When the nominative is expressed, it is
generally placed after the verb; as, Go _thou_; Depart _ye_; or between
the auxiliary and the verb; as, Do _thou_ go; Do _ye_ depart. (_Do_ is
the auxiliary.)
The POTENTIAL MOOD implies possibility, liberty, or necessity, power,
will, or obligation; as, "It _may rain_; He _may go_ or _stay_; We _must
eat_ and _drink_; I _can ride_; He _would walk_; They _should learn_."
In the first of these examples, the auxiliary _may_ implies possibility;
in the second it implies liberty; that is, he is at liberty to go or to
stay; in the third, _must_ denotes necessity; _can_ denotes power or
ability; _would_ implies will or inclination; that is, he had a _mind_
to walk; and _should_ implies obligation. Hence you perceive, that the
verbs, may rain, may go, must eat, must drink, can ride, world walk, and
should learn, are in the _potential_ mood.
NOTE 1. As a verb in the indicative mood is converted into the
subjunctive when it is preceded by a conjunction expressing doubt,
contingency, supposition, &c., so a verb in the potential mood, may,
in like manner, be turned into the subjunctive; as, "_If_ I _could
deceive_ him, I should abhor it; _Though_ he _should increase_ in
wealth, he would not be charitable.
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