"There are many thousand words in our language," said Ellen, reading from a book, "and some words are used for one purpose, and some for another; and the same word may be used in different ways. When your uncle gave you a lot of shells last December, what did you do with them, Edwin?"

"I classified them: that is, I put one kind into one heap, and another kind into another heap; and so on."

"Well, that is just the way we do with words; we put them in classes which we call Parts of Speech. Now, there is one class of words which is made up of name-words or nouns; that is, of words that are used as names of persons or things. In the sentence, 'Birds fly,' birds is a noun, and fly is a verb."

"I think I knew that much already, Schoolmistress."

"Well, sir, since you know so much, let me hear you correct the mistakes in the following sentence: 'A pear or peach, when they are ripe, are good food for the boy or girl who like them.'"

"It should be: 'A pear or a peach, when it is ripe, is good food for the boy or girl who likes it.'"

"Well done, Edwin! go up to the head of your class."

Edwin walked round his sister, as she sat in her chair, and then gravely took his place again before her.

"Here are two sentences, Edwin: 'I fell down,' and 'I fell down stairs.' Down is not the same Part of Speech in the two sentences. What is it in the first?'"

"An Adverb; and in the second it is a Preposition."

"Well, sir, school is dismissed. You may go. I shall give you a good mark in grammar."