TENSES

 

THE TENSE

 

Tense is the form of the verb which shows time and the degree of completeness of the action denoted by the verb.

 

There are TWO tenses in English viz. The Present and The Past. Most of the traditional grammar books say that there are three tenses, the other one is Future. But according to modern grammar books there are only two tenses and the Future time is there but not tense.

 

1.  The Present Simple or Indefinite:          Sub + The first form of the verb

 

Use of the present simple tense is

 

•  To express an action which takes place at the time of speaking or present time Ex. I go to school

 

•  To express a habitual action or a custom Ex. He takes his dog every day for a walk

 

 

•  To express general truth Ex. The sun rises in the east

 

•  For a present state: feeling, opinion or relation. Ex. I respect my mummy.

 

•  For permanent states Ex. Food gives us energy, Two plus two makes four.

 

•  To say what is the right way to do. Ex. Please take left at the corner

 

•  Used in imperative sentences. Ex. Take right side to reach the station.

•  In commentaries              Ex: Sachin hits the ball for four

 

•  Used in headlines of newspapers for a recent actions: Ex: The inflation grows, The Govt. hikes electricity prices.

 

Typical expression with the present simple are always, often, usually, sometimes, ever/never, every day/week etc; once/twice a week etc; on Friday etc; in the morning/evening, at ten o’clock etc.

 

2.  The Present Continuous or Progressive: Sub + am/is/are + the -ing form of the verb

 

Use of the present continuous tense is

 

•  To express an action for a period Ex: I am waiting for you. It is raining

 

•  We need not be doing the action at the time of speaking Ex: I must go home now, we are decorating our home

 

•  When a series of actions is temporary, only for a period of time Ex: My car is off the road, I am travelling to work by bus this week. We were doing Macbeth in English

 

•  When two actions are simultaneous Ex: Whenever I see Raju, he is eating. I like to listen to music when I am driving

 

Typical expression with the present continuous are: now, at the moment, at present, just, already and still.

 

3.  The Present Perfect:    Sub + have/has + the perfect form of the verb

 

Use of the present perfect tense is

•  Tells us about the past and about the present. We use it for an action in the period leading up to the present Ex: The shop has just opened. The visitors have arrived (= the visitors are in now)

 

•  For repeated actions. Ex: I have been to New Delhi for a dozen of time. She has been painting.

 

•  For states. Ex: I have always known about you and Sai Krishna.

 

Typical expression with the present perfect are just, recently, lately, already, before, so far, still, ever/never, today, this morning/evening, for weeks/years, since 2006 etc. Sometimes these are also used with Simple Past.

 

4.  The Present Perfect Continuous:  Sub + have/has + been + the –ing form of the verb

 

Use of the present perfect continuous tense is

 

•  For an action over a period of time up to now, the period leading up to the present. Ex: I have been waiting here for two hours. How long have you been living here?

 

•  We use for/since also with this tense.

 

•  For repeated actions up to now. Ex: She has been writing letters to the Government. I have been going to evening classes in French.

 

•  Observe the present perfect and present perfect continuous in the following sentences

 

o Period of time: I have been washing the car. I’m rather wet.

o Completed Action: I have washed the car. It looks cleaner now.

 

The continuous here focuses on the action going on. The present perfect focuses on the result of the action.

 

•  When we say how long, we normally use present perfect continuous only.

 

5.                    The Simple Past: Sub + 2^nd form of the verb

 

Use of the Past tense is

 

•  To talk about one action in the past we use the past simple. Ex: This lamp is new, I bought it last week. (NOT I had bought…)

 

•  We also use past simple when one action comes straight after another, when someone reacts quickly. Ex: When the shot rang out, everyone threw themselves on the floor.

 

•  To express the habitual action in the past. Ex: She visited me every Monday. We played cricket in the evening when I was in High School.

 

•  For past state. Ex: My grandmother loved this movie. I did not know what to do.

 

6.                    The Past Continuous:   Sub + was/were+the –ing form of the verb

 

Use of the Past continuous tense is

 

•  An action over a past period. Ex: I was going. We were watching at TV.

 

•  For an action over a whole period. Ex: The engineers were constructing thedam from January to March. We were watching the TV, we never went to seep.

 

•  Past continuous and past simple: The period of past continuous action can

 

include a clock time. Ex: I was walking home at five in the evening. It can

also include another action. Ex: I walking home when I met my old friend. Here the speaker sees one action as happening around another.

 The Past continuous is the longer, background action (walking), and the past simple is the shorter, completed action (met). The shorter action interrupted the longer one. More Examples: I was washing my clothes when the door bell rang. The Sun was shining when I woke.

 

•  When two actions both went on during the same period of time, we use the past continuous for both. Ex: I was washing my clothes while my son was watching TV. When one complete action followed another, we use the past simple for both. Ex: I got up when the doorbell rang(= the doorbell rang and then I got up)

 

•  For past arrangement. Ex: I was on my way to home, I was meeting my son there.

 

Typical expression with the past continuous are: very often, always and too often.

 

7.  The Past Perfect:          Sub + had+the perfect form of the verb

 

·        For an action before a past time. Ex: She had met me six months back.   I knew I had forgotten my mummy. We ran onto the platform, but the train had just gone.

 

·    For a state. Ex: They had been friends for six months.    Everything had been arranged perfectly.

 

•  Past Perfect and Past Simple: To say that someone finished one action and then did something else, we use either when……had done or after….did/had done. Ex: When Mirinda had written the letter, she went out to post it. After Mirinda wrote/had written the letter, she went out to post it.

 

•  Sometime the choice of past simple and past perfect can make a difference to the meaning. Ex: When the boss arrived, the meeting started (=the boss arrived and then the meeting started). When the boss arrived, the meeting had started (=the meeting started before the boss arrived)

 

•  We can sometime use the past perfect after before or until. Ex: We did not want to stop until we finished/had finished the job.

 

8.                    The Past Perfect Continuous:     Sub + had+been+the perfect form of the verb

 

Use of the Past Perfect Continuous tense is

 

•  For an action over a period up to a past time. Ex: Everything had been going so well up to then. The driver who died in the accident had been drinking

 

•  Past Perfect and Past Perfect Continuous

 

o  Period of time: I had been working at home. I am tired

 

o Completed action: I had worked at home. It looked nice.

 

·        The past perfect continuous focuses on the ongoing action and the past perfect tense on the result of the action. When we say how long, we normally use the continuous form. When we say how many, we do not use the continuous. Ex: The volunteers brought in their collecting boxes at lunch time yesterday. They had been collecting money all morning. They had collected hundreds of pounds.

 

•  Compare Past continuous and Past perfect continuous. Ex: When I saw Anoosha, she was writing (= I saw her in the middle of the writing). When I saw Anoosha, she had been writing (=I saw her after completion of her writing).

 

9.                    The Future simple:

 

In English to represent the future we use the following items. 1) Will/shall, 2) Be going to, 3) Present tense form, 4) the future continuous, and 5) future perfect

 

Will/shall

 

•  We use will+base form for the future representation. In first person we can use either will or shall in statements. Both are correct, and the meaning is same. Ex: I will/shall be there tomorrow. This city won’t(=will not) same again. Generally shall, will not be used with other objects. Ex: Tiger shall kill you if you go near. Wrong. Use only will.

 

•  Will often expresses the future as fact, something we cannot control. It expresses a prediction, a definite opinion about the future. Ex: It will be hot in summer in Vijayawada.

 

•  I’ll/we’ll are often used for instant decisions. Ex: It’s raining, I’ll take an umbrella. I think I’ll have to take medicines.

 

•  Will sometimes expresses willingness. Ex: I’ll wait here until your return.

 

•  Will sometimes used in formal orders. It expresses the order as a definite future. This emphasizes the authority of the speaker Ex: You will leave the building immediately. Uniform will be worn.

 

Be going to

 

•  We use be going to + base form for a present situation which points to the future. In the following situations be going to is used to express a prediction. Ex: It’s ten already. We’re going to be late. This fence is going to fall down soon.

 

•  Be going to form also can be used for a present intention. Ex: I’m going to start my own business. I’m not going to live in Vijayawada all my life.

 

Present tense form:

 

•  We use simple present tense for the future, but only for what we see as part of a timetable. Ex: The final match is on 20^thMay. The train leaves at 4.30. I change my train at Vijayawada tomorrow. We do not use the present simple for decisions or intentions. Ex: I carry that bag for you (wrong). They build some flats here soon (Wrong).

 

•  We use present continuous tense for what someone has arranged to do. Ex: I’m going to see my sister tomorrow. That means, it is already decided.

 

10.The Future Continuous:

 

•  We use will + be + active participle for an action over a period of future time. It means that we will be in the middle of an action. Ex: Sorry Akka I can’t come tomorrow, I’ll be working. A group of people will be encouraging when you are attending an examination.

 

•  We can use will be doing for an action which is the result of a routine or arrangement. Ex: The postman will be coming soon. This place is sold out, so this building will be smashed in November.

 

•  We can use will be doing to ask if someone’s plan fit it with our wishes. Ex: Will you be going past post office this morning? How long will you be using this old computer?

 

11.The Future Perfect:

 

•  We use will + have +past participle to look back from the future, to talk about something that will be over a future time. Ex: I’ll have finished this book soon. I’m nearly at the end. She’ll have come it’s already 10.