TENSES IN ENGLISH

1. TENSES
BY
MRS. PRECILLA C. STEPHEN

2. INTRODUCTION / DEFINITION
• The word Tense is derives from latin word “tempus” which means time.
• Tense of a verb indicates the time & state of an action or event by changing
its form

3. Based on Time Frame
• The verb tenses may be categorized according to the time frame:
Present Tense
Past Tense
Future Tense

4. PRESENT TENSE: It expresses an unchanging, repeated or re action or
situation that exists only now. It can also represent a widespread truth.
PAST TENSE: It expresses an action or situation that was started and finished
in the past.
FUTURE TENSE: It expresses an action or situation that will occur in the
future.

5. BASED ON ASPECT
Verb tenses may also be categorized according to aspect. Aspect refers to the
nature of the action described by the verb.
There are four aspects:
• Indefinite or Simple
• Continuous or Progressive
• Perfect or Complete
• Perfect Continuous

6. ASPECTS
1. INDEFINITE TENSE : The three indefinite tenses or simple tenses, describe an
action but do not state whether the action is finished.
2. CONTINOUS TENSE: The three continuous tenses, incomplete tenses, or
progressive tenses, describe an unfinished action.
3. PERFECT TENSE: The three complete tenses or perfect tenses, describe a
finished action
4. PERFECT CONTINOUS TENSE: To combine the complete tenses and the
incomplete tenses, to describe an action which was in progress and then finished.

10. PRESENT INDEFINITE TENSE
The simple present is used to describe an action, an event, or condition that is
occurring in the present, at the moment of speaking or writing.
For ex: I play.
He/she plays.

11. PRESENT CONTINOUS TENSE
They emphasizes the continuing nature of an act, event, or condition.
For ex:
I am playing
He/she is playing
They are playing.

12. PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
They are used to describe action that begun in the past and continues into the
present or has just been completed.
For ex:
I have played.
He/she has played.

13. PRESENT PERFECT CONTINOUS TENSE
The present perfect continuous tense is used to describe an action, event or
condition that has begun in the past and continuous into the present.
For ex:
i/you have been playing.
He/she has been playing.

15. PAST INDEFINITE TENSE
They are used to describe an action, an event, or condition that occurred in the
past.
For ex:
I played
He/she played.

16. PAST CONTINOUS TENSE
They are used to described actions ongoing in the past.
For ex:
I was playing
He/she was playing
You were playing

17. PAST PERFECT TENSE
They are used to refer to actions that took place and were completed in the
past.
For ex:
I had played
He/she had played

18. PAST PERFECT CONTINOUS TENSE
They are used to indicate that a continuing action in the past began before
another past action began or interrupted the first action.
For ex:
I had been playing
He/she had been playing.

20. FUTURE INDEFINITE TENSE
They are used to refers to actions that will take place after the act of speaking
or writing.
For ex:
I shall play.
He/she will play.

21. FUTURE CONTINOUS TENSE
They are used to describe actions ongoing in the future. The future progressive
is used to refer to continuing action that will occur in the future.
For ex:
I shall be playing.
He/she will be playing

22. FUTURE PERFECT TENSE
They are used to refer to an action that will be completed sometime in the
future before another action takes place.
For ex:
I shall have played.
He/she will have played.

23. FUTURE PERFECT CONTINOUS TENSE
They are used to indicate a continuing action that will be completed at some
specified time in the future.
For ex:
I shall have been playing
He/she will have been playing

25. EXERCISE 1
CORRECT THE FOLLOWING.
1. The boys plays cricket daily.
2. The nurse have gone home.
3. Every doctor look after his patient.
4. Allopathic medicines has side
effects.
5. Many a doctor were present in the
operation theatre.
6. The doctor and the nurse was
present in the hospital.
7. It will be raining since morning.
8. He has been playing.
9. He did not went to hospital.
10.The doctor will has left the hospital
.