What are Tenses in English?

What are Tenses in English? Definition, Type of Tenses with Examples

Kind Of Detail Is Called Tense Is Discussed

Grammatical tense definition: Verbs take the form of verbs to show time, so is the English tense.

The grammatical tense refers to the state of the verb. The state of the verb, or tense, explains the time of the verb.

There are three main tenses in English. These include the past, present and future. Each of these tenses can explain an event that happened in the past, an event that happened in the present, or an event that will happen in the future.

Example of Past, Present, and Future Tenses:

A. Read the following passage and underline the verb in it :

Azam is one of my close friends. He lives in Canada now. He often emails me . I received one email this morning. I will answer the mail soon.
What time does each verb refer to-present, past, future?

Note: Tense refers to the time of action or state indicated by verb.

What are The Types of Tense?

There are three types of tenses in English. They are the present tense, the past tense, and the future tense. Below provides some basic definitions, descriptions and examples of each period.

According to time reference, there are three main tenses:

Each of these tenses has four different aspect :

They are: 1. Simple/ Indefinite Tense
2. Continuous Tense
3. Perfect Tense
4. Prefect Continuous Tense

B. Read the following sentences and say which sentence refers to what time:

It often rains here.
It raining now.
It has been raining for two hours.
It rained here yesterday.
It was raining then.
It had rained here before you arrived.
It will rain tonight.
It will be raining then.
Rajiv was sick yesterday.
Suman is absent from class today for illnesses.

(Present state)

C. Read the following passage and underline all the verbs in it. Say which verb refers to what time ( present, past or future).

Mr. Hasan was once a poor man. But now he is quite rich. He works very hard. He hopes that he will became richer in future.

1. What is The Present Tense?

What does present tense mean? The present tense is mostly used to denote the verb to occur in the present tense. However, depending on the way in which we construct the present tense, it can be used to describe things that have happened in the past, or even to describe things that may happen in the future.

Classification of Present Tense:

Present Indefinite Tense
Present Continuous Tense
Present Perfect Tense
Present Prefect Continuous Tense

Present Indefinite/ Simple Tense

Present Indefinite Tense denotes an action in the present time or habitual truth or eternal truth.

Structure:
Aff. Subject+main verb+Present form+Object.
Neg. Subject+don't/doesn't+main verb+Present form+Object.
N.I Do/Does+Subject+not+main verb+Present form+Object.

A. Read the following passage and notice the forms of verb:

I'm a student.
Alam is my classmate.
We two are good friends.
We go to school together.
We attend classes regularly.
We often play together after school.
We return home together.
Alam lives in a house close to ours.

In this text the verbs 'am', 'is', and 'are' describe a present state, while go, attend, play, return, and lives indicate present action. The sentences are all in the present simple tense.

B. Read the following sentences and underline the verbs. Also notice their structures:

English is an international language.
These mangoes are very sweet.
This book is not very big.
Are you a student?
Is the class small or big?
Why are you late?
Where is your father?
Are they not your friends?

These sentences have 'be' verbs in present form and they indicate present state.

Verb Form : Base form of the verbs is used in case of the action verbs, and in case of the state verbs, present form of be verb 'am', 'is', and 'are' are used.

C. Read the following sentences and notice the verbs and their form:

Jamil of class VI plays cricket for our school team. The workers in the garments factories work very hard.
He lives very close to the school.
The earth moves round the sun.

These sentences contain action verbs. The verbs in the first three sentences indicate present action and the verb in the fourth sentences indicates universal truth.

D. Read the following sentences and see how interrogatives and negatives are formed in this tense.

I don't need your help.
He doesn't like music.
Do you read novels.
Does he come here regularly?
Where does he live?
When do you go to bed?
What auxiliary verbs are used to forme interrogatives?
How're negatives formed in the example?
Verb form: to be form.

Note: In the present simple tense 'do' is used as an auxiliary verb before the subject in case of frist and second person and also in case of plural numbers of 3rd person subjects, and auxiliary 'does' is used in case of third person singular number subjects for farming interrogative sentences.

To make negative sentences 'don't' is used frist and second person (both singular and plural) and also after third person plural number subjects and 'doesn't' is used after third person singular number subjects for framing negative sentences. When 'does' is used as an auxiliary verb after a third person singular subject, the main verb loses its 's/es'.

E. We can use 'have/has' as a main verb in the present simple tense. Look at the following examples:

They've a lot of money.
He has a nice car.
They have a big house.
How many children do you have?
Does she have a pet cat?

Present Continuous Tense

Present Continuous Tense is used when an action is continued or going to be continued in near future.

A. Read the following passage and notice the verbs in the sentences:

I'm going to Dhaka by bus.
It's raining very hard.
So the bus is not running very fast.
Some passengers are sleeping.
Some are gossiping.
Some young boys are singing.
A baby is crying and her mother is trying to appease her.
What am I doing?
I'm watching all these things.

Notice that all sentences in the passage express an incomplete action which is still going on.

Also notice the structure of the verbs in these sentences? Each sentence has an auxiliary verb (am/is/are) after the subject and then there is the main verb in the present participle form (verb+ing).
Verb Form: 'am/is/are +main verb+ing'.

B. Read the following conversation and say what time the verbs in it refer to.

Mim : What are you doing this evening?
Shanta: I'm going shopping.
Mim : Are you playing badminton tomorrow?

Shanta: Yes, I'm. Mukta is coming today to

join us.
Mim : What time is she arriving? I'm

going to receive her at the station.

In these sentences it is seen that the present continuous tense is also used to indicate a definite future action.

C. Look at the following pictures and say who is doing what in it:

D. Read the following dialogue and say which sentences refer to present action and which ones which ones refer to future actions:

Sharmila : What are you doing there?
Sharif : I am getting ready to go to market. Sharmila : What are you going to buy?
Sharif : My son is home tomorrow.
So I am going to buy some sweets.

Present Perfect Tense

Present Perfect tense is used when the work has been done but its effect lasts.

A. Read the following conversation and notice the time reference of the action verb and verb structures in the sentences:

Teacher : Have you done your homework?
Student : Yes sir, I have done it.
Teacher : How many paragraphs have you

written?
Student : I've written three paragraphs.
Teacher : Have you brought your work?
Student : Yes, I have.

Notice that each verb in the dialogue mention a completed action ; the action is over but there is still some effect of the action now. These are examples of present perfect tense.

Verb Form: The verb 'have/has' is used as an auxiliary verb after the subject and then the past participle form of main verb is given. The verb form, then, is: have/has+ past participle form of the verb. These sentences are example of them present perfect tense.

B. Now read the following negative and interrogative sentences in the present perfect tense and look at their structures:

I have not done my homework.
He has not come to class.
He has never told a lie.
Have you eaten lunch?
Where has he gone?

In the negative sentences, the negative word (not/never) comes after the auxiliary verb and in interrogative the auxiliary verb comes before the subject.

C. Make correct sentences in the present perfect tense using given words:

We /start/ our journey
Reba /wash/ her clothes
She /learn/ the lesson
They/ buy/ a new car
He/ not/ come back/ from school
You/ take/ a bath

Present Perfect Continuous Tense

The Present Perfect Continuous Tense is used for an action which began at some time in the first and its still continuing.

A. Read the following telephonic between two friends and notice the sentences in bold:

Azad : Hello, Azad speaking.
Asif    : This is Asif here. What are you doing?
Azad : Watching television.
Asif    : How long have you been watching it?
Azad : I have been watching it for about an hour.
Asif    : Can you see me within an hour?
Azad : It is raining hard.
Asif    : Since when has it been raining?
Azad : It has been raining since 7 o'clock.
Asif    : Then come when the rain stop.
Azad : Ok, bye.

The sentences in bold refer to an incomplete action which started in the past but is still going on. They are examples of the present perfect continuous tense. Look at the sentences again and see the verb forms in each sentence.

B. Now complete the following dialogue:
Reza : How long have you been waiting here?
Anwar : ....................................................... .
Reza : ........................................................ .
Anwar : I have been looking for you since

morning.

Verb Form: In the present perfect continuous tense you need to use 'have/has + been' as auxiliary verbs after the subject and then the present participle form of the main verb (verb+ ing). So, the verb form is: have been/has been + main verb + ing. In the sentences above see how 'since' and 'for' are used.

N.B. Remember that 'For' indicates thet total duration of the action and 'since' indicates the starting time of the action.

2. What is The Past Tense?

What does past tense mean? The past tense expresses verbs that happened in the past. It is a grammatical function that indicates that an event has already occurred or displays the status of the entity. It can be used to talk about the past or to talk about something we have imagined.

Classification of Past Tense:

Past Indefinite/ Simple Tense
Past Continuous Tense
Past Perfect Tense
Past Prefect Continuous Tense

Past Indefinite/ Simple Tense

Past Simple/ Indefinite Tense is used to denote an action completed in the past or a past habit.

Structure:
Aff. Subject+main verb+past form+object.
Neg. Subject+did not+main verb+past form+object.
Int. Did+Subject+main verb+past form+object.
N.I. Did+ Subject+not+main verb+past form+object.

A. Read the following text and notice the underlined verbs:

I was a student then.
I had quite a few good friends.
They were all very close to me.
We did a lot of thing together.
We went to school regularly.
We discussed our problem between classes.
We played together in the afternoon.
It was a happy time.

Now Answer:

What verb form is used in the sentences
How are questions framed?
How are the negative sentences framed?

In the tex, 'was' and 'were' are used to refer to a past state, 'had' indicates a past possession/relation and 'did', 'went', 'discussed', and 'played' describe past actions. The sentences are all in the past simple tense. This is how states and action are expressed in the past simple tense.

Verb Form: Past form of the verb is used after subject. No auxiliary verb is required except in interrogative and negative sentences.

B. Read the following dialogue:
A : Were you ill yesterday?
B : No, I wasn't.
A : Then why didn't you come to school?
B : We had a family picnic.
A : Where did you go for the picnic?
B : We went to the City Park.

There are negative and interrogative sentences in the past simple tense in this dialogue. Find them and see how they are written.

Note:
* Interrogatives are framed by using 'did' as auxiliary verb before the subject.

* Negatives are formed by using 'did not' between the subject and the verb.

* Remember that when did is used in the interrogative and negative sentences in this tense, the main verb becomes the present or base form of the verb, not the past form.

* Wasn't is the short form of 'was not' and didn't is the short form of 'did not'.

Now read the following sentences how past states are expressed in the past simple tense :

I was sick last week.
He was my best friend then.
We were very happy.
They were unhappy.

Here we notice that 'was/were', the past form of 'be' is used to refer to past state. In these sentences 'was/were' is used as main verb. It is followed by a noun or Adjective.

Now read the following negative and interrogative sentences and notice the position of 'not' and 'was/were':

The food was not good.
They were not present there.
Were you absent form the class?
Why was he angry?
Were they not poor then?

C. Read the following sentences, notice the use of 'had' and answer the question below the sentences:

We had a nice garden.
We never had a car.
They did not have much money.
How many pens did you have?

Note: 'had' is used as a main verb to mean possession in the past simple tense.

D. Complete the following sentences in the past simple tense. Use the right form of verbs given in brackets:

It ___ all day yesterday. (rain)
Did you ____ the party? (enjoy)
His father _____ ten years old. (die)
Why ____ you angry? (be)
I did not ____ any such idea. (have)
He______ me how to swim. (teach)
How long did you ______ there? (stay)
My mother ______ a teacher. (be)
How ______ the weather yesterday? (be)
Last week _______ cold. (catch)

Past Continuous Tense

Past Continuous tense is used when the action was continued for some time in the past.

A. Read the passage below and notice the time reference of the action verbs in the sentences in bold:

It was 5 o'clock in the evening. It was raining lightly. I was sitting at tea-stall by the side of road. I was taking tea and watching the people on the road. The people were walking hurriedly for shelter. An old woman was crossing the road.

A bus was running at a high speed. Suddenly the bus ran over the old woman.

Say: What's the verb form of the sentences in bold? Is the action complete/over or it was still going on at a point of time in the past?

Note: Notice that the bold sentences in this passage refer to some actions which were going on at a certain time in the past.

Form: 'was/were' is used as auxiliary verb and base/present form of the main verb + ing is used. So the verb form is: was/were + verb + ing.

B. Read the following dialogue:
A : What were you doing in the evening

yesterday?
B : I wasn't doing anything in particular.
A : Were you studying?
B : Not at all.
A : I was calling you but you were not

responding.
B : Then I was possibly talking with my

father.

There are some interrogative and negative sentences in the dialogue. See how the interrogative and negative sentences are framed in this tense.

Note: In framing negative sentences in this 'not' is used after the auxiliary verb and in the interrogative sentences the auxiliary verb 'was/were' comes before subject.

Past Perfect Tense

Past Perfect tense is used in the former action between two completed actions of the past. Simple past is used in the letter action.

Structure:

Aff : Sub + had + main verb with past

participle form+object.

Neg : Subject + had not + main verb with past

participle form+object

Int : Had + Subject + main verb with past

participle form+Ext(?)

Example:

The sun rose after I had got up from bed.
The police came after the thief had fled.
I had reached school before the exam started.
I had eaten rice before he came.
Had he not come to school before the bell rang?
Had we not eating rice for two hours?
They had not eating rice for three hours.
I had eaten rice.
I had not eaten rice.
Had I eaten rice?
Had I not eaten rice?

Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Past Perfect Continuous tense is used for an action that began before a certain point in the past and continued upto that time.

Structure :
Aff : Subject+had been+main verb with

ing+Object.
Neg : Subject+had not been+main verb with

ing+Object.
Int : Had+Subject+been+main verb with

ing+Object.

N.I. : Had+Subject+not been+main verb

with ing + Object.

Example:

I had benn eating rice for two hours.
We had not been eating rice for three hours.
Had you been eating rice for two hours?
Had they not been eating rice for five hours?
I had been reading book for three hours.
I had not been reading when he come.
Had she been eating rice?
They had not been eating rice.
It had been raining since morning.
He had been playing football before I come.

3. What is The Future Tense?

What does future tense mean? The future tense depicts an action that may occur in the future or may occur in the future. It can also express the attitude of the speaker in future events.

Structure:
Aff : Subject+shall/will+main verb+Present form+Object.
Neg : Subject+shall/will not+main verb + Present form+Object.
Int : Shall/Will+Subject+main verb+Present form+Object.
N.I. : Shall/Will+Subject+not+main verb + Present form+Object.

Classification of Future Tense:

Future Indefinite Tense.
Future Continuous Tense.
Future Perfect Tense.
Future Prefect Continuous Tense.

Future Indefinite Tense

Future Indefinite Tense is used when an action will be done or will happen in future.

Rule: Subject+Shall/Will+main verb+ Object.

Example:

The girl will dance.
He will catch fish.
I shall not go to market.
Will you do the work?
They will eat rice.
Will they not eat rice?

Future Continuous Tense

Future Continuous Tense is used to express an action that will be going on in future.

Rule : Subject Shall/Will be+main verb + ing + Object.

Example:

He will be writing a letter.
I shall be doing the work.
Shall we be not eating rice?
Will they be eating rice?
You will be reading book.
You will be not reading book.

Future Perfect Tense

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

Rule: Subject+shall/will have+main verb + Past Participle+object.

Example:

I shall have eaten rice before Rana comes.
He will have finished the work.
Shall we have learnt the lesson?
He will have reached home by this time.
Will you have not eaten rice before Rana comes?

Future Prefect Continuous Tense

Future Perfect Continuous Tense is used when the doer will have been doing the work by a certain future time.

Rule:
Subject+shall/will have been+main verb+ing+object.

Example:

We shall have been waiting until he comes.
Shall I have been eating rice for two hours?
You will have been eating rice for two hours.
Will you have not been eating rice for two hours?
She will have been reading the book for two hours.

A. Read the following conversation and notice the time reference of the verbs and the verb forms in the underlined sentences:

Raghib : I have no money in my pocket.

What shall I do now?

Zeenat : Don't worry. I shall lend you some.
Raghib : Will you please give it right now?
Zeenat : Here you are.
Raghib : Thank you.

I will repay you the loan tomorrow.

Zeenat : That will be fine.

The underline sentences refer to a future action. The models 'shall' and 'will' are used to indicate simple futurity. You have seen that the modal is followed by the base form of the main verb. These are examples of the future simple tense. Then change each of your sentences into negative and interrogatives. In negative, 'not' will come after the modal and in interrogatives the modal will come before the subject.

Summary: What are The English Tenses?

Define tense: In grammar, the definition of tense is the quality of a verb which shows the time where an action, condition or condition occurs.

In summary, there are three (3) tense groups in English which include the past, the present, and the future tense. The present tense reveals the general truth. The past reveals events that have ended. The present expresses general truths. Reveals events that will happen in the future.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the best way to learn English tenses?

I recently wrote a very detailed response to a very similar question. You can find it if you check my answers for December 4th, ‘What is the easiest way to understand the difference in time?’ Hope you find it helpful!

What are the most important tenses in English?

If you are really interested in learning spoken English, I would recommend my book, ‘How did I learn to speak English?’ Available on Amazon. If you follow and practice Chapter 9, you will soon see an improvement.

What are verb tenses in the English language?

A tense is a form of action that shows time. In Latin, there are tenses that show past, present and future. In English, there is only one tense: the past tense.

What is the best book to learn tenses in English?

Other interested readers have provided you with links to some beautiful books. My advice is to check some books and choose a book or books that covers most of the syllabus, as well as practice various solutions and unresolved examples.

What are the 12 different English tenses?

The twelve (12) tenses in English are as follows:

Simple Present Tense
Present Continuous Tense
Present Perfect Tense
Present Perfect Continuous Tense
Simple Past Tense
Past Continuous Tense
Past Perfect Tense
Past Perfect Continuous Tense
Simple Future Tense
Future Continuous Tense
Future Perfect Tense
Future Perfect Continuous Tense

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Tuesday, December 10, 2019

What are Tenses in English? | Definition - Type of Tenses

What are Tenses in English? Definition, Type of Tenses with Examples