English Grammar and Composition for Public Schools

by G. H. Armstrong

LESSON XLVIII.

OTHER AUXILIARY VERBS.

In the last three lessons we have studied the auxiliaries used in distinguishing the time of an action. We shall now study the auxiliaries can, may, must, ought, should and would, which enable us to express other distinctions.

CAN.

		PRESENT TENSE.
	Singular.		Plural.
	1. I can,		1. We can,
	2. Thou canst,		2. You can,
	3. He can.		3. They can.

		PAST TENSE.
	Singular.		Plural.
	1. I could,		1. We could,
	2. Thou couldst,		2. You could,
	3. He could.		3. They could.

Can is used to denote power or ability; as, I can sing. He could write very rapidly.

MAY.

		PRESENT TENSE.
	Singular.		Plural.
	1. I may,		1. We may,
	2. Thou mayest,		2. You may,
	3. He may.		3. They may.

		PAST TENSE.
	Singular.		Plural.
	1. I might,		1. We might,
	2. Thou mightest,		2. You might,
	3. He might.		3. They might.

May is used to denote permission, possibility, or a wish; as, You may leave the room. He might succeed again. May you be there too.

Could and might are used sometimes in a conditional sense; as, They might stay here if we could help them.

The phrases made by the auxiliaries may and can with the infinitive of a verb are sometimes called potential verb-phrases, because they express that an action is possible from the subject having power to perform it.

MUST and OUGHT.

Must has no other form. It is used to denote necessity or obligation; as, I must remain here.

Ought is the old past of the verb owe. It is used to denote duty or obligation; as, I ought to help him.

The phrases made by the auxiliaries must and ought, with the infinitive of a verb, are sometimes called obligative verb-phrases, because they imply obligation.

SHOULD and WOULD.

Should and would are the past tense forms of the auxiliaries shall and will.

Should and would are especially used with the infinitive of a verb to express a conditional statement; as, I should do so if I had the opportunity. He would come if I asked him.

Since the phrases formed by should and would with the infinitive of a verb imply a condition, they are called conditional verb-phrases.

1. Should and would are often used in expressing the condition itself; as, If he should be here, they would know it.

2. They have sometimes their more independent meanings of ought and be determined; as, I should go, I know. She would come, no matter what happened.

EXERCISE I.

State the use of the verbs may, can, must, ought, should and would in the following sentences:—

1.	For I can weather the roughest gale,
	That ever wind did blow.—Longfellow.
2.	She must weep or she will die.—Tennyson.
3.	We ought to obey God.—Bible.
4.	And when he next doth ride abroad
	May I be there to see!—Cowper.
5.	“Please, Brown,” he whispered, “may I wash my face and hands?”—Hughes.
6.	I would not for the wealth of all the town
	Here in my home do him disparagement.—Shakespeare.
7.	For men may come and men may go,
	But I go on forever.—Tennyson.
8.	If a storm should come and wake the deep,
	What matter! I shall ride and sleep.—Procter.
9.	It may be that Death’s bright angel
	Will speak in that chord again,
	It may be that only in Heaven
	I shall hear that grand Amen.—Procter.

EXERCISE II.

Write sentences containing the following verbs used correctly—can, may, must, ought, should, would. State the use in each case.

---