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Simple Past Tense
The simple past tense refers to actions that happened in the past or were regularly done in the
Examples: / ate two slices of the cheesecake.
She completed the essay just before the exam ended.
They always worked sincerely.
In these three sentences; the verbs ate and completed suggest that the actions took place in the past.
The phrase always worked suggests a habitual action in the past.Past Continuous Tense
Look at these sentences.
He was eating his tiffin rather slowly.
They were watching the match.
She was washing clothes.
In these three sentences, the verbs was eating, were watching and was washing
indicate that the action began and went on for some time in the past.
Verbs that show actions that continued for some time in the past are said to be in the past
continuous tense.
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The past continuous tense has the form: was/were + present participle form of the verb.Past Perfect Tense
“The past perfect tense is used to talk about an action that had taken place in the past before
another action that also happened in the past.
Examples: The train had left the station by the time we arrived.
They had informed the police before they called the neighbours for help.
The past perfect tense has the structure: had + past participle of the verb.Past Perfect Continuous Tense
The past perfect continuous tense refers to an action that took place in the past and continued unti
a specific time in the past.
Examples: He had been studying in Pune for the last five yeas.
She had been planning to change her name for a while.
The eatery had been serving lunch to office goers for ten years
The past perfect continuous tense has the structure: had been + present participle form of the verb.Simple Present Tense
Read this sentence.
Payal always eats rice for lunch.
The verb eats suggests a habitual action — that the subject Payal eats rice regularly. This sentence is
said to be in the simple present tense.Uses of the Simple Present Tense
Simple present tense is used to:
1. express a universal truth.
Example: The earth is round.
2. show a habitual action.
Example: She reads the newspaper every day.
3. refer to a thought, feeling or action in the current moment.
Example: The sky appears cloudy.
4. write headlines in newspapers.
Example: /ndia launches its latest satellite with much fanfare.
5. talk about a specific future action.
Example: The shop closes for repairs next Saturday.Uses of the Present Continuous Tense
Besides referring to an ongoing action, the present continuous tense also suggests:
1. an action that occurs often. We use always with such sentences.
Example: She is always losing her things.
2. an action that continues for a brief period of time.
Example: She is staying in Mumbai for the next three months.
3. an action that is planned for the future.
Example: My mother is leaving for Bangalore next week.
Certain verbs which show feeling, sensation or thinking are seldom written in the present
continuous form. These verbs refer to a state of being rather than an action. Since these verbs are
ia they cannot continue or stop and hence cannot be used in the Present continuous
Example: / know that this is the way to her house. (v/)
Jam knowing that this is the way to her house. (XPresent Perfect Tense
Look at these sentences,
The train has just left the station.
We have finished our lessons.
In these two sentences, the verbs has left and have finished indicate the completion of the action in the
present.
‘The present perfect tense denotes an action that has been completed at a specific time in the past |
but whose effects are connected to the present. J
Verbs in the present perfect tense have the form: has/have + past participle form of the verb.
Uses of the Present Perfect Tense
The present perfect tense is used for actions:
. which have been completed recently.
Example: Anu has finished her lessons for the day.
which have been completed recently but the time is not specified.
Example: / have cooked a three-course meal.
. which have been completed in the past but whose effects are still present.
Example: The principal has felicitated the three students. (The action of felicitation was done in the
Past. But the effect of the action still remains.)
eoPresent Perfect and Simple Past 7
Both the simple past and the present perfect tenses are used for actions that happened in the past
However, simple past is used to express an action or a situation that happened at a particular time
in the past and ended in the past.
The present perfect, on the other hand, is used to talk about an event that has taken place in the
recent past. The present perfect signifies the present effect of the past action
Examples: The road was damaged.
The workers have repaired the road. (implies thatthe road is no longer damaged)Present Perfect Continuous Tense
Read these sentences.
Our teacher has been taking this class since 10 a.m.
The cats have been meowing for the last one hour:
In both the sentences, the verbs refer to actions that started at some point in the past and are
continuing at the time of speaking.
G The present perfect continuous tense shows an action that started in the past but js still continuing,
The present perfect continuous tense has the structure: has/have been + verb + -ing.Present Continuous and Present Perfect Continuous
The present continuous tense expresses an action that is going on in the present, whereas the
present perfect continuous tense talks about an action that started in the past and continues to
go on at the time of speaking.Simple Future Tense
(The simple Futur tense is used for actions chat wil take place at some point inthe future
Examples: We shall set out for our trek tomorrow.
He will study economics from next year.
She shall complete this assignment soon.
Using Simple Present and Present Continuous to show Future Time
Read these sentences.
She leaves for Paris tomorrow.
The film is about to start now.
We are going to leave for Paris tomorrow.
In the first two sentences, the verb is in the simple present tense. In the third sentence, the verb is
in the present continuous tense, However, all three actions are set to happen in the future.
When simple present tense is used to show future time, it either uses the base form of the verb or
the structure: is + about to + infinitive.
When the present continuous tense is used to show future time, it uses the present continuous
tense or the structure: be + going to + infinitive.Future Continuous Tense
The future continuous tense talks about an action that will occur in the future and is expected to
continue for a while.
Examples: He will be volunteering far the presentation
They shall be participating in the tournament.
She will be singing in front of an audience for the first time.
The structure ofthe future continuous tense is: will/shall + be + present participle form of the verb.Future Perfect Tense
iE future perfect tense refers to an action that will start and be completed at a definite time in
the future.
Examples: By this time next year, she will have spent two years in Pune.
They will have finished shopping for groceries by 3 p.m
Iwill have left for college by the time she arrives from the station,
The structure of the future perfect tense is: will/shall + have + past participle form of the verb.Future Perfect Continuous
)
The future perfect continuous tense refers to an action which will begin in the future and continue |
for a while till a given moment. |
Examples: / will have been studying English for two years by the end of next year.
By 2020, we will have been working for this organization for two decades.
He will have been training under the national coach for two years by the end of this year.
The structure of the future perfect continuous tense is: will/shall + have been + present participle form
of the verb.