Make sentences using the singular or plural of each of these nouns with is or are, was or were, has or have; as in the following examples. The box is too large to carry. The boxes are too large to carry. Nouns ending in -s, -x, -z, -sh, or soft -ch are made plural by adding -es. 61. ORAL LESSON MERCURY AND THE WOODMAN Mercury, one of the Roman gods, once saw a poor woodman weeping by a pool. Upon inquiry, he found that the man had lost his axe in the pool. The god then made a golden axe rise to the surface, and asked the man if it were his. The man said it was not. Mercury then brought up a silver axe, which the poor man again would not claim. Then the god brought up the man's own axe, and sent him away happy with all three axes, as a reward for his honesty. Hearing of this good fortune, another man went to the pool, threw his axe in, and sat down weeping. Mercury came, and, hearing his story, brought a golden axe to the surface. The man at once said that the axe was his. Whereupon Mercury threw it into the pool, and angrily drove the man away. Could this story be told in dialog? What is the scene? What characters and what action, if any, would need to be indicated in stage directions? What would Mercury say to the first man? What would he reply? Discuss the story in this way, until you can act it. Plurals of Nouns 62. WRITTEN LESSON 51 Write in dialog form the conversation that you talked over in the last lesson. Begin with a title, and put in stage directions as in Lessons 28 and 34. Give each person a proper part in the dialog. 63. LANGUAGE LESSON PLURALS. Continued Most nouns ending in -o form their plurals by adding -8. Learn the following singulars and plurals. A few add -es. In the following sentences, insert is or are in the blanks. sorry to find the cows In the following sentences insert either was or were. 1. Little Boy Blue 2. The robins garden. in the orchard, and the cat in the corn. in the In the following sentences, change all the singular nouns to plurals. Change the verbs is, was, has, to plurals, when necessary. 1. The woman playing the piano has a topaz. 2. There is a mouse in the box. 3. The echo in the church wasn't bad. 4. Will you have a potato or a tomato? 5. There is a song about the hero. 6. Isn't there a bush in the marsh? 7. Has the child sung a solo? 8. The negro has an ox, a buffalo, and a sheep. 9. Here is a brush for your tooth, and a shoe for your foot. 10. The lass has her wish. 64. ORAL LESSON What is language? Is it used in talking? In writing? For which was it used first, talking or writing? Do dogs, or horses, or other animals have language? What is the English language? Did you ever hear of any other languages? What are they? What could men and women do without language? Can you think of any invention as useful as language? Did you ever watch a baby learning to talk? What are some of the first words that he learns? How does he learn them? How does he get along with a very few words? How many words do you suppose you know? How many new words do you suppose you learn in a week? What was the first sentence that the baby made? What kind of sentences does he use at first? As he gets older, does he use more sentences? Do you do more talking or writing? Do you use sentences in talking? In this talk what declarative sentences have you used? What interrogative sentences? Are you careful in talking to use plurals correctly? Do you notice any difference in the talk of various persons whom you know? Do some talk more correctly than others? What are the differences that make their language more correct? Are there any differences in words? In the use of the words is, are, be, was, were, has, have? What are some of the differences between spoken and written language? What words are shortened or contracted in talking? Are the contractions, isn't, hasn't, haven't, wasn't, I'll, we're, more common in talking or writing? Can you think of other contractions? In the talk that you hear and in the books that you read, watch for new words. Find out exactly what they mean. 65. WRITTEN LESSON Each pupil is to give the class two new words that he has found, with their meaning. Write all these words carefully, numbering them. If you cannot spell a word, ask the teacher. How many pupils are there in the class? How many words did they find? How many are new to you? Can you tell the meaning of every one? 66. LANGUAGE LESSONS CONTRACTIONS When we write we usually say: Fred is not at school. We are not tired. She has not gone. When we talk we often say: Fred isn't at school. We aren't tired. She hasn't gone. In talking we contract certain words: is not becomes isn't, are not becomes aren't, has not becomes hasn't. What letter is omitted in each case? What is put in its place? Not is often contracted into n't and joined with the preceding word. The apostrophe (') shows that a letter has been left out. Write the contractions of the following. Use each con Write the contractions for the following expressions: He is, She is, I am, We are, You are, They are. What is the difference between an abbreviation and a contraction? Which is used chiefly in talking? Which is used chiefly in writing? Which contains an apostrophe? Which is followed by a period? Never say ain't. 67. ORAL LESSON SUPPOSE Suppose, my little lady, Your doll should break her head, And say you're glad 'twas Dolly's, Suppose you're dressed for walking And the rain comes pouring down, Will it clear off any sooner Because you scold and frown? |