217. Uniting, combining, or joining together. Q. You recollect that, in varying the verb, we joined the pronouns with it; hence, this exercise is called conjugation: what, then, do you understand by the conjugation of a verb? 218. The conjugation of a verb is the regular combination and arrangement of its several moods, tenses, numbers, and persons. 219. Conjugation of the verb Learn. Singular. Plural. 1. We may, can, or must have learned. 2. You may, can, or must have learned. 3. They may, can, or must have learned. PLUPERFECT TENSE. 1. I might, could, would, or should have learned. 2. You might, could, would, or should have learned. 3. He might, could, would, or should have learned. Plural. 1. We might, could, would, or should have learned. 2. You might, could, would, or should have learned. 3. They might, could, would, or should have learned. Synopsis of the Second Person Singular, with THOU. 220. Pres. Thou mayst, canst, or must learn. Imp. Thou mightst, couldst, wouldst, or shouldst learn. Perf. Thou mayst, canst, or must have learned. Plup. Thou mightst, couldst, wouldst, or shouldst have learned. In what mood is, "I may learn?" Why? (215.) You Will you repeat the synopsis with I? thou? he? we? ye? you? they? In what mood, tense, number, and person, is, "I can learn?" may learn?" You might assist ?" They could have learned?" "He must study?" 66 Q. In what mood and tense is, "I have learned?" "He shall run? "William did sing?" Q. Wou you conjugate learn in the present tense, potential mood? Will you conjugate love in the same mood, and imperfect tense? Strike, in the perfect tense? Come, in the pluperfect tense? Q. How many tenses has the potential mood? EXERCISES IN PARSING. "He may return." 221. He is a PRONOUN, a word used instead of a nounPERSONAL; it invariably represents the same person― MASCu. LINE GENDER; it represents a male-THIRD PERSON; it denotes the person spoken of—SINGULAR NUMBER; it implies but one- and in the NOMINATIVE CASE; it denotes the agent — "Nom. he"-nominative case to may return, by RULE VI. The nominative case governs the verb. May return is a VERB; it implies action or being-ACTIVE; it implies action INTRANSITIVE; it does not admit an object after it- POTENTIAL MOOD; it implies possibility, liberty, &c. —PRESENT TENSE; it denotes what may be now "1. I or can return; 2. You may or can return; 3. He may or can return" made in the THIRD PERSON, SINGULAR, because its nominative he is, with which it agrees, according to may RULE VII. A verb must agree with its nominative case in number and person. EXERCISES IN PARSING CONTINUED. 222. When I say, "I am at home," you know that am is a verb, because it implies being or existence; and since to be means to exist, the verb am has been called the verb to be. 224. Synopsis of the Second Person Singular, with THOU. XIV. QUESTIONS ON THE FOREGOING CONJUGATION. Q. Why is am a verb? (158.) What is it sometimes called? (222.) Why is it so called? (222.) Q. Will you give the synopsis of the verb to be with I through the indicative mood? Q. Will you conjugate am in the present indicative? Imperfect? Perfect? Pluperfect? 1 Future? 2 Future? Present potential? Imperfect? Perfect? Pluperfect? 66 66 Q. In what mood, tense, number, and person, is, "I am?" "Am I?" "You were?" "I have been?" Have you been?" He may or can be?" "We should be?" "He may have been?" " They should have been?" "Thou shouldst have been?" Thou mayst be?" Q. Will you repeat the synopsis with thou? EXERCISES IN PARSING. "The girls were industrious." 225. Were is a VERB; it implies action or being-NEUTER ; it is neither active nor passive, expressing simply beingINDICATIVE MOOD; it simply indicates or declares a thingIMPERFECT TENSE; it expresses past time-"1. I was; 2. You were; 3. He was. Plur. 1. We were; 2. You were; 3. They were, or girls were"-made in the THIRD PERSON PLURAL, because its nominative girls is, with which it agrees, agreeably to RULE VII. A verb must agree with its nominative case in number and person. Industrious is an ADJECTIVE, a word joined with a noun to describe it" industrious, more industrious, most industrious" -in the POSITIVE DEGREE; it describes, without any comparison—and belongs to the noun girls, according to RULE IV. Adjectives belong to the nouns which they describe. For the and girls, apply RULES III. and VI. Mary has been intelligent." 66 "The boys will have been dutiful." "Columbus was enterprising." "Their estate was small." 66 Washington was patriotic." 66 My wife's mother is sick.' XV. OF THE ADVERB. Q. When I say, "The bird flies swiftly," I do not mean by swiftly to describe bird: what does swiftly describe? 226. The manner of flying. Q. To what part of speech is swiftly joined in the phrase, "The bird flies swiftly?" 227. To the verb flies. Q. What does the word adverb signify? 228. Joined to a verb. Q. What, then, shall we call all such words as swiftly? 229. ADVERES. Q. "John runs very swiftly." Which word here describes or shows how swiftly John runs ? 230. Very. Q. What is the word very called, and all such words as qualify or describe adverbs? 231. Adverbs. Q. Industrious, more industrious, most industrious." What are more and most called here, and why? 232. Adverbs, because they describe or qualify adjectives. Q. From the foregoing particulars, what appears to be a proper definition of adverbs? 233. Adverbs are words joined to verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs, to qualify or describe them. Q. "John visits me often, but Thomas oftener." In this example, we see that adverbs may be compared: will you, therefore, compare soon? 234. "Soon, sooner, soonest." Q. Will you compare wisely? 235. "Wisely, more wisely, most wisely." Q. How do adverbs ending in ly appear to be compared? 236. By the adverbs more and most. Q. Will you in this manner compare admirably? foolishly? Q. Many adverbs are compared like adjectives of one syllable, as soon above; but there is a very considerable number, the comparison of which is not regulated by any general rule. The following list embraces adverbs variously compared: will you repeat the comparative and superlative of each, as I name the positive? Superlative. oftenest. LEE Much, Badly, or ill, C sooner, more justly, worse, soonest. worst, |