212. In dependent clauses, may and can are em ployed, when the verb of the principal clause is in the present, present-perfect, or future indicative; might, could, would, should, are used when the verb of the principal clause is in the past tense; as,

IRINCIPAL CLAUSE.

Present" He studies,
Past" He has studied,
Future-" He will study,
Past-"He studied,

DEPENDENT CLAUSE.

that he may learn."

that he might learn "

Obs.-The auxiliaries can, could; may, might; should, would, and must are in English, always mere signs of the Potential, or sometimes of the Subjunctive Mood; but in translation, when these words emphatically and absolutely imply power, ability, permission &c., they must be considered as principal verbs in the Indicative Mood, governing the subsequent verb in the Infinitive; thus "He can write," implying that "He is able to write," is, (in Latin), "Scriběre potest;" (in French). "Il sait écrire" and (in German), "Er kan schreiben."

213 A List of Verbs of the Ancient or Strong Conjugation,

Bite,

bit,

Bind, un,

Obs.-The compound verbs are conjugated like the simple, by prefixing the syllables annexed to them, with the exception of behave and welcome, which make behaved and welcomed in their past tenses and complete participles.

bitten, bit.
bled.
blown.

1 Verbs of the Ancient or Strong Conjugation, (see 155,) are commonly called "Irregular," not that they have no rule, but because they follow a variety of rules. Some verbs, ending in d or t, have only one form for the present tense, the past tense, and the complete participle; as, spread, spread, spread; cut, cut, cut. In others the past tense and the complete participle are the same, but they differ from the present by shortening the vowel or diphthong, or by changing the d into t; as Lead, led, led; send, sent, sent. Others have three distinct forms for the Present, the Past Tense, and the Complete Participle; as, Write, wrote, written. Verbs of the Modern or Weak Conjugation are commonly called "Regular," because they regularly form the Past Tense and the Complete Participle in d or ed, (see 156.)

Obs.-Dare (to challenge) makes dared in its past tense and com

Obs.-Drunken was formerly used as a participle; it is now employed as a participial adjective; as, "A drunken man."

Obs." A coward flees from the enemy;" "A bird flies." Overflown is sometimes incorrectly used for "overflowed," the complete participle of the verb to overflow; thus, "The river has overflown its banks;" should be, "has overflowed its banks."

Obs.--Hang, (to take away life by suspension), makes hanged in the past tense and complete participle. "The man was hanged."

"The curtains were hung."

66

Hung beef."

Obs.-Instead of lade, the verb to load is more frequently employed; in this sense it makes laden in the complete participle; but otherwise it makes loaded. "The sailors have laden the ship." "The soldiers have loaded the cannon."

Lay, (trans.) to place, laid,

laid.

Obs.-The transitive verb lay (to place, to put,) must be carefully distinguished from the intransitive verb lie (to lie down.) "He lays a book on the table." "He laid a book on the table.' "He has laid a book on the table." "He lies on the sofa." lay on the sofa." He has lain on the sofa." "The ship lies at

66

"The hen lays an egg."

"He

anchor."

Obs.-Lie, (to speak falsely,) makes lied in its past tense and in its complete participle.

Obs.-Lose (to suffer loss), must be carefully distinguished from loose (to untie), which forms loosed in the past tense and in the complete participle.

Obs.-Three verbs ending in ay, form the past tense, in aid; Lay, laid; pay, paid; and say, said.

Pen, to enclose,

pent,

pent.

Obs.-Pen (to write, to compose ;) makes penned in its past tense and its complete participle; as, "Petitions fairly penned.”—Swift.

Obs.-The intransitive verb sit (to rest upon,) must be carefully

distinguished from the transitive verb set, (to place,) "He sits on a chair." "He sets his affairs in order."