EXERCISE.

Use the following verbs to express something in the present, past and future time. The pronouns I, we and they, may be used.

3. Besides the three general divisions of time mentioned, there are some subordinate divisions.

(b) We say "the flower had bloomed," that is, before some other occurrence had taken place; as, Before I came, the flower had bloomed. This is a division of past time.

(c) We

say, "the flowers have bloomed," i. e. at a time before the present, but it is not certain whether it bloomed a moment ago, or at a period considerably distant.

This is also a division of past time.

(d) We say,

the flower will have bloomed," that is, before some other occurrence will take place; as, The flower will have bloomed before we shall return. This is a division of future time.

ORAL EXERCISE.

I love, I loved, I have loved, I had loved, I shall or will love, I shall have loved.

In how many different times is the verb love used?

Put the verb play in the different times or tenses; also the verbs hate, destroy, praise and blame.

How many divisions of time have been made? Ans. Six.

How many divisions of past time has the verb? Ans. Three, called the Imperfect tense; as, I loved; the Perfect tense; as, I have loved, and the Pluperfect tense; as, I had loved.

How many divisions of future time has the verb? Ans. Two, the First Future tense; as, I shall or will love; and the Second Future tense; as, I shall have loved.

1. Tense is a form of the verb to denote the time in which any thing exists, or is taking place. 2. Verbs have six tenses. The Present, the Imperfect, the Perfect, the Pluperfect, the First Future, and the Second Future.

3. The Present tense denotes what takes place in the present time; and is also employed in stating what is habitual, and what is always true; as, The sun rises, or is rising.

4. The Imperfect* denotes what took place, or was taking place, in past time; as, I recited, or was reciting.

NOTE 1.-This is sometimes called the Past tense.

5. The Perfect† denotes what has taken place, or what has been taking place up to the present time; as, I have read, or have been reading.

NOTE 2. This tense is sometimes called the Priort present.

6. The Pluperfect§ denotes what had taken place, or what had been taking place, before some other past action; as, The news had arrived before the packet reached the port.

NOTE 3. This tense is sometimes called the Prior-past; since it denotes that something took place prior to, or before some other past event.

7. The First Future denotes what will take place; as, It will rain.

*The term Imperfect, "unfinished," is strictly applicable only to the Progressive form, viz: I was reciting. The Indefinite form, viz: I recited, denotes an action finished, in past time, and might properly be called the preterit

tense.

+ Perfect, signifies "finished."

Prior, signifies "before."

Pluperfect (Lat., plus, more, perfectus, finished,) signifies "more, than the perfect."

8. The Second Future denotes what will take place before some future action or event; as, Before I shall see you, the criminal will have been executed.

This tense is sometimes called the Future Perfect, and Prior Future.

TENSES.

§ 69. SIGNS OF THE TENSES.

SIGNS.

Present. The simple form of the verb, and sometimes do, am, art, is or are.

Imperfect, The simple form, and sometimes did, was, wast or were.
Perfect,
have, hast or has.
Pluperfect,
First Future,

Second Future,

had or hadst.

shall or will.

shall have, or will have.

EXAMPLES OF THE TENSES.

NOTE. Each tense has two forms, which may be called the Indefinite and Progressive forms. The Indefinite denotes no precise time; the Progressive denotes an action as progressing or going on at some particular time.

Write the Indefinite and Progressive forms of the following verbs, in each of the tenses.

1. In what tense are, "I have loved," "you have loved," "he has loved?" Why? What does this tense denote? What is the Progressive form of this tense? What is the sign of this tense?

2. In what tense

"6 are, had loved," "you had loved," "they had loved?" What does this tense denote? What is the sign of this tense? What is the Progressive form of this tense?

3. In what tense are, "I loved," "they loved," "you loved ?" What doe this tense denote? What is the Progressive form of this tense?

4. "I shall or will love," "he shall or will love," " you shall or will love." In what tense are these expressions? Define this tense. Give its Progres

sive form.

5. "I shall have loved;" tense? sign? what does it denote? What is the Progressive form?

6. How many tenses have been described? Define each. Give an example of each, in both forms.

7. How many modes have been described? Define each. Give an example of each.

REMARKS.

1. The Indicative mode has six tenses.

2. The Potential mode has four tenses, viz: the present, imper fect, perfect and pluperfect.

The tenses of the Potential mode are:

Present-I may, can or must love.

Imperfect-I might, could, would or should love.

Perfect-I may, or can, or must have loved.

Pluperfect-I might, could, would or should have loved.

3. The Infinitive mode has two tenses, viz:

The Present-To love.

The Perfect-To have loved.

4. The Subjunctive mode has all the tenses of the Indicative; as, If I love, present; If I have loved, perfect, &c.

§ 70. AUXILIARY VERBS.

1. Auxiliary means "helping," or "helper."

2. A few verbs are used in forming the modes or tenses of other verbs, and are called auxiliaries, or helping verbs. 3. Most of these have only two forms, as;

Will is sometimes used as a principal verb, and in that case it takes an auxiliary, and may have the regular forms of the modes and tenses; as, I will. I willed, I have willed, 1 may will, &c.