What connection is there between the verb sleeps and the noun John ?—

Then what sort of a verb would you call the word sleeps ?

?

Why would you call the verb sleeps a neuter verb ?—

Name a few other instances of the neuter verb.

The sun shines, I am, thou art, he is, and the other variations of the verb to BE.

What do you mean by the verb to Be?
The verb to Be marks existence.
How are neuter verbs divided?

Into Active Intransitive and Intransitive only.
Explain the word Intransitive.

The word intransitive, means not passing over; from the Latin words-in, not; and transeo, to go, or pass over. What is the difference between an active intransitive, and an intransitive verb ?

An active intransitive gives us an idea of a kind of action— as, the sun shines; while an intransitive merely says he is, without giving any idea of action.

Have

you any thing else to say of active intransitive verbs ?

Yes; an active intransitive verb may have a noun or pronoun following it, if a preposition be used.

Give me an instance.

The sun shines upon him-upon is the preposition.

Good give me another instance.

I go from school-go, a neuter verb; from, a preposition;

and school, the noun which follows.

NUMBER, PERSON, and MOOD, are the next three things to be noticed with respect to the verbs.

What is Number?

We explained the meaning of number when we spoke of

nouns.

But what have you to say of number as applied to verbs ?

That if a noun be singular, the verb must be singular;

and if the noun be plural, the verb must be plural also. Well what have you to observe concerning Person? Person has been explained when we spoke of pronouns. What have you to say of person as regards verbs? That verbs must be always of the same person as the noun or pronoun in the nominative case.

Explain what you mean by the same person.

That, if the noun or pronoun be of the first person, then the verb must be of the first person, and so of the second or third person in both numbers.

Explain the word Mood.

Mood means manner of expressing the verb, and comes from the Latin word modus, manner.

Are there many ways of expressing the verb ?

Yes, there are five ways or forms of expressing the verb, which have different names.

Tell me the five names which mark the manner of expressing the verb.

Indicative mood, Potential mood, Subjunctive mood, Imperative mood, Infinitive mood.

Explain the word Indicative.

Indicative means simply to declare, or say of a thing, and comes from two Latin words-In, a prefix, meaning to; and dico, to say.

Give me an instance.

I love work. What is I?

A pronoun.

But I thought a pronoun was put for noun; where is the noun ?

The noun is understood to be the person speaking.

Well tell me how many things you can say of this pronoun.

Three:

First person, because it stands for the person speaking.
Singular number, because only one.

Nominative case, going before the verb love.

Tell me all you can about the next word in your instance, namely, love.

Love is a verb, because it tells the action of the mind. It is an active verb, because the action passes on to the noun work, which follows.

It is of the first person, and of the singular number, because the pronoun in the nominative case is of the first person, and of singular number.

And is of the indicative mood, because it merely declares

or says.

What is the word work?

A noun in the objective case, following the active verb love.

Explain the word Potential?

Potential signifies power or ability to do, and comes from the Latin words-posse, possum, to be able.

Give an instance.

Thou mayest or canst write a letter:

What have you to say concerning the word thou? Thou is a pronoun, the noun being understood.

It is of the second person, because it stands for the person spoken to.

It is of singular number, because only one.

It is the nominative case, because going before the verb write.

What are the words mayest or canst?

They are helping words to the verb write, and signs or marks of the potential mood.

Are they always signs or marks of the potential mood?

Yes, when joined with a verb, but not when used by themselves.

What would they be if used by themselves?

They would be verbs.

Then let us pass on.

What have

you to say about

the word write?

Write is a verb, because it signifies doing.

An active verb, because the action passes on to the noun following.

Of second person, and singular number, because the pronoun in the nominative case is of second person, and of singular number.

Of the potential mood, because the words mayest or canst are signs of the potential mood.

A, is properly an adjective of distinction, but commonly

called the indefinite article.

The next and last word in your instance is letter;
what can you say about the word letter?
Letter is a noun, because the name of a thing.

In the objective case, because following an active verb.
Singular number, because only one.

Neuter gender, because neither male nor female.

Now explain the word Subjunctive.

Subjunctive means something joined under a condition, and comes from two Latin words-sub, a prefix, meaning under; and junctive, from jungo, to join.

Give an instance.

If he may or can write a letter.

What is if?

If is a conjunction, and also a sign or mark of the subjunctive mood.

The next word in your example is he; what can inform me about the word he?

you

He is a pronoun, the noun being understood.

It is of the third person, because it stands for the person spoken of.

It is of the masculine gender, because it alludes to a male.

It is of the singular number, because only one.

And it is of the nominative case, because going before the verb.

I thought that may or can were signs of the potential mood; why do you use them when explaining the subjunctive mood?

Because the difference between the subjunctive and potential moods is this: the subjunctive mood has the word if, or some other conditional word, added or understood to be added to it.