Rule I.—A verb agrees with its nominative in number and person, as,
We teach
He learns
where we and teach are each plural, and of the first person; he and learns are each singular, and of the third person.
Note 1.—This rule is violated in such examples as these, “I likes,” “thou loves,” “he need,” “you was.” In reference to the last example, the reader should observe, that you is plural, whether it relate to only one individual or to more, and ought therefore to be joined with a plural verb. It is no argument to say, that when we address a single person, we should use a verb singular; for were this plea admissible, we ought to say, “you wast,” for wast is the second person singular, and not “you was,” for was is the first or third. Besides, no one says, “you is,” or “you art,” but “you are.”
Note 2.—The nominative to a verb is known by putting the question, Who? or What? to the verb, as, I read; Who reads? Ans. I.
Note 3.—The infinitive often supplies the place of a nominative to a verb, thus, “To excel in every laudable pursuit should be the aim of every one.” What should be the aim? Ans. “To excel.”
Note 4.—As, considered now as a conjunction, but being, in its primitive signification, equivalent to it, that, or which, likewise supplies the place of a nominative, thus, “As far as regards his interest, he will be sufficiently careful not to offend.” Some grammarians suppose it to be understood
Note 5.—A verb is frequently construed with a whole clause as its nominative, thus, “His being at enmity with Cæsar was the cause of perpetual discord;” where, his being at enmity, the subject of the affirmation, forms the nominative to the verb.
Note 6.—The nominative, when the verb expresses command or entreaty, is often suppressed, as, “speak,” for “speak thou,” “honour the king,” for “honour ye the king.” It is also frequently suppressed in poetry, as “Lives there, who loves his pain?” Milton:—i.e. “Lives there a man?” “To whom the monarch;” replied being understood.
Note 7.—A noun singular, used for a plural, is joined to a plural verb, as, “Ten sail of the line were descried at a distance.” It has been already observed, that the plural termination is sometimes suppressed, as, “ten thousand,” “three brace,” “four pair.”