LESSON XXVI. INTERROGATIVE PRONOUNS. How are the italicized words used in the following sentences: 1. Who comes here? 2. Which reached home first? 3. What is the news? A pronoun used in asking a question is called an interrogative pronoun. The interrogative pronouns are who, which, and what. Who refers to persons. It is declined like the relative who. Which refers to persons or to things. It implies selection; as, Which of the brothers sings? Which of the chairs do you prefer? What refers to things; as, What was in the box? Which and what are sometimes used as interrogative adjectives; as, Where are they now? What lands and skies. Paint pictures in their friendly eyes? What hope deludes, what promise cheers, What pleasant voices fill their ears? - LONGFELLOW. EXERCISE I. Point out the pronouns in the following sentences, tell the kind of each pronoun, and name its case: I. Who can understand his errors? 2. The child sat silent beneath a tree, hushed in her very breath by the stillness of the night, and all its attendant wonders. DICKENS. 3. Nearly all the most charming of the singing-birds prefer the early morning and the evening twilight for their vocal performances, though some of them sing far into the night. - M. THOMPSON. 4. The stranger at my fireside cannot see The forms I see nor hear the sounds I hear; He but perceives what is; while unto me All that has been is visible and clear. LONGFELLOW. 5. All things that are on earth shall wholly pass away, Except the love of God, which shall live and last for aye. 6. He is the freeman whom the truth makes free. — Cowper. 7. Ah! what is that sound which now bursts on his ear? - DIMOND. 8. Who, among the whole chattering crowd, can tell me of the forms and the precipices of the chain of tall white mountains that girded the horizon at noon yesterday? Who saw the narrow sunbeam that came out of the south, and smote upon their summits until they melted and mouldered away in a dust of blue rain? Who saw the dance of the dead clouds when the sunlight left them last night, and the west wind blew them before it like withered leaves? — RUSKIN. EXERCISE II. Write sentences containing I. Who used as a relative pronoun in the nominative. case; as a relative pronoun in the possessive case; as a rel ative pronoun in the objective case; as an interrogative pronoun. 2. Which used as an adjective; as a relative pronoun; as an interrogative pronoun. 3. What used as an adjective; as a relative pronoun; as an interrogative pronoun. 4. That used as an adjective; as an adjective pronoun; as a relative pronoun. LESSON XXVII. REVIEW OF PRONOUNS. EXERCISE I. What is a pronoun? How does a pronoun differ from a noun? Mention the different classes of pronouns and give examples of each class. What is a personal pronoun? How many case forms has the pronoun of the first person? How is each used? Mention the second person singular, and tell how it is used. Give two uses of the pronoun you. How Which person has a distinction of gender? State special uses of the pronouns of the masculine, feminine, and neuter genders. are the possessive forms of personal pronouns used? Mention the compound personal pronouns, and tell how they are formed. Give an example of their use as reflexives; for emphasis. who, which, and what. Give a sentence in which as is used as a relative pronoun; in which but is so used. What is an interrogative pronoun? Name the interrogative pro 2. Its person. 3. Its number. 4. Its gender. 5. Its case. 6. Its construction. Example. And then I think of one who in her youthful beauty died. 1. I is a personal pronoun, first person, singular number, common gender, nominative case, subject of the verb think.* 2. One is an adjective pronoun, third person, singular number, feminine gender, objective case, object of the preposition of. 3. Who is a relative pronoun, third person, singular number, feminine gender, agreeing with its antecedent one, and nominative case, subject to the verb died. 4. Her is a personal pronoun, third person, singular number, feminine gender, possessive case, depending upon the noun beauty. 1. The moon did not rise till after ten, so I had two hours of intense darkness during which I used my ears instead of my eyes. M. THOMPSON. *Or follow a briefer form, similar to the one suggested on p. 46. 2. And what is so rare as a day in June?- Lowell. 3. Hang around your walls pictures which shall tell stories of mercy, hope, courage, faith, and charity.-D. G. MITCHELL. 4. A few hoped, and many feared, that some scheme of monarchy would be established. — JOHN FISKE. 5. With merry songs we mock the wind That in the pine top grieves, And slumber long and sweetly On beds of oaken leaves. - BRYANT. 6. I witnessed a striking incident in bird life which was very suggestive. - M. THOMPSON. 7. Hast thou a charm to stay the morning star? — COLERIDGE. 8. He laid him down and closed his eyes. — SOUTHEY. 9. IO. Triumphant arch, that fill'st the sky I ask not proud Philosophy To teach me what thou art.—CAMPBEll. He that only rules by terror Doeth grievous wrong. -TENNYSON. 11. We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we have already done. — LONG FELLOW. 12. I fear thee, ancient mariner! I fear thy skinny hand! And thou art long, and lank, and brown, As is the ribbed sea-sand. - COLEridge. 13. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.—Shakespeare. |