This study, an outgrowth of the "Linguistic Atlas of the United States and Canada," based on atlas field records covering the entire Eastern United States, enables the author to trace the geographical spread and also the social distribution of the linguistic features that are treated. Research demonstrates how early culture centers and principal migration areas are reflected in the dissemination of grammatical forms. It makes clear that our "vulgate" grammar, often thought to be uniform throughout the country, is in reality highly varied and regional in character. Thirty-one verb maps indicate distribution of tense forms in the New England States. An index of forms is included. (Author/RL)