conjugation.

SIGNS OF THE MOODS.

The _Indicative_ Mood is known by the _sense_, or by its having _no
sign_, except in asking a question; as, "Who _loves_ you?"

The conjunctions _if, though, unless, except, whether_, and _lest_, are
generally signs of the _Subjunctive_; as, "_If_ I _love; unless_ I
_love_," &c.

A verb is generally known to be in, the _Imperative_ Mood by its
agreeing with _thou_, or _ye_ or _you_, understood; as, _"Love_ virtue,
_and follow_ her steps;" that is, love _thou_, or love _ye_ or _you_;
follow _thou_, &c.

_May, can_, and _must, might, could, would_, and _should_, are signs of
the _Potential_ Mood; as, "I _may_ love; I _must_ love; I _should_
love," &c.

_To_ is the sign of the _Infinitive_; as, "_To_ love, _to_ smile, _to_
hate, _to_ walk."

SIGNS OF THE TENSES.

The first form of the verb is the sign of the present tense; as, _love,
smile, hate, walk_.

_Ed_--the imperfect tense of regular verbs; as, _loved, smiled, hated,
walked_.

_Have_--the perfect; as, _have_ loved.

_Had_--the pluperfect; as, _had_ loved. _Shall_ or _will_--the first
future; as, _shall_ love, or _will_ love; _shall_ smile, _will_ smile.

_Shall_ or _will have_--the second future; as, _shall have_ loved, or
_will have_ loved.

NOTE. There are some exceptions to these signs, which you will
notice by referring to the conjugation in the potential mood.

Now, I hope you will so far consult your own ease and advantage, as to
commit, perfectly, the signs of the moods and tenses before you proceed
farther than to the subjunctive mood. If you do, the supposed Herculean
task of learning to conjugate verbs, will be transformed into a few
hours of pleasant pastime.

The Indicative Mood has _six_ tenses.
The Subjunctive has also _six_ tenses.
The Imperative has only _one_ tense.
The Potential has _four_ tenses.
The Infinitive has _two_ tenses.

CONJUGATION OF VERBS.

The CONJUGATION of a verb is the regular combination and arrangement of
its several numbers, persons, moods, and tenses.

The Conjugation of an active verb, is styled the _active voice_; and
that of a passive verb, the _passive voice_.

Verbs are called Regular when they form their imperfect tense of the
indicative mood, and their perfect participle, by adding to the present
tense _ed_, or _d_ only when the verb ends in _e_; as,

Pres. Tense. Imp. Tense. Perf. Participle
I favor. I favor_ed_. favor