TENSE means time.
Verbs have six tenses, the Present, the Imperfect, the Perfect, the
Pluperfect, and the First and Second Future tenses.
The PRESENT TENSE represents an action or event as taking place at the
time in which it is mentioned; as, "I _smile_; I _see_; I _am seen_."
NOTE 1. The present tense is also used in speaking of actions
continued, with occasional intermissions, to the present time; as,
"He _rides_ out every morning."
2. This tense is sometimes applied to represent the actions of
persons long since dead; as, "Seneca _reasons_ and _moralizes_ well;
An honest man _is_ the noblest work of God."
3. When the present tense is preceded by the words, _when, before,
after, as soon as_, &c. it is sometimes used to point out the
relative time of a future action; as, "_When_ he _arrives_ we shall
hear the news."
The IMPERFECT TENSE denotes a past action or event, however distant;
or,
The IMPERFECT TENSE represents an action or event as past and finished,
but without defining the precise time of its completion; as, "I _loved_
her for her modesty and virtue; They _were_ travelling post when he
_met_ them."
In these examples, the verbs _loved_ and _met_ express past and
_finished_ actions, and therefore constitute a _perfect_ tense as
strictly as any form of the verb in our language; but, as they do not
define the precise time of the completion of these actions, their tense
may properly be denominated an _indefinite past_. By defining the
present participle in conjunction with the verb, we have an _imperfect_
tense in the expression, _were travelling_. This course, however, would
not be in accordance with the ordinary method of treating the
participle. Hence it follows, that the terms _imperfect_ and _perfect_,
as applied to this and the next succeeding tense, are not altogether
significant of their true character; but if you learn to apply these
tenses _correctly_, the propriety or impropriety of their names is not a
consideration of very great moment.
The PERFECT TENSE denotes past time, and also conveys an allusion to the
present; as, "I _have_ finished my letter."
The verb _have finished_, in this example, signifies that the action,
though past, was perfectly finished at a point of time immediately
preceding, or in the course of a period which comes to the present.
Under this view of the subject, the term _perfect_ may be properly
applied to this tense, for it specifies, not only the completion of the
action, but, also, alludes to the particular period of its
accomplishment.
The PLUPERFECT TENSE represents a past action or event that transpired
before some other past time specified; as, "I _had finished_ my letter
before my brother arrived."
You observe that the verb _had finished_, in this example, represents
one _past_ action, and the arrival of my brother, another _past_ action;
therefore _had finished_ is in the pluperfect tense, because the action
took place prior to the taking place of the other past action specified
in the same sentence.
The FIRST FUTURE TENSE denotes a future action or event; as "I _will
finish_; I _shall finish_ my letter."
The SECOND FUTURE TENSE represents a future action that will be fully
accomplished, at or before the time of another future action or event;
as, "I _shall have finished_ my letter when my brother arrives."
This example clearly shows you the meaning and the proper use of the
second future tense. The verb "shall have finished" implies a future
action that will be completely finished, at or before the time of the
other future event denoted by the phrase, "_when_ my brother _arrives_."
NOTE. What is sometimes called the _Inceptive_ future, is expressed
thus, "I am going _to write_;" "I am about _to write_." Future time
is also indicated by placing the infinitive present immediately
after the indicative present of the verb _to be_; thus, "I am _to
write_;" "Harrison is _to be_, or ought _to be_, commander in
chief;" "Harrison is _to command_ the army."
You may now read what is said respecting the moods and tenses several
times over, and then you may learn to _conjugate_ a verb. But, before
you proceed to the conjugation of verbs, you will please to commit the
following paragraph on the _Auxiliary_ verbs and, also, the _signs_ of
the moods and tenses; and, in conjugating, you must pay particular
attention to the manner in which these signs are applied.