RULE I.

The article a or an agrees with nouns in the singular number only, individually or collectively; as, “A star, an eagle, a score, a thousand.”

RULE II.

The definite article the belongs to nouns in the singular or plural number; as, “The star, the stars; the hat, the hats.”

NOTE 1.  A nice distinction in the meaning is sometimes effected by the use or omission of the article a.  If I say, “He behaved with a little reverence,” my meaning is positive.  But if I say, “He behaved with little reverence,” my meaning is negative.  By the former, I rather praise a person; by the latter, I dispraise him.  When I say, “There were few men with him,” I speak diminutively, and mean to represent them as inconsiderable; whereas, when I say, “There were a few men with him,” I evidently intend to make the most of them.

    2.  The indefinite article sometimes has the meaning of every or
    each; as, “They cost five shillings a dozen;” that is, ’every
    dozen.’

      “A man he was to all the country dear,
      And passing rich with forty pounds a year!”

    that is, ‘every year.’

3.  When several adjectives are connected, and express the various qualities of things individually different, though alike in name, the article should be repeated; but when the qualities all belong to the same thing or things, the article should not be repeated. “A black and a white calf,” signifies, A black calf, and a white calf; but “A black and white calf,” describes the two colors of one calf.

RULE III.

The nominative case governs the verb; as, “I learn, thou learnest, he learns, they learn.”

RULE IV.

The verb must agree with its nominative in number and person; as, “The bird sings, the birds sing, thou singest.”

    NOTE 1.  Every verb, when it is not in the infinitive mood, must have
    a nominative, expressed or implied; as, “Awake, arise;” that is,
    Awake ye; arise ye.

2.  When a verb comes between two nouns, either of which may be considered as the subject of the affirmation, it must agree with that which is more naturally its subject; as, “The wages of sin is death; His meat was locusts and wild honey;” “His pavilion were dark waters and thick clouds.”

EXAMPLES OF FALSE SYNTAX.