TENSES

SIMPLE PAST TENSE

1.      Simple Past Tense is used to indicate an action completed in the past.

Example: Mother cooked food in the morning.

2.      It is used to express a habitual or regular action in the past.

Example: She went to office every morning.

3.      It is used to narrate a story.

Example: Long ago, there lived a mighty king.

4.      Subject + V2 + Object (Affirmative)

5.      Subject +did not+V1 + Object (Negative)

6.      Did +Subject+V1 +Object? (Interrogative)

Examples:

a)      He sold his car.

b)      We helped our friends.

c)      I did my home-work.

d)      You had your meals.

e)      They learnt their lesson.

f)       It rained cats and dogs.

g)      He did not sell his car.

h)      We did not help our friends.

i)       Did I do my home-work?

j)       Did you have your meals?

SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE

                     For Simple Future Tense we write: will/ shall+ V1

                     Examples:  They will go to Delhi tomorrow.

                     I shall visit the saloon next week.

1.      Simple Future Tense is used to express an action that will take place in future.

Example: She will do well in her exams.

2.      It is used to indicate an action that will happen as a regular phenomenon or as a habitual thing.

Example: The children will be back by afternoon.

3.      It is used to express the speaker’s assumptions about the future.

Example: I think they will pay us a visit.

4.      Subject+ will/ shall+V1+ Object. (Affirmative)

5.      Subject +will/ shall+ not+V1 + Object. (Negative)

6.      Will/ shall +Subject+V1 +Object? (Interrogative)

                    Examples:

a)      I will help you unpack the bags.

b)      I will help you clean the kitchen.

c)      I will accompany you to the school auditorium.

d)      I will fetch some sandwiches for you.

e)      I will not be able to finish my work.

f)       Will they be able to visit historical monuments during holidays?

g)      To express an action over which the speaker has no control -

1.      I shall get wet in this downpour.

2.      I shall dirty my shoes in this flooded street.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE

1.      It is used to express an action going on at the time of speaking.

e.g. She is playing.

2.      It is used to express a temporary action which may not be actually happening at the time of speaking. E.g. She is learning to swim at the club these days.

3.      It is used to indicate an action that is expected to take place in the near future. E.g. The ladies are going for a movie this Sunday.

4.      Subject + is/ am/ are + v1 (ing) + object. (Affirmative)

5.      Subject + is/ am/ are + not+ V1 (ing) + Object. (Negative)

6.      Is/ Am/ Are + Subject+ V1 (ing) + Object ? (Interrogative)

Examples –

1.      She is cooking food.

2.      They are writing a story.

3.      She is not studying.

4.      They are not playing football.

5.      Are you drawing a picture?

6.      Am I writing a letter?

7.      What are you doing?

8.      Where are you going?

         PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE

1.      It is used to express an action going on at some time in the past.

e.g. She was playing cricket last evening.

2.      It is used to describe situations or an action which had started at some time but had not ended at the time we are referring to.

 e.g. She was baking cookies when the children came back.

3.      It is used with ‘always’, ‘continually’ for persistent habits in the past.

e.g. She was always complaining about others.

4.      Subject + was/ were + v1 (ing) + object. (Affirmative)

5.      Subject + was/ were + not+ V1 (ing) + Object. (Negative)

6.      Was/ Were + Subject+ V1 (ing) + Object ? (Interrogative)

Examples –

1.      She was cooking food in the morning.

2.      They were writing a story.

3.      She was not studying.

4.      They were not playing football.

5.      Were you drawing a picture?

6.      Was I writing a letter?

7.      What were you doing?

8.      Where were you going?

                          

                                               FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE

1.      It is used to express an action that will continue at some time in future.

e.g. She and her friends will be presenting a play next week.

2. It is used to express an action that is fairly certain to happen in the future.

e.g. She will be shifting to her native place after retirement.

3. Subject + will be/ shall be + v1 (ing) + object. (Affirmative)

5. Subject + will /shall+ not+ be+ V1 (ing) + Object. (Negative)

6. Will/ Shall + Subject +be + V1 (ing) + Object? (Interrogative)

Examples –

1.      She will be cooking food soon.

2.      They will be writing a story today.

3.      She will not be studying in the evening.

4.      They will not be playing football tomorrow.

5.      Will you be drawing a picture today?

6.      Shall I be writing a letter soon?

7.      Will father be leaving for the office soon?

8.      Will you be going for a picnic tomorrow?

                                               PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

2.      It is used to indicate an action that has just been completed.

e.g. She has gone out.

2. It is used to denote an action which started in the past and is still continuing.

e.g. She has been on leave since last week.

3. It is used to show past events, the time for which is not mentioned. Its effect can be felt at the time of speaking.

e.g. Sheena has completed the engineering course.

4. Subject + has/ have + V3 + object. (Affirmative)

5. Subject + has /have+ not + V3 + Object. (Negative)

6. Has/ Have + Subject + V3 + Object? (Interrogative)

Examples –

1.      He has just finished his project work.

2.      They have left for Haridwar by car.

3.      She has not gone to her friend’s house.

4.      They have not gone to the auditorium.

5.      Have they eaten breakfast?

6.      Have you drawn a picture?

7.      Have I written a letter?

8.      What have they brought in the bag?

                                               PAST PERFECT TENSE

       1. Past Perfect Tense describes an action completed before a certain point of time in the past      before another action began.

        e.g. She had finished her work when her father returned from office.

2. It describes an action completed before a certain moment in the past.

e.g. She had sent the parcel by courier last Sunday.

3. Subject + had + V3 + object. (Affirmative)

4. Subject + had + not + V3 + Object. (Negative)

5. Had + Subject + V3 + Object? (Interrogative)

Examples –

1.      He had eaten a candy.

2.      He had not eaten a candy.

3.      Had he eaten a candy?

4.       You had drawn a picture.

5.      You had not drawn a picture.

6.      Had you drawn a picture?

7.      He had left for Manali.

8.      He had not left for Manali.

9.       Had he not left for Manali?

                                               FUTURE PERFECT TENSE

1.Future Perfect Tense is used to show the completion of an action by a certain time in the future.

e.g. We hope all the problems will have been  solved by the end of the week

2.  It is used with time expressions like : by that time, by then, by next week, or by the tenth                of next month and so on

       3. Subject + will have/ shall have + V3 + object. (Affirmative)

                     4. Subject + will not have/ shall not have + V3 + Object. (Negative)

       5. Will have/ Shall have + Subject + V3 + Object? (Interrogative)

Examples –

1.      The clown will have performed at the circus before the acrobats come in.

2.      The clown will not have performed at the circus before the acrobats come in.

3.      Will the clown have performed at the circus before the acrobats come in?

4.      The tailor will have stitched her dress by tomorrow.

5.      The tailor will not have stitched her dress by tomorrow.

6.      Will the tailor have stitched her dress by tomorrow?