The smaller boy learns.

The smallest boy learns.

Children repeat.

Mother. Pronounce these three sentences in

the plural number.

Children. The small boys learn.

The smaller boys learn.

The smallest boys learn.

Mother. Change them into questions. Children. Does the small boy learn? &c. Mother. Say the same in the plural number. Children. Do the small boys learn, &c.

The children of the second class form other sentences, which are recapitulated by those of the first.

Mother forms some of the following sentences herself, some are formed by the children of the second class, while those of the first recapitulate them.

The greedy boy eats.

The greedier duck swallows.

The fox (which is the greediest of all) de

vours.

Now in the plural number, and through the various times.

The following sentences may be also used to explain to children the degrees of compari

son; and after a few have been given by the mother or teacher, the more advanced will in

vent similar ones.

The wolf is fierce.

The tiger is fiercer than the wolf.

The hyena is the fiercest.

The horse is a strong animal.

The ox is stronger

The lion is

Sleep is

Health is

Life is

Such examples may be continued and invented by the children themselves. The mother or teacher being careful that the subject be proper and suitable, and that the sentences invented contain a fact: good sense and justness of thought cannot receive too early attention.

Sentences, of which the verb in the indicative mood is modified, in regard to time.

Mother. The child sleeps.

Of whom do I say something?

What do I say of the child?

The child slept, when I entered the room.
Of whom do I say something?

I also say something about his sleeping.
At first I said, he sleeps; now, he slept.
When he slept, at the time I entered the
room, does that imply that he sleeps

now?

He slept, alludes, therefore, to time past; but, he sleeps, to time present.

The child has slept; I see that by his face. When I say he has slept, do I speak of time present or past?

The child has slept from morning until

night.

Children. That also is a time past.

Mother. I hope the child will sleep well to-night.

Does that express that he is now sleep

ing, or that he has slept already?

As he neither sleeps at present, nor has slept, he surely is then to sleep at a time to come: consequently I speak of a future time.

Let me now hear this sentence in various times.

Children. The child sleeps.

The child slept.

The child has slept.

The child had slept.

The child will sleep.

Mother. How many sentences have you uttered?

Tell me the difference between these five

sentences.

Children. When we say, The child sleeps, we speak in the present time.

When we say, The child slept, has, had slept, we speak in the past time.

When we say, The child will sleep, we

speak of a time to come, or a future time.

Mother. Change our sentences into questions.

Children. Does, did the child sleep?

Has, had the child slept?

Will the child sleep?

Mother. Address the child.

Children. Child, sleep!

Mother. Now join to the address a ques

tion.

Children. Child, do you, did you sleep?

Have you slept?

Had you slept?

Will you sleep?

Pronounce the sentences in the

Mother.

plural number.

Children. The children sleep, slept, have,

had slept, will sleep,

Do the children sleep?

Have, had the children slept ?

Will the children sleep?

Children, sleep!

Children, do, did you sleep?

Have, had you slept?

Will you sleep?

The mother or teacher should not allow the