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Tense

Chapter Significance: The tense of the verb is important for both spoken skills as well as competitive examinations. This chapter is the foundation of other chapters like voice change, narration, etc. In competitive examinations, often direct questions come from this topic – it can be error correction or fillers or anything. It is an important chapter and students must learn this well.

For better understandings, students are required to go through the chapter-

Verb, Noun, Adjectives, Adverb, Prepositions.

Present Tense

Present tense denotes habitual actions, current state or any action, eternal truth.

Simple Present Tense / Present Indefinite Tense

Functions of simple present Tense:

1. Simple Present tense denotes any habitual action.
 

Example-

I celebrate my birthday with the orphan kids.

Rina attends the morning prayer every day.

(In the above examples, the actions denote some habits which are done regularly)

2. Simple Present tense denotes the present state of mind and health, action, emotions, etc.
 

Example-

I am not well today.

Hari is happy.

3. Simple Present tense denotes eternal truth. Eternal truth is a universal truth that never changes.
 

Example-

The Sun rises in the east.

India is a democratic nation.

Ram is an honest person.

4. Simple Present tense denotes permanent activity or state of action.
 

Example-

I work in the IT department. 

I understand your intension.

5. Simple Present tense denotes near-future events.
 

Example-

Rayan comes tomorrow.

See you tonight brother.

6. Simple Present tense also helps to explain the historic present and past events (as if it happening at present).
 

Example-

The British era ends in 1947.

India adopts the Constitution on 26th November, 1949.

7. Simple Present tense is used in conditional clauses.
 

Example- If you come, I will attend the seminar.

8. Simple Present tense may also be used for newspaper headlines, commentaries.
 

Example-

Cyclone Amphan causes huge damage.
The ball crosses the boundary and it’s a six!

9. Exclamations starting with ‘here’ and ‘there’ are supported by the simple present tense.
 

Example-

Here comes the shocking news!

There you go girl!

Note:  Adverbs like always, usually, generally, often, frequently, daily are use.

Example- 

I always carry an umbrella with me.

Rama usually drinks tea.

Present Continuous Tense

The second form of verb is used here i.e.   am / is / are + Verb + ing

I am going.
Bhola is eating.

Functions of present continuous tense: 

1. Present continuous tense denotes any action which is currently going on or temporarily the action is in progress.
 

Example-

I am eating noodles.

Gauri is watching the film.

2. Present continuous tense denotes near future.
 

Example-

I am going to see my aunt tomorrow.

Are you coming tonight?

3. Present continuous tense denotes habitual actions as well. In this case, if ‘always’ is used, it conveys a negative thing.
 

Example-

You are always criticizing my work.
Jiya is always biting her nails.

Note:  Some verbs are not used to denote any temporary progress of the action. These are stative verbs, they usually, do not convey temporary actions.

4. However, presently, while, still, now can be added to denote the temporary progress.

Example- 

I live in Sikkim. (correct)

I am living in Sikkim now. (temporary action)

Samir is admiring his boss. (incorrect)

Presently, Samir is admiring the lady. (correct)

 

Present Perfect Tense

This tense acts like a bridge between the past and the present. Present perfect tense is used when the action has taken place in the past but the effect or result is present or continuing.

The third form of the verb is used here i.e.   have / has + V3

Also, when the action has just completed, the present perfect tense is used.

Also, for repeated actions, this tense may be used.

Example- I have lost my key. 

(In this example the speaker has lost the key and its effect is still continuing or the speaker has lost it a while ago making the statement)

I have just finished my work.

Rina has already received my mail.

I have called you many times. (Here it denotes the repeated work done by the speaker)

Note:  Adverbs and conjunctions like just, already, ever, never, recently, by the time, before, after yet, till are used.

Example- 

Monica has just arrived.

Danish has recently met our Dean.

Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Present perfect continuous tense denotes any action that has started in the past but is still continuing in the present for a specific period of time. In this case, mentioning the time is important.

To denote the time, since, for, throughout are used.

Present perfect tense = have/ has + been + verb + ing

Example- 

I have been living in Bhopal since 2012.

My father has been working since the morning.

Past Tense

Past tense denotes any state or action taken place earlier in past.

Simple Past Tense / Past Indefinite Tense

Functions of simple Past Tense:

1. Simple past tense denotes any action that has taken place in the past.
 

Example-

I appeared in the SBI PO examination last year.
I attended my school in Patna.

2. Simple past tense denotes any past habitual actions.
 

Example-

I used to visit my grandmother every Thursday.
My father always carried the fountain pen.

Note: In this case, would, used to, always, never, often, rarely, frequently, generally, usually denote the regular past habit.

3. If Present Perfect tense is accompanied by any point of time, it denotes simple past tense.
 

Example-

I have visited Delhi last week. (wrong since the point of time last week is mentioned)
I visited Delhi last week. (correct)

Note: Point of time is identified by last, since, ago, before, back, etc.

Past Continuous Tense

Past continuous tense = was / were + verb + ing

Functions of Past continuous tense:

1. Past continuous tense denotes any action in the past which in continuation.
 

Example-

I was reading a novel.

Sahil was waiting for your call.

2. Past continuous tense denotes any habitual past action.
 

Example-

Rani was continuously complaining.

Birsa was always ignoring his brother.

3. Past continuous tense denotes any action made for the future in the past.
 

Example-

I was preparing for JEE last year.

Mayank was packing his luggage for his flight yesterday.

4. Past continuous tense denotes two simultaneous actions in continuity in the past. The actions are joined by at that time, while.
 

Example-

I was watching the match while my father was cooking some snacks for me.

I was sleeping, at that time my brother was using my phone.

Note: The function of stative verb is same as that in the present continuous tense.

Past Perfect Tense

Past Perfect Tense = had + V3

Functions of Past Perfect Tense:

1. Out of two actions in the past, the preceding action is denoted by Past Perfect Tense while the succeeding action is denoted by Simple Past tense.
 

Example-

When I arrived, the guests had left.
I had opened the door before Rajnish called me.

Note:  before, after, ever, yet, by that time, etc. emphasize the preceding action.

2. Past Perfect Tense may, may not use with a time expression. For time expression, for, since, throughout, all, all along, etc. are used.
 

Example-

They had liked my presentation.

I had shared my room with my friend Ram for 3 years.

3. Past Perfect Tense denotes unfulfilled wish, hope, expectation, desire.
 

Example-

I had expected a call from you.
I wish he had studied sincerely.

Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Past perfect continuous tense denotes any action that has started in the past and continued in the past for a specific time.

Past perfect continuous tense = had + been + verb + ing

Example-

My mother had been cooking all through the morning for my friends.

Ashok had been studying for the entire week.

Future Tense

Future tense denotes any state or action to be taken place later in the future.

Simple Future Tense/ Future Indefinite Tense:

Simple future tense denotes the action which will take place in the future. For future state, shortly, next, later, soon, etc. may be used.

Example- 

I will leave my job soon.
The movie will start shortly.
I will accompany my mother.

Simple future tense = shall / will + V1

Shall vs. Will

Future Continuous Tense

Future continuous tense indicates an action that will continue in the future for a point in time.

Future continuous tense = shall / will + be + verb + ing

Example- 

I shall be travelling next month.

I will be waiting for you outside the parking zone.

Note:

Sometimes, future continuous tense can also be used to denote simple future tense.

The function of the stative verb is the same as that in the present continuous tense.

Future Perfect Tense

Between two actions in the future, the former action which must be completed before the later action is denoted by the future perfect tense. On the other hand, the later action is denoted by a simple present.

Future Perfect Tense = shall / will + have + V3

Note: The former action may be represented by using just, ever, recently, already, till, yet, by the time, so far, before, after.

Example- 

The shop will have closed by the time you reach.

Before I reach, the guests will have left the party.

Also, sometimes this tense is accompanied by the expression of time.

Example- 

I will have struggled enough for the job since my graduation.

We will have completed 10 years together next December.

Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Future perfect continuous tense denotes any action that is continuing for a period of time and will end in the future.

Future perfect continuous tense = shall / will + have + been + verb + ing

Example- 

The recruitment will have been going on for 6 weeks in October.

I will have been working as a manger by this time next year.

Exercise: Spot the errors, if any.

1.  I am resembling/ my sister when/ I wear the saree. / no error 

(refer to the stative verb in Present Continuous Tense)

2. The bank will have closed/ when I will reach/ the station. / no error 

(refer to Future Perfect Tense)

3.  The patient died/ when the doctor/ reached the hospital. / no error 

(refer to Past Perfect Tense)

4. Romila, my friend, / has left/ her job yesterday. / no error 

(refer to Simple Past Tense)

5.  I appear/ in the IBPS Clerk examination/ last month. / no error 

(refer to Simple Past Tense)

6. Diksha used to/ go for movies/ every Saturday. /no error  

(refer to Simple Past Tense)

7.  Raya is been/ staying in Mumbai/ for last five months. / no error 

(refer to Present Perfect Continuous Tense)

8.  I expected you/ by my side /during the toughest phase of life. /no error 

(refer to Past Perfect Tense)

9. I am thinking/ of shifting/ to Bandra now. /no error 

(refer to the stative verb in PPresent Continuous Tense)

10.There you/ are going/ my boy! / no error 

(refer to Simple Present Tense)