Simple compound

Tenses of

other moods

The present, past, and future are called simple t as they express action with reference to time only perfect tenses are called compound, as they indicat completion of the action as well as the time.

The subjunctive and potential moods lack the f and future perfect tenses. Both the past and pre perfect tenses are used with a present and even ture meaning. The conditional, obligative, and in tive have only the present and perfect tenses. In a these moods, the present tense is used to express F ent and future time, and the perfect tense is used express past, present, or even future time. The F perfect expresses either a simple past time, or this w completed action. The time of the action, being, condition expressed by a subordinate clause or by finitives and participial phrases, is usually determin by the tense of the principal verb of the senten On the other hand, the time of the principal verb sometimes indicated by the infinitive following it.

The imperative has only the present used with future as well as a present meaning. The participle and infinitives, though present or perfect in form, hav really no tense, the time implied in them being relativ to the words on which they depend, or which accom pany them.

Note. The present is used for general or timeless statements, and fo making narrative of past events vivid; some familiar verbs use the presen for stating an expected future event.

There is also a periphrastic future formed by adding the root infinitive to the verb to be:

Person is a distinction of the verb with reference to Person the subject. Verbs are in the first, second, or third person, according to the character of the subject, as speaker, listener, or person or thing spoken of.

Number, also, is a distinction of the verb with refer- Number ence to the subject. A verb is singular if its subject represents a single person or thing; plural, if its subject stands for more than a single person or thing. In modern English, the second plural pronoun with its corresponding verb is used also for the singular.

Simple

In addition to the simple form of conjugation, express- Form of ing without emphasis or reference to continuance, the conjugation action, being, or state, the present and past tenses of both the indicative and the subjunctive and the one tense of the imperative have an emphatic form. The name sufficiently indicates the meaning:—

Emphatic

All the tenses of the finite moods have also a progres- Progressive sive form expressing continuance of action, being, or

Conjugation is either a change in the form of a verb, Conjugation or the combination of a verb with other verbs, to express its grammatical properties. The term is also applied to the entire scheme of changes and combinations of a single verb.

There are but few changes of form-inflections

1

Inflection

infinitive to make the past tense and participles

the present indicative, whether the verb is used Personal pendently or as an auxiliary, (e)st is added to the i endings tive to form the second person singular, and (e)s, style (e)th, to form the third person singular :

Past tense sign

In the past indicative verbs of the old conjugat have a vowel change; verbs of the new, a tense e ing (e)d. Only the second singular takes the perso ending:

Grouping

for future

The future indicative is formed by adding the ro infinitives to the verbs shall, for the first person, an will, for the second and third person, these verbs being irregularly inflected :

Note. But in questions the auxiliary shall is used for both first and second person:

Shall is used in a question in the third person, if expected in the

answer:

Shall mortal man forget his Maker?

The following are all the different forms of a regular All verb

The present and past tenses of the subjunctive omit Subjunctive the personal endings found in the indicative. The im- Imperative perative is like the infinitive in form.

Like the future Verb groups indicative, the perfect tenses of the indicative and subjunctive and all the tenses of all the other finite moods are made by combining verb forms, — either adding the root infinitive or a participle, or both, to auxiliary verbs. The passive voice (or passive verb phrase) is formed by Passive adding the past participle to the verb be throughout its

conjugation:

I am loved

I shall be loved

I was loved

If I be loved

The conditional mood (or verb phrase), present, is conditional

formed by adding the present infinitive to the past of

shall and will—should for the first person, would for

The potential mood (or verb phrase) is formed in the Potential simple tenses, by adding the infinitive to the present

the present of the verb shall for the second and persons, and of will for the first person, and to the tense would for all persons:

I may go

thou couldst go

we will go

Obligative The obligative mood (or verb phrase), presen formed by adding the infinitive to the verbs m ought, and need:

Perfect
tenses

Emphatic

Progressive

All perfect tenses, not only of finite moods, but of finitives and participles, are formed by adding the p participle to the corresponding form- mood, ten form of conjugation of the verb have. A few transitive verbs of motion or condition still use be perfect auxiliary:

The emphatic form of conjugation is made by addin the infinitive to the present and past tenses of do: — I did sing

I do sing The progressive form of conjugation adds the presen participle to the verb be throughout its conjugation:

I am singing I have been singing I may be singing The conjugation of the auxiliary verbs is irregular, of auxiliaries and some of the auxiliaries are defective. Shall, will,

Conjugation

may, can, must, ought, lack infinitives and participles;

the first four have a present and a past tense, the last two only a present.