Tenses

TENSE

A tense is a form of a verb which shows the time at which an action happens.

It comes from the Latin word "tempus", which means "time".

I.       A Simple tense is a form of a verb that simply shows when the action takes place.

• The Simple Past is a form of the verb that shows the action took place in the past.

For example: Lisa danced yesterday.

• The Simple Present is a form of the verb that shows the action takes place in the present.

For example: Lisa dances every day.

• The Simple Future is a form of the verb that shows the action will take place in the future.

For example: Lisa will dance tomorrow.

PROGRESSIVE means "continuing".

II.       A Progressive tense is a form of a verb that shows the action is in progress. Or in other words, that it continues.

• The Past Progressive is a form of the verb that shows the action was in progress at some time in the past.

For example: Lisa was dancing yesterday at 8 o'clock.

• The Present Progressive is a form of the verb that shows the action is in progress in the present.

For example: Lisa is dancing right now.

• The Future Progressive is a form of the verb that shows the action will be in progress at some time in the future.

For example: Lisa will be dancing tomorrow at 8 o'clock.

PERFECT means "complete, finished".

III.             A Perfect tense is a form of a verb that shows the action is complete. It does not mean the action is "perfect" (100%). It means the action is finished.

• The Past Perfect is a form of the verb that shows the action was complete before some time in the past.

For example: Lisa had danced before she came.

• The Present Perfect is a form of the verb that shows the action was complete before the present.

For example: Lisa has already danced.

• The Future Perfect is a form of the verb that shows the action will be complete before some time in the future.

For example: Lisa will have danced tomorrow by 9 o'clock.

IV.    A Perfect Progressive tense is a form of the verb that shows the action started, continued, and was complete until some point.

• The Past Perfect Progressive is a form of the verb that shows the action started in the past and continued until some point in the past.

For example: Lisa had been dancing for 2 hours before she was tired.

• The Present Perfect Progressive is a form of the verb that shows the action started in the past and continued until the present.

For example: Lisa has been dancing for 3 hours without stopping!

• The Future Perfect Progressive is a form of the verb that shows the action will continue until some point in the future.

For example: By tomorrow morning, Lisa will have been dancing for 12 hours!

SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

Observe the action words in the following sentences:

1. Raju wakes up at 6:00 AM. He brushes teeth and drinks milk. He does not want to eat breakfast before going to school.

2. I like mangoes but I do not like oranges.

Structure: Subject +V(1)+(s/es) Example: 1. I/We/You/They + write (positive)                      I/We/You/They + don’t write (negative)                  2. He/She/It + writes (positive)                      He/She/It + doesn’t write (negative)                                         Don’t = do not                                         Doesn’t = does not Simple Present is used to indicate: a. Regular/ repeated/daily/habitual actions 1. I wake up early in the morning. 2. Raju reads The Hindu everyday. b. Universal truths/permanent truths: 1. Water flows downwards. 2. India is our country. c. Verbs of senses/Verbs of feelings and emotions/possession: 1. I smell something burning 2. I like English. 3. I own a house. d. Planned Future Actions 1. The CM visits Rajahmundry on 15th of this month. 2. He opens the stadium at 11.00 a.m. e. Narrations like jokes, stories and commentaries: 1. In this film NTR plays the role of a cowboy. 2. Sachin hits a sixer and rounds off a century.

The following is Lalitha’s daily routine. Fill in the blanks with Simple Present Tense. First one is done for you.

I wake (wake) up at 5:00 AM daily. I _____  (not, drink) coffee in the morning. I  _____ (leave) for college by 9:00 AM. My mother tells me, “If you _____ (not, eat) breakfast you will grow weak.” I _____ (not, have) time for breakfast as I _____ (take) three buses to reach college. My teacher _____ (not, like) to see me late in the class. She _____  (want) her students to be in time.

Correct the following sentences:

1. We watches TV programs on holidays.

2. Girls doesn’t plays foot ball.

3. Saritha don’t drink coffee every day.

4. I am tasting the honey.

5. Ravi is going for morning walk every day.

6. He is possessing a movie camera.

7. Sugar was sweet.

8. We are knowing the facts.

9. Do Sita love movies?

10. The teacher is wanting her students to excel.

Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous Tense

1. Present Perfect Tense:

                                  Structure: I/we/you/plurals +have +V3                                             

                                                  He/she/it/names + has +V3

    E.g.: We have seen the movie.

                                                    E.g.: She has gone to the theatre.

                                  Negatives: have/has + not

                                                    E.g.: I haven’t had breakfast

                                  Questions: have/has + subject+…….?

                                                    E.g.: Have you finished the work?

Present Perfect Tense is used:                               

·         To denote any completed action that is linked to the present time

·         Normally used with words like ‘already’, ‘ever’, ‘never’, ‘yet’, ‘so far’, ‘just now’, ‘till now’, ‘now’ etc.

E.g.: I have never asked for his help. (till now)

       The boy has already met me twice. (so far)

  2. Present Perfect Continuous:

                                     Structure:  I/we/you/plurals + have + been + ing

                                                      He/she/it/names + has + been + ing

                                               E.g.: I have been working on this project since last year.

                                                     She has been sleeping for the last 3 hours.

Present Perfect Continuous is used:

·         To denote a past action progressing till the present moment”

·            Normally used with ‘since’ and ‘for’.

                                           E.g.: Sita has been learning music for a year. (Period of time)

                                                 I have been writing poetry since 2000. (Point of time)

Fill in the following blanks with Present Perfect using the verbs given in the brackets:

1. They ______ not______ my books so far. (return)
2. Mohan _______ off the lights yet. (not/switch)
3. _____ you ever ______to Agra? (go)
4. So far we _____ six lessons. (complete)
5. Sarala ______ already _____ this movie twice. (watch)

Fill in the following blanks with Present Perfect Continuous using the verbs given in brackets:

a.    I _______ for it since morning. (search)

b.    They ______ the mountain since yesterday. (climb)

c.     How long _____you_______ on this project? (work)

d.  ______Smitha _____ breakfast? (have)

e. Lakshman _______ for me since the afternoon. (wait)

Simple Past & Past Continuous

Structure        Positive                                                 Interrogative                                         Negative I/He/She/It +was + V +ing               Was +I/He/She/It+ V+ ing                   I/He/She/It + was not +V+ ing We/You/ They + were+ V+ ing        Were + We/You/They +V+ ing           We/You/They + were not+ V+ ing E.g.:                                                  E.g.:                                                          E.g.: I was playing.                                    Was I playing?                                       I was not playing. He was working.                                Was he working?                                   He was not working. Both the past simple and the past continuous refer to completed actions in the past. However when we are talking about completed actions, we use the simple past. This is the most common way of talking about the past. I lived there for 6 years. I only found out a few moments ago. I asked her but she didn't know anything. The company made 100 people redundant last year. Use the past continuous when you want to emphasize the continuity of the action. Everybody was talking about it all evening. They were really trying hard but couldn't do it. I was thinking about you the other day. Were you expecting that to happen? Use the past continuous for a progressing/on-going action in the past when some other past action begins. It was raining hard when we left the building. I was reading the report when you rang. He was going out to lunch when I saw him. The company was doing well when I last visited it.

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Choose the appropriate verb to fill the blank.

E.g.: While I _________ (played/was playing) video games, uncle disturbed me.

1.   I ________ to meet you twice, but you weren’t home. (was coming/ came)
2.  I ________ and I didn't hear you call me. (was studying/ study)
3.  Hey, did you see the film? Yes, I ________ it last night. (was seeing/saw)
4.  We ________ the match when he walked into the room. (watvhed/were watching)
5.  I ________ when the invigilator took my answer script.(still wrote/was still writing)

6.  At 8.30am yesterday I _______at the bus stop. (waited/was waiting)

7.  What ________    you __________at this time yesterday? (did….do/were doing)

8.  He ___________ some TV programs at 10pm and so couldn’t hear the knock on the door.

     (watched/was watching)

9.   ____________ you still __________at 10pm last night? (did…work/ were working)

10.  Why_________ she ___________ at 4pm in the office? (did..sleep/ was sleeping) 

Use Simple Past or Past Continuous to fill in the following blanks:

1        They __________ (note) the important points while the coach ___________ (explain) the rules.

2        While we ___________ (discuss) a project, my friend _________ (chat) on the phone.

3.      While they __________ (sleep), a burglar _________  (break) into the house.

4.      It_________(get)  dark and so Ramya _______ (stop) her work and ________(go) home

5.      Raju __________ (paint) a picture while Amala ___________ (watch) a documentary on TV.

Use Past Continuous and complete the following sentences:

E.g.: I saw a snake while I was coming from college.

1.      The music system was on but nobody _______________

2.      While I ____________, Mahesh took my photograph.

3.      The police caught the driver while he ______________

4.      Sekhar called me while I ______________

5.      The child fell asleep while it ___________________

6.      The boy fell while he _______________

7.      While they ___________________, they stopped several times to eat.

8.      When we got to the party, everyone ______________

Correct the following sentences if necessary.

1.      He said that the doctor is coming back soon.

2.      What were you do there at that time?

3.      Sister was helped mother.

4.      When the class is going on Ravi fell asleep.

5.      I am writing letters at 7 pm last night.

6.      Are they running business last year?

7.      When his daddy comes, he was still doing his homework.

8.      When the children were watching TV, the thief has entered the house.

9.      Sensing something is wrong, I approached him.

10.  He came out of the ATM and said that it is not working.

Correct the following sentences, if any:

1.      I have visited Delhi in 1980.

2.      He has been learning French for 2 months.

3.      We studied in this college since 2007.

4.      How long are you waiting for me?

5.      The postman had not come yet.

FUTURE TIME

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Simple Future (‘will’ future) Structure:       Any subject + ‘will/shall’ + V1             E.g.: I will/we will/ they will/ she will…etc                      I shall/we shall/you shall/he shall…etc Purpose: ·         It expresses the speaker’s opinions, speculations. E.g.: He will win the race ·         For formal announcements of forthcoming plans in media E.g.: The president will/shall inaugurate the seminar tomorrow. It is used in TYPE-1 condition to suggest a possible future result. E.g.: He will get the first rank if he works hard (possibility only) SHALL is normally used to make announcements and compulsions:            E.g.: I shall visit my friend’s house next week.                    You shall take a decision to quit this job. (used for ‘should’)

Activity 1

Write the appropriate form of the simple future tense using “will/shall”.

1.  He ___________________ (eat) noodles for lunch.

2.  I think they ____________ (watch) the match tonight.

3.  I ____________________ (submit) my assignment tomorrow.

4. Santhi ________________ (not/attend) college next Monday.

5. We __________________ (travel) by bus to work next week.

Activity 2:

Use “will/won’t+ V1” to complete the sentences below.

E.g.: I will become a doctor when I grow up.

1. I _______________ (catch) the early bus tomorrow.

2. Sita _______________ (buy) new clothes when her grandma gives her money.

3. Raghava _______________ (watch) cricket live telecast as soon as he eats his lunch.

4. The boys_______________ (read) for some time after they finish supper.

5. We_______________ (feel) happy if we get a high score in English.

Activity 3:

Choose the correct option and fill the blanks

1.      If my friend__________ pick me up, I'll take the bus home  (doesn’t / didn’t)

2.      If she_____________ us, we will go to the party.  (invite/ invites)

3.      If you speak English well you _________ successful. (were  / will be)

4.      My friend__________ meet me at the airport if he gets the afternoon off. (will / would)

5.      If they play as a team they __________ win the match. (will / will have)

Other forms to express the future:

  Study the following sentences:

1.      The PM visits AP on the 5^th of April.( To express a definite future action)

2.      I am planning a tour abroad next summer.( An arranged action in future)

3.      I am going to make tea for the guests.( Intention to perform an action in immediate future)

4.      It’s going to rain again I believe.( Prediction, immediate future)

5.      He is likely to spend some time in England this summer. (‘is/am/are + likely to +V1’ to describe a future possibility)