How to parse. ...

Par. 71.]

TENSES.

55

III. We may command an action. This is called
the Commanding or Imperative Mode or Mood
(impera-, command).
IV. We may speak of an action not as past,
present, or future, but as (1) expressing a condition,
e.g. " if he should come;" or (2) subject to a condition, e.g. " I should see him;" or (3) (a) purpose, e.g.
" Come here that I may see you;" or (b) purpose
approximating to a wish, e.g. "I pray that his life
may be spared."
In all these cases, except (2), the Verb is preceded by a Conjunction -if, that, &c.; and this
Mood might therefore be called the Conjunctive
Mood. But it is generally called the Subjunctive
Mood.1
71 Times or Tenses.
For the present, in speaking of the Times or
Tenses of a Verb, we shall confine ourselves to
those of the Indicative Mood.
A Verb may tell you1. What any person or thing does at the present
time -
" He catches fish."
1 In any sentence, the statement of fact is called the principal
clause, and the part of the sentence describing the purpose condition, &c., is called sub-ordinate, and is said to be sub-joined to the
principal clause. Hence the Mood of the Verb in this subjoined
clause is called Subjunctive.