English Grammar in Familiar Lectures / Accompanied by a compendium, embracing a new systematic order of parsing, a new system of punctuation, exercises in false syntax, and a system of philosophical grammar, in notes, to which are added an appendix and a key to the exercises : designed for the use of schools and private learners

by Samuel Kirkham

May, can, and must, might, could, would, and should, are signs of the Potential Mood; as, "I may love; I must love; I should love," &c.

To is the sign of the Infinitive; as, "To love, to smile, to hate, to walk."

SIGNS OF THE TENSES.

The first form of the verb is the sign of the present tense; as, love, smile, hate, walk.

Ed—the imperfect tense of regular verbs; as, loved, smiled, hated, walked.

Have—the perfect; as, have loved.

Had—the pluperfect; as, had loved. Shall or will—the first future; as, shall love, or will love; shall smile, will smile.

Shall or will have—the second future; as, shall have loved, or will have loved.

NOTE. There are some exceptions to these signs, which you will notice by referring to the conjugation in the potential mood.

Now, I hope you will so far consult your own ease and advantage, as to commit, perfectly, the signs of the moods and tenses before you proceed farther than to the subjunctive mood. If you do, the supposed Herculean task of learning to conjugate verbs, will be transformed into a few hours of pleasant pastime.