Page:The Comic English Grammar.djvu/91

Rh, & lout—I would not give a farthing for a thousand such."

The definite article the may agree with nouns in the singular and plural number: as, "The toast, the ladies, the ducks."

The articles are often properly omitted; when used, they serve to determine or limit the thing spoken of: as, "Variety is charming." "Familiarity doth breed contempt." "A stitch in time saves nine." "The heart that has truly loved never forgets."

One substantive, in the possessive or genitive case, is governed by another, of a different meaning: as, "A fiddle-stick's end." "Monkey's allowance." "Virtue's reward."



Active verbs govern the objective case: as, "I kissed her." "She scratched me." "Virtue rewards her followers."