English Grammar in Familiar Lectures Part 29

Under this view of the subject, the term _perfect_ may be properly applied to this tense, for it specifies, not only the completion of the action, but, also, alludes to the particular period of its accomplishment.

The PLUPERFECT TENSE represents a past action or event that transpired before some other past time specified; as, "I _had finished_ my letter before my brother arrived."

You observe that the verb _had finished_, in this example, represents one _past_ action, and the arrival of my brother, another _past_ action; therefore _had finished_ is in the pluperfect tense, because the action took place prior to the taking place of the other past action specified in the same sentence.

The FIRST FUTURE TENSE denotes a future action or event; as "I _will finish_; I _shall finish_ my letter."

The SECOND FUTURE TENSE represents a future action that will be fully accomplished, at or before the time of another future action or event; as, "I _shall have finished_ my letter when my brother arrives."

This example clearly shows you the meaning and the proper use of the second future tense. The verb "shall have finished" implies a future action that will be completely finished, at or before the time of the other future event denoted by the phrase, "_when_ my brother _arrives_."

NOTE. What is sometimes called the _Inceptive_ future, is expressed thus, "I am going _to write_;" "I am about _to write_." Future time is also indicated by placing the infinitive present immediately after the indicative present of the verb _to be_; thus, "I am _to write_;" "Harrison is _to be_, or ought _to be_, commander in chief;" "Harrison is _to command_ the army."

You may now read what is said respecting the moods and tenses several times over, and then you may learn to _conjugate_ a verb. But, before you proceed to the conjugation of verbs, you will please to commit the following paragraph on the _Auxiliary_ verbs and, also, the _signs_ of the moods and tenses; and, in conjugating, you must pay particular attention to the manner in which these signs are applied.

OF THE AUXILIARY VERBS.

AUXILIARY or HELPING VERBS are those by the help of which the English verbs are princ.i.p.ally conjugated. _May, can, must, might, could, would, should,_ and _shall_, are always auxiliaries; _do, be, have_, and _will_, are sometimes auxiliaries, and sometimes princ.i.p.al verbs.

The use of the auxiliaries is shown in the following conjugation.

SIGNS OF THE MOODS.

The _Indicative_ Mood is known by the _sense_, or by its having _no sign_, except in asking a question; as, "Who _loves_ you?"

The conjunctions _if, though, unless, except, whether_, and _lest_, are generally signs of the _Subjunctive_; as, "_If_ I _love; unless_ I _love_," &c.

A verb is generally known to be in, the _Imperative_ Mood by its agreeing with _thou_, or _ye_ or _you_, understood; as, _"Love_ virtue, _and follow_ her steps;" that is, love _thou_, or love _ye_ or _you_; follow _thou_, &c.

_May, can_, and _must, might, could, would_, and _should_, are signs of the _Potential_ Mood; as, "I _may_ love; I _must_ love; I _should_ love," &c.

_To_ is the sign of the _Infinitive_; as, "_To_ love, _to_ smile, _to_ hate, _to_ walk."

SIGNS OF THE TENSES.

The first form of the verb is the sign of the present tense; as, _love, smile, hate, walk_.

_Ed_--the imperfect tense of regular verbs; as, _loved, smiled, hated, walked_.

_Have_--the perfect; as, _have_ loved.

_Had_--the pluperfect; as, _had_ loved. _Shall_ or _will_--the first future; as, _shall_ love, or _will_ love; _shall_ smile, _will_ smile.

_Shall_ or _will have_--the second future; as, _shall have_ loved, or _will have_ loved.

NOTE. There are some exceptions to these signs, which you will notice by referring to the conjugation in the potential mood.

Now, I hope you will so far consult your own ease and advantage, as to commit, perfectly, the signs of the moods and tenses before you proceed farther than to the subjunctive mood. If you do, the supposed Herculean task of learning to conjugate verbs, will be transformed into a few hours of pleasant pastime.

The Indicative Mood has _six_ tenses.

The Subjunctive has also _six_ tenses.

The Imperative has only _one_ tense.

The Potential has _four_ tenses.

The Infinitive has _two_ tenses.

CONJUGATION OF VERBS.

The CONJUGATION of a verb is the regular combination and arrangement of its several numbers, persons, moods, and tenses.

The Conjugation of an active verb, is styled the _active voice_; and that of a pa.s.sive verb, the _pa.s.sive voice_.

Verbs are called Regular when they form their imperfect tense of the indicative mood, and their perfect participle, by adding to the present tense _ed_, or _d_ only when the verb ends in _e_; as,

Pres. Tense. Imp. Tense. Perf. Participle I favor. I favor_ed_. favor_ed_.

I love. I love_d_, love_d_.

A Regular Verb is conjugated in the following manner.

TO LOVE.--INDICATIVE MOOD.

Present Tense.

_Singular_. _Plural_.

1. _Pers_. I love, 1. We love, 2. _Pers_. Thou lovest, 2. Ye _or_ you love, 3. _Pers_. He, she, _or_ it, loveth 3. They love.

_or_ loves.

When we wish to express energy or positiveness, the auxiliary _do_ should precede the verb in the present tense: thus,

_Singular_. _Plural_.

1. I do love, 1. We do love, 2. Thou dost love, 2. Ye _or_ you do love, 3. He doth _or_ does love. 3. They do love.

Imperfect Tense.

_Singular_. _Plural_.

1. I loved, 1. We loved, 2. Thou lovedst, 2. Ye _or_ you loved, 3. He loved. 3. They loved.

Or by-prefixing _did_ to the present: thus,

_Singular_. _Plural_.

1. I did love 1. We did love, 2. Thou didst love, 2. Ye _or_ you did love, 3. He did love. 3. They did love.

Perfect Tense.

_Singular_. _Plural_.

1. I have loved, 1. We have loved, 2. Thou hast loved, 2. Ye _or_ you have loved, 3. He hath _or_ has loved. 3. They have loved.

Pluperfect Tense.

_Singular_. _Plural_.