LIX. PARSING OF VERBS
237. When we parse a verb, we should tell,—
(1) Its class as to form,—regular or irregular.
(2) Its principal parts.
(3) Its class as to use,—transitive or intransitive.
(4) Its voice,—active or passive.
(5) Its mode,—indicative, subjunctive, or imperative.
(6) Its tense.
(7) Its person.
(8) Its number.
(9) Its form of conjugation,—interrogative, progressive, or emphatic.
(10) Its simple subject.
(11) Its complement (if any),—direct object, subjective complement, or objective complement.
Exercise.—Parse each verb in the following sentences:—
1. What are you smiling at, Lady Mother?
2. The shades were lowered at the windows, the lamps were lighted, the great family table was drawn towards the fire.
3. When he went out from the village at the head of his men one fine day, while the sun was shining brightly, and the birds were singing, he did not neglect a single one of the many things which he had been told always brought good luck to the hunting.
4. “No,” said Mrs. Howe, “I don’t enjoy moving, but the children do. They have been transporting clocks, and pictures, and lamps all the forenoon, when they haven’t been loading the dray, but they don’t seem a bit tired.”
5. What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?
6. Child, was not your father called Mustapha the tailor?
7. Do look at those gateposts!
8. The hens had been mysteriously disappearing for over a month.
9. Stir not a step till I come again.
10. Do you wonder that I missed a word in spelling?
11. Son, have any told thee that thou art beautiful beyond all men?
12. Hadn’t you been putting on airs?