Tenses

When we speak or write, we need to show whether we are talking about something in the present, the past or the future time. Therefore, we have to be careful about the tense we use. PAST Simple Past He walked Past Continuous He was walking Past Perfect He had walked Past Perfect Continuous He had been walking

PRESENT

Simple Present He walks

Present Continuous He is walking

Present Perfect He has walked

Present Perfect Continuous He has been walking

FUTURE

Simple Future He will walk

Future Continuous He will be walking

Future Perfect

Future Perfect Continuous

He will have He will have walked been walking

Sub Topics

Present Tense Present Continuous Present Perfect Suggested answer: Changes in Rita Present Perfect Tense - Highlighted Present Perfect Verses Simple Past Suggested answer: Complete the following sentences using since and for correctly: Suggested answer: 'For' 'Since' Simple Present and Present Continuous Simple Past Vs Past Perfect Examples: Past Perfect Continuous Examples: Compare the use of the past perfect continuous and past continuous

Simple Future Tense Example: Example: Example: Example: Exercise: Expected Answers:

Present Tense

The present tense shows habitual action, a general trugh, some action actually taking place (as in exclamatory sentences) and sometimes to show a planned event. Examples:

I walk everyday Meena prays every morning Man is mortal The sun sets in the West Here comes the train! India goes to poll next week Arpita leaves for the U.S. in August

Present Continuous

is used for an action actually going on at the time of speaking OR for an action which may not be actually happening at the time of speaking OR for an action planned in the future. Examples:

The girls are playing throwball. I am reading the book 'The Hungry Tide'. I am going to market in the evening.

Present Perfect shows an action completed in the immediate past OR to show an action started in the past and going on upto the present moment. Sometimes it shows past events with some effect on the present.

Examples:

Ram has complained to the teacher. I have worked in this school for thirteen years. I have resigned so that I can look after my children at home.

Present Perfect

Look at these two pictures of the same girl, Rita. Write a few sentences describing the changes in Rita and highlight the present perfect tense. Example: She has got a promotion. They have bought a new house.

Suggested answer:

Changes in Rita

Over the last fifteen years Rita has grown quite a bit. She has become taller. She has grown her hair. Her eyesight has become bad so she is using spectacles. She has got a two-wheeler now.

Present Perfect Tense - Highlighted

Over the last fifteen years Rita has grown quite a bit. She has become taller. She has grown her hair. Her eyesight has become bad so she is using spectacles. She has got a two-wheeler now.

Present Perfect Verses Simple Past

Look at the incomplete sentences below. Complete each sentence using a suitable tense. 1. In recent years there______ (be) many beauty pageants in Bangalore. 2. In 2000 Lara Dutta _____ (be) Miss universe. 3. Dr. Manmohan Singh _____ (be) the Prime Minister of India in May 2004. 4. Pervez Musharaff ____ (be) Army General till he declared himself the President. 5. Lately Meera _____not____ (be) keeping well. 6. Last month Meera _____ (be) down with typhoid. 7. So far Ram ____ not ___ (fail) in any subject. 8. Last test Raghu _____ (fail) in Maths. 9. The fly over _____not yet ______ (be) completed. 10. The work ______ (be) completed long back.

Suggested answer:

1. In recent years there have been (be) many beauty pageants in Bangalore. 2. In 2000 Lara Dutta was (be) Miss universe. 3. Dr. Manmohan Singh became the Prime Minister of India in May 2004. 4. Pervez Musharaff was (be) Army General till he declared himself the President. 5. Lately Meera has not been (be) keeping well. 6. Last month Meera was (be) down with typhoid. 7. So far Ram has not failed (fail) in any subject. 8. Last test Raghu failed (fail) in Maths. 9. The fly over has not yet been (be) completed. 10. The work was (be) completed long back. Note The present perfect is often used with the following time expressions:For many years/since 200/in the past few months/years/recently/until now/lately etc. We often use the Present Perfect with time expressions using 'since' or 'for'

Complete the following sentences using since and for correctly:

1. _____ a short time I actually believed what she said. 2. _____ Christmas Sophia has not bought any new dress. 3. _____ yesterday Sriram has been feeling unwell. 4. In India _____ centuries we have held on to blind beliefs and superstitions. 5. Mrs. Dutta was on leave ______ several months as she was out of station. 6. ______ 20th February Ram has been on a strict diet trying to shed off weight. 7. ______ eight long months I worked hard not taking any break. 8. She has been the General Manager of the company ______ a decade now. 9. I have not met Sangeeta ______ last week.

10. I have not seen my aunt ______ a week.

Suggested answer:

1. For a short time I actually believed what she said. 2. Since Christmas Sophia has not bought any new dress. 3. Since yesterday Sriram has been feeling unwell. 4. In India for centuries we have held on to blind beliefs and superstitions. 5. Mrs. Dutta was on leave for several months as she was out of station. 6. Since 20th February Ram has been on a strict diet trying to shed off weight. 7. For eight long months I worked hard not taking any break. 8. She has been the General Manager of the company for a decade now. 9. I have not met Sangeeta since last week. 10. I have not seen my aunt for a week.

'For'

refers to a period of time.

'Since'

is used before a specific date/time/year etc.

Simple Present and Present Continuous

Look at these sentences:

1. He usually walks fast. 2. He is walking fast at the moment. The first sentence describes repeated action. The second sentence describes action in progress. Be careful with the verb 'to have'. Do not use 'having' when it means 'to possess'. Wrong Correct X I am having a car I am having a bath now X I am having a headache I am having my meal now X I am having a pen I am having a party tonight The correct sentences show a continuous activity. Hence, one has to use the present continuous tense.

Simple Past Vs Past Perfect

The main verbs have been underlined in the sentences below

1. Ram went to the village school. 2. His parents worked in the family fields. 3. His elder brother taught in the village school. 4. Ram studied well. 5. His two sisters had died of cholera when he was five years old. 6. Since then he had promised to himself to become a doctor. Sentences 1 to 4 are in simple past whereas 5 and 6 are in past perfect. Simple past is used to indicate an action completed in the past. The past perfect describes an action completed before a certain moment in the past. If two actions occur in the past it is necessary to use the past perfect tense to indicate the sequence of events. The simple past is used in one clause and the past perfect tense in the other.

Examples:

When I reached (simple past) the train had left. (past perfect) I had finished (past perfect) my homework when Meenu came. (simple past) Sita had written (past perfect) the letter before they arrived. (simple past).

Past Perfect Continuous

It is used for an action that began before a certain point in the past and continued up to that time.

Examples:

When I joined school in 1992, Seeta had already been teaching there for five years. Shyam has been saving since Diwali to buy a car. The police had been suspecting Mohan for murder. He had been robbing for quite some time.

Compare the use of the past perfect continuous and past continuous

When Sheila met Kajol and Reena they were dancing. When Sheila met Kajol and Reena they had been dancing. In the first sentence Shiela met them when they were actually dancing. In the second sentence Shiela met them when they had finished dancing.

Explain the two pairs of sentences: A.1 When I entered the party I could see Diana crying.

A.2 When I entered the party I could see Diana had been crying. B.1 When they reached home, the children were playing. B.2 When they reached home the children had been playing. Answer: In A.1, Diana was crying in the party when I entered the party. In B.1 the children were playing when they reached home. However in B.2 the children were no longer playing when they reached home. In A.2 Diana was no long crying when I entered the party.

Simple Future Tense

The Simple Future tense is used for an action that has still to take place.

Example:

I shall meet him next week. Tomorrow will be Sunday. The Future Continuous tense represents an action as going on at some point in future time.

Example:

I shall be eating them. When I reach home, my children will be playing. The Future Perfect tense is used to indicate the completion of an action by a certain future time.

Example:

I shall have finished my studies by that time. Before you reach there, the train will have left. The Future Perfect Continuous tense indicates an action as being in progress over a period of time that will end in the future.

Example:

By next April, I will have been working for ten years. When he gets his degree, he will have been studying at Oxford for four years.

Exercise:

Correct the following sentences.

Sita did not finish her work yet. Seem lived in Channai since 2000. The servant had not responded when called. She has cooked a meal for him yesterday. A moment ago I have seen him in the office. I had scolded Ram yesterday. Sarah had gone to the U.S. last week. The patient died before the doctor arrived. Meena told the teacher that she was sick for ten days. Gopal will reach school before the chief guest will arrive.

Expected Answers:

1. Sita has not finished her work yet. 2. Seema has lived in Chennai since 2000.

3. The servant did not respond when called. 4. She cooked a meal for him yesterday. 5. A moment ago I saw him in the office. 6. I scolded Ram yesterday. 7. Sarah went to the U.S. yesterday. 8. The patient died before the doctor had arrived. 9. Meena told that the teacher that she had been sick for ten days. 10. Gopal will reach school before the chief guest arrives.

***************************************************************************** Verb Tense Overview with Examples Simple Present Simple Past Simple Future

I study English every day.

Two years ago, I studied English in England.

If you are having problems, I will help you study English. I am going to study English next year.

Present Continuous

Past Continuous

Future Continuous

I will be studying English when you arrive tonight. I am studying English now. I was studying English when you called yesterday. I am going to be studying English when you arrive tonight.

Present Perfect

Past Perfect

Future Perfect

I will have studied every tense by the time I finish this course. I have studied English in several different countries. I had studied a little English before I moved to the U.S. I am going to have studied every tense by the time I finish this course.

Present Perfect Continuous

Past Perfect Continuous

Future Perfect Continuous I will have been studying English for over two hours by the time you arrive. I am going to have been studying English for over two hours by the time you arrive.

I have been studying English for five years.

I had been studying English for five years before I moved to the U.S.

Exercise 1 :

Verb Tense Exercise 1

Simple Present / Present Continuous Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses, then click the "Check" button to check your answers. 1. Every Monday, Sally (drive) her kids to football practice.

2. Usually, I (work) as a secretary at ABT, but this summer I (study) at a language school in Paris. That is why I am in Paris.

French

3. Shhhhh! Be quiet! John (sleep)

4. Don't forget to take your umbrella. It (rain)

5. I hate living in Seattle because it (rain, always)

6. I'm sorry I can't hear what you (say)

because everybody (talk)

so loudly.

7. Justin (write, currently) find a good publisher when he is finished.

a book about his adventures in Tibet. I hope he can

8. Jim: Do you want to come over for dinner tonight? Denise: Oh, I'm sorry, I can't. I (go) to a movie tonight with some friends.

9. The business cards (be, normally ) (be)

printed by a company in New York. Their prices

inexpensive, yet the quality of their work is quite good.

10. This delicious chocolate (be)

made by a small chocolatier in Zurich, Switzerland.

1. Every Monday, Sally (drive) drives her kids to football practice.

2. Usually, I (work) work as a secretary at ABT, but this summer I (study) am studying French at a language school in Paris. That is why I am in Paris.

3. Shhhhh! Be quiet! John (sleep) is sleeping.

4. Don't forget to take your umbrella. It (rain) is raining.

5. I hate living in Seattle because it (rain, always) always rains.

6. I'm sorry I can't hear what you (say) are saying because everybody (talk) is talking so loudly.

7. Justin (write, currently) is currently writing a book about his adventures in Tibet. I hope he can find a good publisher when he is finished.

8. Jim: Do you want to come over for dinner tonight? Denise: Oh, I'm sorry, I can't. I (go) am going to a movie tonight with some friends.

9. The business cards (be, normally ) are normally printed by a company in New York. Their prices (be) are inexpensive, yet the quality of their work is quite good.

10. This delicious chocolate (be) is made by a small chocolatier in Zurich, Switzerland.