Formerly holden; as 'a court will be holden.

Mark the verbs in the following sentences; the Weak with a W; the Contracted with a C; the Strong with an S; and the Mixed with an M.

He was expelled from school. A heavy sea struck the vessel. No one knew anything about it. He invited me to dinner. They amused themselves. I saw it had been changed. We built seven houses. The smith shod the horse. They slept the whole night. The mob burnt several houses. Tell me what you think of this. He heard his brother repeat the lesson. When did you come? I arrived last night. The thieves stole much property. He slit up his pen. They entertained hopes. He spoke to his friend. He possessed no power. How many pages do you write every day? The enemy advanced rapidly. I forbear to say anything. He dealt in timber. We bent our

1 Also worked.'

3 The past tense of can was originally coude; the 1 was afterwards introduced from its apparent analogy to would and should, the past tenses of will and shall.

steps homewards. The government banished him. I thought he had proposed the same arrangement. This event excited the king's mind. His companions pushed him out of the room. They lent me some books.

The

Will you give me a pen? The servant swept the floor, and dusted the room. My brother rode to town. boy fell from a tree, and hurt himself severely. What are you buying? The king convoked the parliament. He brought home the gun, which burst as he was shooting. They swam across the river. See, what I have got for you! Ring the bell. The duke won

the battle.

EXERCISE 2.

Change the past into the present, and the present into the past indicative, of all the Strong verbs used in the following sentences.

I take your word for it. He wears a new coat. The bell rings. The boy tore his clothes. We saw your meaning. He sprang from the ground. All his friends forsake him. The wind blew violently. The sportsman shoots well. I knew my lesson. My friend often

comes to see me. fled from the field.

The shop

They do their duty. man sold two yards of cloth. That farrier shoes our horses. We heard something about it. I taught him Greek. The girls lose their time. We catch cold. The boy fares ill. I leave the house. The children sleep soundly. The father sends his son to school. I say what tell me. you The king holds a council. The boy grew very fast. The men fight desperately. It froze hard. I eat a hearty breakfast.

EXERCISE 3.

Substitute the participle (complete) for the verbs in parentheses in the subjoined sentences.

I have (bear) with your insolence long enough. He was (forsake) by all who had (know) him in his prosperity. The song was exquisitely (sing). His clothes are (wear) out. They had (take) away his books. The cloth has (shrink). The water was all (drink) and the bread all (eat). The pond will be (freeze) to-morrow. I have (forget) what you said. We were afraid he had (sink); but we found he had (swim) safely across the river. The clock has already (strike) one. silk was (spin). The cattle will be (drive) to market. I had (lie) down some time. the shelf. These words were traveller had (rise) early.

The

The book was (lay) on (speak) solemnly. The The foundations of the

earth were (cleave) asunder. Darius 'had (fall) from his high estate.' The earth was (tread) down.

ON THE USE OF THE TENSES.

A distinction must be made in use between the indefinite and the incomplete forms of tenses in the indicative mood.

1. The present indefinite expresses general or habitual action; as, I read,' that is, I read generally, or, am in the habit of reading.

2. The present incomplete expresses the continuation of an action, that is, an action now

begun and not ended; as, I am writing,' that is, my writing is begun, and is going on.

3. The past indefinite expresses the performance of an action at a past time, without specifying the exact time; as, 'I wrote a letter.'

4. The past incomplete expresses the performance of an action begun at a past time, and not ended; as, 'I was writing, that is, my writing was begun, but not ended.

EXERCISE.

Write out the following sentences, selecting the correct one of the two forms in the parentheses.

I always (am reading, or read?) half-an-hour every day before breakfast. He (talked, or was talking?) to my friend when I (was arriving, or arrived?) I (wrote, or was writing?) to my sister last week. What (do you speak, or are you speaking?) of? I (am telling, or tell?) him what (occurred, or was occurring?) the other day when we (were walking, or walked?) in the park. When I (stayed, or was staying?) in the country, I (was walking, or walked ?) out every day. An obedient child always (is doing, or does?) what he is told. I (think, or am thinking?) you are right. Yesterday, when I (was speaking, or spoke?) to him about this affair, his friend (interrupted, or was interrupting?) us. The gardener (is carrying, or carries?) his goods every day to market. The scholars (repeat, or are repeating?) English poetry. My friend (was disputing, or disputed?) the question before we (were