JREY+Shakespeare+Grammar+Minilesson

In order to read Shakespeare and other pre-modern writings with full comprehension, you need to be sure you understand a few now-obsolete grammatical features of English. The chief one is the use of the second person singular. In Shakespeare's day -- and in poetry for centuries after it had become obsolete in vernacular speech -- the distinction between the second person singular and the second person plural was very much alive. So first you need to grasp the grammatical forms. Next you need to become more aware of their connotations. You will find it helpful to draw on your knowledge of French, German, or Spanish -- languages which retain a similar set of connotations for the second person singular. "In **Old English,** //thou// (and its related forms) was used for addressing one person; //ye// (and its related forms) for more than one. Within these categories, //thou// and //ye// were used as clause subject, //thee// and //you// as object. "During **Middle English,** //ye / you// came to be used as a polite singular form alongside //thou / thee//, a situation which was probably influenced by French //vous// vs //tu//. "During **Early Modern English,** [the language of Shakespeare's time] the distinction between subject and object uses of //ye// and //you// gradually disappeared, and //you// became the norm in all grammatical functions and social situations. //Ye// continued in use, but by the end of the 16th century it was restricted to archaic, religious, or literary contexts. By 1700, the //thou// forms were also largely restricted in this way."
 * A Note on Shakespeare's Grammar **
 * Grammatical forms **
 * A: Pronouns **

-- //The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language//, ed. David Crystal (CUP: 1995), p. 71


 * || **Subject ** || **Object ** || **Possessive ** ||  ||
 * **Singular ** || thou || thee || thine || thyself ||
 * **Plural ** || you || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">ye || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">yours || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">yourself ||


 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman';">B: Verb conjugations **


 * || **<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I ** || **<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">2nd person ** || **<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">he/she ** || **<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">we ** || **<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">you ** || **<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">they ** ||
 * //<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">to be // ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * **<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Present ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">I am || **<span style="color: red; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">thou art ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">is || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">are || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">are || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">are ||
 * **<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Past ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">I was || **<span style="color: red; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">thou wert ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">was || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">were || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">were || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">were ||
 * //<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">to have // ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * **<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Present ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">I have || **<span style="color: red; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">thou hast ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">has/hath || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">have || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">have || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">have ||
 * **<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Past ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">I had || **<span style="color: red; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">thou hadst ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">had || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">had || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">had || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">had ||
 * //<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">to do // ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * **<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Present ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">I do || **<span style="color: red; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">thou dost ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">does / doth || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">do || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">do || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">do ||
 * **<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Past ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">I did || **<span style="color: red; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">thou didst ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">did || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">did || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">did || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">did ||
 * //<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">to see // ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * **<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Present ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">see || **<span style="color: red; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">thou seest ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">sees/seeth || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">see || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">see || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">see ||
 * **<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Past ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">saw || **<span style="color: red; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">thou sawest ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">saw || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">saw || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">say || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">saw ||
 * //<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">to grow // ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * **<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Present ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">grow || **<span style="color: red; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">thou growest ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">grows/groweth || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">grow || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">grow || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">grow ||
 * **<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Past ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">grew || **<span style="color: red; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">thou grewest ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">grew || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">grew || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">grew || <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">grew ||

Using the above laws, change the modern-day sentence into a sentence as it would have looked in Shakespeare’s day.

<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">1) You are the best.

<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">2) I thought you had the key?

<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">3) You see? I told you I was correct.

<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">4) I believe that you grew the best over the summer months.


 * Adapted from Cooney, Seamus. “Shakespeare’s Grammar.” Western Michigan University. Last updated 13 Feb. 1999. Date accessed 20 Apr. 2010. Webpage. <http://homepages.wmich.edu/~cooneys/tchg/lit/adv/shak.gram.html>.