Tenses

Made by:-Devvrat Bansal10 – D24

Meaning An action expressed in the verb can

take place in three different times- past, present, future-and ‘in each time’ it (the action) can be of three different types-simple, continuous, perfect. Three times with their types are called tenses.

Table of tensesPast Present Future

Simple I played I play I shall playContinuous I was playing I am playing I shall be

playingPerfect I had played

for two hours by that time. I had been playing for two hours when ravi came

I have played.He has played for ten hours.*I have been playing for ten hours.**

I shall have played if you reach late.***

* We use this form for the present perfect tense for laying stress on the time or duration of the action.

Continued.. ** We use this form for the present

perfect tense for laying stress on the continuity of the action. This tense is called the present perfect continuous tense also.

*** ‘If you reach late’. We do not use the future perfect tense for the dependent clauses of time or condition.

‘TIME’ AND ‘TYPE’ OF AN ACTION=TENSE

Examples of Continuous type

•Radha was cooking food.•Ravi is reading.

Example of simple type•I passed my B.A. examination in 1995.•Raja will play hockey.

Examples of Perfect type•Ravi has been writing for two hours.•Ravi has written for two hours.

Three types of an action Simple: simple type is expressed

directly.

Continuous: Continuous type is that which is incomplete.

Perfect: Perfect type is that which is rounded off or complete.

‘DO’ in forming tenses ‘Do’ is brought from

outside for making questions & negative sentences of positive assertive sentences in the simple present and the simplest past tenses

The auxiliary ‘do’ makes special emphatic tenses in the simple present and the past

I play hockey Do you play

hockey? Ravi does not play

hockey.

I do see. I did see.

Fourth tense There is one more tense. It is called

‘the Future in the past tense’. This tense marks an action as future from a past point of view. It is used.

1. In simple sentences and in the main clauses of complex sentences.

2. In subordinate clauses.

When summer came, they ‘would begin’ to make preparations to

mobilize the army from Delhi to Shimla.

I knew that you ‘would come’.

I ‘should like’(should have liked) to tell you.

Three times of an Action-tensesPAST EXAMPLES

simple past tense: it is used to indicate ‘direct action’ which happened once, or which happened at regular intervals in some past time:

past continuous tense: it is used for indicating an action that was incomplete at some past time.

past perfect tense: it is used for an act in the past, which took place prior to some intermediate time of that past time. Three types of past perfect tense are

1. The time of the action.2. Some intermediate time.3. The time of writing or speaking.

•Raj killed a snake yesterday.•Did you get your car?•Shah Rukh Khan studied in St. Columba’s School, New Delhi.•He ‘was reading’ his book when I met him in the morning.•By the year 233 B.C. Alexander the Great had already come to India.1. The time of the arrival of

Alexander2. One intermediate

time(233 B.C.)3. The time of writing.

Continued..PRESENT EXAMPLES

Simple present tense1. Indicate action happens

once or regular interval.2. Present state of feeling,

opinion or relation3. Indicate permanent facts4. Actions of books, plays,

and films.5. It is used in the

dependent clause of time or condition.

The leaves of this tree fall once only.

These boys play hockey. I do painting on Sundays. He loves his mother. Raj goes to his school at

7.00 am This pen belongs to my

sister. Who knows Ravi's

house?

Continued..PRESENT EXAMPLES

Present continuous tense:1. Indicating an action

incomplete in present time.

2. Indicate an action take place in immediate future.

3. Used for talking about something or decided to do.

4. When a ‘serious of actions’ is there for a limited time.

Boys are playing outside. I am visiting Mumbai

today evening. Ravi is coming to

Mumbai next week. They are always giving

parties. Our teacher is always

giving us tests. They love their mother.

Continued..PRESENT EXAMPLES

Present perfect tense: this tense indicates an action, completed or rounded off in the present time, whose effect remains till the time of speaking or writing. It tells us about the present status of the act.

Ravi has come. I have not received my

salary this month.

Continued..FUTURE EXAMPLES

Simple future tense: it is used for ‘direct action’ of future.

Future continuous tense: it is used to indicate an action that will be continuing some future time.

Future perfect tense: it is used to indicate the completion or rounding off of an action in some future time.

Ravi will play cricked today.

We shall visit Mumbai next month.

I am leaving for my office just now.

I shall be playing with my brother when you come to my house tomorrow.

I ‘shall have paid’ it to Ravi if you come after 10.00 am.

THANK YOU