The habit of speaking clearly and correctly as well as easily and spontaneously is what every teacher would help his pupils to acquire. This book is written in the belief that this habit can be attained by most pupils only through frequent practice in the art of free and spontaneous speech combined with a discriminating study of the science of language, or grammar.

Since children are not ready to undertake the study of grammar during the first years of school life, Books I and II of the Gowdy-Dexheimer Language Series place dependence on varied composition exercises, models of good speech, word studies, and ear training. In this third book of the series, Grammar and Composition, the features of the other two are retained, and a systematic study of sentence structure and of word forms is introduced. The special purpose of this study of grammar is to furnish definite tests for clear sentence structure and for the choice of correct word forms.

As in Books I and II, composition exercises are based upon the natural interests of the pupils; thus the aim throughout is to connect the work of the special class in English with life outside of the classroom in such a way that the ideals and principles developed in class will be carried over into the ordinary speech of the pupils.

General Plan

Briefly stated, this is the plan of the new book:

In every chapter a careful study of some definite unit of grammar is followed by general composition work, demanding the application of the facts just learned. In this composition work, clear and spontaneous expression of thought is always put first, but matters of form are never forgotten.

Not all topics lend themselves to exactly the same treatment; but, in general, each chapter is made up of the following parts:

(1) Development of some working unit of the subject matter of grammar.

(2) Drill upon the facts developed.

(3) The discovery of some application of these facts to speech.

(4) Drill on this application.

(5) General composition work, calling for the application of the principles just learned, as well as for the review of those previously treated.

Special Features

The following are some of its special features:

(1) Numerous suggestive lists of composition topics likely to appeal to the varied interests of different types of pupils.

(2) Models of good speech. These are taken largely from modern sources, such as entertaining books, recent numbers of good magazines, agricultural papers and bulletins, horticultural and household journals, and advertising pamphlets.

(3) Word studies, designed to make definite additions to the working vocabularies of the pupils, to increase the power to discriminate in the choice of words, and to give higher ideals of accuracy in speech. In the Index will be found page references for these composition topics, the models of good speech, and the word studies.

(4) The introduction of a minimum number of the facts of grammar, only such being included as are necessary to enable pupils (a) to choose correctly between inflected forms, (6) to construct sentences that "hang together," (c) to punctuate these sentences correctly, and (d) to "see through" the sentences that they are likely to meet in their reading.

(5) Topics so arranged that one point leads naturally to another. An organized and easily remembered body of facts is thus developed.

(6) The use of the inductive method, rules and definitions coming as summaries of facts already discovered by the examination of special cases.

(7) Clear and simple statement of definitions and rules.

(8) Abundant drill. Generalizations are followed by numerous exercises calling for both constructive and analytical work. The sentences for drill are taken from the same sources as the longer models of good writing.

(9) Rules for punctuation. These immediately follow the development of the grammatical principles involved.

(10) Brief treatments of figures of speech, rhythm, idioms.

(11) Directions for the compilation of a class paper, the forming of a club, transacting business by means of motions, and the framing of a constitution.

(12) Attractive pictures, illustrating the text and furnishing additional material for composition.

In acknowledging indebtedness for help in the preparation of this book, I must mention first of all Professor Willis M. West, formerly Superintendent of the school in which I first taught grammar, and later Head of the Department of History in the University of Minnesota. For four years he advised, encouraged, and suggested, until I had practically worked out with the children the order of topics which in my later teaching of grammar I have found little occasion to alter. Among the hundreds of other teachers for whose cooperation and advice I am much indebted, I must make special mention of two. Miss Myrtle Gentry, who has used my grammar in both rural and graded schools, has given invaluable advice in the choice of material to be included in this book. She has also greatly lightened my task by doing much clerical work in the preparation of manuscript. To Professor J. R. Jewell, Dean of the School of Education in the University of Arkansas, I am indebted for the suggestion to draw models of good writing, as well as sentences for drill, largely from life and living sources. I trust that the suggestion will add as much to the pleasure of the pupils who may use this book as it has to mine in its preparation. As in Books I and II, free use has been made, through the kindness of the author, of suggestions contained in the Illinois Series of Nature Study and Agriculture Leaflets, prepared by Miss Alice Jean Patterson.

CHESTINE GOWDY. June, 1915.