NEW CONJUGATION-(Passive Voice).

to be called

Any of the Participles commanded,' 'guarded,'' guided,' 'praised,' 'ruled,' may be used instead of called.'

INDICATIVE MOOD.

* 23. THE SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.

The logical treatment of Clauses called Subjunctive' belongs to Syntax. [See § 58.] The following notes serve only to indicate some uses of Subjunctive Verbal Forms in First English and in Old English.

In E.I. verbal forms in the Subjunctive Mood might follow such conjunctions as 'if,' that' (= in order that), though,' 'as if,' 'lest,' and 'whether,' when these words served to introduce sentences expressing subjective notions or suppositions. A wish or a purpose might also be expressed by means of a conjunction introducing a clause containing a verb in the Subjunctive Mood.

It is not easy to avoid using here the seemingly pedantic word Subjective; for no other adjective can serve well as a substitute. [See § 58.]

The chief use of a verb in the Indicative Mood is to assert a fact. In the constructions now employed as substitutes for old forms belonging to the Subjunctive Mood, a sentence may express some notion of possibility, probability, or contingency, but it does not assert that an act has taken place, is now taking place, or will take place. This is the general characteristic of all forms and constructions rightly called Subjunctive. Ex.: If he were well educated, he would be a modest

man.

It may be noticed here that the forms could,' 'would,' 'should,' and 'might' may be used with a Subjunctive meaning in the Present Tense. So we find wouldest' (wouldst) used in Old English. [See § 58.]

To denote that the verb is not used to assert a fact, such conjunctions as have been named are used in E.I., and the verbs following have no endings to show distinctions of person. In M.E. the same rule is sometimes observed in the Present Tense, but is often disregarded. In examples where the old rule is observed, the infinitive form (for instance, have') is used for all the three persons in the Singular, and in the Plural of the Present Tense; but in the Past every verb excepting the abstract verb be-has, in constructions belonging to the Subjunctive Mood of M.E., forms that serve also for the Past of the Indicative Mood. [See § 58.]

In M.E. the name 'Subjunctive Mood' is given to a series of constructions or sentences, not to any distinct forms that belong to the Subjunctive, as the form writes' belongs to the Indicative Mood. [See § 58.]

The Subjunctive forms of the abstract verb beón, the old verb bindan, and the new verb hælan are given in the appended tables.

English Verbs have few inflexions. To supply the defects of the Simple Conjugation we have constructions in which verbs called auxiliaries serve to express variations of meaning more numerous and also more accurate than such as are expressed by means of inflexions in Greek and Latin. The extended treatment of these constructions belongs rather to Syntax than to Etymology. Some writers-accepting a very extensive definition of the word 'Conjugation '—have given the following classification of constructions serving to express notions of continuous or progressive action :

:

INDICATIVE MOOD.

Present Progressive.-I am writing.
Present Intentional.-I am going to write.
Past Progressive.-I was writing.

Past Intentional.-I was going to write.
Future Progressive.-I shall be writing.

Future Intentional.-I shall be going to write.

The expression about to write' is sometimes used instead of 'going to write.'

The 'POTENTIAL MOOD' (as defined by several grammarians) consists of a verb conjugated with one of the auxiliaries 'may' or can.' The Potential Mood thus defined has four

tenses :

Present.-I may (or can) write.

Past.-I might (could, would, or should) write.

Perfect. I may (or can) have written.

Pluperfect.-I might (could, would, or should) have written.

The 'POTENTIAL MOOD' has, moreover, been described as including the following forms for the expression of progressive action ::

Present Progressive.-I may be writing.

Past Progressive.-I might (could, would, or should) be writing.
Perfect Progressive.-I may have been writing.

Pluperfect Progressive.—I might (etc.) have been writing.

The definition of the IMPERATIVE MOOD is sometimes extended, so as to include such sentences as the following:'Let me go;' 'Let us play.'

:

The auxiliary verb do' is employed in constructions described as ' emphatic.' Ex.: 'I do write;' 'I did write.'

The auxiliary 'do' is also employed in the constructions called negative and interrogative, and in their combination. Ex.: 'He did not come.' Did you speak?' Did you not speak ?'

In poetry and in old literature an inversion made in the usual order of words serves to denote interrogation. Ex.: 'Sayest thou this thing of thyself?' 'Speakest thou not unto me?'' Knowest thou not that I have power?'

25. IRREGULAR VERBS.-M.E.

Verbs belonging to neither of the two Conjugations-OLD and NEW-are called IRREGULAR VERBS.

The following ten verbs have irregular forms of conjuga

''can,'

tion :-'be,' 'do,' 'go,' ‚'dare' (='venture '), 'shall,' 'will,' 'may,' 'ought,'' must.'

Of these ten irregular verbs seven are called defective with respect to the number of their tenses. These seven verbs-originally Past forms of verbs-are used in the Present Tense: can,'' dare,' 'shall, 'will,' 'may,' ought,' 'must.'

Of these seven verbs five have now for the Past the forms given in the following table; but the words 'could,'' should.' would,' and 'might' may be used in the Present Tense, with a Subjunctive meaning. [See § 58.]

6

The two verbs ought' and 'must' may be used either in the Present or in the Past Tense, but 'must' is rarely used for the Past.