Again, we sometimes employ a verb when we do not wish to declare a thing, nor to represent the action in a doubtful or conditional manner; but we wish to command some one to act.  We then use the imperative or commanding mode, and say, Walk, sir.  And when we do not wish to command a man to act, we sometimes allude to his power or ability to act.  This fourth mode of representing action, is called the potential mode; as, He can walk; He could walk.  The fifth and last mode, called the infinitive or unlimited mode, we employ in expressing action in an unlimited manner; that is, without confining it, in respect to number and person, to any particular agent; as, To walk, to ride.  Thus you perceive, that the mood, mode, or manner of representing the action, passion, or being of a verb, must vary according to the different intentions of the mind.

Were we to assign a particular name to every change in the mode or manner of representing action or being, the number of moods in our language would amount to many hundreds.  But this principle of division and arrangement, if followed out in detail, would lead to great perplexity, without producing any beneficial result.  The division of Mr. Harris, in his Hermes, is much more curious than instructive.  He has fourteen moods; his interrogative, optative, hortative, promissive, precautive, requisitive, enunciative, &c.  But as far as philosophical accuracy and the convenience and advantage of the learner are concerned, it is believed that no arrangement is preferable to the following.  I am not unaware that plausible objections may be raised against it; but what arrangement cannot be objected to?

There are five moods of verbs, the Indicative, the Subjunctive, the Imperative, the Potential, and the Infinitive.

The INDICATIVE MOOD simply indicates or declares a thing; as, “He writes;” or it asks a question; as, “Does he write?  Who wrote that?”

The term indicative, comes from the Latin indico, to declare.  Hence, the legitimate province of the indicative mood, is to declare things, whether positively or negatively; thus, positively, He came with me; negatively, He came not with me.  But in order to avoid a multiplication of moods, we extend its meaning, and use the indicative mood in asking a question; as, Who came with you?

The subjunctive mood being more analogous to the indicative in conjugation, than any other, it ought to be presented next in order.  This mood, however, differs materially from the indicative in sense; therefore you ought to make yourself well acquainted with the nature of the indicative, before you commence with the subjunctive.

The SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD expresses action, passion, or being, in a doubtful or conditional manner or,