164. Verbals.-There are no other real verb-forms, but there are two other changes made in the form of a verb when it ceases to assert and becomes, in part, another part-of-speech. Catching trout is fine sport. I always enjoy catching trout. We were engaged in catching trout. In each of these sentences the word 'catching' (from the verb 'catch') is used as a noun : In the first, as the subject; in the second, as the object of the verb 'enjoy;' in the third, as the object of the preposition 'in.' But there is one way in which this word 'catching' differs from the ordinary noun. It has an object, 'trout.' Now, as a noun never takes an object, it is plain that catching must be partly a verb and partly a noun. And such, in fact, is the case. It is a verbal-noun,-a verb used as a noun but keeping (in part at least) its verb nature. (365.) (a) It was a land flowing with milk and honey. In this sentence, the word 'flowing' (from the verb 'flow') qualifies the noun 'land,' thus doing the work of an adjective. At the same time, flowing takes the usual adverb modifier of a verb, the phrase 'with milk and honey,' answering how? Therefore flowing is a verbal-adjective. (b) He came dashing through the crowd as fast as he could run. In this sentence, dashing (from 'dash') is an adverb, telling how he came.' At the same time, it takes the modifier of a verb, the adverbial phrase, 'through the crowd,'-answering where? and the adverbial clause, 'as fast as he could run,'-answering how? Hence, it is a verbal-adverb. 165. Participles.-These VERBALS (verbal-nouns, verbaladjectives, and verbal-adverbs) partake of the nature of two parts of speech at the same time. Hence, they are called PARTICIPLES. (Participle means 'a partaker.') 166. A verb has two participles; one called "imperfect" (or active), the other, "perfect" (or passive.) (a) The imperfect participle always ends in ing. It expresses action, existence, or possession, as going on, or continuing (that is, action, etc., not perfect-'complete') at the time mentioned in the sentence. This participle has been fully illustrated in the sentences given above. (164.) Remarks. Because it represents action, etc., as continuing at the time mentioned in the sentence, the imperfect participle is also called the 'present,' or active participle, and we shall hereafter refer to it by the latter name. The active participles that may have objects are those derived from transitive verbs. (99.) Examples: Catching, lifting, bringing. (b) The perfect participle always expresses action, etc., as perfected ('completed') at the time mentioned in the sentence. It is formed by adding d or ed to regular verbs. Examples: Waved, from 'wave;' defeated, from 'defeat;' beaten, from 'beat.' (c) The perfect participle is never used as a verbal-noun, and but rarely as a verbal-adverb; but it is freely used as a verbaladjective; thus— The enemy, defeated at every point, retreated in haste. (d) This participle (the 'perfect') is always the last word in passive verb-phrases (101); hence, it is also called the passive participle. And because it always denotes an action, etc., as past (completed), it is sometimes called the past participle. 167. What are known as compound participles" are formed by placing having before a perfect participle, or by placing having been before either an active or a passive participle; as Having watched; having been watching; having been watched. Remark. As these are really phrases and not verb-forms, they do not come under the present head, and will be treated in another place. (195.) 168. Briefly stated, the forms and form-changes of verbs are as follow: 1. Number Form.-Singular form made by adding s or es to the plural (root) form. [Changing final y, preceded by a consonant, into i. ] 2. Person Form.-Using plural form of verb with pronoun I, excepting in the case of be which takes am for the first person, singular. 3. Time Form.-Past time form made— 1. By adding d or ed to the root of regular verbs. 2. By variety of changes in root-form of irregular verbs. 4. Participle Forms.-Root-form changed— I. By adding ing to make the active participle. 2. By adding d or ed (regular); also irregular changes to form the perfect participle. Remark. Owing to the variety of ways in which the perfect participles of irregular verbs are formed, it is better to become familiar with them by memorizing from the list than to attempt learning rules for their formation. (329.) 169. Archaic Forms.-In Old English there were two other verb-forms: 1. A second person-form ending in st or est* and used only with the old second person (singular) thou; thus— Thou lovest, thou walkest; past, lovedst, walkedst. 2. A third person (singular) form ending in th or eth; thus He loveth, he walketh; (no corresponding past form). These forms are called archaic ('old style'). They abound in the Scriptures, and in poetry. They are still used more or less in poetry and in solemn forms of address; but they are practically obsolete so far as every-day speech is concerned. [See Twenty-third Psalm, page 98. ] 170. How to distinguish Participles from Nouns and Adjectives.-Nouns ending in ing should not be confounded with active participles used as nouns. The latter are verbals and take the modifiers of verbs; the former being pure nouns never take the modifiers of a verb. (64*, Note.) Neither should the adjectives derived from verbs (682) be confused with the participles. The former immediately precede the noun described; the latter generally follow the noun or pronoun. Sometimes, however, a participle without modifiers is placed just before the word it limits. In such cases, it may be distinguished from pure descriptive adjectives by the following test: *Excepting has and was, which add only t, and shall, will, are, and were, which change the final letter to t; thus, Thou hast, thou shalt, thou wert. [See 2589 and 377.] Read the two words together without a pause between them. If the idea thus conveyed by it is precisely the meaning intended, the word is an adjective. But if the description is not what is intended, the word is a participle. Example: "Listening, we caught the sound of clattering hoofs." Here, plainly, it is not intended to say 'listening we;' but just as plainly the writer does mean to call the hoofs 'clattering hoofs.' Therefore, clattering is a descriptive adjective, but listening is a participle. (365 b.) Remark. The participle used as an adjective is sometimes called a "participial adjective." All participles used to complete the verb-phrase after copulas are participial adjectives, since they are a part of the verb-phrase assertion and at the same time are descriptive of the subject; thus They are hurrying. He was standing. It is painted. I am surprised. 171. Tell which of the words in the following sentences are pure adjectives or nouns, and which are participles; also tell how the participles are used: 1. Singing strengthens the voice. 2. Worrying will not help matters. 3. Catching trout requires skill. 4. Running will not hurt him. 5. The kettle needs scouring. 6. Hunting deer is exciting sport. 7. Rowing a boat is good exercise. 8. They thought he needed close watching. 9. Counterfeiting is punished by the government. 10. Hearing is believing, seeing is knowing. II. The hunter saw the bear approaching. 12. Looking out of the window, we saw them coming. 13. The moon shining brightly, lighted our pathway. 14. The stars, twinkling in the sky, had the appearance of large diamonds. 15. The hounds, heated by the chase, ran into the water, leaping over each other in their haste. 16. The general, seated on his horse, watched the enemy. Remarks. Notice that participles never assert the action, existence, or possession. They only mention these things as taking place or as having taken place. Besides their use as nouns, adjectives, and adverbs, participles have other constructions which will be considered farther on. (Lesson 32.) 172. Parse the participles in the following fable,* by telling how they are used,-whether as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs; whether they are active or perfect; and whether they are derived from transitive or intransitive verbs: (IOI.) A rich gouty man troubled with disease in his feet, went to a physician distinguished for his skill, promising to do exactly what the physician ordered, *From Dr. Abbott's "How to Parse." The fables on pages 5 and 37 were adapted from the same author's "How to tell the Parts of Speech." if only he would cure him. Seeing his patient deprived of the use of his feet, and too lazy to use them, the physician took him up into a room containing no chair, couch, or seat of any kind, and having a floor lined with iron. There he left him and went out, locking the door behind him. Presently the rich man found his feet growing unpleasantly hot. Irritated at this he called out, but no one answered. Hobbling to the door on his crutches, he found it locked. By this time his feet, heated by the hot iron floor, pained him so much that he began to raise them, lifting first one, then the other, at first slowly, then more and more quickly. In this way, forced to use his legs, he found the use of them grow more and more easy, and was cured against his will. LESSON 25. FUTURE TIME VERB-PHRASES. 173. We have seen (161) that past time may be indicated by a change in the form of a verb; but we very often make a statement in such a way as to show that we do not mean either present time, or past time. Thus, I may say— 'I shall write to him about it, and you will hear from him soon,' by which you understand that I have not already written to him, that I am not now writing to him, but that I intend to write to him in the future. In the second part of the sentence, will hear expresses the same idea of future time. (a) Notice that the future time is not indicated by a change in the form of the verbs write and hear, but by placing shall and will before them. Therefore we may say that future time is shown by verb-phrases made by placing shall and will before the root form of the verb. (b) If we change the positions of shall and will in the sentence given above, and say 'I will write to him about it, and you shall hear from him soon,' will in the first person and shall in the second denote future time, and also indicate a promise on the part of the speaker. So, in the sentence We will go and see him; he shall know about it, will in the first person and shall in the third indicate not only future time, but also a determination on our part. |