After _[=æ]lc þ[=a]ra þe_ (each of-those-who) the verb is put in the sing., agreeing not with _þ[=a]ra þe_ but with _[=æ]lc_:--_[=æ]lc þ[=a]ra þe þ[=a]s m[=i]n word [.g]e·h[=i]erþ_ (each of those who hear these my words).
When _þæt_ or _þis_ is connected with a plural predicate by means of the verb 'to be,' the verb is put in the plural:--_þæt w[=æ]ron þ[=a] [=æ]restan s[.c]ipu D[e,]niscra manna þe Angel-cynnes land [.g]e·s[=o]hton_ (those were the first ships of Danish men which came to the land of the English race).
Impersonal verbs take an accusative of the person, sometimes also with a genitive of the thing.
Others, such as _þyn[.c]an_ (appear), take a dative of the person:--_wæs him [.g]e·þ[=u]ht þæt h[=i]e be·h[=y]dden þæt h[=e]afod_ (they thought they (the Danes) had hidden the head).
There being no future inflection in Old E., the present is used instead:--_ne [=a]·b[=y]hþ n[=æ]fre E[=a]dmund Hinguare_ (Edmund will never submit to H.); _g[=a] [.g][=e] on m[=i]nne w[=i]n[.g]eard, and ic s[e,]lle [=e]ow þæt riht biþ_ (go ye into my vineyard, and I will give you what is right). As we see in this example, there is a tendency to use _b[=e]on_ in a future sense. Another example is _[.g]if ic b[=e]o [.g]e·bunden mid seofon r[=a]pum, s[=o]na ic b[=e]o [.g]e·wield_ (if I am bound with seven ropes, I shall at once be overcome). The future is sometimes expressed by _will_ and _shall_, as in Modern English, though generally with a sense of volition with the one, and of necessity with the other, the idea of simple futurity coming out most clearly in the preterites _wolde_ and _scolde_:--
_H[=e] [.g]e·l[=æ]hte [=a]ne l[=e]on þe hine [=a]·b[=i]tan wolde_ (he seized a lion { 46} that was going to devour him); _h[=i]e w[=e]ndon þæt h[=i]e scolden m[=a]re on·f[=o]n_ (they expected to receive more).
The preterite has the meaning of the modern
(1) Preterite and imperfect:--_se s[=a]were [=u]t [=e]ode his s[=æ]d t[=o] s[=a]wenne, and þ[=a] þ[=a] h[=e] s[=e]ow ..._ (the sower _went_ out to sow his seed, and while he _was sowing_ ...).
(2) Perfect:--_h[=e]r is m[=i]n cnapa, þone ic [.g]e[.c][=e]as_ (here is my servant, whom I have chosen);--_[=u]re cyning c[=o]m n[=u] h[=e]r t[=o] lande_ (our king has just landed here).