ticiple. A verb which wants any of these parts is called defective: such are most of the auxiliaries.

OBS.-The present is radically the same in all the moods, and is the part from which all the rest are formed. The present infinitive is the root, or simplest form, of the verb. The preterit and the perfect participle are regularly formed by adding d or ed, and the imperfect participle by adding ing, to the present.

An auxiliary is a short verb prefixed to one of the principal parts of an other verb, to express some particular mode and time of the being, action, or passion. The auxiliaries are do, be, have, shall, will, may, can, and must, with their variations.

OBS. 1.-Do, be, and have, being also principal verbs, are complete: but the participles of do and have, are not used as auxiliaries; unless having, which forms the compound participle, may be considered as such. The other auxiliaries have no participles.

OBS. 2.-English verbs are príncipally conjugated by means of auxiliaries; the only tenses which can be formed by the simple verb, being the present and the imperfect; as, I love, I loved. And even here an auxiliary is usually preferred in questions and negations; as, Do you love? You do not love. All the other tenses, even in their simplest form, are compounds.

OBS. 3.-The form of conjugating the active verb is often called the Active Voice; and that of the passive verb, the Passive Voice. These terms are borrowed from the Latin and Greek grammars, and are of little or no use in English.

OBS. 4.-English verbs having few inflections, it is convenient to insert in the conjugations the preposition to, to mark the infinitive; pronouns, to distinguish the persons and numbers; the conjunction if, to denote the subjunctive; and the adverb not, to show the form of negation. With these additions, a verb may be conjugated in four ways:

1. Affirmatively; as, I write, I do write, or I am writing.

2. Negatively; as, I write not, I do not write, or, I am not writing.

3. Interrogatively; as, Write I? Do I write? or, Am I writing?

4. Interrogatively and negatively; as, Write I not? Do I not write? or, Am I not writing?

I. SIMPLE FORM, ACTIVE OR NEUTER.

The simplest form of an English conjugation, is that which makes the present and imperfect tenses without auxiliaries; but, even in these, auxiliaries are required. for the potential mood, and are often preferred for the indicative.

The infinitive mood is that form of the verb, which expresses the being,

action, or passion, in an unlimited manner, and without person or number. It is used only in the present and perfect tenses.

Present Tense.

This tense is the root, or radical verb; and is usually preceded by the preposition to, which shows its relation to some other word: thus,

To love.
Perfect Tense.

This tense prefixes the auxiliary have to the perfect participle, and is usually preceded by the preposition to: thus,

To have loved.

INDICATIVE MOOD.

The indicative mood is that form of the verb, which simply indicates or declares a thing, or asks a question. It is used in all the tenses.

Present Tense.

The present indicative, in its simple form, is essentially the same as the present infinitive, or radical verb; except that the verb be has am in the indicative.

1. The simple form of the present tense is varied thus :—

2. This tense may also be formed by prefixing the auxiliary do to the verb; thus,

This tense, in its simple form, is the preterit; which, in all regular verbs, adds d or ed to the present, but in others is formed variously.

1. The simple form of the imperfect tense is varied thus:

Singular.

1. I loved,

2. Thou lovedst,

3. He loved;

Plural.

1. We loved,

2. You loved,

3. They loved.

2. This tense may also be formed by prefixing the auxiliary

did to the present: thus,

OBS.-In a familiar question or negation, the auxiliary form is preferable to the simple. But in the solemn or the poetic style, the simple form is more dignified and graceful: as, "Understandest thou what thou readest?" -"Of whom speaketh the prophet this?"-Acts, viii, 30, 34. "Say, heard ye nought of lowland war ?"-Scott: L. of L., C. v, ¶ 5.

Perfect Tense.

This tense prefixes the auxiliary have to the perfect participle: thus,

This tense prefixes the auxiliary had to the perfect participle: thus,

This tense prefixes the auxiliary shall or will to the present: thus,1. Simply to express a future action or event:

2. To express a promise, volition, command, or threat:

OBS.-In interrogative sentences, the meaning of these auxiliaries is roversed. When preceded by a conjunction implying condition or uncertainty, their import is somewhat varied.

Second-future Tense.

This tense prefixes the auxiliaries shall have or will have to the perfect participle: thus,

1. I

Singular.
shall have loved,

2. Thou wilt have loved, 3. He will have loved;

Plural.

1. We shall have loved, 2. You will have loved,

3. They will have loved.

OBS.-The auxiliary shall may also be used in the second and third persons of this tense, when preceded by a conjunction expressing condition or contingency; as, "If he shall have finished his work when I return." And perhaps will may here be used in the first person to express a promise or a determination, though such usage, I think, very seldom occurs.

POTENTIAL MOOD.

The potential mood is that form of the verb, which expresses the power, liberty, possibility, or necessity, of the being, action, or passion. It is used in the first four tenses; but the potential imperfect is properly an aorist, and not necessarily a past tense. No definite time is usually implied in it.

Present Tense.

This tense prefixes the auxiliary may, can, or must, to the radical verb: thus,

Plural.

1. I

Singular.
may love,

1. We may love,

2. Thou mayst love,

2. You may love,

3. He may love;

3. They may love.

Imperfect Tense.

This tense prefixes the auxiliary might, could, would, or should, to the radical verb: thus,—

Plural.

1. We might love,

2. Thou mightst love,

2. You might love,

3. He might love;

3. They might love.

Perfect Tense.

This tense prefixes the auxiliaries, may have, can have, or must have, to the perfect participle: thus,

Singular.

1. I may have loved, 2. Thou mayst have loved, 3. He may have loved;

Plural.

1. We may have loved, 2. You may have loved, 3. They may have loved.

Pluperfect Tense.

This tense prefixes the auxiliaries, might have, could have, would have, or should have, to the perfect participle: thus,

1. I

Singular. might have loved, 2. Thou mightst have loved, 3. He might have loved;

Plural.

1. We might have loved, 2. You might have loved, 3. They might have loved.

SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.

The subjunctive mood is that form of the verb, which represents the being, action, or passion, as conditional, doubtful, or contingent. This mood is generally preceded by a conjunction; as, if, that, though, lest, unless, &c. It does not vary its termination, in the different persons. It is used in the present, and sometimes in the imperfect tense; rarely in any other. As this mood can be used only in a dependent clause, the time implied in its tenses is always relative, and generally indefinite.

Present Tense.

This tense is generally used to express some condition on which a future action or event is affirmed. It is therefore considered by some grammarians, as an elliptical form of the future.

OBS.-In this tense the auxiliary do is sometimes employed; as, "If thou do prosper my way."—Gen., xxiv, 42. "If he do not utter it."-Lev., v, 1. This uninflected do proves the tense to be present and the mood subjunctive; for the word will come under no other mood or tense.

Imperfect Tense.

This tense, as well as the imperfect of the potential mood, with which it is frequently connected, is properly an aorist, or indefinite tense; and it may refer to time past, present, or future: as, "If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, what further need was there," &c.-Heb., vii, 11. "If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing?"-1 Cor., xii, 17. "If it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect."-Matt., xxiv, 24.

The imperative mood is that form of the verb, which is used in commanding, exhorting, entreating, or permitting. It is commonly used only in the second person of the present tense.

Present Tense.

Singular. 2. Love [thou,]
Plural.

2. Love Lye or you,]

or Do thou love;
Do you love.

or

OBS.-In the Greek language, which has three numbers, the imperative mood is used in the second and third persons of them all; and has also sev eral different tenses, some of which cannot be clearly rendered in English. In Latin, this mood has a distinct form for the third person both singular and plural. In Italian, Spanish, and French, the first person plural is also given it. Imitations of some of these forms are occasionally employed in English, particularly by the poets. Such imitations must be referred to this mood, unless by ellipsis and transposition we make them out to be something else. The following are examples: "Blessed be he that blesseth thee."—Gen., xxvii, 29. "Thy kingdom come."-Matt., vi, 10.

"Fall he that must, beneath his rival's arms,

And live the rest, secure of future harms."-Pope.

"My soul, turn from them-turn we to survey," &c.—Goldsmith.

IND. I love, I loved, I have loved, I had loved, I shall love, I shall have loved. Por. I may love, I might love, I may have loved, I might have loved. SUBJ. If I love, If I loved.