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The English noun tense comes from Old French tens meaning “time”, or from Latin tempus, “time.” It is not related to the adjective word ‘tense’, which comes from Latin tensus, the perfect passive participle of tendere, meaning “stretch”. Not all languages have tense: tenseless languages include Chinese and Dyirbal. Some languages have all three basic tenses (the past, present, and future), while others have only two: some have past and nonpast tenses, the latter covering both present and future times (as in Arabic, Japanese, and, in some analyses, English), whereas others such as Greenlandic and Quechua have future and nonfuture. Some languages have four or more tenses, making finer distinctions either in the past (e.g. remote vs. recent past) or in the future (e.g. near vs. remote future). The six-tense language Kalaw Lagaw Ya of Australia has the remote past, the recent past, the today past, the present, the today/near future and the remote future. The Amazonian Cubeo language has a historical past tense, used for events perceived as historical. In grammar, tense is a category that expresses time reference. Tenses are usually manifested by the use of specific forms of verbs, particularly in their conjugation patterns.
English has only two morphological tenses: the present (or non-past), as in he goes, and the past (or preterite), as in he went. The non-past usually references the present, but sometimes references the future (as in the bus leaves tomorrow). In special uses such as the historical present it can talk about the past as well. These morphological tenses are marked either with a suffix (walk(s) – walked) or with ablaut (sing(s) – sang). In some contexts, particularly in English language teaching, various tense–aspect combinations are referred to loosely as tenses. Similarly, the term “future tense” is sometimes loosely applied to cases where modals such as will are used to talk about future points in time. The main tenses found in many languages include the past, present, and future.
Present Tense
Simple Present Tense
A sentence is presented in simple present tense when it is used to describe an action that’s happening at present and does not indicate when the action is expected to end. Simple present tense is used when:
The action that is taking place in general.
The action is not only occurring now; it repeats after regular intervals of time.
To indicate facts those are generally true.
The action for relating habits and routines that happen all the time, be it in the future, past or present.
Structure: Verb “+s/es” form is used;
Construction
If subject is 3rd person singular. The verb is used in its original form;
If subject is 1st and/or 2nd person singular.
If subject is 1st and/or 2nd person plural.
If subject is 3rd person plural.
Examples:
The sun sets in the west.
All the cars stop at this crossing.
Michael teaches social studies in a school.
That notice reads, “No parking”.
Rajdhani leaves at seven in the morning.
The teacher said if she works hard she will pass.
There goes the taxi.
Do you play tennis?
He does not go to the temple.
Does he write novels?
Present Progressive Or Present Continuous
Though the simple present and present continuous tenses are used interchangeably, present continuous usually defines an act that is going on at the time of speaking.
The sentences with present progressive tense are used when:
Something is taking place now, while speaking and has a definite end as well.
When something is already decided and arranged as well to perform it.
To indicate an undesirable habit.
Structure: Subject + be (is, am, are) + verb + -ing + object
Construction
Use first form of the verb “+ing”
Singular 3rd person subject — use ‘is’
Plural 1st, 2nd and 3rd person and singular 2nd person subject — use ‘are’
1st person singular — use ‘am’
Examples:
Please wait for a moment, Shyam is talking to Mary.
We are late; he will be waiting for us at the restaurant now.
Mom, I am playing football.
Are they still living here?
She is having her breakfast now.
I’m planning to meet the Director tonight.
Present Perfect Tense
It’s probably the most used tense form in English Grammar and is also considered difficult to understand. The Present Perfect Tense explains the incident that has happened in the past and that continues until the present time.
Structure: Subject + has/have + verb (past participle) + object
Examples
For almost five generations, my family members have been engineers.
In order to avoid delays in my work, I have been doing it regularly.
I have always wanted to ride on this vehicle.
Present Perfect Continuous Tense
Usually, Present Perfect Continuous Tense is used for a situation that has occurred in the past and which continues until that moment.
Structure: Subject + has/have + been + main verb + ing + object
Construction
Use the first form of the verb + “–ing”
Singular subject (has been), Plural subject or I (have been)
‘Since’— if the point of time is mentioned.
‘For’ — if the duration of time is specified.
Examples:
I have been eating apples today.
You have not been studying for the past month.
We haven’t been playing with Mary since Tuesday.
Past Tense
Simple Past Tense
Simple past tense is used to narrate an action of the past. The verb in the past tense ends with an ‘-ed’ and hence, there are seven ways of marking the irregular verbs in the past tense. The most common being the change of the vowel as in ‘drink’ – ‘drank’.
Structure: Subject + verb (past form) + Object
Examples:
Katie worked in that office for almost four years.
He passed away in 1999.
We went for the movie yesterday.
Three years ago, I studied at the Canada University.
Past Continuous Tense
This from of tense indicates activities that were going on in the past and have been completed before the time of mention. These sentences are formed with the help of an auxiliary verb and giving the main verb an ‘ing’ ending.
Structure: Subject + was/were + Verb in its -ing form + Object
Examples:
He was washing the dishes, while she was cooking dinner.
I was working at 11p.m yesterday.
We were playing football when it started to rain.
She was reading a thriller novel when I called her.
What were you doing when Sam arrived?
I was walking down the street yesterday when the police van was patrolling the city.
Past Perfect Tense
This tense refers to a non-continuous action that was already completed in the past. Such sentences are formed by using the Simple Past form of the auxiliary verb ‘to have’, followed by the past participle form of the verb.
Structure: Subject + had + past participle form of verb + Object
Example:
I had never seen such a beautiful before.
She understood the movie only because she had read the book.
He had written a book.
They had watched the movie.
Clara had never been to a club before last night.
We didn’t get a room in the hotel because we had not booked in advance.
Past Perfect Continuous Tense
A continuous action that was completed sometime in the past falls under Past Perfect Continuous tense. Such sentences are framed by using the modal, ‘had’ + ‘been’ + the present participle of the verb (-ing).
Structure: Subject + had + been + verb (ing) + object
Example:
I had been playing the guitar all morning.
I had been sleeping all the way from the beginning of the class.
He had been trying to call her.
Until this year, Neha had been going to a village school.
The baby had been crying out loud for minutes when her mother fed her.
Future Tense
Simple Future Tense
This tense is used for those sentences which refer to the actions which will occur later, in future. This requires a future tense auxiliary verb even though the verb would be unmarked.
Structure: Subject + will/shall + verb (Present form) + object
Examples:
You will be done before me.
She will not come tomorrow.
Will you come to play with me after school?
I will keep in touch with you.
I will reach home by 7p.m.
He will stay with us for 3 days.
Future Continuous Tense
This tense defines those acts which will be continued at a future point of
time. In order to form a future continuous tense sentence, a future auxiliary
verb is required followed by a main verb that ends with -ing.
Structure: will + be + present participle of the verb (ing).
Construction
Use first form of the verb (+ing)
1st and 2nd person — ‘Shall be’
3rd person — ‘Will be’
However, nowadays this distinction of ‘will’ and ‘shall’ is not followed. Instead, ‘will’ is used wherever absolute conviction is required to be expressed while the usage of ‘shall’ depends on individual writing style.
Examples:
We assume that our representative will be winning the electionsthat are to be held at the end of April.
Today, she will be walking all the way to her house from her office.
I will be watching the new movie next week.
By this time tomorrow, I will be at home watching T.V.
Future Perfect Tense
This tense is used to express an act that is predicted to be finished within a
certain span of time in the future.
Structure: will + have + past participle of the verb
Examples:
By the end of the year, he will have saved enough for his sister’s wedding.
You will have left for London by the time this bridge gets renewed.
Calvin will have gone by the time you reach there by bus.
I will have walked 15 kms by this time.
How long will it have been since we were here together?
Future Perfect Continuous Tense
This tense form indicates an action that is continuous and, at some point in
the future, it will be completed.
Structure: will/shall + have + been + the past participle of the verb (-ing).
Examples:
Next Saturday, I will have been working on this assignment for three years.
Tomorrow, at this time, I shall have been playing cricket since morning.
I will have been studying English for two hours by the time you arrive here.
We have some uses of auxiliary verbs, which are past in form but suggest future time.
Past Future Tense
Structure: Subject + would + verb (present form)
Example:
I told that I would leave in one hour.
Past Future Continuous Tense
Structure: Subject + should be/would be + verb (+ing)
Example:
I told that I would be doing my homework all day long.
Past Future Perfect Tense
Structure: Subject + should have/ would have + verb (past participle form)
Example:
She said that she would have completed her assignment.
Past Future Perfect Continuous Tense
Structure: Subject + would have been + verb (+ing)
Example:
He said that I should have been working here for two hours by that time.
Exercises
A. Fill the gaps with the correct tenses.
1. I (learn) …………… English for seven years now.
2. But last year I (not / work) …………… hard enough for English, that’s why my marks
(not / be) …………… really that good then.
3. As I (pass / want) …………… my English exam successfully next year, I (study) harder this term.
4. During my last summer holidays, my parents (send) …………… me on a language course to London.
5. It (be) …………… great and I (think) …………… I (learn) …………… a lot.
6. Before I (go) …………… to London, I (not / enjoy) …………… learning English.
7. But while I (do) …………… the language course, I (meet) …………… lots of young people from all over the world.
8. There I (notice) …………… how important it (be) …………… to speak foreign languages nowadays.
9. Now I (have) …………… much more fun learning English than I (have) …………… before the course.
10. At the moment I (revise) …………… English grammar.
11. And I (begin / already) …………… to read the texts in my English textbooks again.
12. I (think) …………… I (do) …………… one unit every week.
13. My exam (be) …………… on 15 May, so there (not / be) …………… any time to be lost.
14. If I (pass) …………… my exams successfully, I (start) …………… an apprenticeship in September.
15. And after my apprenticeship, maybe I (go) …………… back to London to work there
for a while.
B. Fill the gaps with the correct tenses.
1. They (build) …………… a new power station at the moment.
2. When I was buying the stamps somebody (call) …………… my name.
3. ‘What time (Kevin come) …………… ?’
4. I (not go) …………… to the cinema last night. I was too tired.
5. Carol invited us to the party but we (not go) …………… . We had other things to do.
6. I saw Bridget at the museum when I was going to the restaurant but she (not see) …………… me.
7. ‘Where (your parents live) …………… ?’ ‘In a village near London. They have always lived there.’
8. She speaks English but she (not speak) …………… French.
9. Jeff is from London. He (live) …………… there all his life.
10. My favourite country is Canada. I (be) …………… there four times.
11. I (never eat) …………… bananas.
12. ‘How long (you study) …………… Photography?’ ‘For one year.’
13. ‘Where are you going on holiday?’ ‘I don’t know. We (not decide) …………… yet.’
14. Who (invent) …………… the washing machine?
15. ‘Where’s Jill?’ ‘She (have) …………… lunch at the moment.’
16. (Terry work) …………… ? No, he is on holiday.
17. Somebody (steal) …………… my sunglasses at the swimming pool last week.
18. (she wear) …………… the nice jacket when you saw her?
19. Where (be) …………… you yesterday?
