PARSING.

Parsing consists in showing to what class or part of speech each word belongs, with its relations in a sentence.

Note 1.- As a small work on English Parsing' written by the author is already in the possession of several thousands of readers, and can be obtained through any bookseller from Longman & Co., London, easy examples suited for young beginners are omitted in the present work.

Note 2. Before attempting long or difficult passages, pupils are requested to make themselves acquainted with the remarks upon the following short sentences, which will greatly assist them afterwards.

Note 3. The notes given on classification and syntax should also be well studied, as a knowledge of them will render parsing a very easy exercise. See Preface.

Sentences.

(a) Ladies, take your seats.

(b) The ladies take their

seats.

(c) I saw the girl take the book.

Remarks.

In sentence (a), ladies is in the nominative case of address; the verb take is in the imperative mood, having its nominative ye or you understood. Thus: Ladies, take ye your seats.' Verbs in the imperative mood generally agree with the pronoun thou or ye understood. also well to remember that when a noun and verb coming together are separated by a comma, the noun is not nominative to the verb.

It is

In sentence (b), the noun ladies is nominative case to the verb take. Here we are talking of the ladies, and relating what they do; but in (a) we were addressing them, and giving a command. Observe also that ladies and take are not separated by a comma, as in the former

sentence.

In sentences like (c) pupils should be careful not to fall into the error of making the noun girl nominative to take. Girl is in the objective case governed by the vero saw, and the verb take following it is in the infinitive mood and requires no nominative. This will be evident by substituting a pronoun in the place of the noun girl; thus, 'I saw her take the book,' not 'I saw she take the book.' Whenever you are in doubt of the case of a noun substitute a pronoun, and it will assist you in determining. Besides, if girl was in the nominative case, the following verb should be takes, not take, according to the first rule of concord.

E

Sentences.

(d) I heard that the girl took the book.

(e) It is an error.
(f) I know it to be an

error.

(g) It could not be an

error.

(h) The man loved his neighbours, and died happy.

(i) The man

Remarks.

In sentence (d) girl is nominative to took ; heard is a transitive verb, having for its object the following clause. Whenever a clause beginning with the conjunction that, expressed or understood, immediately follows a transitive verb, the clause is a substantive sentence, governed by the transitive verb before it. Particularly bear in mind that in substantive sentences the conjunction that is not always expressed, as 'I heard the war is ended;' but it can be easily supplied-thus, 'I heard that the war is ended.' Observe also that in sentences like (c) you cannot supply the conjunction that.

Since the verb 'to be' takes the same case after it as before it, the noun error in sentence (e) is nominative after is, agreeing in case with the nominative it.

In sentence (f) error is in the objective case after 'be,' agreeing in case with the object it.

In sentence (g) error is nominative after be, agreeing in case with the nominative it. It is well to remember that no part of the verb 'to be' takes the objective case after it except the infinitive mood, and even that does not when there is no object before it, as in the sentence (g). Therefore, never make a noun or pronoun following am, art, is, are, was, wast, were, in the objective case.

The word 'loved' is different parts of speech in (h) and (i), and consequently is parsed difloved by ferently. In-sentence (h) loved is a transitive verb, governing neighbours, and agreeing with its nominative man. In sentence (i) loved has neither nominative case, nor objective case; it is simply a past participle relating to man.

his neighbours died (j) The man who loved

happy.

his neighbours died
happy.

In

(i) man is nominative to the verb died; in (h) the nominative to died is he understood. In sentence (j) loved is a verb agreeing with its nominative who, and man is nominative to the verb died.*

NOTE.

*For easy and correct methods for distinguishing the passive participle from the past tense of the same form, see notes on classification.— Grammar of English Grammars.

Sentences.

(k) I bought a reading book.

(1) I am reading a book. (m) I spend much time in reading.

(n) I spend no time in reading novels.*

(0) The Duke of Cumberland's house was newly painted.

(p) Pilate, being governor of Judea, ordered him to be brought forth.

(9) Pilate, being governor of Judea, the sceptre had departed from Judah.

(r) They named him Peter. (s) He was named Peter.

(t) The winter's nights are cold.

(u) The winter blasts are cold.

In sentence (k) the word reading is a participial adjective qualifying book. In (1) reading is a participle relating to I, and governing book. In (m) reading is a participial noun, governed by the preposition in. In sentence (n) reading is a participle governing novels. The preposition in in the latter sentence governs the whole participial phrase.

In sentence (o) the words 'Duke of Cumberland's' must be taken together, and parsed as one compound name in the possessive case, governed by house; the noun house is nominative to the verb was. The words cannot be explained separately.†

In sentence (p) Pilate is nominative case to the verb 'ordered.' In (q) Pilate is nominative case absolute. In both (p) and (q) governor is nominative after the participle being,' agreeing in case with Pilate. In (p) the participle 'brought' relates to the pronoun him.' In (q) the participle 'departed' relates to the noun sceptre.

In sentence (r) the noun Peter is in the objective case, in apposition with the pronoun him. In sentence (s) the noun Peter is in the nominative case, agreeing with he.

In sentence (t) winter's is a noun in the possessive case, governed by nights. In sentence (u) winter is a noun used adjectively, qualifying 'blasts.'

NOTES.

* I am aware that many grammarians in parsing sentence (n) would call reading a participial or gerundial noun in the objective case, governed by the preposition in; but this method is attended with many inaccuracies. For those who call reading a noun, the objective case of the preposition in, must make novels in the objective case also, governed by reading; that is, they must make one noun in the objective case govern another noun in the objective case, which is contrary to the rules of grammar; or they must make the same word be two different parts of speech in the same sentence, and in the same position, which is absurd. That is, they must make reading a noun in its relation to the preposition in, and a participle in its relation to the noun novel. The simplest and most correct method of parsing sentences like (n) is to make the preposition govern the following phrase, and the participle govern its immediate object. Observe that the meaning of sentence (n) is not that I spend no time in reading,' but in 'reading novels; therefore, the whole phrase 'reading novels' is the object of in. Observe also, that when a participle is used as a noun it cannot govern an object

after it.

+ Duke is nominative to no verb in the sentence, nor is it governed by any other word. The preposition of does not govern the noun Cumberland's, for that is in the possessive case governed by house; nor does it govern house, for that is nominative to the verb was. Nor does of govern the whole phrase Cumberland's house,' for then the meaning would be that he was the Duke of Cumberland's house,' which is contrary to the sense. Besides, though the house belongs to the duke, yet Cumberland' has the sign of the possessive case. The simple and only correct method of parsing such expressions is to consider them as one compound noun in the possessive case. The following are similar instances of construction:- The Duke of Wellington's statue,' The Queen of England's palace,'' Of the children of Israel's half,' &c.

(G) I only daughter. (H) I saw

saw your

daughter. (1) I saw her only. (J) I saw her only twice.

Remarks.

In sentence (v) teacher is nominative case, in apposition with 'he.'

In sentence (w) teacher is in the objective case, in apposition with 'himself.

In sentence (a) the nouns home and June are in the objective case, governed by prepositions understood. Bear in mind that the prepositions in, on, to, for, from, are often understood before nouns of time and place.

The little word a is generally an article; but in sentences like (y) it is used as a preposition, and may be parsed as such. In, on, at, to, are the prepositions for which it is sometimes used.

6

In sentences like (z) 'but' is a preposition, governing me.' In (A) it is a conjunction connecting the two clauses of the sentence. In sentence (B) but is an adverb, modifying twice. In sentence (c) but and if are nouns, objects of the preposition 'without.' Observe that whenever but is a preposition it has the meaning of save or except, and is followed by an objective case. When but is an adverb it is equivalent to the word only, and is not followed by an objective case. When but is a conjunction it cannot be substituted by save, except, only; it merely joins two distinct clauses. Any word that becomes the object of a verb or preposition is in sense and meaning a noun or pronoun, and should be parsed as such.*

No is an adjective when it refers to a noun, as in sentence (D); it is an adverb when it answers a question as in sentence (E). In sentences like (F) no is the object of the transitive verb said, and may be parsed as a 'noun.'

When the word only modifies a verb, an adjective, or an adverb, it is an adverb; but when your only it relates to a noun or pronoun it is an adjective. In sentence (G) only it an adverb, modifying saw. In sentence (H) it is an adjective, qualifying daughter. In sentence (1) it is also an adjective relating to her. In sentence (J) only is an adverb relating to twice.

NOTE..

Some authors assert that but is never a preposition, and that sentences like (z) should be written Here is none but I.' I am, however, of opinion that but me' is the correct form. The expression is to be found in the writings of the best authors, and very frequently in the Scriptures.

Remarks.

Both articles generally relate to nouns; but when the indefinite article is followed by a numeral or collective adjective, in such cases it relates to the adjective, as in sentences (K) and (L); and when the definite article is used before words of the comparative degree to increase their emphasis, in such cases it relates to the comparative word, as in sentences (M) and (N).

Sometimes a noun is put in apposition with a preceding clause, as the word kindness in sentence (o). In sentence (P) the noun parties is in apposition with Romanists, Protestants, Jews, all of which are nominatives to the verb wished.'

In sentences like (Q), where two prepositions come together, they may be called a prepositional phrase, or compound preposition,' and taken together in parsing. In sentences like (R) the two conjunctions may be taken together, and called a 'conjunctional phrase.' Any combination of words performing the office of conjunctions, as in sentence (s), may also be taken together and parsed as a 'conjunctional phrase.' For a list of compound prepositions and conjunctional phrases, see Grammar of English Grammars.'

In sentences (T) and (U) the pronoun I and the noun George are nominatives to verbs understood; as, than I am,' 'than George is.' In sentence (w) her is governed by the verb like. In (v) her is governed by the preposition to; as, 'better than I like her,' 'more to him than to her.' In sentence (x) the case of the noun George is uncertain as the sentence stands. It may be either in the nominative case or objective case, according to the way we supply the ellipses. Thus :

Or,

I love you more than George (loves you);

I love you more than (I love) George.

In sentences like (r) and (z) the words 'like' and 'unlike' are adjectives relating to 'she,' and the nouns sister' and 'mother' are in the objective case, governed by the preposition 'to' or

NOTE.

* Some authors would make the adjective like govern the objective case following it; others would call like in such a sentence a preposition. Both of these opinions, however, I believe to be wrong. When like modifies a verb, it is an adverb; as, The thoughts of former days glide over my soul like swift winged arrows over the gloomy valley.