"
3. When the present tense is preceded by the words, _when, before,
after, as soon as_, &c. it is sometimes used to point out the
relative time of a future action; as, "_When_ he _arrives_ we shall
hear the news."
The IMPERFECT TENSE denotes a past action or event, however distant;
or,
The IMPERFECT TENSE represents an action or event as past and finished,
but without defining the precise time of its completion; as, "I _loved_
her for her modesty and virtue; They _were_ travelling post when he
_met_ them."
In these examples, the verbs _loved_ and _met_ express past and
_finished_ actions, and therefore constitute a _perfect_ tense as
strictly as any form of the verb in our language; but, as they do not
define the precise time of the completion of these actions, their tense
may properly be denominated an _indefinite past_. By defining the
present participle in conjunction with the verb, we have an _imperfect_
tense in the expression, _were travelling_. This course, however, would
not be in accordance with the ordinary method of treating the
participle. Hence it follows, that the terms _imperfect_ and _perfect_,
as applied to this and the next succeeding tense, are not altogether
significant of their true character; but if you learn to apply these
tenses _correctly_, the propriety or impropriety of their names is not a
consideration of very great moment.
Pages:
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330