A present or active participle, or a compound perfect participle, preceded by an article, or a noun or pronoun in the possessive case, becomes a noun, and is properly called a participial noun.

Of the Conjugation of Verbs.

The conjugation of a verb is the regular combination and arrangement of its several moods, tenses, numbers and persons.

Verbs are called regular, when they form the imperfect tense of the indicative mood and the perfect or passive participle, by the addition of ed or d to the present tense; as present, I love; imperfect, I loved; perfect participle, loved; those which vary from this rule, are called irregular; as present, I write; imperfect, I wrote; perfect participle, written.

Conjugation of the regular active verb,

Love.

Ind. pres. Love.

Imp. Loved.

Perf. part. Loved.

INDICATIVE MOOD.

The indicative mood simply indicates or declares a thing; or asks a question. It is used in all the tenses;

thus:

When energy or positiveness is intended, the auxiliary do should precede the verb; thus:

Sing.

1. I do love,

2. Thou dost love,

3. He doth, or does love.

Imperfect tense.

Plur.

1. We do love,

2. You do love,

3. They do love.

The imperfect tense, in the indicative mood of all regular verbs, is formed by adding d or ed, to the present; as, love, loved; thus

The perfect tense, in the indicative mood, is formed by prefixing the auxiliary have to the perfect or passive participle; thus:

is formed by prefixing the auxiliary had to the passive participle; thus:

The first future tense in the indicative mood is formed by prefixing the auxiliary shall or will to the present tense.

Shall in the first person singular and plural, simply foretells; as, "I shall go abroad;" "We shall dine at home;" in the second and third persons it promises, commands, or threatens; as, "Thou shalt have it;" "Ye shall go;" "He shall answer for it."

Will in the first person singular and plural, expresses resolution and promising; as, "I will strive to learn;" "We will amend our ways." In the second and third persons it only foretells; as, "Thou wilt repent of that folly," "They will have a pleasant walk."

These definitions of the auxiliaries shall and will are not to be understood of interrogative sentences, in which, for the most part, their meaning is just the reverse; also when the verb is preceded by a conjunction expressing doubt or uncertainty, their signification is somewhat different.

Singular.

1. I shall love,

2. Thou shalt love,

3. He shall love.

Plural.

1. We shall love,

2. You shall love,

3. They shall love.

Second future tense.

The second future tense in the indicative

mood, is formed by prefixing the auxiliaries

shall have, or will have, to the perfect or pas sive participle; thus:

Singular.

1. I shall have loved,

2. Thou shalt have loved,
3. He shall have loved.
Plural.

1. We shall have loved,
2. You shall have loved,
3. They shall have loved.

IMPERATIVE MOOD.

The imperative mood is used for commanding, exhorting, entreating or permitting: and as the person or persons commanded, exhorted, &c. are always understood to be present, this mood is used only in the present tense, and the address made in the second person only; thus:

Singular.

2. Love, or love thou.
Plural.

2. Love, or love you.

POTENTIAL MOOD.

The potential mood implies power, liberty, duty, will, or obligation: which is expressed by the auxiliary may, can, must, might, could, would or should. This mood is used in all the tenses, except the first and second futures.

The auxiliaries may and might, express the liberty or possibility of an action or event; as, "It may rain.' "He may go." ." "They might have made more improvement." Can and could express power; as, "He can read better than I;" "They could go faster if they chose." Must denotes necessity or obligation; as, "Thou must strive to learn;" "We must attend at the time appointed."

Would denotes inclination or will, and should, obligation or duty; but they both vary their import, and are often used to express simple events.

Present tense.

The present tense in the potential mood is formed by prefixing the auxiliary may, can, or must, to the present tense of the infinitive mood; thus:

The imperfect tense in the potential mood is formed by prefixing the auxiliary might, could, would, or should, to the present tense of the infinitive mood; thus:

Sing.

1. I might love,

2. Thou mightst love, 3. He might love.

Plur.

1. We might love,

2. You might love, 3. They might love.

Perfect tense.

The perfect tense in the potential mood is formed by prefixing the auxiliaries may have, can have, or must have, to the perfect or passive participle; thus:

Singular. 1. I may have loved,

Plural.

2. Thou mayst have loved,
3. He may have loved.

1. We may have loved,
2. You may have loved,
3. They may have loved.