Grammar and Morphology Drill for Wheelock, Chapter 4


1 The neuter gender is so called because:
it is reserved for things, not people.
it comprises words that are neither feminine nor masculine.
it comprises words that end in nom. sing. -um instead of -us.
the words have no plural forms.
2 The tricky thing about 2nd declension neuter words is:
their nominative singular form looks like a masculine accusative singular.
their genitive singular looks like the nominative plural.
their nom./acc. pl. forms look like a feminine singular.
they are never used as the subject of a sentence.
3 The verb "to be" is unique in that:
it is irregular.
it has no infinitive form in Latin.
it can govern two direct objects.
it functions like an = sign.
4 Sum

This form means:
To be.
They are.
I am.
A few.
5 You are a great man of wisdom.

This in Latin would be:
Vir magnae sapientiae est.
Vir magnus sapientiae es.
Vir magnus sapientia es.
6 Bonae sumus et bellae.

In English, this would be:
We are good and pretty women.
We are good at war.
We are good women, and pretty ones, too.
Wars are good.
7 Bonî bona semper amant.

In English, this would be:
Good men always love good women.
The good love a good thing.
A good man's woman is always in love.
Good people love good things.
8 Multa bella ôtium nôn conservant.

In English, this would be:
Many pretty women have no leisure.
Many things do not conserve beautiful leisure.
Many wars do not preserve leisure.
Leisure does not keep many wars.
9 Patriam et ôtium bellîs parvîs saepe servant.

In English, this would be:
They often preserve the fatherland and [their] tranquillity by means of small wars.
The country often serves leisure to pretty, little boys.
They often serve the fatherland and leisure in the small wars.
10 You are a man of little leisure, my friend, and have many great anxieties.

In Latin, this would be:
Vir parvus ôtiî es, mî amîce, et multâs cûrâs habês.
Vir parvî ôtiî es, mî amîce, et multâs magnâs cûrâs habês.
Vîrus parvum ôtiî es, et multâs magnâs cûrâs habês.
11 We must, o Romans, give attention to duty without delay!

In Latin, this would be:
Dêbêmus, ô Rômânî, cûram officiô sine morâ.
Officium cûrae, ô Rômânî, sine morâ damus!
Officiô cûram, ô Rômânî, sine morâ dare dêbêmus.
Cûram, ô Rômânî, dare sine morâ dêbêmus officiô.
12 They boys and girls must help the greedy farmers in the fields today.

In Latin, this would be:
Puerî et puellâs et avârôs agricolâs iuvâre hodiê in agrîs dêbent.
Puer et puella avârî agricolâs iuvâre hodiê in agrîs dêbent.
Puerî et puellae avârôs agricolâs iuvâre hodiê in agrîs dêbêmus.
Puerî et puellae avârôs agricolâs iuvâre hodiê in agrîs dêbent.
13 Magistrî parvîs puerîs multa dôna dant bona et magna.

In English, this would be:
The teachers give many good and great gifts to the little boys.
The good and great (female) teachers give many gifts to the little boys.
The teachers give the little boys many good gifts.
The teachers give to many little boys good and great gifts.
14 a) The man gave Jim a dollar.
b) The man gave a dollar to Jim.

These two sentences:
differ in that "Jim" is the direct object of a) and the indirect object of b).
have different indirect objects.
are equivalent.
15 You save the Roman people with your money and wisdom.

In Latin, the words "with your money and wisdom" would be rendered as:
ablative of means with no preposition.
cum + ablative.
ablative singular of tua pecûnia et sapientia
a prepositional phrase.
16 Your biggest problem in learning Latin is:
Getting the cases right.
Remembering the vocabulary.
Caring enough to actually do the homework.
Understanding the syntax of sentences.