TENSES DEFINITIONS

TENSES
Tenses are forms of verbs which tell us about the time of action.
There are three main tenses:
• Present tense tells us about an action that happens in
the present time.
Example:This year we are studying in class VII.
• Past tense tells us about an action that has occurred in
the past.
Example:Last year we were studying in class VI.
• Future tense tells us about an action that will take place
in future.
Example:Next year we shall be studying in class VIII.
The Present tense

Simple present tense is used to:
• talk about an action going on in the present time
Example:I cannot access the Internet. The server is down.
• talk about a habit or a universally accepted fact Examples:
Children go to school every day.
The Sun rises in the east.
• to repeat a proverb
Example:The early bird catches the worm.
• to express a future event that is part of a fixed
programme.
Example:Father goes to South Africa tomorrow.
Present continuous tense is used to talk about an action that
is going on at the very moment of speaking.
Example:We are studying grammar.
1
Present perfect tense is used to talk about an action that has
just been completed.
Example:He has accessed the Internet.
Present perfect continuous tense is used to talk about an
action that began in the past and is still going on at the time of
speaking.
The words ‘for’ and ‘since’ are used with the verb to express the
present continuous tense.
‘For’ is used to indicate the period of time that the action has
been going on.
‘Since’ is used to indicate the point in time from when the action
began to take place.
Examples: It has been raining for two days.
It has been raining since yesterday.
The Past Tense

Simple past tense is used to:
• talk about an action finished before the time of speaking
• talk about some past habit
Examples:The dog chewed up the bone.
Last year I attended school every day.
Past continuous tense is used to talk about an action of
longish duration that had been in progress in the past, but has
ended before the time of speaking.
Example:This time last month we were holidaying in Kasauli.
The simple past tense is used with the past continuous tense to
show that another action of very short duration took place while
the main action was still in progress.
Examples: I was watching (past continuous) television when my
father entered (simple past) the room.
The ministers were holding a protest meeting at Jantar
Mantar when someone stole their cell phones.
2
Past perfect tense is used to talk about an action that took
place and was completed at some point of time in the past before
it was followed by another action.
The first action is in the past perfect tense while the action that
follows it is in the simple past tense.
Examples: When Niti had finished (past perfect) her homework,
she switched (simple past) on the television.
The train had left when we reached the station.
Past perfect continuous tense is used to talk about an action
that began at a given moment in the past, had continued up to
some recent time and had just finished.
Example:I had been watching television till late at night.
The Future Tense
Simple future tense is used to talk about an action that is
going to take place after the time of speaking.
Example:The petrol station owners will hold a strike tomorrow.
Future continuous tense is used to talk about an action of
longish duration that will be in progress after the time of
speaking.
Example:My baby will be joining a play school next year.
Future perfect tense is used to talk about an action that will be
completed before or at a given point of time in the future.
Examples: We will have finished building the house before the
monsoon.
By this time next month you will have finished your exams.
Future perfect continuous tense is used to talk about an
action that will begin before a given moment in the future and
will continue up to that given moment.
Example: This time next month I will have been working at my
present job for a year.

TENSES DEFINITIONS

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

TENSES DEFINITIONS

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

TENSES DEFINITIONS

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

TENSES

The Present tense

The Past Tense

You might also like