PART SECOND.

Verbs have Voices, Moods, Tenses, Numbers, and Persons. There are two Voices, the Active and Passive. The ACTIVE expresses action done to another, as, John shot a hare. PASSIVE expresses action suffered, as, The hare was killed. Active verbs are either TRANSITIVE or INTRANSITIVE.

THE TRANSITIVE VERB.

The active, transitive by name,
Is active--or what means the same,
Is active-transitive;

pass this book from me to you;
Now transitive just means that too-
PassingDo you perceive?

It

goes from subject to the object:
John Aung a ball, devised a project,
Or Peter bled his nose.

I'll put a verb between two things—
Jane's finger holds these golden rings,
The transitive this shows.

John stroked the dog which killed the hare,
He gave him food and placed him there,

The dog tore all his plaid;

Yet wagged his tail, and licked his hand,
As if to make him understand

He willingly obeyed.

B

EXERCISE.

A subject and object being given in the following sentences, the pupil must insert an active-transitive verb

The subject and transitive verb given, insert an object in the following spaces:

The Verb and Object being given, a Subject or Nominative must be inserted in the spaces.

boxes.

weave Brussels carpets.

make silver

polishes metal tea-pots. The

tans

'Tis somewhat like a transitive-
It may have action, you'll perceive,
Which is confin'd to self.

Thus, Charles dances, sings, and sleeps,
He jumps and capers, runs and leaps,
But does all to himself.

These verbs have subjects, you will find,
But there's no object put behind

A verb intransitive.

Jane sleeps serenely, looks sincere,

Are followed by an adverb here
And by an adjective.

Sometimes it has a preposition

Thus, Bill died from an operation,
And Tom fell by a blow.

These children play at football there,

They run down here, then whirl through air.
Will you sit with me? No!

TRANSITIVE AND INTRANSITIVE.

The same Verb may be used either Transitively or Intransitively.

Some verbs are either one or other,
"The fire did burn my little brother”-
"That patent torch burns bright."
The first burn is a transitive,
It has an object you perceive—
My brother-that is right.

The second burn, burns in the torch,
Burns in itself-it will not scorch,
Then 'tis intransitive.

It does not pass to any object.
(That you may understand this subject,
Examples I will give.)

The INDICATIVE MOOD simply declares a thing.

*Verb's Voices you have understood,
Now you must learn the Mode or Mood-
First's called INDICATIVE.

It is a simple declaration,
And may be an interrogation,
As where does Fanny live?

THE POTENTIAL MOOD.

The Potential Mood implies power, possibility, liberty, compulsion, will, or obligation.

* The Passive Voice will be explained after the verb To Be, being so closely connected with that verb.