thou_ is of the _second_ person, and _shuns_ is of
the _third_. It should be, "thou _shunnest_," &c. You may correct the
other sentences, and, likewise, the following exercises in