the nominative. By this you perceive, that a very intimate connexion or
relation exists between the nominative case and the verb. If, therefore,
only _one_ creature or thing acts, only _one_ action, at the same
instant, can be done; as, The _girl writes_. The nominative _girl_ is
here of the singular number, because it signifies but one person; and
the verb _writes_ denotes but one action, which the girl performs;
therefore the verb _writes_ is of the _singular_ number, agreeing with
its nominative _girl_. When the nominative case is _plural_, the verb
must be _plural_; as, _girls write_. Take notice, the _singular_ verb
ends in _s_, but the noun is generally _plural_ when it ends in _s_;
thus, The girl _writes_--the _girls_ write.

_Person_, strictly speaking, is a quality that belongs _not_ to _verbs_,
but to nouns and pronouns. We say, however, that the verb must agree
with its nominative in _person_, as well as in number; that is, the verb
must be spelled and spoken in such a manner as to correspond with the
_first, second_, or _third_ person of the noun or pronoun which is its
nominative.

I will now show you how the verb is varied in order to agree with its
nominative in number and person. I, Thou, He, She, It; We, Ye or You,
They, are _personal pronouns_. _I_ is of the _first_ person, and
_singular_ number; _Thou_ is _second_ person, _sing._; _He, She_, or
_It_, is _third_ per. _sing._; _We_ is _first_ per. _plural_; _Ye_ or
_You_ is _second_ per. _plural_; _They_ is _third_ per. _plural_. These
pronouns are the representatives of nouns, and perform the same office
that the nouns would for which they stand. When placed before the verb,
they are, therefore, the _nominatives_ to the verb.

Notice particularly, the different variations or endings of the verb, as