1. What verbs in the foregoing sentences change their forms to agree. with the person or number of their subjects? 2. What verbs do not change their forms to agree with the person or number of their subjects? 3. What verbs represent action as passing from the subject to some object? 4. What verbs represent action or being as pertaining wholly to their subjects? 5. What verbs assert relation merely between their subjects and the attributes of their subjects? 6. What verbs express attributes of action, and also assert relation between these attributes and their subjects? 7. What verbs form their past tense and perfect participle by adding d or ed to the present tense form? 8. What verbs do not form their past tense and perfect participle by adding d or ed to the present tense form? 9. What verbs may be used either by themselves or in connection with other verbs? 10. What verbs can be used only in connection with other verbs? BASIS OF CLASSIFICATION Verbs are classified upon five different bases: (1) With respect to their relation to subjects, verbs are either finite or infinite. (2) With respect to their relation to objects, verbs are either transitive or intransitive. (3) With respect to form, verbs are either regular or irregular. (4) With respect to their completeness of predication, verbs are either copulative or attributive. (5) With respect to their rank, verbs are either principal or auxiliary. Finite verbs change their form to agree with the person or number of their subjects; as, "I sing." "He sings." Infinite verbs do not change their form to agree with the person or number of their subjects; as, “I like to sing." He likes to sing." "I enjoy singing." "He enjoys singing." A transitive verb represents action as passing from its subject to an object; as, "David struck Goliath.” An intransitive verb represents action or being as pertaining wholly to its subject; as, "Birds fly." "He is a man." A regular verb forms its past tense and perfect participle by adding d or ed to the present tense form; as, love, loved, loved; plow, plowed, plowed. An irregular verb forms its past tense and perfect participle irregularly; as, sec, saw, seen; know, knew, known. A copulative verb merely asserts relation between its subject and an attribute of its subject; as, “Snow is white." "Roosevelt is president." An attributive verb both expresses an attribute of action of its subject, and asserts the relation between this attribute and its subject; as, “Birds sing." "Fish swim." Observation. -All verbs of action are attributive. All verbs of inaction are copulative. A principal verb may be used either by itself or in connection with other verbs; as, "I sce." "I can see." An auxiliary verb is used only in connection with other verbs; as, "I may go." "I should go." PURE AND IMPURE COPULATIVE VERBS The verb "be" with its various forms is the only pure copulative verb. The verbs of sense when they do not express action are copulative, but when they express action they are attributive; hence, they are called impure copulative verbs; as, "He tastes the apple." (Attributive.) "Sugar tastes sweet.” (Copulative.) 13. 'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.-Tennyson. 14. If ever I did dream of such a matter, abhor me.-Shakespeare. 15. The fire was lighted. 16. Shall I, wasting in despair, Die because a woman's fair? If she love me, then believe I will die ere she shall grieve. 17. To be, or not to be; that is the question.-Shakespeare. 18. Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! rage! blow!-Shakespeare. 19. The fire burns brightly. 20. Come, we burn daylight.-Shakespeare. 21. Sugar tastes sweet. 22. The sun gives light and heat. Finite Infinite Trans. Intrans. Reg. Irreg. Attrib. Cop. LESSON IX INFINITIVES and PARTICIPLES Infinite verbs are divided into infinitives and participles. They differ from finite verbs in that they assume instead of asserting action, being or state. The infinitive may usually be known by the sign "to." The infinitive is always a verb, although it may perform the office of a noun, an adjective, or an adverb. The participle may perform the office of a noun, an adjective, or an adverb, or it may become a noun or an adjective; as, Infinitives and participles used as nouns To err is human. She likes to read. Infinitives and participles used as adjectives Every effort to save him failed. The ring being formed, two or three rode toward the horses. He seems well informed. School is to be closed during the holidays. Infinitives and participles used as adverbs He works to live. He went to work. The waves came dashing onward. The boys came marching home. PARTICIPIAL NOUNS AND ADJECTIVES When participles do not express any idea of time, they lose their verbal nature and become nouns or adjectives; as, "Reading, writing, and grammar are taught in the public schools." "The sparkling, dancing, purling rivulet is a tireless, incessant worker." Participles may be: Present; as, writing, singing. Past; as written, sung. Perfect; as, having written, having been written. |