alytical practical grammar - Toronto Public Library

E'l'YMOLOGY-VERBS--VOICES. 67
360. Would, in like manner, is sometimes used to express wbat was
customary in past time; as, "The old man lOould shake his
years away;" .. He'd sit him down."
361. Would is sometimes uSEd as a principal verb, equivalent to the
present of wish or desire; as, II When I make a feast, I
wcmld my guests should praise it-not the cooks."-" Wheu
I would t when I wisb to] do good, evil is present with me."
Thus used, the subject in the first pel son is sometimes
omitted' as .. Would God it were even "=" I pray God ."
"Would'to God,"=" I pray to God.'" ,
362. lVould, with a negative, used in this wny, is uot merely negative
of a wish or desire, but imp1i€s strong oppo"ition or refusal;
as, " How often would I have gathered thy children-but ye
would not;" "Ye would none of my reproof."
363. Slwuld is used in all persons to denote present duty, and should
have, to denote past duty; 8S, "You slwuld write;" "I
should Ilavf' written ;" " The rich should remember the poor."
It often denotes merely a supposed future eycnt; as, "If
he should promise, he will perform."
It is sometimes used in an indefinite scnse after III at ; as,
" It is surprising that you should SIIY so."
354. Should and would nre sometimes used to express an assertion in a
softened manner; thus, instead of sRying, "I think him
insane"-u It seems to be improper," it is milder to say,
"I should think him ineaue"-" It wcmld seem to be improper."
INFLECTION OF VERBS.
365. The Accidents of verbs are Voices, Moods,
Tenses, Numbers, and Persons (473*).
OF VOICE.
366. VOICE is a particular fornl. of the verb, which
shows the relation of the subject or thing spoken of, to
the action expressed by the verb (494, 507).
367. Transitive verbs have two voices, called the Active
and the Passive.
368. The ACTIVE VOICE (-194) represents the subject of
the verb as acting; as, "JAMES strikes the table."
369. 'The PASSIVE VOICE (507) represents the subject
of the verb as acted upon; as, "The TABLE is struck by
James."