Tense.
_Sing_. I might, could, would, _or_ should be, thou mightest, &c.
_Plur_. We might, could, would, _or_ should be, you might, &c.

Perf. Tense
_Sing_. I may, can, _or_ must have been, thou mayst, canst, &c.
_Plur_. We may, can, _or_ must have been, you may, can, _or_ must be, &c.

Pluper. Tense.
_Sing_. I might, could, would, _or_ should have been, thou, &c.
_Plur_. We might, could, would, _or_ should have been, you, &c.

INFINITIVE MOOD.
Pres. Tense. To be. Perf. Tense. To have been.

PARTICIPLES.
Pres. Being. Perf. Been. Compound, Having been.

This verb to be, though very irregular in its conjugation, is by far the
most important verb in our language, for it is more frequently used than
any other; many rules of syntax depend on constructions associated with
it, and, without its aid, no passive verb can be conjugated. You ought,
therefore, to make yourself perfectly familiar with all its changes,
before you proceed any farther.

* * * * *

II. PASSIVE VERBS.

The _cases of nouns_ are a fruitful theme for investigation and
discussion. In the progress of these lectures, this subject has
frequently engaged our attention; and, now, in introducing to your
notice the passive verb, it will, perhaps, be found both interesting and
profitable to present one more view of the nominative case.

Every sentence, you recollect, must have one _finite_ verb, or more than
one, and one _nominative_, either expressed or implied, for, without
them, no sentence can exist.

The _nominative_ is the _actor_ or _subject_ concerning which the verb
makes an affirmation. There are three kinds of nominatives, _active,
passive_, and _neuter_.

The nominative to an _active_ verb, is _active_, because it _produces_
an action, and the nominative to a _passive_ verb, is _passive_, because
it _receives_ or _endures_ the action expressed by the verb; for,

A Passive Verb denotes action _received_ or _endured_ by the person or
thing which is the nominative; as, "The _boy is beaten_ by his father."

You perceive, that the nominative _boy_, in this example, is not
represented as the _actor_, but as the _object_ of the action expressed
by the verb _is beaten_; that is, the boy _receives_ or _endures_ the
action performed by his father; therefore _boy_ is a _passive_
nominative. And you observe, too, that the verb _is beaten_, denotes the
_action_ received or endured by the nominative; therefore _is beate