Remarks on Certain Verb Forms.

Kinds.

244.According to form, verbs arestrongorweak.

Definition.

Astrong verbforms its past tense by changing the vowel of the present tense form, but adds no ending; as,run,ran;drive,drove.

Aweak verbalways adds an ending to the present to form the past tense, andmayormay notchange the vowel: as,beg,begged;lay,laid;sleep,slept;catch,caught.

245.TABLE OF STRONG VERBS.

NOTE. Some of these also have weak forms, which are in parentheses

246.Several of the perfect participles are seldom used except as adjectives: as, "hisboundenduty," "theclovenhoof," "adrunkenwretch," "asunkensnag."Strickenis used mostly of diseases; as, "strickenwith paralysis."

The verbbear(to bring forth) is peculiar in having one participle (borne) for the active, and another (born) for the passive. When it meansto carryor toendure,borneis also a passive.

The formclombis not used in prose, but is much used in vulgar English, and sometimes occurs in poetry; as,—

Thou hastclombaloft.—WordsworthOr pine grove whither woodman neverclomb.—Coleridge

Thou hastclombaloft.—Wordsworth

Or pine grove whither woodman neverclomb.—Coleridge

The forms ofcleaveare really a mixture of two verbs,—one meaningto adhereorcling; the other,to split. The former used to becleave,cleaved,cleaved; and the latter,cleave,claveorclove,cloven. But the latter took on the weak formcleftin the past tense and past participle,—as (from Shakespeare), "O Hamlet! thou hastcleftmy heart in twain,"—whilecleave(to cling) sometimes hasclove, as (from Holmes), "The old Latin tutorcloveto Virgilius Maro." In this confusion of usage, only one set remains certain,—cleave,cleft,cleft(to split).

Crewis seldom found in present-day English.

Not a cockcrew, nor a dog barked.—Irving.Our cock, which alwayscrewat eleven, now told us it was time for repose.—Goldsmith.

Not a cockcrew, nor a dog barked.—Irving.

Our cock, which alwayscrewat eleven, now told us it was time for repose.—Goldsmith.

Historically,drunkis the one correct past participle of the verbdrink. Butdrunkis very much used as an adjective, instead ofdrunken(meaning intoxicated); and, probably to avoid confusion with this,drankis a good deal used as a past participle: thus,—

We had eachdrankthree times at the well.—B. Taylor.This liquorwasgenerallydrankby Wood and Billings.—Thackeray.

We had eachdrankthree times at the well.—B. Taylor.

This liquorwasgenerallydrankby Wood and Billings.—Thackeray.

Sometimes in literary English, especially in that of an earlier period, it is found that the verbeathas the past tense and past participleeat(ĕt), instead ofateandeaten; as, for example,—

It ate the food it ne'er hadeat.—Coleridge.How fairy Mab the junketseat.—Milton.

It ate the food it ne'er hadeat.—Coleridge.

How fairy Mab the junketseat.—Milton.

The island princes overboldHaveeatour substance.—Tennyson.

This is also very much used in spoken and vulgar English.

The formgottenis little used,gotbeing the preferred form of past participle as well as past tense. One example out of many is,—

Wehadallgotsafe on shore.—De Foe.

Hungandhangedboth are used as the past tense and past participle ofhang; buthangedis the preferred form when we speak of execution by hanging; as,

The butlerwas hanged.—Bible.

The verbsatis sometimes spelledsate; for example,—

Might we havesateand talked where gowans blow.—Wordsworth.Hesatehim down, and seized a pen.—Byron."But Isatestill and finished my plaiting."—Kingsley.

Might we havesateand talked where gowans blow.—Wordsworth.

Hesatehim down, and seized a pen.—Byron.

"But Isatestill and finished my plaiting."—Kingsley.

Usuallyshearis a weak verb.Shornandshoreare not commonly used: indeed,shoreis rare, even in poetry.

This heard Geraint, and grasping at his sword,Shorethro' the swarthy neck.—Tennyson.

Shornis used sometimes as a participial adjective, as "ashornlamb," but not much as a participle. We usually say, "The sheep weresheared" instead of "The sheep wereshorn."

Wentis borrowed as the past tense ofgofrom the old verbwend, which is seldom used except in poetry; for example,—

If, maiden, thou would'stwendwith meTo leave both tower and town.—Scott.

Exercises.

(a) From the table (Sec. 245), make out lists of verbs having the same vowel changes as each of the following:—

(b) Find sentences using ten past-tense forms of strong verbs.

[To the Teacher,—These exercises should be continued for several lessons, for full drill on the forms.]

247.There are several verbs which are lacking in one or more principal parts. They are as follows:—

248.May is used as either indicative or subjunctive, as it has two meanings. It is indicative when it expressespermission, or, as it sometimes does,ability, like the wordcan: it is subjunctive when it expresses doubt as to the reality of an action, or when it expresses wish, purpose, etc.

Indicative Use: Permission. Ability.

If Imaylightly employ the Miltonic figure, "far off his coming shines."—Winier.

A stripling armmightswayA mass no host could raise.—Scott.

His superiority nonemightquestion.—Channing.

Subjunctive use.

In whatever manner the separate parts of a constitutionmaybe arranged, there is one general principle, etc.—Paine.

(See also Sec. 223.)

And from her fair and unpolluted fleshMayviolets spring!—Shakespeare.

249.Canis used in the indicative only. Thelincoulddid not belong there originally, but came through analogy withshouldandwould.Couldmay be subjunctive, as in Sec. 220.

250.Mustis historically a past-tense form, from the obsolete verbmotan, which survives in the sentence, "Somoteit be."Mustis present or past tense, according to the infinitive used.

Allmust concedeto him a sublime power of action.—ChanningThis, of course,must have beenan ocular deception.—Hawthorne.

Allmust concedeto him a sublime power of action.—Channing

This, of course,must have beenan ocular deception.—Hawthorne.

251.The same remarks apply toought, which is historically the past tense of the verbowe. Likemust, it is used only in the indicative mood; as,

The just imputations on our own faithoughtfirstto be removed.... Have we valuable territories and important posts...whichoughtlong sinceto have been surrendered?—A. Hamilton.

It will be noticed that all the other defective verbs take the pure infinitive withoutto, whileoughtalways hasto.

252.The principal trouble in the use ofshallandwillis the disposition, especially in the United States, to usewillandwould, to the neglect ofshallandshould, with pronouns of the first person; as, "I think Iwillgo."

Uses ofshallandshould.

The following distinctions must be observed:—

(1) With the FIRST PERSON, shall and should are used,—

Futurity and questions—first person.

(a) In making simple statements or predictions about future time; as,—

The time will come full soon, Ishallbe gone.—L. C. Moulton.

(b) In questions asking for orders, or implying obligation or authority resting upon the subject; as,—

With respect to novels, whatshallI say?—N. Webster.HowshallI describe the luster which at that moment burst upon my vision?—C. Brockden Brown.

With respect to novels, whatshallI say?—N. Webster.

HowshallI describe the luster which at that moment burst upon my vision?—C. Brockden Brown.

Second and third persons.

(2) With the SECOND AND THIRD PERSONS,shallandshouldare used,—

(a) To express authority, in the form of command, promise, or confident prediction. The following are examples:—

Never mind, my lad, whilst I live thoushaltnever want a friend to stand by thee.—Irving.Theyshallhave venison to eat, and corn to hoe.—Cooper.The seashallcrush thee; yea, the ponderous wave up the loose beachshallgrind and scoop thy grave.—Thaxter.

Never mind, my lad, whilst I live thoushaltnever want a friend to stand by thee.—Irving.

Theyshallhave venison to eat, and corn to hoe.—Cooper.

The seashallcrush thee; yea, the ponderous wave up the loose beachshallgrind and scoop thy grave.—Thaxter.

Sheshouldnot walk, he said, through the dust and heat ofthe noonday;Nay, sheshouldride like a queen, not plod along like apeasant.—Longfellow.

(b) Inindirect quotations, to express the same idea that the original speaker put forth (i.e., future action); for example,—

He declares that heshallwin the purse from you.—Bulwer.She rejects his suit with scorn, but assures him that sheshallmake great use of her power over him.—Macaulay.Fielding came up more and more bland and smiling, with the conviction that heshouldwin in the end.—A. Larned.Those who had too presumptuously concluded that theyshouldpass without combat were something disconcerted.—Scott.

He declares that heshallwin the purse from you.—Bulwer.

She rejects his suit with scorn, but assures him that sheshallmake great use of her power over him.—Macaulay.

Fielding came up more and more bland and smiling, with the conviction that heshouldwin in the end.—A. Larned.

Those who had too presumptuously concluded that theyshouldpass without combat were something disconcerted.—Scott.

"Shouldyou like to go to school at Canterbury?"—Dickens.

First, second and third persons.

(3) With ALL THREE PERSONS,—

(a)Shouldis used with the meaning of obligation, and is equivalent toought.

I never was what Ishouldbe.—H. James, Jr.Milton! thoushould'stbe living at this hour.—Wordsworth.Heshouldnot flatter himself with the delusion that he can make or unmake the reputation of other men.—Winter.

I never was what Ishouldbe.—H. James, Jr.

Milton! thoushould'stbe living at this hour.—Wordsworth.

Heshouldnot flatter himself with the delusion that he can make or unmake the reputation of other men.—Winter.

(b)Shallandshouldare both used independent clausesof condition, time, purpose, etc.; for example,—

When thy mindShallbe a mansion for all stately forms.—Wordsworth.

Suppose this back-door gossipshouldbe utterly blundering and untrue, would any one wonder?—Thackeray.Jealous lest the skyshouldhave a listener.—Byron.If thoushould'stever come by chance or choice to Modena.—Rogers.If Ishouldbe where I no more can hear thy voice.—Wordsworth.That accents and looks so winningshoulddisarm me of my resolution, was to be expected.—C. B. Brown.

Suppose this back-door gossipshouldbe utterly blundering and untrue, would any one wonder?—Thackeray.

Jealous lest the skyshouldhave a listener.—Byron.

If thoushould'stever come by chance or choice to Modena.—Rogers.

If Ishouldbe where I no more can hear thy voice.—Wordsworth.

That accents and looks so winningshoulddisarm me of my resolution, was to be expected.—C. B. Brown.

253.Willandwouldare used as follows:—

Authority as to future action—first person.

(1) With the FIRST PERSON,willandwouldare used to express determination as to the future, or a promise; as, for example,—

Iwillgo myself now, andwillnot return until all is finished.—Cable.And promised...that Iwoulddo him justice, as the sole inventor.—Swift.

Iwillgo myself now, andwillnot return until all is finished.—Cable.

And promised...that Iwoulddo him justice, as the sole inventor.—Swift.

Disguising a command.

(2) With the SECOND PERSON,willis used to express command. This puts the order more mildly, as if it were merely expected action; as,—

Thouwilttake the skiff, Roland, and two of my people,... and fetch off certain plate and belongings.—Scott.Youwillproceed to Manassas at as early a moment as practicable, and mark on the grounds the works, etc.—War Records.

Thouwilttake the skiff, Roland, and two of my people,... and fetch off certain plate and belongings.—Scott.

Youwillproceed to Manassas at as early a moment as practicable, and mark on the grounds the works, etc.—War Records.

Mere futurity.

(3) With both SECOND AND THIRD PERSONS,willandwouldare used to express simple futurity, action merely expected to occur; for example,—

All thiswillsound wild and chimerical.—Burke.Shewouldtell you that punishment is the reward of the wicked.—Landor.When I am in town,you'llalways have somebody to sit with you. To be sure, so youwill.—Dickens.

All thiswillsound wild and chimerical.—Burke.

Shewouldtell you that punishment is the reward of the wicked.—Landor.

When I am in town,you'llalways have somebody to sit with you. To be sure, so youwill.—Dickens.

(4) With FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD PERSONS,wouldis used to express awish,—the original meaning of the wordwill; for example,—

SubjectIomitted: often so.

Wouldthat a momentary emanation from thy glory would visit me!—C. B. Brown.Thine was a dangerous gift, when thou wast born, The gift of Beauty.Wouldthou hadst it not.—RogersIt shall be gold if thouwilt, but thou shalt answer to me for the use of it.—Scott.Whatwouldstthou have a good great man obtain?—Coleridge.

Wouldthat a momentary emanation from thy glory would visit me!—C. B. Brown.

Thine was a dangerous gift, when thou wast born, The gift of Beauty.Wouldthou hadst it not.—Rogers

It shall be gold if thouwilt, but thou shalt answer to me for the use of it.—Scott.

Whatwouldstthou have a good great man obtain?—Coleridge.

(5) With the THIRD PERSON,willandwouldoften denote an action as customary, without regard to future time; as,

Theywillgo to Sunday schools, through storms their brothers are afraid of.... Theywillstand behind a table at a fair all day.—HolmesOn a slight suspicion, theywouldcut off the hands of numbers of the natives, for punishment or intimidation.—Bancroft.In this stately chairwouldhe sit, and this magnificent pipewouldhe smoke, shaking his right knee with a constant motion.—Irving.

Theywillgo to Sunday schools, through storms their brothers are afraid of.... Theywillstand behind a table at a fair all day.—Holmes

On a slight suspicion, theywouldcut off the hands of numbers of the natives, for punishment or intimidation.—Bancroft.

In this stately chairwouldhe sit, and this magnificent pipewouldhe smoke, shaking his right knee with a constant motion.—Irving.

254.To express simply expected action:—

To express determination, promise, etc.:—

(a) From Secs. 252 and 253, write out a summary or outline of the various uses ofshallandwill.

(b) Examine the following sentences, and justify the use ofshallandwill, or correct them if wrongly used:—

1. Thou art what I would be, yet only seem.2. We would be greatly mistaken if we thought so.3. Thou shalt have a suit, and that of the newest cut; the wardrobe keeper shall have orders to supply you.4. "I shall not run," answered Herbert stubbornly.5. He informed us, that in the course of another day's march we would reach the prairies on the banks of the Grand Canadian.6. What shall we do with him? This is the sphinx-like riddle which we must solve if we would not be eaten.7. Will not our national character be greatly injured? Will we not be classed with the robbers and destroyers of mankind?8. Lucy stood still, very anxious, and wondering whether she should see anything alive.9. I would be overpowered by the feeling of my disgrace.10. No, my son; whatever cash I send you is yours: you will spend it as you please, and I have nothing to say.11. But I will doubtless find some English person of whom to make inquiries.12. Without having attended to this, we will be at a loss to understand several passages in the classics.13. "I am a wayfarer," the stranger said, "and would like permission to remain with you a little while."14. The beast made a sluggish movement, then, as if he would have more of the enchantment, stirred her slightly with his muzzle.

1. Thou art what I would be, yet only seem.

2. We would be greatly mistaken if we thought so.

3. Thou shalt have a suit, and that of the newest cut; the wardrobe keeper shall have orders to supply you.

4. "I shall not run," answered Herbert stubbornly.

5. He informed us, that in the course of another day's march we would reach the prairies on the banks of the Grand Canadian.

6. What shall we do with him? This is the sphinx-like riddle which we must solve if we would not be eaten.

7. Will not our national character be greatly injured? Will we not be classed with the robbers and destroyers of mankind?

8. Lucy stood still, very anxious, and wondering whether she should see anything alive.

9. I would be overpowered by the feeling of my disgrace.

10. No, my son; whatever cash I send you is yours: you will spend it as you please, and I have nothing to say.

11. But I will doubtless find some English person of whom to make inquiries.

12. Without having attended to this, we will be at a loss to understand several passages in the classics.

13. "I am a wayfarer," the stranger said, "and would like permission to remain with you a little while."

14. The beast made a sluggish movement, then, as if he would have more of the enchantment, stirred her slightly with his muzzle.

WEAK VERBS.

255.Those weak verbs which add-dor-edto form the past tense and past participle, and have no change of vowel, are so easily recognized as to need no special treatment. Some of them are already given as secondary forms of the strong verbs.

But the rest, which may be calledirregular weak verbs, need some attention and explanation.

256.The irregular weak verbs are divided into two classes,—

The two classes of irregular weak verbs.

(1) Those which retain the-dor-tin the past tense, with some change of form for the past tense and past participle.

(2) Those which end in-dor-t, and have lost the ending which formerly was added to this.

The old ending to verbs of Class II. was-deor-te; as,—

This worthi man ful wel his witbisette[used].—Chaucer.Of smale houndeshaddeshe, that schefeddeWith rosted flessh, or mylk and wastel breed.—Id.

This worthi man ful wel his witbisette[used].—Chaucer.

Of smale houndeshaddeshe, that schefeddeWith rosted flessh, or mylk and wastel breed.—Id.

This ending has now dropped off, leaving some weak verbs with the same form throughout: as set, set, set; put, put, put.

257.Irregular Weak Verbs.—Class I.

258.Irregular Weak Verbs.—Class II.

Tendency to phonetic spelling.

250.There seems to be in Modern English a growing tendency toward phonetic spelling in the past tense and past participle of weak verbs. Forexample,-ed, after the verbbless, has the sound oft: hence the word is often writtenblest. So withdipt,whipt,dropt,tost,crost,drest,prest, etc. This is often seen in poetry, and is increasing in prose.

Lieandlayin use and meaning.

260.Some sets of verbs are often confused by young students, weak forms being substituted for correct, strong forms.

Lieandlayneed close attention. These are the forms:—

The distinctions to be observed are as follows:—

(1)Lie, with its forms, is regularlyintransitiveas to use. As to meaning,liemeans to rest, to recline, to place one's self in a recumbent position; as, "Thereliesthe ruin."

(2)Lay, with its forms, is alwaystransitiveas to use. As to meaning,laymeans to put, to place a person or thing in position; as, "Slowly and sadly welaidhim down." Alsolaymay be used without any object expressed, but there is still a transitive meaning; as in the expressions, "tolayup for future use," "tolayon with the rod," "tolayabout him lustily."

Sitandset.

261.Sitandsethave principal parts as follows:—

Notice these points of difference between the two verbs:—

(1)Sit, with its forms, is alwaysintransitivein use. In meaning,sitsignifies (a) to place one's self on a seat, to rest; (b) to be adjusted, to fit; (c) to cover and warm eggs for hatching, as, "The hensits."

(2)Set, with its forms, is alwaystransitivein use when it has the following meanings: (a) to put or place a thing or person in position, as "Hesetdown the book;" (b) to fix or establish, as, "Hesetsa good example."

Setisintransitivewhen it means (a) to go down, to decline, as, "The sun hasset;" (b) to become fixed or rigid, as, "His eyessetin his head because of the disease;" (c) in certain idiomatic expressions, as, for example, "tosetout," "tosetup in business," "tosetabout a thing," "tosetto work," "tosetforward," "the tidesetsin," "a strong windsetin," etc.

Examine the forms oflie,lay,sitandsetin these sentences; give the meaning of each, and correct those used wrongly.

1. If the phenomena which lie before him will not suit his purpose, all history must be ransacked.2. He sat with his eyes fixed partly on the ghost and partly on Hamlet, and with his mouth open.3. The days when his favorite volume set him upon making wheelbarrows and chairs,... can never again be the realities they were.4. To make the jacket sit yet more closely to the body, it was gathered at the middle by a broad leathern belt.5. He had set up no unattainable standard of perfection.6. For more than two hundred years his bones lay undistinguished.7. The author laid the whole fault on the audience.8. Dapple had to lay down on all fours before the lads could bestride him.9.And send'st him...to his gods where happy liesHis petty hope in some near port or bay,And dashest him again to earth:—there let him lay.10. Achilles is the swift-footed when he is sitting still.11. It may be laid down as a general rule, that history begins in novel, and ends in essay.12. I never took off my clothes, but laid down in them.

1. If the phenomena which lie before him will not suit his purpose, all history must be ransacked.

2. He sat with his eyes fixed partly on the ghost and partly on Hamlet, and with his mouth open.

3. The days when his favorite volume set him upon making wheelbarrows and chairs,... can never again be the realities they were.

4. To make the jacket sit yet more closely to the body, it was gathered at the middle by a broad leathern belt.

5. He had set up no unattainable standard of perfection.

6. For more than two hundred years his bones lay undistinguished.

7. The author laid the whole fault on the audience.

8. Dapple had to lay down on all fours before the lads could bestride him.

And send'st him...to his gods where happy liesHis petty hope in some near port or bay,And dashest him again to earth:—there let him lay.

10. Achilles is the swift-footed when he is sitting still.

11. It may be laid down as a general rule, that history begins in novel, and ends in essay.

12. I never took off my clothes, but laid down in them.

Definition.

262.Verbalsare words that express action in a general way, without limiting the action to any time, or asserting it of any subject.

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