Higher Lessons in English Part 78

_Will_ I _go?_--_i. e_., Is it my will to go?--is not used except to repeat another's question. It would be absurd for one to ask what his own will is.

_Shall_ you _go_? Ans. I _shall_. _Will_ you _go_? Ans. I _will_. _Shall_ he _go?_ Ans. He _shall_. _Will_ he _go?_ Ans. He _will_. The same auxiliary is used in the question that is used in the answer.

No difficulty _shall hinder_ me. The difficulty that might do the hindering is not to be left to itself, but is to be kept under the control of the speaker.

He says that he _shall go_; He says that he _will go_. Change the indirect quotations introduced by _that_ to direct quotations, and the application of the Caution will be apparent.

You _will see_ that my horse is at the door by nine o'clock. This is only an apparent exception to the rule. A superior may courteously avoid the appearance of compulsion, and refer to his subordinate's willingness to obey.

They knew that I _should be_ there, and that he _would be_ there. The same principles apply to _should_ and _would_ that apply to _shall_ and _will_.

In this example the events are future as to past time; making them future as to present time, we have, They know that I _shall be_ there, and that he _will be_ there.

My friend said that he _should_ not _set_ out to-morrow. Change the indirect to a direct quotation, and the force of _should_ will be seen.

+Direction+.--_a.s.sign a reason for the use of shall or will in each of the following sentences_:--

1. Hear me, for I will speak.

2. If you will call, I shall be happy to accompany you.

3. Shall you be at liberty to-day?

4. I shall never see him again.

5. I will never see him again.

6. I said that he should be rewarded.

7. Thou shalt surely die.

8. Truth, crushed to earth, shall rise again.

9. Though I should die, yet will I not deny thee.

10. Though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth my hand against the king's son.

+Direction+.--_Fill each of the following blanks with shall, will, should, or would, and give the reasons for your choice_:--

1. He knew who ---- betray him.

2. I ---- be fatigued if I had walked so far.

3. You did better than I ---- have done.

4. If he ---- come by noon, ---- you be ready?

5. They do me wrong, and I ---- not endure it.

6. I ---- be greatly obliged if you ---- do me the favor.

7. If I ---- say so, I ---- be guilty of falsehood.

8. You ---- be disappointed if you ---- see it.

9. ---- he be allowed to go on?

10. ---- you be unhappy, if I do not come?

+Direction+.--_Correct the following errors, and give your reasons_:--

1. Where will I leave you?

2. Will I be in time?

3. It was requested that no person would leave his seat.

4. They requested that the appointment would be given to a man who should be known to his party.

5. When will we get through this tedious controversy?

6. I think we will have rain.

LESSON 142.

CONSTRUCTION OF NUMBER AND PERSON FORMS.

AGREEMENT.--VERBS--p.r.o.nOUNS.

+Caution+.--A verb must agree with its subject in number and person.

+Remarks+.--Practically, this rule applies to but few forms. +Are+ and +were+ are the only plural forms retained by the English verb. In the common style, most verbs have one person form, made by adding +s+ or +es+ (_has_, in the present perfect tense, is a contraction of the indicative present--_ha_(_ve_)_s_). The verb _be_ has +am+ (first person) and +is+ (third person).

In the solemn style, the second person singular takes the ending +est+, +st+, or +t+, and, in the indicative present, the third person singular adds +eth+. (See Lessons 134 and 135.)

_Need_ and _dare_, when followed by an infinitive without _to_, are generally used instead of _needs_ and _dares_; as, He _need_ not do it; He _dare_ not do it.

+Caution+.--A collective noun requires a verb in the plural when the individuals in the collection are thought of; but, when the collection as a whole is thought of, the verb should be singular.

+Examples+.-- l. The _mult.i.tude were_ of one mind.

2. The _mult.i.tude was_ too large to number.

3. A _number were_ inclined to turn back, 4. The _number_ present _was_ not ascertained.

+Caution+.--When a verb has two or more subjects connected by _and_, it must agree with them in the plural.

+Exceptions+.--l. When the connected subjects are different names of the same thing, or when they name several things taken as one whole, the verb must be singular; as, My old _friend and schoolmate is_ in town. _Bread and milk is_ excellent food.

2. When the connected subjects are preceded by _each, every, many a_, or _no_, they are taken separately, and the verb agrees with the nearest; as, _Every man, woman, and child was_ lost.

3. When the subjects are emphatically distinguished, the verb agrees with the first and is understood with the second; as, _Time, and patience also, is_ needed. (The same is true of subjects connected by _as well as_; as, _Time, as well as patience, is_ needed.)

4. When one of the subjects is affirmative and the other negative, the verb agrees with the affirmative; as, _Books, and not pleasure_, occupy his time.

5. When several subjects follow the verb, each subject may be emphasized by making the verb agree with that which stands nearest; as, Thine _is_ the _kingdom and_ the _power_ _and_ the _glory_.

+Remark+.--When one of two or more subjects connected by _and_ is of the first person, the verb is in the first person; when one of the subjects is of the second person, and none of the first, the verb is in the second person. _I, you, and he_ = _we_; _you and he_ = _you_. We say, _Mary and I shall_ (not _will_) be busy to-morrow.

+Caution+.--When two or more subjects are connected by _or_ or _nor_, the verb agrees in person and number with the nearest; as, Neither _poverty nor wealth was_ desired; Neither _he nor they were_ satisfied.

When the subjects require different forms of the verb, it is generally better to express the verb with each subject or to recast the sentence.

+Remarks+.--When a singular and a plural subject are used, the plural subject is generally placed next to the verb.

In using p.r.o.nouns of different persons, it is generally more polite for the speaker to mention the one addressed first, and himself last, except when he confesses a fault.

+Caution+.--A p.r.o.noun must agree with its antecedent in number, gender, and person; as, _Thou who writest_; _He who writes_; _They who write_, etc.

The three special Cautions given above for the agreement of the verb will also aid in determining the agreement of the p.r.o.noun with its antecedent.

+Remarks+.--The p.r.o.noun and the verb of an adjective clause relating to the indefinite subject _it_ take, by attraction, the person and number of the complement when this complement immediately precedes the adjective clause; as, It is I _that am_ in the wrong; It is thou _that liftest_ me up; It is the dews and showers _that make_ the gra.s.s grow.