ter. So it is with the English language--and you must try to consider this language as if it were a living person, who may be awkward and stumbling, or pompous and pretentious, or simple and direct. Name me the five moods. ABE The Indicative, Imperative, Potential, Subjunc- tive and Infinitive. MENTOR And what do they signify? ABE The Indicative Mood is the easy one. It just in- dicates a thing-like "He loves," "He is loved"-- or, when you put it in the form of a question, "Does he love?" or "Is he loved?" The Imperative Mood is used for commanding, like "Get out and be damned to you." MENTOR (smiling) Is that the best example you can think of? ABE Well--you can put it in the Bible way--"Go thou in peace." But it's still imperative. MENTOR The mood derives its name from the implication of command. But you can use it in a very dif- ferent sense--in the form of the humblest suppli- cation. -4- |