Tense Use

Tense is the form of verb that tells us the time of an action. There are three types of tense and each has four different verb forms or aspects.

​

Present Tense

1. The Simple Present Tense: The present simple is the tense used to describe actions that are timeless. If the time of the action cannot be defined, then the present simple tense is used. The time and/or place is stated or understood. The structure of a simple present sentence is 'Sub +V1/V5 + Obj.........'

I a book. He a book.

She in Unique and United Public Academic.

• V1 is used with the plural subjects, I and You.

• V5 is used with the singular subjects.

The Simple Present Tense is used in the following situations.

Habitual actions/repeated actions: 

• He often goes to temple.

• They never play cricket.

• They do not drink wine.

• She takes a bath every day.

• Mina brushes her teeth twice a day.

Note: Time adverbials that are generally used with the simple present tense are always, never, often, seldom, sometimes, everyday, once/ twice/ thrice a day/week/month/year, nowadays, rarely, usually, generally, frequently, daily, hardly, occasionally, etc.

General/universal truths /facts:

• A cow eats grass.

• It is cold in the winter.

• The sun rises in the east.

• The earth is round like an orange.

Fixed timetable or work :

• A butcher sells meat.

• The exam starts from the next month.

• English proverb: Man is mortal.

• All that glitters is not gold.

• Honesty is the best policy.

• Slow and steady wins the race.

Notice, quotations, dramatic or commentaries, future plan:

• The notice says, "No Parking"          

• Shakespeare says, “Well done is better than well-said."     

• Hari controls the ball and kicks away. (Commentary)

• Our mother visits home tomorrow. (Future Plan)

Conditional Sentence, Type-1 (If clause only) and Zero Conditional

• It it rains I won't come your home. (Type-1)

• Unless you work had, you won't get success. (Type-1)

• If you boil water, it turns into steam. (Zero Conditional)

• If there is a shortage of any foo, prices of that product go up. (Zero Conditional)

Structure: S+V1/V5 + complement.

2. The Present Continuous Tense

Action that is going on at the time of speaking:

• Ramesh is reading a story now.        

• They are working in the field at present.

• Look! He is coming here.      

• She is still sleeping in her room.

• This tense is used with now, still, at present, at this moment, nowadays, these days, Look!, Listen! Wait!, Keep quite! Hello! Hurry up! etc.

The fixed and decided future planning or arrangements:

• We are visiting Dakshinkali tomorrow morning.     

• Sudha is flying to Thailand next week.

• He has bought a ticket.

After ‘but today/ but now’ as:

• She always walks slowly but today she is walking fast.

• I always watch news but now I am watching sports.

To describe long-term processes & developments:

• Ozen layer is depleting.         The temperature of the earth is increasing.

We do not normally use the continuous with stative verbs.

Thinking and feeling verbs: believe, dislike, know, like, love, hate, prefer, realise, recognise, remember, suppose, think (= believe), understand, want, wish

Senses verbs: appear, feel, look, seem, smell, sound, taste

Others verbs: agree, be, belong, disagree, need, owe, own, possess

We normally use the simple instead:

• I understand you. (NOT I am understanding you.)

• This cake tastes wonderful. (NOT This cake is tasting wonderful.)

Structure: S+is/am/are+V4+ complement.

3. The Present Perfect Tense

The present prefect tense is used to express the followings.

Recent completed actions at present time:

• Rita has just arrived from the office.            

• Sunil has already taken dinner.

• Our students have recently joined college.  

• Rama has written five poems.

Present incomplete actions: 

• We have not finished the task yet.     

• I have never climbed the Mt. Everest.

• Have you ever seen a live tiger?

Past actions with present result/effect:

• She has broken her leg.          She cannot walk even today.

• I have prepared the meal.      You can take it now.

Actions started in the past but are still going on:

• I have known you since last year.

• He has not seen me for a year.

• since+ point of time but for+ period of time

Structure: S+has/have+V3+ complement.

4. The Present Perfect Continuous Tense

We use the present perfect continuous tense to express an action that has already been started in the past but it is still going on in the present time. It is used to show the prolonged/continued action with for/since + time or all + period of time.

• She has been walking in the rain for four hours.

• The workers have been waiting for the manager all this morning.

• They have been working in this factory since 2001.

We use the present perfect tense to express the completed actions but the present perfect continuous tense expresses the actions without any reference of completion.

• She has been writing a novel.

• She has written five pages so far.

• They have been cleaning the house for two hours.

• They have already cleaned two rooms.

• I have been watching TV for five hours.

• I have watched three serials up to now.

Structure: S+shall/will+have+V3+ complement.

Past Tense

1. The Simple Past Tense

The simple past tense is used to express the past actions. It is generally used with

• She came here yesterday.

• They gave me some books two weeks ago.

With past perfect (i.e. simple past+simple past): The simple past tense is used to express the sequence of two past actions when they occurred at the same time and the second action happened due to the result of the first one.

• When I pushed her, she fell down.

• The dog barked when he hit it.

• As soon as I saw the house, I decided to buy it.

In conditional Sentences (Type-2)

• If it rained, I would stay at home.

Structure: S+V2+complement.

2. The Past Continuous Tense

The Past Continuous tense expresses the action that was going for some time in the past time. This tense is used with all + past time and also with the time clauses when and while to express the sequence of two past actions.

• She was reading a novel all yesterday.

• They were crossing the road when I saw them.

• I saw him while he was crossing the road.

With simple past (Simple past+past continuous): If two actions happen in the past, use simple past for the second complete action and past continuous for the first incomplete action.

• I saw him while he was crossing the road.

• While I was dreaming, Binita woke me up.

The past continuous/progressive tense is also used to express

• The action happened at a specific time.

• There was an interruption while performing the action.

• Two actions were happening at the same time.

• I saw him while he was crossing the road.

Structure: S+was/were+V4+ complement.

3. The Past Perfect Tense

• She had finished her painting.

• We had visited Pokhara.

• She had not finished her painting.

• We had not visited Pokhara.

The above sentences are in the past perfect tense. It is used to talk about any past actions that was started and also already completed in the pas time. We use 'had + V3' in this tense. We use not to make it negative and keep the auxiliary had before the subject to make interrogative.

​

With simple past (i.e. simple past+past perfect): If two actions happen in the past, use past perfect for the first complete action (1st Action) and simple past for the second (2nd Action). This tense is generally used with the time clauses like when, after, before, by the time, as soon as, etc.

• The doctor came after the patient had died.

• Before I went school, I had had my food. 

• When the doctor came, the patient had already died.

• As soon as I had written the letter, I posted it.

• By the time we reached home, it had been dark.

We generally use the simple past tense with the verb and the past perfect tense with the verb wished.

• I wish I bought a bike.                       

• I wished I had bought a bike.

In Conditional Sentences (Type-3)

• If I had been rich, I would have helped the poor people.

Structure: S+had+V3+complement.

4. The Past Perfect Continuous Tense

The Past Perfect Continuous tense is used to express the action which had been going on some time in the past before another action started.

• When we finished our work.    

• It had been snowing for two hours.

• At 3 pm yesterday, I had been watching TV for two hours.

Some more points: The past perfect continuous tense is used to.

• Represent the “past in the past”.

• Repeated actions.

• Clarify the order of two past actions.

• Answer the question “how long”.

• State that an action was in progress, when a second action started

• State the duration of an event, before a past action

Structure: S+had+been+V4+ complement.

The Future Tense

1. The Future Tense

The Simple Future Tense is used to express the action which we think will take place at a time in the future. It is generally used with tomorrow, next, soon, tonight, etc. Time adverbs: tomorrow, next, soon, tonight, etc.

• They will buy a car next year.

• What will you do tomorrow?

• I shall help them next week.

We generally use shall or will with the pronouns I and we when we promise to do something.

• I shall take you to the zoo.

• We shall help you complete your project.

• I will return your book tomorrow.

The simple future tense is used with the when clause if there is the simple present or present perfect in the main clause.

• When I finish reading, I will give this book to you.

• She will meet you when she has completed her work.

The simple future tense is used when;

• The action is thought of at the time of speaking:

• I will go to the store today. (I think so.)

• An action that is predicted: I think it will rain this afternoon.

• To request something: Will you come with me to the store?

• Definite plans in formal English: I will go to the store tomorrow.

Structure: S+shall/will+V1+ complement.

2. The Future Continuous Tense

The future continuous tense is used for an activity that will be happening at a specific time in the future.

• I will be going out tomorrow night at 8.00 with my friends.

• We will be leaving next week for a few days.

• We are going on a holiday.

In Conditional Sentences (Type-1)

• If you respect others, you will be respected.

Structure: S+shall/will+be+V4+ complement.

3. The Future Perfect Tense

The Future Perfect Tense is used to express the action that will be completed before a certain action or period of time in the future. This tense is generally used with by+point of time, in+period of time, before+point of time.

• They will have completed their work by July.

• I will have settled in America before 2010.

• By 2010, he will have taught here for two decades.

• I will have gone out before my friend comes here.

• By Sunday, they will have shifted from that place.

• How many books will you have read by next month?

Structure: S+shall/will+have+V3+ complement.

4. The Future Perfect Continuous Tense

The future perfect continuous tense is used to describe future actions/events that will have been in progress for a specific period of time. In English, the future perfect continuous tense stresses/emphasizes the length of time. Time adverbs: by + time…………….for + time

• I will have been studying here for two years.

• Next month my son will have been teaching for ten years.

• The teacher will have been teaching my children for five years next month.

Structure: S+shall/will+have+been+V4+ complement.