5th Class English Tenses Kinds of Tense

         Kinds of Tense

 

The Tense is divided into three categories. In other words, there are three kinds of tense:

•   Present Tense
•   Past Tense
•   Future Tense  

 

            Present Tense

Any action or event that takes place at present is called the present tense. There are four kinds of present tense.  

 

           Look at the following sentences:

•   He makes an appeal.
•   He is learning computer.
•   Shyam has forwarded the letter.

In the sentences given above the verbs 'makes', 'is learning' and 'has forwarded' show an action in present time. These verbs are said to be in the present tense. Present Tense shows an action done in the present time.  

 

           Present Indefinite or Simple Present

This tense is used to express the habitual actions, truths, planned activities, quotations and to put questions. Tense shows an action done in general way in the Present time.  

 

           Look at the following sentences:

•    The sun rises in the east.
•    My father takes fruit juice daily.

In the sentences given above the verbs 'rises' and 'takes' show an action done in general way in present time. They do not say whether the action is complete or incomplete. These verbs are in Present Indefinite Tense.  

 

           Uses of simple present tense

•     Present Indefinite Tense is used to show a habitual action.                

       For example: She goes to college every day.

•     Present Indefinite Tense is used to express a universal truth.

       For example: The earth moves round the sun.  

 

            Present Continuous Tense

The Present Continuous Tense is used to express an action or event taking place.

Tense shows an action going on (or continuing) at the time of speaking.  

 

           Look at the following sentences:

•    People are provoking each other.
•    Teacher is explaining the facts.

In the sentences given above the verbs 'are provoking' and 'is explaining' show an action going on or continuing at the time of speaking (in present time). Here the action is incomplete. These verbs are in Present Continuous Tense.  

 

           Uses of present continuous tense

•    Present Continuous Tense is used to show a temporary action :                

      For example: I am reading a book.

•    Present Continuous Tense is used to show an action expected to take place Infuture.

       For example: My brother is going to home tomorrow.  

 

           Present Perfect Tense

Present Perfect Tense is used to express the actions just completed, put questions and past actions whose time is not specific. Present Perfect Tense shows an action started in the past and completed at the time of speaking (in present time).  

 

           Look at the following sentences:

•    Shivam has passed the entrance test.
•    I have revised the lesson properly.

In the sentences, given above the verbs 'has passed' and 'have revised' show an action started in the past and completed at the time of speaking (in present time). These verbs are in Present Perfect Tense.  

 

           Uses of Present perfect tense

•    Present Perfect Tense is used to express an action that has just been completed.                

              For example: Rocky has opened the room.

•    Present Perfect Tense is used to express past actions whose time is not ' given.

              For example: We have painted the room.  

 

           Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Present Perfect Continuous Tense shows an action started at some time in the past and continuing up in the present time.  

 

           Look at the following sentences:

•    Shivam has been living in Mumbai for ten years.
•    Simran has been waiting for her father since Monday.

In the sentences, given above the verbs 'has been living' and 'have been waiting' show an action started at some time in the past and continue in the present time.

These verbs are in Present Perfect Continuous Tense.  

NOTE:

•    In Present Perfect Continuous Tense 'for' is used to state period of time and 'since' is used to state point of time.
•    Present Perfect Continuous Tense is used to show the continuity of an action which began in the past and is still going on.

For example: Farmers have been ploughing the field for five hours.

We have been discussing this matter since 27 July.  

 

 

            Past Tense

When a verb indicates a completed action, it said to be in the Past Tense.  

 

           Look at the following sentences:

•   Maria played chess.
•   Monu was laughing.
•   Serena had completed her work.

In the sentences given above, the verbs 'played', 'was laughing' and 'had completed' show an action of past time. These verbs are therefore in Past Tense. Past Tense shows an action done in the past time.  

 

           Past Indefinite or Simple Past Tense

Past Indefinite is used to express past habits, completed actions and put questions. It also shows an action done in the past time.  

 

           Look at the following sentences:

•   Ramesh bought a pencil.
•   Rishab taught the girls.

In the sentences given above the verbs 'bought' and 'taught' show an action completed in the past time. These verbs are in Past Indefinite Tense.               

 

           Use of simple Past Tense:

•    Past Indefinite Tense is used to show an action completed in the past.                

              For example: Maria left the town.

•    Past Indefinite Tense is used to show a habitual action in the past.

              For example: I used to play chess here.  

 

           Past Continuous Tense

The Past Continuous Tense is used to express the continuity of some past actions and to put questions. This Tense shows an action going on in the Past and not completed.  

 

           Look at the following sentences:

•    Rahul was celebrating his victory.
•    Chinki was looking at the stars.

In the sentences given above, the verbs 'was celebrating' and 'was looking' show an action going on at some time in the past. Here the action is incomplete. The time of action may or may not be indicated. These verbs are in Past Continuous Tense.  

 

           Use of Past Continuous tense

•    Past Continuous Tense is used to show an action begun and continuing in the past time.                

               For example: She was watching the television.

•    Past Continuous Tense is used to show a persistent habit in the past.                

              For example: The leader was always sleeping.  

 

           Past Perfect Tense

The Past Perfect Tense is used to express an action completed before a certain moment in the past. It shows an action which had been completed before another action took place.  

 

           Look at the following sentences:

•    Shubham had taken his meal before I arrived.
•    Shivam had cooked the food before I reached home.

In the sentences, given above the verbs 'had taken' and 'had cooked' show that the action had been completed before another action took place. Here the earlier action takes Past Perfect Tense. These verbs are in Past Perfect Tense.  

 

            Use of Past Perfect tense

•    Past Perfect Tense is used to show an action completed before another action took place.                

              For example: The college had closed before the professor came.

•    Past Perfect Tense is used to describe an action completed before a certain moment in the past.

               For example: I had met him twice.  

 

           Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Past Perfect Continuous Tense shows an action starting before a certain point in the past and continuing up to that time.    

 

           Look at the following sentences:

•    Rubi had been reading since morning when Dazy rang her up.
•    Annu had been singing for two hours when Tannu stopped him.

In the sentences, given above the verbs 'had been reading' and 'had been singing' show an action that began before a certain point in the past and continuing up to that time. These verbs are in Past Perfect Continuous Tense.

 

           Use of Past Perfect Continuous tense

Past Perfect Continuous Tense is used to show that the action was continuous and still going on at a point or period of time in the past.

For example: Mr. Lalwani had already been teaching in this college when he applied for another job.  

 

            Future Tense

In Future Tense, a verb indicates that an action will take place in future.  

 

           Look at the following sentences

•   Ashish will go to Delhi tomorrow.
•   Sharvan will be writing a letter them.
•   Serena will have eaten the mango before she sleeps.

In the sentences given above, the verbs 'will go', 'will be writing' and 'will have eaten' show an action to be done in Future time. These verbs are said to be in the Future Tense. Future Tense shows an action to be done in future (coming) time.  

 

           Future Indefinite or Simple Future Tense

The Future Indefinite Tense is used to express a supposed action, determination and put questions. This Tense shows an action to be done in general way in the future time.  

 

           Look at the following sentences:

•   Vinay will know his result soon.
•   Shubash will go home tomorrow.

In the sentences, given above the verbs 'will know' and 'will go' show an action to be done in the future time. These verbs are in Future Indefinite Tense.  

 

           Use of simple future

•     Future Indefinite Tense is used to show a future event.                

                For example: He will learn a lesson.

•     Future Indefinite Tense is used when we think to do something at the time of speaking.

                For example: It is hot. I will drink cold water.  

 

           Future Continuous Tense

The Future Continuous Tense is used to indicate the continuity of a supposed action, below possible actions or put questions. This Tense shows an action that will go on at some point of time in the future.    

 

           Look at the following sentences:

•   He will be reaching to his native place.
•   I shall be making project at that time.

In the above given sentences the verbs 'will be reaching' and 'shall be making' show an action that will go on at some point of time in the future. These verbs are in Future Continuous Tense.

 

           Use of future continuous tense

•     Future Continuous Tense is used to show an action that will be in progress at some time in future.                

                For example: She will be playing cricket when we reach there.

•     Future Continuous Tense is used to show some future plan.

                For example: Radha will be visiting the Taj Mahal for a week.  

 

           Future Perfect Tense

The Future Perfect Tense is used to indicate the completion of a supposed action or an action that starts earlier but still continues. This Tense shows an action to be completed before another action takes place in future time.  

 

           Look at the following sentences:

•     Santosh will have bought a bike before he gets a job.
•     Maria will have finished her cooking before the maid servant comes.

In the above given sentences the verbs 'will have bought' and 'will have finished' show an action which will be completed by a certain time in future. Here the earlier future action takes Future Perfect Tense and the subsequent action takes simple present tense. These verbs are in Future perfect Tense.  

 

           Use of future perfect tense

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

                For example: I shall have finished my lunch by 7 a.m.  

 

           Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Future perfect Continuous Tense shows an action in progress for a period of time In the future.  

 

           Look at the following sentences

•     Sanju will have been teaching for twenty years next month.
•     Shilpi will have been studying for four hours.

In the above given sentences the verbs 'will have been teaching' and 'will have been studying' show an action in progress over a period of time in the future. These verbs are in Future Perfect Continuous Tense.  

 

           Use of future perfect continuous tense

Future Perfect Continuous Tense is used to show an action which will be in progress over a period of time which will end in future time.

For example: you will have been learning computer for 2 months.