Robes and furred gowns hide all.”—Shakspeare.
| Preterperfect. | |||
| S. | I wrote | Thou wrotest | He wrote |
| P. | We wrote | Ye or you wrote | They wrote. |
This tense is indefinite, no particular past time being implied.
These are the only two tenses in our language formed by varying the termination; the only two tenses, therefore, which properly belong to it.
| Present Progressive, or continued. | |||
| S. | I am writing | Thou art writing | He is writing |
| P. | We are writing | You are writing | They are writing. |
This tense denotes a present action proceeding. In regard to time, it has been termed definite; and, in respect to action, it differs from the other present in this, that the former has no reference either to the perfection or imperfection of the action; whereas this denotes that the action is continued and imperfect.
| Present Emphatic. | |||
| S. | I do write | Thou dost write | He doth or does write |
| P. | We do write | Ye or you do write | They do write. |
This form of the verb is emphatic, and generally implies doubt or contradiction on the part of the person addressed, to remove which the assertion is enforced by the auxiliary verb. In respect to time and action, it is precisely the same with I write.
“You cannot dread an honourable death.”
“I do dread it.”