Harvey's Elementary Grammar and Composition · Lesson 23 · Part 1: Part I: The elementary course
22. Mistakes with a, an, these, those and them
Goal: Your child corrects mistakes like "an hundred," "these kind" and "them books."
You'll need
- The book, open to this lesson
- Paper and a pencil (or a slate)
What's in the book
Lesson 23, "Incorrect Language," gives three cautions with example sentences to correct.
The lesson, step by step
Review
Ask your child to put a or an before: hour, uniform, apple, horse.
Caution I
Read:
Do not use a before vocal sounds, or an before subvocals and aspirates.
In plain words: an before vowel sounds, a before other sounds. Fix:
An hundred cents make one dollar.
This is a open country.
Caution II
Read:
Do not use these or those before a noun in the singular number.
Say"This kind," "these kinds." Never "these kind."
Caution III
Read:
Do not use them for those; this here for this; or that 'ere for that.
Say"Those books," not "them books."
Write the corrections
Write the correct form of the example sentences under each caution on the page.
Check together
Read the corrected sentences aloud twice so the right form sounds natural.
Use it today
Listen for "them" used in place of "those" today. Whisper the right word to yourself.
Answers to the book's problems
A hundred cents make one dollar. There should be a universal rejoicing (universal begins with a "you" sound). This is an open country. For the other cautions, change these/those to this/that before a singular noun, them to those, this here to this, and that 'ere to that.
Worked out for this site from the scan. If a number in your copy differs, trust the book.