S. They are as follow. 1. The Indicative. 2. The Imperative. 3. The Optative. 4. The Potential. 5. The Conjunctive or Subjunctive, and 6th. The Infinitive Mood. M. How is the indicative Mood known ? S. The indicative Mood shews, sets forth, or declares the Thing itself affirmatively; as, I run, I love, &c. Or, interrogatively, or by way of Question; as, Do I love? Do I run? &c. M. What is the imperative Mood? 2. The imperative Mood commands, or forbids ? as, run thou, or you; let him run; run ye; let them run, &c. M. What do you mean by the optative Mood? S. The optative Mood is known by Expressions defiring or wishing; as, I wish I could eat; I wish I may enjoy it, &c. M. How may I know the potential Mood? S. The potential Mood shews, or sets forth the Power of the Person, or Thing acting; or else the Want of fuch Power; and is further express'd or known by the Words can, may, might, could, would, should, or ought; as, I can go in and out when I please. He would have done it, but his Master could not spare him. M. How is the conjunctive, subjunctive, or conditional Mood known ? S. The conjunctive Mood is known by having always a Conjunction before it, such as if, and, but, &c. As, I should have done it, if he and my Uncle had consented. John and I took a Walk, and Sbould have had Pleasure, but it rain'd very hard: Or, If you could perform your Promife, I should be happy, &c. M. How shall I know the infinitive Mood? S. The 1 S. The infinitive Mood affirms Nothing of the Verb; but only expresses the Verb itself, with the Word To before it ; as thus: To love, to walk, to run, to conquer; are Verbs expressing or shewing the infinitive Mood. M. You Said just now, that the English have no Mood; pray how then do they express the different Circumstances of Verbs, in Relation to Person in different Times ? S. The English (as I said before) have no Mood, because they have no Alteration of the Verb itself, except in the second Person fingular, and the third Perfon plural: Therefore the Mood in English is expressed or known by certain Words; as, can, may, might, would, could, ought, shall, should. &c. Thus: The Possibility of any Thing to be done, is expressed by can, or would; t or Design of the Speaker or Doer, by may or might; the Inclination, by will, or would; and the Neceffity of doing a Thing, by must, or ought; shall or should. See GEEENWOOD's Grammar, page 136. Of TENSES. M. What do you mean by Tenses ? S. Tense in Grammar signifies the different Times of an Action: That is, the Tense shews the Action or Thing we are doing; the Thing or Action not quite done, or the Thing or Action finished or done. M. Are there then but three Tenses or Times ? M. But are there no more Tenses or Difference of S. Yes; these three are divided into Six, viz. three Tenses or Times of the imperfect Action, Thu Thing not done; and three Tenses of the perfect Action, or Thing really done or finished. - M. Pray tell me how you make fix Tenses ? S. There is one present, three preter, and two future Tenfes. M. Tell me their Names? S. 1. The present Tense. 2. The preter, or preterperfect Tense. 3. The preter-imperfect Tense. 4. The preter-pluperfect Tense. 5. The first future. Tense. 6. The second future Tense. M. How are these Tenses, or different Times of an Action, express'd? S. The present Tense or Time of an Action is known by the Words do, dost, doth, or does, coming before the Verb; as, I do dine, or am now at B&c. 2. the preter perfect Tense, or the present Time of the Action finished, is known by the Words be bast, bath, or bas; as, I have dined, or have done Dinner, &. 3. The preter-imperfect Tense, or the preter Time of the Altion not finished, which is known by the Words was, were, did, didft, &c. as, 1 was then at Dinner, but had not done, &c. 4. The preter-pluperfect Tense, which shews the preter Time of the Action done or finished, and is known by the Words had, hadst, &c. as, I had dined, or, I had quite done Dinner, &c. 5. The first future Tense, signifies the Time of the Action not yet done, but will foon be done or finished; and is known by the Words shall, and will; as, I fhall dine, but shall not then have done : Or, 1 will fing presently, and you shall foon hear me,&c. 6. The second future Tense speaks of Things, or of the Action that is to be finished or done a great great while to come; as, 1 shall have dined, and Jhall then have done: Or, I shall dine, or shall have dined hereafter, &c. Of Regular VERBS. e M. What do you mean by a regular Verb? S. All fuch Verbs as keep a regular Formation in their Mood or Tenses, are called regular. M. Name two or three of these regular Verbs? S. To sup, to burn, to walk, to punish, &c. Or, I fup, 1 burn, I walk, I punish, &c. are regular Verbs. M. Why do you call Verbs of this Sort regular? S. Because the Verb itself keeps the fame in every Person and Tense, save that it fometimes has a Syllable more in fome of the Perfons, and a Syllable more in fome of the Tenfes ; as alfo in the passive, participle, as you will fee more plainly, hereafter... M. Give me an Instance of the regular Verb ta walk? S. In the present Tense it runs thus: I walk, we walk, ye walk, they walk, in all which Places walk is the fame. M. And will it be the fame in the other Tenses? S. The Verb itself will then have a Syllable more in the preter Tense, and in the other Tenses formed from the preter: Thus the present Tense is, I burn, or do burn, I walk, or do walk, I fup, or do fup, &c. to which if you add the Syllable [ed] you have the preter Tense, as, I burned, or did burn, I fupped, or did fup, &c. M. But pray is [ed] to be added in all regular Verbs of the preter Tense ? E5 S. No, S. No, for if the present Tense ends in [e] then adding [d] only, makes the preter; but still it has another Syllable: Thus, I dine, I love, &c. in the Present, make dined, and loved in the preter Tense, except you put the Word did to it, then it is I dined, or did dine, &c. Of irregular VERBS. M. What do you call irregular Verbs ? S. All such Verbs as are the very fame in the preter, as in the present Tense; or such whose prefent preter Tense, and passive participle (or passive Voice) are quite contrary Words, are irregular Verbs. M. Name me a few irregular Verbs ? S. These Verbs, to read, run, fly, give, &c. are irregular Verbs. M. Why fo? S. Because the preter Tense will not allow of [ed] to retain the fame Word; but has quite another Word, or else the very same differently pronounced. As, Present Tense, I read, or do read. M. What do you observe further on irregular Verbs? S. You fee some Verbs are alike in both present and preter Tense; but the Verbs run, fly, give, &c. are quite different in the Preter. Iran, or did run. or did fly. I gave, or did give * N. B. See more of these under the distinct Head of passive Participle. Of |