EXERCISES IN SYNTAX CONTINUED.

"James will do what is proper." "You heard what I said."

Whatever improves delights him."

"William demands what I canno

give."

"They advocate what is excellent."

XXXVII. OF THE VERB.

438. A VERB is a word that expresses ACTION OF BEING. Verbs are of three kinds—ACTIVE, PASSIVE, and NEUTER. 439. An active verb expresses action, and the actor is always the nominative case; as, "John runs." Active verbs are either transitive or intransitive.

440. An active verb is transitive, when it either has or may have an object after it, on which the action terminates; as, "John beats William."

441. An active verb is intransitive, when it neither has nor can have an object after it.

442. Passive means suffering or receiving.

443. When I say," John is beaten by William," is beaten is a verb, because it expresses action; and it is a passive verb, because it expresses the action received by John; and if John receives the action, then he is the object of it hence,

444. A passive verb expresses action or effect received.

445. The object is always its subject or nominative case 446. Active nominative, or actor, "John strikes William.' 447. Passive nominative, or object, "William is struck by John."

448. By examining the foregoing examples, you will see that when the verb is active, its nominative is likewise active; and when the verb is passive, its nominative is likewise passive.

449. The passive voice is a convenient mode of expression on occasions when we wish to state what has been done, without exposing the author; thus, instead of saying, "William struck John," I can, to avoid alluding to Williain say, "John was struck."

In the example, "John is beaten by William," which is the verb? Why What kind? Why? 443.

Which word is the object? Why? 443 What, then, is a passive verb? 444. Which is the nominative to a passiv verb, the agent or the object? 445.

Is the nominative to an active verb act ive or passive? Give an example. 448. Is the nominative to a passive verò ao tive or passive? Give an example. 448 In what particular is the passive voice a convenient form of expression? Give as example. 449.

What is the meaning of neuter ?

See question to 150.

450. A ncuter verb is one that is Leither active nor pas give, expressing simply being or existence in a certain state; as, "He sits," ""He is at home."

XXXVIII. MOOD, OR MODE.

451. Mood, or MODE, is the manner of representing action or being.

452. The INDICATIVE MOOD is used simply for indicating or declaring a thing, or asking a question; as, "I walk;" Do I walk?"

453. The POTENTIAL MOOD is used for expressing possibility, liberty, power, will, or obligation, either with or without asking a question; as, "I 2) 66 may go ;" May I go?" "He

must read," dec.

454. Of the SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD. The term subjunctive signifies subjoined or added to.

455. When I say, "I will go, if he desire it," the phrase "if he desire it" is added to the one before it: hence we say, "if he desire it" is in the subunctive mood. The term, however, is limited to such sentences as are preceded by the conjunctions if, unless, although, except, lest, &c., which imply doubt or some uncertainty.

456. The subjunctive mood is used for expressing doubt or uncertainty.

457. A verb in the subjunctive mood may be expressed in two different forms. It is equally correct to say, "If he is poor, he is respected," and "If he be studious, he will excel." The verbs be and is are both in the present tense; and since each has the conjunction if before it, each is in the subjunc tive mood.

458. The phrase "If he be studious" means the same as "If he will be studious" it therefore plainly implies future time.

459. On the contrary, in the phrase "If he is poor," the sense plainly is, 'If he is now, at the present time, poor," without any reference to future time. 460. Hence it appears, that, in one form of the verb, doubt only is implied; and in the other, both doubt and future time.

461. The vero is corresponds with the common forin of the ver to be the indicative mood, present tense; as, "I am, you are, he is:"-we wil therefore, when the verb is varied as usual, call it the common form of the sub junctive mood; and when the verb is not varied in the different persons, we will call it the subjunctive form, since this form is peculiar to this mood. You should here be informed that this distinction relates only to the present tense it being customary to vary the terminations of the verb in the remaning tenses, as usual.

462. The following general rules will direct you in the proper use of the ubjunctive mood:

463. When any verb in the subjunctive mood, present ense, has a reference to future time, we should use the

2. If ye or you love.
3. If they love.

465. When a verb in the subjunctive mood, present tense has no reference to future time, we should use the

1. If we love.
2. If ye love, or
If you love.
3. If they love.

}

466. Other conjunctions, besides if, are used before the subjunctive mood If is perhaps used most frequently, because it implies doubt more strongly thar most others.

467. By the foregoing, you may perceive that when the verb is in the subjunctive form, some auxiliary verb is always understood; as, " He will not be pardoned unless he repent," that is, "unless he will repent;" "If thou ever return, thou shouldst be thankful," that is, "if thou shouldst ever return."

468. A verb in the indicative mood is converted into the subjunctive, com mon form, simply by placing a conjunction, implying doubt, before it; as, "I walk," the indicative mood, becomes subjunctive by prefixing if; thus, "If I walk."

469. In like manner, a verb in the potential may be changed to the subunctive; as, "1 can go" is the potential; "If I can go," the subjunctive. 470. Of the IMPERATIVE MOOD. When I say, "John, mind your book, I command John to do something; and because imperative means commanding, we say that mind, in the phrase above, is in the imperative mood.

467.

With what does the verb is correspond? frequently in the subjunctive mood? 466 461. What does "He will not be pardoned uness he repent" mean? 467. What, then, is understood? "If thou ever return, thou shouldst be thankful:" what does this mean? 467. What, then, is understood? 467. What is always understood in this form!

How is the verb varied in the common form of the subjunctive mood? 461. Why called common? How varied in the subjunctive form? Why called subjunctive? 461.

How is this distinction limited? 461. How are the remaining tenses varied? 461.

When do we use the subjunctive form? 463.

Will you conjugate the verb love in this form, in the present tense? 464.

When do we use the common form 465.

Why is the conjunction if used most

471. This mood, for reasons assigned before, 214.) embraces the fol owing particulars:

1. Command; as, "John, sit up."

2. Entreaty;

as, "Do visit me."

my

3. Exhorting; as, "Remember my counsel."
4. Permitting; as, "Go in peace."

472. The imperative mood, then, is used for commanding, entreating, exhorting, or permitting.

473. The application of this mood is limited to the second person; as "John, come to me;" because, in uttering a command, making an entreaty, c. we must necessarily address some one; hence you can see the reason why this mood has but one person, viz. the second.

474. We cannot, with any propriety, command a person to-day, or in pres ent time, to do any thing in past time, yesterday for instance; consequently a verb in this mood cannot have any past tense.

475. When I command a person to do any thing, the performance of the command must take place in a period of time subsequent to that of the command; that is, in future time; but the command itself must, from the very nature of the case, take place in present time: this mood, therefore, cannot, strictly speaking, have any future tense: hence,

476. A verb in the imperative mood must be in the present tense, and in the second person.

477. Of the INFINITIVE MOOD. In the phrases, "John begins to sing," "The boys begin to sing," "Thou beginnest to sing," you perceive that the verb to sing is not varied to correspond with the number and person of its different agents, John, the boys, and thou: hence to sing is said not to be limited either by person or number.

478. This mood, then, is properly denominated infinitive, signifying not limited: hence,

479. The infinitive mood is used to express an action not limited either by person or number.

480. To, the usual sign of this mood, is sometimes understood; as, "Let me go," instead of "Let me to go;" "I heard him say it," for "I heard him to say it." This little word to, when used before verbs in this manner, is not a preposition, but forms a part of the verb, and, in parsing, should be so considered.

481. From the foregoing, it appears that there are five moods-the indicative, the imperative, the potential, the subjunctive, and the infinitive.

How many particulars does this mood embrace? 471. Why so many? 214. What, then, is the imperative mood used for? 472. Give an example of commanding? one of entreating? one of exhorting? one of permitting? 471.

How many persons has this mood? 473.
What person is it? 473.

Has this mood any past tense? Why?
474.
When I command a person, when, if at
all, must the performance of the command
take place? 475.

When, or in what time, must the command itself be given? 475.

Has this mood, then, any future tense?

What is the meaning of infinitivo? 478.

In what mood is sing, in the phrases, "John begins to sing," "The boys begin to sing," "Thou beginnest to sing? 477, 478.

In what particulars is this mood reckon ed not to be limited? 477.

What, then, is the infinitive mood used for? 479.

480.

What is the usual sign of this mood Is it always expressed? Give an exam ple. 480.

How is the sign to to be parsed? 480 Why parsed with the verb? 480 How many moods are there, an wha are they? 481.

XXXIX. OF TENSE.

482. The present tense expresses what is now taking place; as, "John swims."

483. This tense is often employed to express the actions of persons long since dead; as, "Seneca reasons and moralizes well."

484. The present tense, preceded by the words when, before, after, as soon as, &c., is sometimes used to point out the relative time of a future action; as, "When he arrives, he will hear the news."

485. This tense is elegantly applied to qualities and things which are ir their nature unchangeable; as, "Truth is eternal;" "William Boldly asserted there was no God;" properly," is no God."

486. In animated (1.) historical narrations, (2.) this tense is sometimes used for the imperfect; as, "He enters the territory of the peaceable inhabitants; he fights and conquers, takes an immense booty, which he divides among nis soldiers, and returns home to enjoy an empty triumph."

487. The imperfect tense expresses what took place in time past, however distant; as, "John died."

488. The perfect tense expresses what has taken place, and conveys an allusion to the present time; as, "I have finished my letter."

489. When any particular period of past time is specified or alluded to, we use the imperfect tense; as, "John wrote yesterday" but when no particular past time is specified, we use the perfect tense; as, "I have read Virgil many times."

490. The perfect tense and the imperfect tense both denote a thing that is past; but the former denotes it in such a manner that there is still actually remaining some part of the time to slide away, wherein we declare the thing has been done; whereas the imperfect denotes the thing or action past, in such a manner, that nothing remains of that time in which it was done. If we speak of the present century, we say, "Philosophers have made great discoveries in the present century; but if we speak of the last century, we say, "Philosophers made great discoveries in the last century."-"He has been much afflicted this year." "I have this week read the king's proclamation." have heard great news this morning." In these instances, He has been, I have read, and heard, denote things that are past; but they occurred in this year,

XXXIX. What is the meaning of present? 173.

What does the present tense express 482. Give an example. 482.

?

"Seneca reasons well." What tense is employed here? Why? 483.

In the phrase "When he arrives," future time is alluded to: why, then, is he present employed? 484.

Do we say, "There is," or " there was no God?" Why? 485.

What is the meaning of animated? 486. Meaning of narrations? 486. "He enters the erritory," &c. Why is the present tense used? 486.

What is the meaning of imperfect? 181. How came this term to be used, to denote an action past and finished?*

What does the imperfect tense express? 487. Give an example. 487. Meaning of perfect?†

(1.) Lively.

See sealian to 189

(2.) Descriptions, or telling what bas bean dona
· Finished, or complate