Thou shuns the light. He dare not do it. They
reads well.
I know you can correct these sentences without a rule, for they all have
a harsh sound, which offends the ear. I wish you, however, to adopt the
habit of correcting errors by applying rules; for, by-and-by, you will
meet with errors in composition which you cannot correct, if you are
ignorant of the application of grammar rules.
Now let us clearly understand this 4th Rule. Recollect, it applies to
the _verb_ and not to the noun; therefore, in these examples the verb is
ungrammatical. The noun _boys_, in the first sentence, is of the third
person _plural_, and the verb _improves_ is of the third person
_singular_; therefore, Rule 4th is violated, because the verb dues not
agree with its nominative in _number_. It should be, "boys _improve_."
The verb would then be _plural_, and agree with its nominative according
to the Rule. In the fourth sentence, the verb does not agree in _person_
with its nominative. _Thou_ is of the _second_ person, and _shuns_ is of
the _third_. It should be, "thou _shunnest_," &c. You may correct the
other sentences, and, likewise, the following exercises in
FALSE SYNTAX.
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