Tenses
Tenses
Tenses
com
Tenses
Tenses are forms of a verb that show the time, continuance or completion of an
action or a state that is expressed in connection with the moment at which a
statement is made about it. The following tenses are commonly used:
Present Tenses:
Simple Present Tense
Present continuous Tense
Present Perfect Tense
Present Perfect Continuous Tense
Past Tenses:
Simple Past Tense
Past Continuous Tense
Past Perfect Tense
Past Perfect Continuous Tense
Future Tenses:
Simple Future Tense
Future Continuous Tense
Future Perfect Tense
Future Perfect Continuous Tense
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4) The Simple Present is used, instead of the Present Continuous, with the
type of verbs mentioned below. We must say, for example, I see the
sunrise, not I am seeing the sunrise.
a) Verbs of perception, e.g. see, hear, smell, notice, recognize.
b) Verbs of emotion, e.g. want, wish, desire, feel, like, love, hate,
hope, refuse, prefer.
c) Verbs of thinking, e.g. think, suppose, believe, agree, consider, trust,
remember, forget, know, understand, imagine, mean, mind.
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2) For a temporary action which may not be actually happening at the time
of speaking
Ex: I am reading David Copperfield (but I am not reading at this moment).
The following verbs, on account of their meaning, are not normally used in
the continuous form:
1) Verbs of perception, e.g. see, hear, smell, notice, recognize.
2) Verbs of appearing, e.g., appear, look, seem.
3) Verbs of emotion, e.g. want, wish, desire, feel, like, love, hate, hope,
refuse, prefer.
4) Verbs of thinking, e.g., think, suppose believe, agree, consider, trust,
remember, forget, know, understand, imagine, mean, mind.
5) have (=possess), own, possess, belong to, contain, consist of, be
(except when used in the passive).
These verbs are used in the Simple Present. They may, however, be used in the
continuous tenses with a change of meaning.
Ex: I am thinking of (=considering the idea of) going to America.
Mr. Singh is minding (=looking after) the baby while his wife is out
shopping.
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2) To express past actions whose time is not given and not definite.
Ex: Have you read Gullivers Travels?
I have never known him to be angry.
Mr. Hari has been to Japan.
3) To describe past events when we think more of their effect in the present
than of the action itself.
Ex: Gopi has eaten all the biscuits (i.e., there arent any left for you).
I have cut my finger (and it is bleeding now).
I have finished my work (=now I am free).
The following adverbs (or adverb phrases) can be used with the Present
Perfect: just, often, never, ever (in questions only), so far, till now, yet (in
negatives and questions), already, sincephrases, forphrases, today, this
week, this month, etc.
Note: The Present Perfect is never used with adverbs of past time. We should
not say, for example, He has gone to Rajahmundry yesterday. In such cases
the Simple Past should be used (He went to Rajahmundry yesterday).
This tense is sometimes used for an action already finished. In such cases, the
continuity of the activity is emphasized as an explanation of something.
Ex: Why are your clothes so wet?, I have been watering the garden.
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Sometimes this tense is used without an adverb of time. In such cases the time
may be either implied or indicated by the context.
Ex: I learnt Hindi in Nagpur.
I didnt sleep well (i.e., last night).
Babar defeated Rana Sanga at Kanwaha.
This tense is also used, with always, continually, etc., for persistent habits in the
past.
Ex: He was always grumbling.
If two actions happened in the past, it may be necessary to show which action
happened earlier than the other. The Past Perfect is mainly used in such
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situations. The Simple Past is used in one clause and the Past Perfect in the
other.
Ex: When I reached the station, the train had started (so I couldnt get into the
train).
I had done my exercise when Hari came to see me.
I had written the letter before he arrived.
Note: The Simple Future Tense generally expresses pure or colourless future.
When the future is coloured with intention, the going to\infinitive construction
is preferred.
Ex: He is going to build a new house.
This tense is also used for future events that are planned.
Ex: Ill be staying here till Sunday.
He will be meeting us next week.
Examples
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12. One wont rise high in life unless he will work hard
A. One wont rise high in life unless one works hard
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111. As I was getting into the bus, my purse has been stolen
A. As I was getting into the bus, my purse had been stolen
115. No sooner he did come on to the platform, when the police caught him.
A. No sooner did he come on to the platform, than the police caught him.
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120. Kamala having finished the exam, she left the hall
A. Having finished the exam kamala left the hall
122. The father with his colleagues have left for a hour.
A. The father with his colleagues has left for a hour.
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Practice Bits
I.
1) Sushma ______________ to college every day. (go)
2) The river ______________ under the bridge. (flow)
3) The children ______________ in the garden. (be)
4) What ______________ this machine do? (do)
5) Birds ______________ in the sky. (fly)
6) A thing of beauty ______________ a joy forever. (he)
7) The match ______________ at 9 o clock. (start)
8) He ______________ tea every morning. (drink)
9) The earth ______________ around the sun. (revolve)
10) We ______________ watching movies. (like)
II.
1) I ______________ to you about him. (speak)
2) Rajiv ______________ for Bangalore yesterday. (leave)
3) Venu ______________ the letter a week ago. (receive)
4) Kalpana ______________ Spanish in schiool. (learn)
5) Irene ______________ the Taj Mahal when she ______________to Agra
last year .(see, go)
6) Bharat __________ the entrance exam well. (write)
7) They __________ a ballet at Ravindra Bharathi. (perform)
8) After he _________ his home work, he went out with his friends. (do)
9) I __________ cricket every morning last year. (play)
10) Vivek __________ me a year ago. (meet)
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III.
1) Teja __________ him tomorrow. (meet)
2) They __________ this car for sure. (sell)
3) If you run, the police __________ you. (suspect)
4) Neena __________ the report by Monday. (submit)
5) Gouri __________ a dance next week. (perform)
6) We __________ as soon as you are ready. (leave)
7) The boys __________ the game by five o clock. (finish)
8) I __________ a cake for you. (bake)
9) Abdul Kalam __________ Hyderabad soon. (visit)
10) If Sonam invites me I __________ the party. (attend)
IV.
1) Look, the old man _________ across the street. (walk)
2) They __________ the programme now. (watch)
3) Mother __________ my favourite dish for lunch. (make)
4) Take an umbrella with you. It __________ .(rain)
5) Divya __________ because she lost her purse. (cry)
6) The students __________ for their exams which begin tomorrow. (prepare)
7) Shriya cannot talk to you because she __________ her home work. (do)
8) The children __________ in the water. (play)
9) What __________ you __________ about? (talk)
10) The beggar __________ for alms. (beg)
V.
1) While I __________ a letter, I heard a loud sound. (write)
2) When I last saw him he __________ chess. (play)
3) Meenal __________ when the phone rang. (study)
4) When Sita reached home, the children __________ T.V. (watch)
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VI.
1) By the time I go home, my children __________ . (sleep)
2) I __________ in Chennai for a week. (stay)
3) They __________ next week for the Municipal Election. (vote)
4) This time tomorrow we __________ on the beach in Singapore. (sit)
5) Please dont disturb me tomorrow. I _________ the IPL match on T.V.
(watch)
6) He _________ us next week. (meet)
7) They _________ a party next month to celebrate their silver wedding
anniversary. (host)
8) We _________ into our new house next week. (shift)
9) He _________ in Hyderabad tomorrow morning. (arrive)
10) My neighbour _________ my dog for a walk every day when I am away.
(take)
VII.
1) Ashish _________ all the biscuits. (eat)
2) I _________ my home work. (finish)
3) She _________ her finger. (cut)
4) Chetan _________ just _________ out for lunch. (go)
5) The clock _________ just _________ twelve. (strike)
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VIII.
1) The match _________ by the time I reached the stadium. (start)
2) The train _________ the platform by the time we reached the station.
(leave)
3) I would not have missed the interview if my flight _________ on time.
(be)
4) The thief _________ by the time the police arrived. (escape)
5) I _________ already _________ my lawyer before I lodged the complaint.
(consult)
6) Even though he _________ for the exams, he failed. (prepare)
7) I went to my friends house at nine, but he _________ already _________
out. (go)
8) By the time Anushka turned twenty-nine, she _________ a novel.
(published)
9) When I reached the airport I realised that I _________ my ticket at home.
(forget)
10) If we _________ of your arrival we would have met you. (know)
IX.
1) He _________ a house by the end of next year. (build)
2) She _________ in hospital for 6 months by the end of July. (be)
3) The Prime Minister _________ 5 years in office by March. (complete)
4) Let us leave at 5 p.m. I _________ my exercise by then. (finished)
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X.
1) Tripura _________ for three hours. (dance)
2) The boys _________ football since four o clock. (play)
3) Sheela _________ the violin for two years now. (practice)
4) They _________ the bridge for several months. (build)
5) My clothes are wet because I _________ the garden. (water)
XI.
1) At the time of his transfer, he _________ in that office for ten years.
(work)
2) Sunil _________ in Latur for three years before the earthquake occurred.
(live)
3) In the morning I found that it _________ the whole night. (rain)
4) I knew that he _________ the horse for many days. (ride)
5) The company _________ to sell out its shares and wind up when the court
intervened. (try)
XII.
1) By the end of this month, we _________ here for 25 years. (work)
2) She _________ for eight months by the end of this year. (travel)
3) They _________ in Vijayawada for five years by the end of 2011. (live)
4) I _________ in this college for twenty years by the end of February this
year. (teach)
5) Sachin Tendulkar _________ for India for twenty years by 2010. (play)
XIII.
1) What _________ the price of this pen? (be)
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Answers
I (1) goes (2) flows (3) are (4) does
(5) fly (6) is (7) starts (8) drinks
(9) revolves (10) like
II (1) spoke (2) left (3) received (4) learnt
(5) saw/went (6) wrote (7) performed (8) did
(9) played (10) met
III (1) will meet (2) will sell (3) will suspect (4) will submit
(5) will perform (6) shall leave (7) will finish (8) shall bake
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