"His business is to observe the agreement or disagreement of words."—Bullions, E. Grammar, Revised Edition, p. 189.
[FORMULE.—Not proper, because no comma here divides to observe from the preceding verb. But, according to Rule 10th, "The infinitive mood, when it follows a verb from which it must be separated, or when it depends on something remote or understood, is generally, with its adjuncts, set off by the comma." Therefore, a comma should be inserted after is; thus, "His business is, to observe the agreement or disagreement of words.">[
"It is a mark of distinction to be made a member of this society."— Farnum's Gram., 1st Ed., p. 25; 2d Ed., p. 23. "To distinguish the conjugations let the pupil observe the following rules."—Day's D. S. Gram., p. 40. "He was now sent for to preach before the Parliament."— Life of Dr. J. Owen, p. 18. "It is incumbent on the young to love and honour their parents."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 83. "It is the business of every man to prepare for death."—Id., ib., 83. "It argued the sincerest candor to make such an acknowledgement."—Id., ib., p. 115. "The proper way is to complete the construction of the first member, and leave that of the second understood."—Ib., ib., p. 125. "ENEMY is a name. It is a term of distinction given to a certain person to show the character in which he is represented."—O. B. Peirce's Gram., p. 23. "The object of this is to preserve the soft sound of c and g."—Hart's Gram., p. 29. "The design of grammar is to facilitate the reading, writing, and speaking of a language."—Barrett's Gram., 10th Ed., Pref., p. iii. "Four kinds of type are used in the following pages to indicate the portions that are considered more or less elementary."—Hart's Gram., p. 3.
UNDER RULE XI.—OF PARTICIPLES.
"The chancellor being attached to the king secured his crown."—Wright's
Gram., p. 114.
[FORMULE.—Not proper, because the phrase, "being attached to the king," is not commaed. But, according to Rule 11th, "Participles, when something depends on them, when they have the import of a dependent clause, or when they relate to something understood, should, with their adjuncts, be set off by the comma." Therefore, two commas should be here inserted; thus, "The chancellor, being attached to the king, secured his crown."—Murray's Gram., p. 66.]
"The officer having received his orders, proceeded to execute them."— Day's Gram., p. 108. "Thus used it is in the present tense."—Bullions, E. Gram., Revised Ed., p. 33. "The Imperfect tense has three distinct forms corresponding to those of the present tense."—Id., ib., p. 40. "Every possessive case is governed by some noun denoting the thing possessed."—Id., ib., p. 87. "The word that used as a conjunction is preceded by a comma."—Id., ib., p. 154. "His narrative being composed upon such good authority, deserves credit."—Cooper's Pl. and Pr. Gram., p. 97. "The hen being in her nest, was killed and eaten there by the eagle."—Murray's Key, 8vo. p. 252. "Pronouns being used instead of nouns are subject to the same modifications."—Sanborn's Gram., p. 92. "When placed at the beginning of words they are consonants."—Hallock's Gram., p. 14. "Man starting from his couch, shall sleep no more."—Ib., p. 222. "His and her followed by a noun are possessive pronouns: not followed by a noun they are personal pronouns."—Bullions, Practical Lessons, p. 33.
"He with viny crown advancing,
First to the lively pipe his hand addressed."—Id., E. Gram., p. 83.
UNDER THE EXCEPTION CONCERNING PARTICIPLES.
"But when they convey the idea of many, acting individually, or separately, they are of the plural number."—Day's Gram., p. 15. "Two or more singular antecedents, connected by and require verbs and pronouns of the plural number."—Ib., pp. 80 and 91. "Words ending in y, preceded by a consonant, change y into i when a termination is added."—Butlers Gram., p. 11. "A noun, used without an article to limit it, is generally taken in its widest sense."—Ingersoll's Gram., p. 30. "Two nouns, meaning the same person or thing, frequently come together."—Bucke's Gram., p. 89. "Each one must give an account to God for the use, or the abuse of the talents, committed to him."—Coopers Pl. and Pract. Gram., p. 133. "Two vowels, united in one sound, form a diphthong."—Frost's El. of Gram., p. 6. "Three vowels, united in one sound, form a triphthong."—Ib. "Any word, joined to an adverb, is a secondary adverb."—Barrett's Revised Gram., p. 68. "The person, spoken to, is put in the Second person. The person, spoken of, in the Third person."—Cutler's Gram., p. 14. "A man, devoted to his business, prospers."—Frost's Pr. Gram., p. 113.