1.Walking is good exercise.
2.Seeing me coming, he came to meet me.
3.This building cost one hundred thousand dollars.
4.Every bleaching breeze chastens her purity.
5.He gave up all hope of recovering his health.
6.The fields are covered with growing grain.
7.A miser gives up all the pleasure of doing good.
8.Kneeling down, I kissed the little flower.

LESSON XL.

TENSE.

State the time of the action in each of the following sentences, and point out the different forms of the verb:—

1.He writes a letter.
2.He wrote a letter.
3.He will write a letter.

The change which takes place in the verb to mark this change of time, is called tense.

There are three natural divisions of time—present, past, and future, so that there are three corresponding tenses—present, past, and future.

A verb that denotes an action in the present time is in the present tense; as, I speak.

A verb that denotes an action in the past time is in the past tense; as, I spoke.