OF THE AUXILIARY VERBS.
AUXILIARY or HELPING VERBS are those by the help of which the English
verbs are principally conjugated. _May, can, must, might, could, would,
should,_ and _shall_, are always auxiliaries; _do, be, have_, and
_will_, are sometimes auxiliaries, and sometimes principal verbs.
The use of the auxiliaries is shown in the following conjugation.
SIGNS OF THE MOODS.
The _Indicative_ Mood is known by the _sense_, or by its having _no
sign_, except in asking a question; as, "Who _loves_ you?"
The conjunctions _if, though, unless, except, whether_, and _lest_, are
generally signs of the _Subjunctive_; as, "_If_ I _love; unless_ I
_love_," &c.
A verb is generally known to be in, the _Imperative_ Mood by its
agreeing with _thou_, or _ye_ or _you_, understood; as, _"Love_ virtue,
_and follow_ her steps;" that is, love _thou_, or love _ye_ or _you_;
follow _thou_, &c.
_May, can_, and _must, might, could, would_, and _should_, are signs of
the _Potential_ Mood; as, "I _may_ love; I _must_ love; I _should_
love," &c.
_To_ is the sign of the _Infinitive_; as, "_To_ love, _to_ smile, _to_
hate, _to_ walk.
Pages:
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333