CAUTION. I lay I sat I threw I wrote I have gone I have laid I have lain I have run I have seen I have sung I have taken I have thrown I have written It is wrong to say I seen, I done, I taken. It is wrong to say I have came, I have went. We should carefully study the correct forms and practice the use of them in our speech and writing. LESSON 84. — PERSON AND NUMBER We have seen in our study of nouns and pronouns that they have three persons: first, second, and third. We have seen also that they have two numbers: singular and plural. Verbs likewise have three persons, first, second, and third, to agree with the nouns or pronouns which govern them. Verbs also have two numbers, singular and plural, to agree with the nouns or pronouns which govern them. A verb is in the first person, when its subject is speaking. I am writing. We will go home. A verb is in the second person, when its subject is spoken to. A verb is in the third person, when its subject is spoken of. A verb is in the singular number, when the subject means but one. A verb is in the plural number, when the subject means more than one. Boys love their dogs. Horses are noble animals. RULE. - A verb agrees with its subject in person and number. Exercise 1. In the following sentences name the verbs and tell their person and number: 1. The birds fly south in the winter time. 2. The sun rises early in the summer. 3. I love to hear good music. 4. We came home before dark. 5. She does all that you ask her to do. 6. They sing the old songs of home. 7. My brother and I work in the same store. 8. You are a good boy. 9. John and James love to hunt and fish. 10. You and William live in the same house. Exercise 2. Write a sentence containing a verb in the first person and singular number; in the third person and plural number; in the second person and plural number; in the third person and singular number; in the first person and plural number; in the second person and singular number. LESSON 85. — INFINITIVES The infinitive is the simple form of the verb, unlimited by person or number. The word to is the sign of the infinitive. The following verb forms are infinitive: to love to have loved to be loving to be loved to have been loved NOTE. Infinitive means unlimited. No matter how many sentences we may have in which an infinitive occurs, it never changes its form. It remains the same for all persons and for all numbers. 3. As the object of a preposition. I fear nothing on earth except to do wrong. 4. As a predicate nominative. My purpose was to return before dark. 5. As an adjective. The wanderer had no place to sleep. 6. As an adverb. He was ready to start. An infinitive may depend upon a noun in the objective case. I begged him to sing. The master told the pupils to go home. I had expected them to have gone before I arrived. In some sentences the word to is omitted before the verb and must be understood. He hears the parson pray and preach. We saw the men shoot the deer. He bade me go at once. Exercise 1. Name the infinitives and their uses in the following sentences: 1. He was too proud to beg and too honest to steal. 3. I love to hear the robin sing. 4. The business of a cobbler is to make shoes. 5. The king was prepared to leave for the war. 8. To pay attention is to learn easily. 9. He began to compliment and I began to grin. 12. We saw the soldiers fire and heard the guns roar. 14. To see the sun rise on the mountain is glorious. 16. I love to hear the dogs bark. 17. To see her is to love her. 18. 'Tis better to have loved and lost Than never to have loved at all. 7. As depending upon a noun in the objective case. |