and form their præterite by means of a similar change, i.e., by changing the sound of the ee in _feet_ (spelt ea) into that of the a in _fate_; viewed thus, the irregularity is less than it appears to be at first sight. Again, _tread_ is pronounced _tredd_, but many provincial speakers say _treed_, and so said the Anglo-Saxons, whose form was _ic trede_ = _I tread_. Their præterite was _træd_. This again subtracts from the apparent irregularity. Instances of this kind may be multiplied; the whole question, however, of the conjugation of the _strong verbs_ is best considered after the perusal of the next chapter. * * * * * CHAPTER XXIV. THE WEAK TENSES. § 304. The præterite tense of the weak verbs is formed by the addition of -d or -t. If necessary, the syllable -ed is substituted for -d. The current statement that the syllable -ed, rather than the letter -d is the sign of the præterite tense, is true only in regard to the written language. In _stabbed_, _moved_, _bragged_, _whizzed_, _judged_, _filled_, _slurred_, _slammed_, _shunned_, _barred_, _strewed_, the e is a point of spelling only. In _language_, except in declamation, there is no second vowel sound. The -d comes in immediate contact with the final letter of the original word, and the number of syllables remains the same as it was before. We say _stabd_, _môved_, _bragd_, &c. § 305. When, however, the original word ends in -d or -t, as _slight_ or _brand_, then, and then only is there the real addition of the syllable -ed; as in _slighted_, _branded_. This is necessary, since the combinations _slightt_ and _brandd_ are unpronounceable. Whether the addition be -d or -t depends upon the flatness or sharpness of the preceding letter. After b, v, th (as in _clothe_), g, or z, the addition is -d. This is a matter of necessity. We say _stabd_, _môvd_, _clôthd_, _braggd_, _whizzd_, because _stabt_, _môvt_, _clotht_, _braggt_, _whizzt_, are unpronounceable. After l, m, n, r, w, y, or a vowel, the addition is also -d. This is the _habit_ of the English language. _Filt_, _slurt_, _strayt_, &c., are as pronounceable as _filld_, _slurrd_, _strayd_, &c. It is the habit, however, of the English language to prefer the latter forms. All this, as the reader has probably observed, is merely the reasoning concerning the s, in words like _father's_, &c., applied to another letter and to another part of speech. § 306. The verbs of the weak conjugation fall into three classes. I. In the first there is the simple addition of -d, -t, or -ed.