Read these sentences, filling the blanks with the proper form of the verb give:

1. I have read "The Little People of the Snow."

2. Have you read the poem?

3. He has the book.

The pronoun in the first sentence represents the speaker, and is said to be of the first person.

a

The pronoun in the second sentence represents person spoken to, and is said to be of the second person. The pronoun in the third sentence represents a person spoken of, and is said to be of the third person.

Learn:

A pronoun that represents the speaker, a person spoken to, or a person or thing spoken of, is called a personal pronoun.

The pronoun that represents the speaker is not always I, however. I is the form for the nominative case-uses. The form for the accusative and dative case-uses is me.

The forms showing possession, thus taking the place of the genitive case, are called either possessive pronouns, or possessive adjectives, according to their use in the sentence. Example of possessive pronoun: His is the best.

Example of possessive adjective: His book is the best.

All the personal pronouns except you have more than one form, as follows:

You is the same in all forms, singular and plural.

He and him are of masculine gender; she and her are of feminine gender; it is of neuter gender. Other personal pronouns do not indicate sex.

Thou, thee, and ye are old forms meaning you. The first two are in common use now only in addressing the Deity; all three are often found in the Bible and in poetry. Thou is nominative singular; thee, accusativedative singular; ye, nominative plural.

Select the personal pronouns in the last two paragraphs on page 111, and tell how each is used. Remember that its and his are possessive adjectives, not pronouns, when used to modify nouns.

Select the word or group of words in your sentences that each personal pronoun represents, or to which it refers.

LESSON 103 - THE AGREEMENT OF A PRONOUN WITH ITS ANTECEDENT

1. Development.

1. John told Ruth that he was going to sea.

2. Mary showed the boys a shell that she had found.

3. The boys said they would always be friends.

What is the antecedent of he in sentence 1? You know that John is the antecedent of he. What is the gender of John? What is the gender of he? In what number is John? In what number is he? John is spoken of; therefore John is in the third person. In what person is he?

What is the antecedent of she in sentence 2? What is the gender of Mary? What is the gender of she? In what number is Mary? In what number is she? Mary is spoken of; therefore Mary is in the third person. what person is she?

In

What is the antecedent of they in sentence 3? Is the noun boys singular or plural in form? In what number is they? What is the gender of the noun boys? What is the gender of they? (Notice that the pronoun they, which may denote either male or female sex, is here used to represent a noun of masculine gender. We therefore say that in this sentence, they is of the masculine gender.) Boys is in the third person. In what person is they?

Learn:

A pronoun agrees with its antecedent in gender, number, and person.

This rule applies also to possessive adjectives.

Explain the gender, number, and person of each of the personal pronouns in the last two paragraphs on page 111.

2. Written Exercise.

Write the following sentences, filling each blank with a pronoun or a possessive adjective that agrees with its antecedent in gender, number, and person:

LESSON 104 LETTER WRITING

Imagine you know a boy or a girl who has gone to live in a village by the sea. Write a letter to your friend, asking about the things in which you are interested, such as school, games, ships, or work.

LESSON 105 - STORY TELLING

Time yourself as you read silently the following story. Tell the story; then read it again silently, timing yourself as before. Retell the story, trying to tell it more accurately than you did the first time. Avoid the "and" habit.

WHO LOVED BEST?

The officers of a certain sultan often boasted of their great devotion to him. They declared that they loved their ruler more than they loved father or mother, that the sultan's presence gave them greater joy than all the riches of the world could give, and that they would follow their ruler wherever he went.

The sultan was always pleased to hear these expressions of

love and fidelity. He noticed, however, that one officer never spoke of his affection or loyalty. The sultan wondered at this. "Can it be that he is not true to me?" he thought.

One day the sultan announced that a pile of gold, silver, and precious stones would be placed at a certain spot on the road and that each of his followers might take as much as he wished. At the appointed hour the sultan and his attendants rode to the place where the gifts were piled. On arriving at the spot the sultan told his officers to take the presents he had prepared for them. Having said this, he turned his horse and rode swiftly away.

Close behind him he heard the beat of a horse's hoofs. Neither gold nor jewels could tempt one man to forget his duty to his ruler. Where his master went, one faithful officer would follow. For a time it pleased the sultan to try to guess which of his loving friends had turned away from the rich gifts to attend him, but at last he turned to look. There the sultan saw, intent only on his duty, the man who had been silent when others boasted of their devotion.

Selected.

LESSON 106 CLASS COMPOSITION

Be prepared to take part with other members of the class in telling the story of the preceding lesson as a class composition. Dictate the sentences one by one to your teacher, so that she may write them on the board.

Follow the suggestions for class composition given in Lesson 11.

LESSON 107

COMPOSITION

Story Telling.

Tell your classmates what you imagine may have happened when the sultan discovered who was following him. First make an outline to guide you in your talk.