Grammar

by Unknown

Source of witness transcribed: The Voice of Freedom (Brandon, Vermont)

Date of witness transcribed: 8 January 1846

Notes about this poem: "Grammar" was printed in at least 240 newspapers during the nineteenth century. It can be found using ID 102270 in this table of most widely-reprinted poems.

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The following article we copy from an old manuscript for the benefit of our juvenile readers.

• 1. Three little words we often see

• Are ARTICLES, a, an, and the.

• 2. A NOUN’S the name of any thing,

• As school or garden, hoop, or swing.

• 3. ADJECTIVES tell the kind of noun,

• As great, small, pretty, white, or brown.

• 4. Instead of Nouns the PRONOUNS stand;

• John’s head, his face, my arm, your hand.

• 5. VERBS tell of something being done;

• To read, write, count, sing, jump, or run.

• 6. How things are done, the ADVERBS tell:

• As slowly, quickly, ill, or well.

• 7. CONJUNCTIONS join the words together;

• As men and children, wind or weather.

• 8. A PREPOSITION stands before

• A noun; as in or through a door.

• 9. The INTERJECTION shows surprise;

• As oh! how pretty, ah! how wise.

• The whole are called nine PARTS of Speech,
• Which Reading, Writing, Speaking teach.