Tense is a linguistic concept. It denotes a verb form used to
express a time relation. A tense of a verb indicates the time of an action. In
English there are three tenses and twelve aspects of the tenses.
Each three tenses has four aspects.
Study the following table and find the common things among the
tenses.
|
|
Simple |
Perfect |
Continuous |
Perfect continuous |
|
Present |
write/ writes |
has/ have written |
am/is/are writing |
has /have been writing |
|
Past |
wrote |
had written |
was/were writing |
had been writing |
|
Future |
will write |
will have written |
will be writing |
will have been writing |
|
Verb |
v1/v5 |
have + -en |
be + -ing |
have + -en, be + -ing |
Uses
Present simple and present continuous
Simple Present
§ To
describe events that are scheduled (by nature or people)
The conference starts at
6:30 A.M.
School opens at 10
o’clock in Nepal.
The sun rises in the east
in the morning.
§ To
express general timeless truth.
Two plus two
becomes four.
Tigers never eat grass.
§ To
describe events that are factual or habitual
I smoke a lot.
She never takes drink.
It rains a lot in
Portland.
§ To
express future when a scheduled events is involved, usually with a future time
table.
I have a meeting next
Sunday.
The train leaves at 10
P.M tomorrow.
§ To say
how often we do things
How often do you go to
dentist in a year?
Kalpana does not drink
tea very often.
§ To
present state or condition.
She is very tired today.
He is ill now.
It’s hot today.
§ Verbs
like love, hate, want, need, prefer, know, realize, mean , believe, contain,
consist, sound, believe, seem, see, hear, smell, taste, etc. come in simple
present tense.
I’m thirsty.
I want something to drink.
She loves music.
§ Time
adverbs like always, never, seldom, nowadays, rarely, usually, daily, hardly,
occasionally, rarely, sometimes, often, normally, etc. are used in simple
present tense.
She always wears a black
cap.
Sometimes, I get bored.
I usually ride a bus.
Present Continuous Tense
§ To tell
incomplete actions which are happening at the time of speaking.
She is attending a
meeting now.
They are playing
football.
§ To
express a temporary situation.
Sita is living with her
bother.
The river is flowing fast
today.
§ To
express future plan with future time adverbs.
They are coming next
week.
She is visiting Kathmandu
tomorrow.
§ Time
adverbs like now, today, still, at present, at the movement, look! , listen !,
see !, this week, right now etc. are generally used in present continuous tense.
Listen ! Someone is
crying.
I’m on holiday. I’m not
working this week.
Past simple and past continuous
Simple Past Tense
§ For the
definite single complete event/action in the past.
Ram visited prime
minister last week.
Sita got a letter from
Hari.
§ For habitual
or repeated action/event in the past.
It snowed almost every
weekend last winter.
§ For an
event with duration that applied in the past.
Professor Krishna
Shrestha taught at PMC for 30 years.
§ In
conditional sentence type -2
If I were a bird, I
would fly.
§ To
describe someone’s life
Laxmi Prasad Devkota
Laxmi
Prasad Devkota was born in 1964 B.S. He lived from
1964 to 2016 B.S. He started composing poem at the age
of 12 and wrote so many poems , essays , dramas etc.
He was only 52 years old when he died.
Here, was, lived,
started, wrote and died are past tense.
yesterday. ago, last, those days, in the past,
1980 , in the past time etc are the time adverbs for past tense.
Past Continuous Tense
a) For an action in progress at a specific
point of time in the past.
He was playing at 10: 30 yesterday.
When I came home, my child was playing.
b) For the repetition of some ongoing past
action
Sita was laughing all night long.
c) When and while can come with this tense.
I fell down while I was climbing a ladder.
When I fell down, I was climbing a ladder.
Present perfect simple and Present Perfect
Continuous
Present perfect simple
§ To tell
the events that happened in the past but still present there effectively.
I have lost my key. (not
found still)
She has cut her finger.
§ To give
new information / reflect happening.
The police have arrested
three men.
§ To tell
the experience and achievement of someone’s life.
She has written three
books.
I have been to many
countries.
§ To tell
incomplete action of present time.
I have not climbed Mt.
Everest.
She has not published a
book.
§ Just,
already, yet, lately, recently, up to now, within the last two month, etc. time
adverbs are used in this tense.
I don’t take
anything? I’ve just had lunch.
Ram is 40 years old. He has
not married yet.
Present Perfect Continuous
§ To
state something that changes overtime.
The students have been
getting better and better.
§ For
actions repeated over a period of time.
He has been playing for
years.
§ For
actions which is still going on from the past.
He has been teaching English for ten years.
§ For an
evaluative comment on something observed over time triggered by current
evidence.
You
have been drinking again!
§ Time
adverbs: All day, for years. Since 1990, how long?, the whole week, etc.
are used in this tense.
Past Perfect simple and Past Perfect
Continuous
Past Perfect simple
a) For an action completed in the past prior
to some other past event or time.
Ram had already gone
before I came in the party.
They had already eaten
all the mangos when I saw them.
b) In conditional sentence type -3.
If she had studied
harder, she would have passed the exam.
c) In a clause, after a verb reporting speech
or thought,
She said, “I did not see
him.”
She said that she hadn’t
seen him.
d) In a relative clause to give more
background information about a noun.
The house, which had been
sold two times in five years, was worth two million.
Past Perfect Continuous
a) for an ongoing past action or state that
becomes satisfied by some other event.
I had been trying to see
that play, so I was pleased when I won the ticket.
b) For an action or habit taking place over a period of time in
the past prior to some other past event or time.
My brother had been
studying hard, so I told him to take rest for a few days.
Simple Future Tense
a) For an action taking place at some definite
future time.
Sita will go to Canada
next month.
b) For the future habitual action or state.
After May, Ram will take
first period every day.
c) For a situation that will obtain in the future
but with some future termination.
Kedar will live in
America until he improves his English.
d) In conditional sentence type one in main
clause.
If she doesn’t study, she
will fail in the exam.
Future Continuous Tense
a) For an action that will be in progress at a
specific time in the future.
She will be working at 9
A.M tomorrow.
Don’t phone me between 8
and 9. We’ll be having dinner then.
b) To ask about somebody’s plans
Will you be passing the
post office when you are out?
c) For the duration of some specific future
action.
Sujana will be working on
her thesis for the next two years.
Future Perfect Tense
Future perfect tense is used for the action that will be
finished at a certain time in the future.
Tomorrow, by Monday, in a week, etc are used to indicate the
time of future time.
a) For a future action that will be completed
prior to a specific future time.
I shall have finished my
writing by next month.
They will have written an
essay by next week.
b) For a state or accomplishment that will be
completed in the future prior to some other future time or event.
At the end of the winter,
the Chapagains will have been married for five years.
c) With adverbs
Sita will not have stayed
in Kathmandu in the next decade.
We will have reached the
moon by next May.
All the sources of petrol
will have been finished by 2030 A.D.
Contracts in tense
a) Simple past and present perfect
Simple past is used for completed
work whereas present perfect is used for completed work, with an effect
at now.
Present perfect: I
have done a lot of work today. (Not finished)
Simple past: I did a lot of work
yesterday. (Finished)
Present continuous and present simple
Present
continuous is for continuous work at the time of speaking but present
simple is for true, repeated events.
The water is
boiling. (Now, the condition of water)
The water boils in
100° C. (Always, nature of water)
He is being selfish.
(He was not selfish but now he has changed and being selfish.)
He is selfish.
(He is always selfish, it is his nature.)
Future continuous and future perfect tense
Future
continuous tense is for the action which will be continuously running and the
action will be in the middle of doing in a specific point of time but future
perfect tense will be for the completed work before a particular future point
of time.
This time , next week,
I’ll be working in the field.
This time next week.
I’ll have gone in work.
Exercise
A Underline the correct
option.
1. Ice melts /
is melting above 00
2. Have
you got an umbrella? It starts/is starting to rain.
3. Gabriela
looks lovely today-she wears / is wearing her new dress.
4. Paul’s
daughter lives in Spain- he visits / is visiting her two or
three times a year.
5. There goes /
is going Maggie, on her way to work, I suppose.
6. Don’t
worry, I promise / am promising I won’t tell anyone your
secret.
7. This
carpet gets / is getting very dirty- maybe we should wash it.
8. That’s
great tennis from Thompson as he hits / is hitting another
winning shot into the corner!
B. Complete the sentences, using the present simple or present
continuous form of the verb given.
1. always
go
a. Sue and I always go to the cinema on Thursdays.
b. I saw Mary in the
travel agent’s this afternoon- she’s always going on
holiday!
2. play
a. Giovanni ….
plays…….football for a local team.
b. Anthony …is playing………in
goal today because our normal goalkeeper in injured.
3. Have
a. I …am having…
lunch at the moment. Can I phone you back in half an hour ?
b. The hotel …has………..14
double rooms, all with bathrooms.
4. Wonder
a. We ……are wonder…….whether
we should buy a birthday present for Lucie.
b. I ……wonder……..
what time the next train is.
5. come
a. Look-here …comes………the
bus, at last!
b. More and more people …are
coming……..to live here these days.
6. (you)
think
a. You look worried-what…are
you thinking………. About?
b. Why …do you think…Jim
is so happy today? Is it his birthday or something?
7. Stand
a. St Thomas’s Tower stands………at the entrance to
the harbor.
b. A strange woman …is standing…….. outside the house. Do
you know her?
8. work
a. It’s 8.30 on a hot
July evening. Gordon Stevens……is working………late in his office, when
suddenly.
b. These tablets …work….better
if you take them with food.
C. Complete the sentences with the present simple or
present continuous form of the verbs in brackets.
1. I .understand a little Italian,
but I can’t speak it. ( understand)
2. My cousins…usually go……….skiing nearly every
winter. ( usually go)
3. Here……comes……..Michelle. Maybe she wants to talk to
me. (come )
4. I invited Jill to the party- she…is looking forward……to
it. (look forward)
5. ……Do you know…..what time the bank opens? ( you
know)
6. This bed ……measure..180 centimeters by 210
centimeters-I think it’s too big. ( measure)
7. A:What …are you doing……………?
B : My homework. Don’t
interrupt me. ( do )
8. I just heard Wendy’s news- she is expecting……..a
baby. ( expect )
9. The first thing to do is to peel the potatoes. Then you…boil…………..
them in salted water for about 20 minutes. ( boil )
10. And at the line ….Powell…wins… in 9.64
seconds- a new personal best! ( win )
D. Underline the correct
option. Sometimes both options are possible.
1. The police arrested three men who robbed / were bobbing a bank in the High Street.
2. They planned / were planning to get
up early, but they overslept.
3. I saw Jon in the park today- he read / was
reading a book.
4. When she ate/ was
eating her sandwich, the sun came out.
5. After the film finished / was
finishing, I turned the TV off and went to bed.
6. Vanessa’s really shy because everyone constantly
criticized / was constantly criticizing her when she was a child.
7. Do you like my watch ? My life gave / was
giving it to me for my birthday.
8. My sister’s really happy- she passed /
was passing all her exams.
E. Complete the sentences with the past simple
Or past continuous form of the verbs in brackets.
1. Did you see that
film on TV last night ? ( you / see )
2. A: What was that terrible noise last night ?
B: Sorry, it was me. I
… was practicing………my singing, ( practice )
3. I …was lying………….in the bath last night when
suddenly there was a loud bang in the kitchen. ( lie )
4. James …came……..to visit me every single day when I was
in hospital. ( came )
5. A: How was the game ?
B: Terrible! We …lost..6-0.
( lose )
6. After he …retired…………, my dad took up golf
as a bobby. ( retire )
7. I ..was thinking,.. why don’t you come round for
dinner at the weekend ? ( think )
8 The kids ..were still sleeping……when I left for
work this morning. ( still / sleep )
9 A: What happened to you ? Did you cut yourself ?
B: Yes, when I ……was
working………..in the garden this morning. ( work )
10. Simon got a job in a factory when he
……left……school last year. ( leave )
F. Choose the correct option.
1. The average temperature in Europe has increased by more
than 1.50c………….
a. since 1900
b. from 1900-2005.
2. Half the world’s tropical rainforest disappeared ………………….. between
1960 and 1990.
A. between 1960 B. since 1960.
3. Flooding has been a serious problem in many parts of
the UK………..
A. in
2007. B. in the last few years.
4. In Australia, dry weather has caused a big increase ;in
the number of forest fires…..
a. in 2000
b.
since 2000
5. The levels of carbon dioxide produced by human
activity rose by 30%………………….
a. between 1800 and 2000 b.
since 1800
6. Extreme weather events have become more frequent………………
a. recently.
b last year.
7. In the Arctic, the area covered by ice has
fallen by nearly 10% every ten years………………..
a. for the last fifty
year. B. fifty years ago.
8. Climate change became a major political issue……………….
a. for the last 20
years. B. in the last century.
G Tick option a ( if only the present
perfect Simple is possible ) or option b (if both present perfect simple
and continuous are possible ).
1. You can’t have any more sweets
……….two already.
a. you’ve had b.
You’ve had / You’ve been having.
2. How many times………….you? Don’t cross
the road without looking!
a. have I told
b. have I told / have I been telling
3. ………….a curry-can you smell it ?
a. Mum’s made b. Mum’s
made / Mum’s been making.
4. Katie just phoned from the hospital-……..
her arm!
a. She’s already appeared b. She’s already been appearing
5 …………..a lot of headaches recently.
a. I’ve had b.
I’ve been having
6. Inflation ………..gradually since this time last year.
a. has gone up b.
has been going up
7. My father ……….spicy food ever since he was a child.
a. has hated b.
has been hating
9 ………….the news? Jo’s pregnant!
a. Have you heard b. Have
you been hearing
10 Look at that! ………such a beautiful view.
a.I’ve never
seen b. I’ve never been seeing
H. Underline the correct
option.
1. The
party almost finished / had almost finished by the
time we arrived.
2. As soon
as I saw her, I knew I met / had met the woman I wanted
to marry.
3. After
he bought his ticket he sat down / had
sat down to wait for the train to arrive.
4. The
police arrived quickly, but it was too late-the robbers went / had gone.
5. Latimer
just shut / had just shut the door when
she realized her key was inside.
6. When
she got paid, Julie realized that her boss gave / had given her a pay rise.
7. Sorry,
I didn’t catch that- what did you say /
had you said ?
8. We were
very excited to meet again because we didn’t see / hadn’t seen each other for five years.
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