The Grammar of English Grammars Part 65

PERFECT TENSE.

This tense prefixes the auxiliary _have_ to the perfect participle; and, like the infinitive present, 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:--

_Singular_. _Plural_.

1st person, I love, 1st person. We love, 2d person, Thou lovest, 2d person, You love, 3d person, He loves; 3d person, They love.

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

_Singular_. _Plural_.

1. I do love, 1. We do love, 2. Thou dost love, 2. You do love, 3. He does love; 3. They do love.

IMPERFECT TENSE.

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_. _Plural_.

1. I loved, 1. We loved, 2. Thou lovedst, 2. You loved, 3. He loved; 3. They loved.

2. This tense may also be formed by prefixing the auxiliary _did_ to the present: thus,

_Singular_. _Plural_.

1. I did love, 1. We did love, 2. Thou didst love, 2. You did love, 3. He did love; 3. They did love.

PERFECT TENSE.

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

_Singular_. _Plural_.

1. I have loved, 1. We have loved, 2. Thou hast loved, 2. You have loved, 3. He has loved; 3. They have loved.

IMPERFECT TENSE.

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

_Singular_. _Plural_.

1. I had loved, 1. We had loved, 2. Thou hadst loved, 2. You had loved, 3. He had loved; 3. They had loved.

FIRST-FUTURE TENSE.

This tense prefixes the auxiliary _shall_ or _will_ to the present: thus,

1. Simply to express a future action or event:--

_Singular_. _Plural_.

1. I shall love, 1. We shall love, 2. Thou wilt love, 2. You will love, 3. He will love; 3. They will love;

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

_Singular_. _Plural_.

1. I will love, 1. We will love, 2. Thou shalt love, 2. You shall love, 3. He shall love; 3. They shall love.

SECOND-FUTURE TENSE.

This tense prefixes the auxiliaries _shall have_ or _will have_ to the perfect participle: thus,

_Singular_. _Plural_.

1. I shall have loved, 1. We shall have loved, 2. Thou wilt have loved, 2. You will have loved, 3. He 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 completed_ the work by midsummer."--_L. Murray's Gram._, p. 80. So, with the conjunctive adverb _when_; as, "Then cometh the end, _when_ he _shall have delivered_ up the kingdom to G.o.d, even the Father; _when_ he _shall have put_ down all rule and all authority and power."--_1 Cor._, xv, 24. And perhaps _will_ may here be used in the first person to express a promise, though such usage, I think, seldom occurs. Professor Fowler has given to this tense, first, the "_Predictive_" form, as exhibited above, and then a form which he calls "_Promissive_," and in which the auxiliaries are varied thus: "Singular. 1.

I _will_ have taken. 2. Thou _shalt_ have taken, you _shall_ have taken. 3.

He _shall_ have taken. Plural. 1. We _will_ have taken. 2. Ye _or_ you _shall_ have taken. 3. He [say _They_,] _shall_ have taken."--_Fowler's E.

Gram._, 8vo., N. Y., 1850, p. 281. But the other instances just cited show that such a form is not always promissory.

POTENTIAL MOOD.

The potential mood is that form of the verb, which expresses the power, liberty, possibility, or necessity of the being, action, or pa.s.sion. It is used in the first four tenses; but the potential _imperfect_ is properly an _aorist_: its time is very indeterminate; as, "He _would be_ devoid of sensibility were he not greatly satisfied."--_Lord Kames, El. of Crit._, Vol. i, p. 11.

PRESENT TENSE.

This tense prefixes the auxiliary _may, can_, or _must_, to the radical verb: thus,

_Singular_. _Plural_.

1. I 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,

_Singular_. _Plural_.

1. I might love, 1. We might love, 2. Thou mightst love, 2. You might love, 3. He might love; 3. They might love.