I

FIRST LESSONS
IN

ENGLISH GRAMMAR AND COMPOSITION,
WITH

EXERCISES
IN THE

ELEMENTS OF PRONUNCIATION, WORDS FOR DICl.lT10N,
AND SUBJECTS ·FOlt COMPOSITION.

Bv ELIZABETH "'ORAM.
It

11

Let no one despise as inconsider&hlo the elements of Gro.mmnr, becau11e it mny

~seem to them o matter of small importu.nce, to show thC ditfere uce betw"en vow6J1
and conso11ant1 1 aod make children acquainted with their organi c constructivn. 1'hoH
who penetrate into the innermoat part.I of this tempi~ of 1cience, will tbero discern
much 1ubtilty and refi'iJ.ement.' 1

,.

(r.ATE

CADY

d<

BURGESS.)

60 JOHN-STREET.

1855.

--

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(l_

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{_ , . . '
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PREFACE.

.

\ I'

CHILDREN are every-where taught, · that tkey see with their
eye_s,. hear with their ears, &c.

Philosophers. have made the

structure of these organs . the. subjects o.f investigation, and they
are presented as objects of study to the young ; but how few
Entered accor<ling to A~t of CongrcEa, in the y ear 1846,

BY E LIZA.BETH ORAM,
In the Clerk's Office of thP. District Court for the Southeru District of New York.

know any thing about the organization of t.h e human voice ! of
sou(visible 1 and\vhich. f<?rms the
most distinguishing characteristic of man !

tl;~t ma~hin~i-y'_ that make~ ' th~

0

Children not only lllay, but ought to be taught, h~w they . do
that which is required of them, and that they may understand
how tl~ey sp~~k, as' ;well . as .what they speak, ; these exercises
hav~ been :prep~red: " .. ·
·
. .·
. ·
·
..
Th~ ?~amm~r ia an. abstract from the best :iut~orities,, acc;;;ding to •,; PRESENT NATIONAL and REPUTABL~. use". of thos~
fu1es ..or pri~ciples. which . lie at the foundation of the structure

of ~~r' la~g~age, . and which m.ay be easily comprehen.ded . by
p.upils . .' ."· · " ..
.·
' The l~ssons for " Dictation and Grammatical Analysis," forin
interesting' reading lessons, while the exercises in the elements
of Pronunciation, and subjects for Composition, give the orlhography of over ten . thousand of the most important words
in the English language, divided and accentuated according to. the
most approved standards.

...

lV

I' REFACE.

The Analv sis and Cb ssilication of th e AlpliahPt iR new: it rn
arra1q;1~ d,

according to 1li c orga11 i(:

et1n~tructi() ll

(lC tli1· E n!. disli

L;in gn :1 Q<'..

By this , it will be seen, th at the raJieal vowie!
t h rP r, :i.n rl thr T:1 rlir :i. l
- - - - - - - - - -- - - -

c-on~0n:1nt

s 1111111ls , '""on ly

THE INDEX.

~ound~ si;\·p11 , rn:d~ir1 i~ :1\tn :~r ,thr ·r

ten primitiYe sound s , which enter int o the cumposit1t•1t ul :ill the

rage.

Org:rni c F nrm ~! :on of the F.lr ment' of the En g lish L~ngn~gP ,
Organ ic f ' l:\ ';:--;ifi\·:t li 11n nf tllf' L<' tt f'rs ,

o!l H'f :o:oun(l s of 1l1e l :u1 ~!11:1~:0.

r_l'!ie val11 c of tlii s

;\11zih·~j c~

:rn11

f

'Ja:=::.--.:ift(·a t inn f, q· .'.\ l ii•'ll]( 1J ;i r·:tl

snci:1 l ln11s 1•; il1 hr S f~f ' ll, h_y ll 1n ~ :.r \'>-!in r·:i.n

'rh,.. nnifnnn 8m1nd8 .

(l <"f"ordi11~ fo

i 1s0

thP. nn P:

it fflr 1l 1:1t

T i 11

nivt~n lo HH~

1 T' 1 '~' '

.

I 1f·'~~nn

=

which prcc1 dc s it, arc g eneral ly pbrt:d a t. d u~ c11uu1u:11C:c11w 111. ol

nw111.;;:. (If thi: _I ,;rng11agc. in a

]

inon '.

:1

p:i.r t~ :l!Hl

::.;i11;1dc

LinH ,

i;x lii hit tht:

t·: J1:-

be!i€'" es, has eyer been given .
1\ jew

t1f

the words. art?: Hn rtf.('.F.Hte,l; tl1e proper placing of th e

accents belonging to th em will serve, as a ne\V and useful exercise

"

for j'oung peopl e.

I

Years of experience have taught, that Children can only be made
acquainted with Language, by first teaching them, thoroughly, the
ele{nents of it, and then combining these according to acknowledged
laws.
The whole Book is intend ed to be written and studied · by the
Pupil, (divided into such portions as may be deemed expedient,)
after the Dictation and Oral explanation of th e Teach er; and if it
make plain and interesting, a generally abstruse and dry subject,
and form a

MANUAL

that shall aid

!i:LEMENTS OF THEIR OWN LANGUAGE,

will he obtained.
NEW

Yo rm, 1816.

BEGINNERS

in acquiring tho

one great obj ect of the Authol

C on~un;u1t~. it1 tl1c (•nl1 ·r r·f t1wir O r;::;rnil'. Forn1J.tinn,

fl

,\,1 •ir c lt ',

1!ian, ;t s :!1e :u:\iH:l

i

8

Had i~al C onsnu:u1t ~o nn ds,
Uc riYed C on so n:.int ;--3oun<l~,

1

thr. w ords, of \\:liic.h that ~ ou nd m;i.kcs

=
ii

..

A

Pure Vo wels,
JJ1pl 1Llwugci,

S uperiiuous Letters .
Th" nnmhn of Sounds in the English Language ,
· Alphabet, according to the ( lrg"n i" A rrnn gement of the Let-

ters,
Compound Consonants) represent.in g (HlP. soHntl;
.Compound Vowels, representing one sound, Syllablef!,
'Words,
'Substantives or Nouns,
The first Sound of E, as heard in the word Ear, with Lesson,
-Words containing the first Sound of E,
' Exercises oii. Nouns, Adject.ives,
' The second Sound of El as heard rn the word Nests, with
Lesson,
·words containing the seoo nd Sound of E,
Exercises on Adjectives ,
Pronouns,
The first sound of A, as heard in the word Dabe, with Lesson,
\Vords conta ining th e first Sound of A,
Exrircises on· Pronouns,
Verbs,

~J

10
10
10
iil
10

11
12
12
12
12

13
13
14
16
16

16
17

23
23
23
2i
24
25

TJIE

THE ·INDEX,

I NDE JC.

Page.

The second Sound of A, as h eard in the word Heart, with Lesson,
\Von.ls containing the second Sound of A,
Exercises on Verbs,
Adverbs,
_
The third Sound of A, as heard in the word Dall, with Lesson,
vVords containing the Third Sound of A,
_
Ex erci ses on Advcrus,
Prepositions , The fourth Sound of A, as heard in the word Hand, with L esso n,
Won.ls containing the fourth Sound of A,
Ex ercises on Prepositions,
Conjunctions,
Th e first Sound of O,as heard in the word Home, with Lesson,
'Vorus containing the firs t Sound of 0,
_
Exercises on Conjunctions,
Articles,

25
26

26
26
27
27
28

28
29
29
37
37
38
38
3!)

40

The seco nd Sound of 0, as heard in t.ha word Broom, with
Lesson,
40
Words containing the secon_d Sound of 0,
41
Ex ercises on the Articles,
41
Interj ections,
41
The third Sound of 0, as heard in the word Fork, with Lesson,, 11
vV orcls containing the third Sound of 0,
- 42
42
·Exercises upon Interjections,
Common and Proper Nouns,
43
The fourth Sound of 0, as heard in the word Clock, with
Lesson,
13
vVords containing the fourth Sound of 0,
Exercises on Common Nouns,
45
c;e nd er,
45
Dipht.hongs, 46
Th e fi rst Sound of I , as heard in the word Hive, with Lesson, 4'3
'vYorcl s containing the firs t Sound of 1,
_ 47
Ex ercises on the Gonder of Nouns,
Number,
18

Page

l'he second Sound of I, as heard in_ the word Indian, with
..
Lesson, .
· Words containing the second Sound of I,
Exercises on the Number and Person of Nouns,
Case, Words containing the second Sound of U, as heard in the word
Lute, with Lesson,
Words containing the first Sound of U,
Exercises oil th Cl Cases of Nouns,
Degrees of Comparison,
The second Sound of U, as heard in the word Church, with
Lesson,
Words containing the second Sound of U,
Ex-ercises on the Degrees of Comparison,
Pronouns,
The Diphthong OJ, .as heard in the word .Boy, with Less11n,
Words containing the Diphthong OJ,
\ Exercises on Pronouns,
Adjective Pronouns, ·
The Diphthoni:- 0 U, as heard in t\Jeword House, with Lesson,
Words containing .the Diphthong OIJ,
E:cercises on Adjective Pronouns,
.i-\.ctive, Passive,· and .N eutei" .V erhs, Tlfe Sound Ch, as heard in the word Churn, with Lesson,
Wbrds containing the Sound of Ch, Exercises on· Y erbs,- ~ ·
,_.
Moods, ,··
Tlie Sound Sh, as heard in the word Ship, with Lesson,.
Words containing the Sound of Sh,
Exercises on the M9od3 of Y erbs,
Tense,
• • 1
The Sound Zh, as.heard in ·the word :Asia, with Lesson,
Words containing the Sound of Zh, 'Exercises on the ·Tenses of.Verbs, .
T~nse continued,· ·
• ·The Sound Ng, as heard in the word King, with Lesson,
iWords containing the Sound of Ng,

5

48
49

63
63
64

65
65
65
66
67

74
74
76
78

79
79

79
80
82
82
83

84
86
86
87

88
91
91
91
93
93
93
94
95

THE

INDEX .

P•!•

Exercises on th e T enses,

95

Particip l e~ ,

9()

.The S ou.nd of Th sharp , as heard in the word Truth , with
L esso n, 'V ords containing th e sharp Sound of Th,
Exercises on the Participl es, Number a nd P erso n of V crbs,
Co nju gation of Verbs,
The Sound T/i'flat, as heard in the word Mother, with L essor,
'~T ords containin g th e fl at sound of Th,
Exercises on th e Number and Person of V erbs,
Auxiliary V erbs,
Th e Verb, To Be,
Th e Sound of P, as heard in the word Printing, with L esson,
Word s co ntain ing the Sound of P,
Exe rci s ~ on th e Verb, To Be,
Th e Verb, To Have,
Tlo e Sound B, as heard in the word Book, with Lesson,
·words co ntaining the Sound of B,
Exercises on the Verb, To Have ,
R eg ubr Verbs,
Th e V crh , To Love,
T he Sound 11f, as heard in the word Moon, with L esson,
~- ords con taining the Sound M,
Exercises on Regular Verbs,
Irregular Verbs,
T he Sound F, as hear<l in th e word Flowers, with L esson, Word s containin g th e Sound of F,
Exercises upon Irreg ular Verbs,
Defectiv e V crbs,
The Sound V, as heard in the word Violin, with Lesson,
\Vords containing the Sound V,
Ex ercises upon th e Auxiliaries,
Ad verbs,
The sound T, as heard in the wor<l T ea , with Lesson,
Words containin g th e Sound T ,
•
E xe rci3es on A dverbs,

Ii

96
97
100
IOU

101
101
103
103
104
104
10()
108

117
117

120
122
127
128
128
130
131

137
138
140
141

149
149

150
151
153
154
154
155 •
161

Prepositions· The Sound
as heard in the word
Words conta.inirig the Sound D,
Exercises on Prepositions,
Conjunctions,
The Sound N, as heard in the word
Words containing the Sound N,
Exercises on Conjunctions,
Articles,
, The Sound L, as heard in the word
Words containing the Sound L,
Exercises upon the :Articles·,
Interjections; •
The Sound R, as heard inthr. word
Words containing t.he Sound R,
Exercise upon Interjections,.
Sentences, · The ·Sound S, as heard in the word
Words containing the Sound S,
General Exercise, ··
Syntax,

D,

1lules I, II, and Ill.··

• Hit
Dia.mond, with Lesson; 162

163
169
- 169
Number, with Lesson, •
Library, with Lesson,
-

•
•
Rocking, with Lesson, -

. -

186

Soul, with Lesson,

- 187
- 194
194

-·

- 104

Tlie .S0t1nd z, as.heard in the word Zoophytes, with Lesson,
Exercise!! on Sentences,
Words containing the Sound Z,
'Exercises on the above Rules,
Rulei, JV and V,
The Sound of J, as heard in the word Jerusalem, with Lesson,
\Yords containing the Sound of J,
Exercises on the above Rules,
Rule VI,
The Sound of K, as heard in the word Kremlin, with Lesson,
W~rds containing the Sound K,
Exercise upon the above Rule,
Rules VII and VIII, The Sound of G, as heard in the word Glass, with Lesson,
'Vords containing the Sound G,

7

Hi9
171
173
173
174
175
179
179
170
180
185
185

195
195
196
196
196
197
198
199
199

200
200
201
201

202
203

> .

,·q

0

·w

'I
THE

INDEX.

Exercises upon the above Rules,
Rule IX,
_
_
_
_
_
_
Th e S ound Y consonant, as heard in Year, with Lesson
Words containing the Sound Y,
'
Rules X and XI,
_
_

Pogo

-

204
205
205
200
207

The Sound of W consonant, as heard in the word Wealth,
with Lesson,
- 207
Words containing the Sound of W
'
- 207
Exercises on th e above Hul es ,
- 210
Rul es XII, XIII, and XIV, - 210
The Sound or Aspiration I[, as heard in the word Hieroglyphics, with Lesso n . _ ·
- 211
Words containing the Sou~d of JI
- 212
E
.
,
~t;rc1se u pori' the Ru lea,
- 210
Use of Capi tal Letters,
- 2 1G
Punctuation,
- 217
Comma,
- 217
Semicolon,
- 218
Colon,
- 218
Period,
- 218
Note of Interrogation,
- 218
Note of Exclamation,
- 218
Exercises on Punctuation,
- 219

APPENDIX,

Th e Formation of the Plural Number 'o f Nouns
The Formation of the Gender of Nouns
'

'

'· ~

•

- 221
- 222

'· .

'·

I

GRAMMAR AND COMPOSI'I1IO.N.

ORGANIC FORMATION . OF THE ELEMENTS OF
· THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
AN articulate sound is the sound of the human voic,e,,
f9~mcd. by the organs of speech.
: Spe,ech is m'1,d.e up of articulate . sounds, and what we
call articulation is performed by ~he ·actiqn, of the throat,
palate, teeth; tongue, and lips.
·
A letter is the first principle; or least part of a word.
The letters of· the English · la~guage, called the English
Alpha~e1,, a~c 26 in number.
.
·
.
. The siinplest articubte voices, or sounds, l).re those which
proceed from an open mouth, without any ~Iteration in the
r.osi,tion, or any mo.lion of the organs of speech,. from the
momeut the sound commences, until it ends ·= :i.s E, A, 0,,
which · are pure vowel sounds.
·w hen these sounds, in passing through the mouth, are .
intc-rruptell OT intercepted, a consonant, Or SO.\l!'ld Wit'1 \l.Il•
~thcr so;tnd, is formed : as, eb, ad, on, &c.
·
P and B arc formc.d by closing the lips, until the breath
is collected, ancl then letting it issue, by forming e: as, !Je, pe.
F · an4 V arc formed by pressing the upper teeth upon the
under: lip, and sounding the.. vqwi;I e before the f9r111er, nnd
after the latter: ns, ef, ce.

1*

...p
.....

·---~~"""''~··-----"' ~ ~-----.,---~-----·

..
48

GRAMMAR AND COJ\lPOSITION .

NUMBER.

Substan tiv,es, or nouns, are of two numbers.: the s in g ular
and the plural.
The singnlar number expresses but one obj ec t:
Book, The Air.

a s, A

The plural nu111bcr signifies more obj ects th:111 one : as
'J'nhks, Book s, &c.

or

N onn s are all
the third ll C t' SOl l , \\· h1·11 spob:11 of, a11cl tlu;
second, \\·hen spol,c11 lo: a s, "Bkss i11g·s <iltend 11s, o n en·ry
'it!e; Be gratcflll, ye chil1lrc11 of men."

'J'!tr srrmul so1111d of I, as l1r1nd in l11dia11.
Tl1<• n: 11 nr' f111li:rn, "·'1' apl' lil' d liv C ol11111]"1 " tn thf' i11ltnliita11U; of th1· Nr•\\' 'Norld. ,,.1i,,11 he iirst dic;ron·rcil 1\ m1'ri1 ·:1,
:1111! "''l'l'"'i'd, he had fo1rnd th1, 1011::;-dr•sircd J':l " :l'.~·r· to l11di:1.

The P''llJ'le of tl1is i111111c1L'" nrnti1lf'11l a r1• d11·irlrorl i111n
tril11•c;, c:u·J1 i1 1dr·p f' 11dr·11t of tJ1,, otli n , :1111! L!:C llcra!ly oqJcaki11if
i11 di:iJc.,·ts :i111l l:111:c11aL:•'S 111 ·cnliar to thcrn5eh·1·'·
.'\ l!lio 1 1 ~h th f' l 11d i:in s of T\11r lh !\111 •·ri1·a 1n•rc• fuUU•.l iu a
i"a\.a~£P f-il ;llt->, y r-·t dtt-·y HH=", ,Jn11l•tie:-:..: , d1 P r Prnrn n"'. Pf :i. grc;it
: \ ))r t

!l'fiijp }11' () 1\]f' .

Tlw inktl 1it'tul.~ ol S outh A nwric:c, whr11 rlisrm·0r"<l, wnro
in a much higher st:i.tc of :~~oci:.:.-t y than those of the N orth,
bcin;:; more united, and some having a reguhu guvcn1nH~ :il~
as the P eruvians and .l\!!exicans.

All th e Indi a n tribes are noted for th eir brave ry and hospita lity ; but the y are cruel in war , and endure the tortures of
th eir e nemi es with stoical indifference. They live by hunt·
ing and fi shing, while th e wom en are employed in cultivatingthe ground, and doing the menial work.
-

I
l

ELEMENTS OF THE EN GLI SH LANGUAGE.

49

They beli e ve in the existence of a Great Spirit, or a Supreme Hul e r over all; in the immorl:ility of the soul, and
a future stale of rewards and punis hme nts. But they, with
all thi s , are excee dingly supe rstitious; believing in the e xistence of infe rior deitie s , and frequently sacrifi ci ng lo them.
QTTESTIONS llPON THE

LESSONS.

\V hi ch of th e words contain th e second sou nd of I?
How many numbers have no uns?
\V hi ch of the no nns are singular?
\Vh iclt of the noun s are plural?
\\' Ii j,· h of tlll' 110uns arc of th e second pcr.,nn ?
\\-]ij,.h of the 1wn11s arc of the third person?

ll'i1rds cn11lai11i11g thP srronrl so1111d of I: or,
r~·.l't't"ri.sts

i11 t!ir:

]-;/cmtnfs nf ]'ro11 11nci alio11,

with Jlrords fv1· JJic-

trition ond .C...'uhjcrts for Composition.

icli-n"g' -ra-phy
icli-thy-ul' -o-uy

d'-i-n-n·
i<l-t-01:' -r:H'Y
i.\-i-11-cr:tl' -i-c :d
1d · -i- nrn
iJ -J-O-lllclt' -it;

id-i-o -mat' -i-cal

i.l -i-op' -:i -thv
i<l-i·o-syn' -cra-cy

ig -no -hle
ig-no'-l1lv
jg -no -111i11' -iou~
ig -11 0-ni in' -io ns -ly

i:::( -llO-mi11-y
j~' -no -ranee

ig' -110 -rant
i;:' -no-rnnt-ly
ill

ii-iapse'
ii-l~ ' -tlnn

.,.

,

,•

id' -i-ot-ism

ll .. !fl-UV~

ig'-ne-us

ii-le' -gal
il-le' -g-al-ly
il-le' -gi-ble
ii-lib' -e-ral
il-lib' -e-ral-ly

ig-nis-faf.-'-u-us
ig-nite'
ig-ni' -tion
ig-ni' -ti-ble

r.

