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CONJUGATION OF THE VERB

To Be..

NOTE. "Be is a verb denoting existence, and therefore called the substantive verb. It is very irregular, being derived from different radicals, and having undergone many dialectical changes."

Present, Am,

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[Webster's Imp. Grammar.]

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Prior-present, or Perfect Tense.

I am n

Thou art n

You are n

He is n

To have been.

INDICATIVE MODE.

Present Tense.

Prior-present, or Perfect Tense.

I have n been

Thou hast n been

We are n

Ye are n

You are n

They are n

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We were n
Ye were n
You were n
They were n

You have n been

He has or hath n been

You was or were n*

He was n

* " As you was originally in the plural number, grammarians insist that it must still be restricted to that number. But national usage rejects the arbitrary principle. The true principle, on which all language is built, rejects it. What fundamental rule have we to dispose of words but this, that when a word signifies one or unity, it belongs to the singular number? If a word, once exclusively plural, becomes, by universal use, the sign of individuality, it must take its place in the singular number. That this is a fact with you, is proved by national usage. To assign the substitute to its verb, is to invert the order of things. The verb must follow its nominative-if that denotes unity, so does the verb."-See Authorities on next page.

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Prior-Future Tense.

I shall n have been (Thou shalt or wilt n have been (You shall or will n have been He shall or will n have been

We shall n have been
Ye shall or will n have been
You shall or will n have been
They shall or will n have been

AUTHORITIES.

When you was at Athens, you attended the schools of the philosophers.'-Cicero. Tusc. Quest. Trans.. b. 2.

"On that happy day when you was given to the world.'-Dodd's Massillon, Serm. 1.

'Unless you was ill.'-Boswell's Life of J. E., 68.

You was on the spot where your enemy was found killed.'-Guthrie's Quinctilian, b. 2.

'You was in hopes to have succeeded to the inheritance.'-Ibm. b. 5. When you was here comforting me.'-Pope's Let.

'I am as well as when you was here.'-Guy's Let. to Swift.

'Why was you glad?'-Boswell's Life of Johnson.

These writers did not commit mistakes in the use of the verb after you -they wrote the language as established by national usage the foundation of all language. So is the practice in the United States-not merely popular usage, though this, when general, is respectable autho rity; but the practice of men of letters.

'Where was you standing during the transaction?' 'How far was you from the defendant?'

How far was you from the parties?'-Judge Parker. Trial of Selfridge, p. 58.

Was you acquainted with the defendant at College?'-Mr. Dexter Ibm. p. 60.

'Was you there when the pistol was fired?'-Mr. Gore. Ibm. p. 60. 'Was you in the office?'-Att. Gen. Ibm. 68.

"This use of was is from the Gothic dialect; but it is primitive and correct."-Webster's Imp. Grammar, p. 25.

POTENTIAL MODE.*

Indefinite Tense.

SINGULAR.

I may, can, must, might, could, would or should n be.

Thou mayest, canst, must, mightest, couldst, wouldst or shouldst

n be.

You may, can, must, might, could, would or should n be.
He may, can, must, might, could would or should n be.

PLURAL.

We may, can, must, might, could, would or should n be. Ye may, can, must, might, could, would or should n be. You may, can, must, might, could, would or should n be. They may, can, must, might, could, would or should n be.

Prior-present, or Perfect Tense.

SINGULAR.

I may, can, must, might, could, would or should n have been. Thou mayest, canst, must, mightest, couldst, wouldst or

shouldst n have been.

You may, can, must, might, could, would or should n.have been.

PLURAL.

We may, can, must, might, could would or should n have been. Ye may, can, must, might, could, would or should n have been. You may, can, must, might, could, would or should n have been. They may, can, must, might, could, would or should n have been.

NOTE. Were is sometimes used in the third person singular, in the Potential mode, for would be; as "That were low indeed." Milt. "It were easy." Miller's Letters, p. 281, for, it would be easy. "For that were to imagine people to be reasonable."would be. Bacon on Kingdoms.

SUBJUNCTIVE MODE.

Conjugate this verb in the common form of the subjunctive as directed on page 46; thus.

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* Synopsis of the old paradigm of this mode. Prest. I may, can or must be. Prior-present. I may, can or must have been. Past. I might, could, would or should be. Prior-past. I might, could, would or should have been.

‡ Subjunctive Forms.

Present Tense.

Hypothetical Forms.

If I were n
If Thou wert n
(If You was or were n

If He were n

Were I n

(Wert Thou n
Were You n
Were He n

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If We were n
If Ye were n
If You were n
If They were n

Were Wen
Were Yen
Were You n
Were They n

NOTE I. These forms have one meaning, and are put in the present tense because they denote present time; which is the only proper rule by which to determine the tense of a verb; and, moreover, most grammarians define this form of the verb as having a present signification, though many put it in the past tense, which shows that they are governed more by the form of the verb, than by the time of the action.

NOTE 2. If I were, implies, I am not; If I were not, implies, I am. "No fault is more common," says Webster, "than the misapplication of this tense."

"The following is the true sense of were in the singular number-Were it necessary for you to take your books with you,' -Judge Parker, Selfridge's Trial, p. 159. If it were possible, they would deceive the elect.' - Mat. xxiv, 24. This is the only legitimate use of this tense."

"Were it not lamentable."-Latrobe's Rambler,-for, if it were not lamentable.

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NOTE. Had I been, implies that I had not been; and had I not been, implies that I had been: as,

"Had the colonists and the Indians been men without interests, passions, and vices, occasions of collision and bloodshed on both sides might have been avoided."---Everett's Address, September 30, 1835.

"Had these only been realized, the expenditures of the year would have been also proportionally reduced."-J. Q. Adams' Message, Dec. 2, 1828.

"Had he been more a man of facts, one less under the influence of his own imagination; had it been his good fortune to live even in contact with those he now so devoutly worshipped, in a political sense at least, their influence over a mind as just and clear-sighted as his own, would soon have ceased."Cooper's Two Admirals, Vol. 2, p. 45.

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NOTE. This form is often used in the present, but improperly. Grammarians generally define it as having a future signification, though many put it in the present tense; which has greatly promoted the improper use of this form of the verb in the present. The verb is without the sign of the future-If he be, for If he shall be.

IMPERATIVE MODE.*

Be n, be thou n, do n thou be, Be n, be ye n, do n you be, do

or do n be

Present,

Perfect,

PARTICIPLES.

you n be, or do n be.

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Compound Perfect, Having been

• The verb in the imperative mode, is essentially future, for a command cannot be obeyed during its utterance, and consequently must be future; as, "Go, sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and come. and follow me." Here are five verbs in the imperative, all which were of necessity to be obeyed after they were uttered.

This doctrine of the imperative is sustained in the able article of De War. See Edin. Encycl. (Brewster,) Art, Gram.

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