TENSES

Tense is the form of the verb which shows the time and state of an action and
an event.

There are mainly three tenses:

1.The Present Tense: referring to the present time.

2.The Past Tense : referring to the past time.
3.The Future Tense : referring to the future time.

Each tense further has four forms:

PRESENT TENSE PAST TENSE FUTURE TENSE

 Simple Present  Simple Past  Simple Future
 Present  Past Continuous  Future Continuous
Continuous
 Present Perfect  Past Perfect  Future Perfect
 Present Perfect  Past Perfect  Future Perfect
Continuous Continuous Continuous

Simple Present Tense:(Present Indefinite Tense)

Usage:The simple present tense is used to denote

 Habitual action: eg:1. He gets up every day at 6’o clock.

2.I always take my milk without sugar.

 Universal truth : eg :1. The sun sets in the west.

2. The earth revolves round the sun.

 A fact which is true at present : eg: 1.Water boils at 100 degree celcius.
2.Sarala reads in sixth class.

Structure: Affirmative : Subject +V1/V5(s or es)

Example:
Subject Verb
I / We / You / They V1(read)
He /She / It V5(reads)
Negative: Subject +do/does + not +V1
Example:
Subject Verb
I /We /You /They do not read.
He / She /It does not read.
Interrogative: Do/Does + subject + V1+ ?

Ex:1. Do you read?

2.Does he read?

Exercise : Fill in the blanks with simple present tense form of the verbs given in
the bracket:

1. The sun _____ in the west. (set)

2. I ____ to temple daily. (go)
3. She _______up at 4 am daily. (get)
4. Riya ______ very neatly. (write)
5. The stars _______at night. (shine)
6. Birds _______with their wings. (fly)
7. Fish ______ in water. ( live)
8. The plane ________at 6.05 pm.(leave)
9. Cows _______grass. (eat)
10. Tom ______his homework regularly. (do)

Answers: 1. sets 2. go 3. gets 4. writes 5. shine 6. fly 7. lives 8. leaves 9.eat 10.
Does

Present Continuous Tense

Usage: The Present Continuous tense is used :

 To express an action happening at the time of speaking.

Eg: 1. It is raining at now.
2. I am reading a letter.
 To express plans in the near future .
Eg: 1. I am flying to Dubai next week.
2. He is meeting her at the airport in an hour.
Structure:
Affirmative : Subject + am/is/are + V1+ing.
Eg: 1. I am playing.
2. He is writing.
3. They are running.
Negative : Subject + am/is/are + not + V1+ ing
Eg: 1. I am not playing.
2. He is not writing.
3. They are not running.
Interrogative: am/is/are + Subject+V1 +ing+?
Eg: 1. Am I playing?
2. Is he writing?
3. Are they running?
Exercise : Put the verbs given in brackets into the present continuous tense:

1. He _________(swim) in the river.

2. She ________(wash) clothes.
3. It ________(rain) very hard.
4. The machine _________(make) loud noise.
5. The cattle ________(graze) in the field.
6. She __ always ________(ask) silly question.
7. The teacher _________( teach) the students.
8. My mother __________( cook) lunch.
9. Where_____ you______?(go)
10.What ____ he _____(do) now?
Answers: 1.is swimming 2. is washing 3. is raining 4. is making 5. are grazing 6.
is, asking 7. is teaching 8. is cooking 9. are, going 10. is , doing

Simple Past Tense :

Usage:

The simple past tense is used to denote

 A past event or action : eg:1.I saw many deer in the zoo.

2.My friend met the PM last week.

 A habit or custom in the past:eg:1.He studied many hours everyday.

2.Gandhiji always spoke the truth.

 An action that lasted for a period of time in the past:

eg : 1.He worked in that office for ten years.
2.They lived in this house for five years.
Structure:

Affirmative: Subject + V2
Eg: I played.
He jumped.

Negative : Subject + didn’t + V1

Eg: I didn’t play.
He didn’t jump.

Interrogative: Did + subject +V1 + ?

Eg: Did I play?
Did he jump?

Exercise: Complete the sentences using simple past tense of the given verb.
1. They _____ (live) in this house for five years .
2. I _____ (swim) for half an hour.
3. I _____(sit) in the first row.
4. She______( write ) neatly.
5. He _______( eat) his food in the canteen.
6. Last year, a group of tourist ______(come) to India.
7. I ______(see) the movie last Sunday.
8. I ______(buy) this camera in Bengaluru.
9. Sachin _______(score) a century in the last match.
10. I ______(take) a bath in the Ganga river yesterday.

Answers:1. lived 2. swam 3. sat 4. wrote 5. ate 6. came 7. saw 8. bought 9.

scored 10. took

Past Continuous Tense

Usage:

The Past continuous tense is used to express

 An action that was in progress at sometime in the past.

eg: 1.I was playing in the lawn of my house.
2. The old lady was crying at the top of her voice.

 To express two or more actions in progress at the same time in past.

eg : 1.While I was doing my homework , my brother was playing outside.
2. My mother was cooking the food when I reached home.

Structure:

Affirmative: Subject + was/were + V1 + ing

Eg: 1. I was writing.
2. We were writing.

Negative : Subject + wasn’t/weren’t +V4

Eg: 1. I wasn’t writing.
2. We weren’t writing.

Interrogative : Was/ Were + subject +V4 + ?

Eg: 1. Was I writing?
2. Were we writing?

Exercise:
Fill in the blanks with past continuous tense:
 1. Mother _________(bake) cake.
2. Meena ______(sleep) in her room.
3. I _________(attend) my English class.
4. My friends ________( enjoy) the party.
5. It _______(get) darker and darker.
6. My father _______(read) a newspaper in the morning.
7. They __________(play) cricket in the ground.
8. We ________(learn) through online classes.
9. Bansidar _______(play) with a toy gun.
10. The children ______(watch) the television.

Answers: 1. was baking 2. was sleeping 3. was attending 4. were enjoying 5.

was getting 6. was reading 7. were playing 8. were learning 9. was playing 10.
were watching