A verb transitive in one sentence; as, He writes good English, may be intransitive in another; as, He writes well meaning simply He is a good writer. A verb is transitive only when an object is expressed or obviously understood. Washington captured Cornwallis. Here captured represents the act as having taken place in past time. Tense means time, and hence this verb is in the past tense. Cornwallis captured, the war speedily closed. Here captured is, as you have learned, a participle; and, representing the act as past at the time indicated by closed, it is a past participle. Notice that ed is added to capture (final e is always dropped when ed is added) to form its past tense and its past participle. All verbs that form the past tense and the past participle by adding ed to the present are called Regular Verbs.

All verbs that do not form the past tense and the past participle by adding ed to the present; as, fall, fell, fallen; go, went, gone, are called Irregular Verbs.

Early, hereafter, now, often, soon, presently, etc., used to modify any verb as, will go in, I will go soon - by expressing time, are called Adverbs of Time.

Away, back, elsewhere, hence, out, within, etc., used to modify any verbas, will go in, I will go away-by expressing direction or place, are called Adverbs of Place.

Exceedingly, hardly, quite, sufficiently, too, very, etc., used to modify a word as the adjective hot in, The tea is very hot by expressing degree, are called Adverbs of Degree. Plainly, so, thus, well, not,* etc., used to modify a word

*It may be worth remarking that while there are many negative nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and conjunctions in our language, negation is more frequently expressed in English by the adverb than by any other part of speech - than by all other parts of speech. A very large per cent of these adverbs modify the verb. That is to say, it is largely through the adverb that what the predicate expresses is declared not to be true of the thing named by the subject. It is very

-as, spoke in, He spoke plainly - by expressing manner, are called Adverbs of Manner.

Hence, therefore, why, etc., used in making an inference. or in expressing cause as, It is dark, hence, or therefore, the sun is down; Why is it dark? are called Adverbs of

Cause.

Some adverbs fall into more than one class; as, so and as. Some adverbs, as you have learned, connect clauses, and are therefore called Conjunctive Adverbs.

DEFINITIONS

A Verb is a word that asserts action, being, or state of being.

CLASSES OF VERBS WITH RESPECT TO MEANING

A Transitive Verb is one that requires an object.* suggestive that much of what is said consists of denial—is taken up in telling not what is true of things but what is not true of them.

"The negative particle in our language is simply the consonant n. In Saxon it existed as a word ne; but we have lost that word, and it is now a letter only, which enters into many words, as into no, not, nought, none, neither, nor, never." Earle.

No and yes (nay and yea), when used to answer questions, show how the thought presented is regarded, and may therefore be classed with adverbs of manner. They are sometimes called independent adverbs. They seem to modify words omitted in the answer but contained in the question; as, Did you see him? No I did no (not) see him; Will you go? Yes. The force of yes may be illustrated by substituting certainly — Will you go? Certainly Certainly I will go, or I will certainly go.

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As no and yes represent or suggest complete answers, they may be called sentence-words.

* The object of a transitive verb, that is, the name of the receiver of the action, may be the object complement or it may be the subject; as, Brutus stabbed Cæsar; Cæsar was stabbed by Brutus. See page 225.

An Intransitive Verb is one that does not require an object.

CLASSES OF VERBS WITH RESPECT TO FORM

A Regular Verb is one that forms its past tense and past participle by adding ed to the present.

An Irregular Verb is one that does not form its past tense and past participle by adding ed to the present.

An Adverb is a word used to modify a verb, an adjective, or an adverb.*

CLASSES OF ADVERBS

Adverbs of Time are those that generally answer the question, When?

Adverbs of Place are those that generally answer the question, Where?

Adverbs of Degree are those that generally answer the question, To what extent?

Adverbs of Manner are those that generally answer the question, In what way?

* Adverbs have several exceptional uses. They may be used independently; as, Now, there must be an error here. They may modify a phrase or a preposition; as, He came just in time; It went far beyond the mark. They may modify a clause or a sentence; as, He let go simply because he was exhausted; Certainly you may go.

It may also be noted here that adverbs are used interrogatively; as, How, when, and where is this to be done? and that they may add to the office of the adverb that of the conjunction; as, I go where I am

sent.

Adverbs of Cause are those that generally answer the question, Why?

Direction. Point out the transitive and the intransitive, the regular and the irregular verbs in Lesson 14, and classify the adverbs.

LESSON 93

CONSTRUCTION OF ADVERBS

Caution. Choose apt adverbs, but do not use them needlessly or instead of other forms of expression; avoid such as repeat the idea or exaggerate it.

Examples. I could ill (not illy) afford the time. Do as (not like) I do. A diphthong is the union of two vowels (not where or when two vowels unite) in the same syllable. This (not this here or this 'ere) sentence is correct. He wrote that (not how that) he had been sick. The belief in immortality is universally held (not universally held everywhere). His nose was very (not terribly or frightfully) red.

Direction. Study the Caution and the Examples, and correct these errors:

1. I returned back here yesterday. 2. He had not hardly a minute to spare. 3. The affair was settled amicably, peaceably, and peacefully. 4. It was awfully amusing. 5. This 'ere knife is dull. 6. That 'ere horse has the heaves. 7. A direct quotation is when the exact words of another are copied. 8. I do not like too much sugar in my tea. 9. He seldom or ever went home sober. 10. The belief in

immortality is universally held by all. 11. I am dreadfully glad to hear that. 12. This is a fearfully long lesson. 13. He said how that he would go.

Caution. So place adverbs that there can be no doubt as to what you intend them to modify. Have regard to the sound also. They seldom stand between to and the infinitive.*

Examples. I only rowed across the river = I only (= alone, an adjective), and no one else, rowed etc., or = I only rowed etc., but did not swim or wade. I rowed only across the river across, not up or down etc. I rowed across the river only

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the river only, not the bay etc. Merely to see Not every collegian is

(not to merely see) her was sufficient.

a scholar (not Every collegian is not a scholar).

Direction. Study the Caution and the Examples, and correct these errors:

1. I have thought of marrying often. 2. We only eat three meals a day. 3. He hopes to rapidly recruit. 4. All is not gold that glitters. 5. He tries to distinctly speak. 6. He tries distinctly to speak. 7. All that glitters is not gold. 8. His sagacity almost appears miraculous.

* Instances of the "cleft, or split, infinitive”—the infinitive separated from its to by an intervening adverb are found in Early English and in English all the way down. Fitzedward Hall and others have shown this.

But there can be no question that usage is overwhelmingly against an adverb's standing between to and the infinitive. Few writers ever place an adverb there at all; and these few, only an occasional adverb, and that adverb only occasionally.

Whether the adverb should be placed before the to or after the infinitive is often a nice question, sometimes to be determined by the ear alone. It should never stand, however, where it would leave the meaning ambiguous or in any way obscure.