143 "The prosperity of a country depends not upon the abundance of its revenues, nor upon the strength of its fortifications, nor upon the beauty of its public buildings, but upon the number of its cultivated citizens, its men and women of education, enlightenment, and character. Here are found the true interest, the chief strength, and the real power of a nation." Luther. "Education is a companion that no misfortune can depress, no clime destroy, no enemy alienate, no despotism enslave; at home a friend, abroad an introduction, in solitude a solace, and in society an ornament." Phillips. 144 WORD BUILDING = to speak. Ap'tus (att, ept) = fit. Fa'ri [fa'tus] quiver scepter plebeian polonaise villain exhaust scavenger congenial harangue shoeing naphtha audacious tourmaline hypnotize symphony awe adz TEST WORDS plumb great drawn earth heart mourn mirth raise boast worth weave niece where steak braid cloak eagle pleat would steal plaid any pity body very lief cheap scent peace yield Owe tour pour axle gaunt board train plait fir limb prey lyre laugh thumb cream gnash dye knee zeal fowl halve meant neigh agile lye lawn suit flea guide touch brain reign palm pier herb about heavy shawl rhyme off what flue lead niche wound frail plead hymn odor ewer cite knoll fruit ere bade ague bail bier their piece sweat bleak sieve islet dyed aisle vault woman weary which wren duet easy ache heal wail alms chord hinge lynx sour goes vein sugar avoid raid dear soak lien sperm beast gout soup view ream wrath waist gnaw meal sown riot wrest metal who core each know which shear ache cheer knot howl chair comma tooth trial brawn quart éclat siege group chalk teeth sheath bead zero salt tail pretty happen trail carat deceit caprice quench fresco .coercion luxuriant currier peacock sewage allegiance calisthenics neighbor trough shriek acknowledge height cocoanut crease paralyze afraid opportunity chrome prophecy quorum sprawl tyrannical shrewd physique soar guard urchin facial. square whimsical sphere liquidate friend lineament double syndicate stream turquoise beaver librarian bought traceable preach atmosphere breath financier tongue etiquette pigeon antiquity serial university listen parachute feudal dyeing singular echo groan visual nephew meddle grammar dose grate history palatial hearth commence hue thing copious tempest college command time moment plural awkward triumph etiquette pure awry awe out cure arithmetic RULES FOR SPELLING PLURALS OF NOUNS The plurals of nouns are generally made by adding s to the singular. Nouns ending in 8, x, z, sh, or soft ch, and nouns that end in i, o, u, or y, preceded each by a consonant, are made plural by adding es to the singular. (Y is changed to i when adding es.) In our language, as written in England, the plural of story, or storey, meaning floor, is storeys. We write stories. When reading books printed in England, we notice these interesting differences. A few nouns in o are exceptions to the above rule, and add s only. See opposite page. Nouns ending in o or y, preceded by a vowel, add s to the singular to form the plural. Nouns ending in silent e, preceded by the sound of 8, x, z, j, sh, or soft ch, add s to the singular. Some nouns ending in ƒ and fe change f to v and add es, and others add only 8 to form the plural. The plurals of letters, figures, and other characters are formed by adding the apostrophe (') and s, that is ('s), to the singular. EXCEPTION. — Wharf has both forms, wharfs and wharves. Staff becomes staves in the plural, but its compounds are regular; as, flagstaff, flagstaffs. The plural of many nouns is irregular, as man, men. |