Tenses demonstrate the time of an
action in a sentence usually performed by or centered around the subject of the
sentence. The actions are called verbs. Verbs change according to tenses and
other issues. As verbs are the most important elements of English sentences,
tenses also carry paramount importance in English grammar.
TENSES ARE MAINLY CATEGORIZED INTO THREE TYPES.
Present Indefinite Tense
The present
indefinite tense, also known as simple present tense, denotes a
stative or habitual or eternally true action.
Generally
simple present tense is used to indicate an action which happens – always,
regularly, every day, daily, normally, generally, usually, occasionally,
sometimes, often, rarely, frequently, nowadays, naturally, seldom, constantly,
never, every a week, every year, once a year, on a week, at times, at present,
now and then, or all the time.
Structure:
|
Subject (third person singular
number) + verb in simple present form + s/es + . . .
|
|
Subject (all other kinds) + verb in
simple present form + . . . . .
|
|
Person/Number
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
|
First
|
I am a good cricket player.
|
We are good cricket players.
|
|
Second
|
You are an irresponsible person.
|
You all are always irresponsible.
|
|
Third
|
The earth is smaller than Jupiter.
|
Junk foods are not good for health.
|
Note: When ‘be’ verbs work as the main
verb in a sentence, they are different from the above structures.
There are some stative verbs which are usually used in simple tenses whether
present or past or future.
The stative
verbs are:
|
Have
Understand
Know
Believe
|
Hate
Need
Hear
Love
|
Appear
See
Like
Seem
|
Smell
Want
Taste
Wish
|
Sound
Own
|
Examples:
I know Billy Bob.
He understands it.
They love swinging in the park.
Some people do not believe in God.
I usually wake up at 6.00 AM.
He plays cricket, but his brother
plays football.
Earth is bigger than Mercury.
The heat of the sun is the least in
the polar.
MORE EXAMPLES OF PRESENT INDEFINITE TENSE
Examples of Present Indefinite Tense:
I write articles on different topics.
He reads various kinds of books.
They love to play football.
She prefers coffee to tea.
He goes to the library every day.
We come for shopping in this market.
We watch movies in this Cineplex.
You always shop in that market.
I sing different kinds of songs,
especially modern.
I love to listen to melodious songs.
He loves to travel around the world.
They always play cricket in that
field.
The poet writes romantic poems.
The lyricist writes realistic songs.
Do you love to listen to realistic
songs?
I do not like to quarrel.
I am a peace-loving person.
I know how to protest against
injustice.
Do you like to watch cricket?
I love my parents and my elder
brother.
PRESENT PROGRESSIVE (CONTINUOUS)
TENSE
The present
progressive is used to indicate the ongoing time (now). However, the
stative verbs do not usually take the form of present progressive even though
they refer to the present time.
Now,
continually, perpetually, at this moment, at the moment, right now, This
season, this year, forever, etc. are usually the signs of a verb to take present progressive
tense. However, these signs are not necessary all the time for a verb to
present progressive tense.
Structure:
|
Subject + am/is/are + verb + ing + . . . . . . . . .
|
Example:
I am going to the college field.
He is coming here for some tips.
They are making a basketball ground.
Why are you working in that horrible
place?
Four teams are playing at this
moment.
This
structure is also used to demonstrate future time.
Example:
Alex is leaving for Portugal
tomorrow.
I am going to complete my task
tomorrow.
Our bus is leaving at 6.00 PM.
They are flying to Australia next
month.
MORE EXAMPLE OF PRESENT PROGRESSIVE TENSE
Examples of Present Continuous Tense:
I am writing articles on different
topics.
He is reading various kinds of books.
They are playing football now.
She is drinking coffee.
He is going to the library.
We are coming for shopping in this
market.
We are watching a movie in this
Cineplex.
You are shopping in that market.
I am singing different kinds of
songs, especially modern.
I am listening to melodious songs.
He is traveling around the world.
They are playing cricket in that
field.
The poet is writing romantic poems.
The lyricist is writing realistic
songs.
Are you listening to realistic songs?
I am not quarreling with you.
Are you coming to our home?
I am helping him to do the task.
My mom is cooking beef with cabbage.
Are you watching cricket on
television?
PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
The present
perfect tense is used when one intends to indicate:
an action that occurred at a time
which is indefinite and has its effect on the subject
or an action that occurred many times and has the
possibility to occur in the present/future
or an action that began in the past and still going
on in the present.
Structure:
|
Subject + have/has + verb in the
past participle form + . . . . . . .
|
Example:
Alex has read the book through. (No
time is indicated)
I have read this poem many times.
(Not habitual but occurred many times in the past)
He has lived in this apartment for 15 years. (Still going on)
Just,
already, yet, just now, ever, lately, recently, etc. are some of the signs for
present perfect tense.
Note: Already comes between have/has and the
past participle; yet appears with a negative form at the end
of the sentence.
Example:
Alex has already reached there.
Alex has not reached yet.
I have already cleaned the house.
I have not cleaned the house yet.
MORE EXAMPLES OF PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
I have written articles on different
topics.
He has read various kinds of books.
They have played football.
She has taken coffee.
He has gone to the library.
We have shopped in this market.
We have watched movies in this
Cineplex.
You have shopped in that market.
I have sung different kinds of songs,
especially modern.
I have listened to melodious songs.
He has traveled around the world.
They have played cricket in that
field.
The poet has written romantic poems.
The lyricist has written realistic
songs.
Have you listened to realistic songs?
I have not quarreled with you.
Have you been to this place before?
I have helped him to do the task.
My mom has cooked beef with cabbage.
I have watched the cricket match on
television.
PRESENT PERFECT PROGRESSIVE
(CONTINUOUS)
It is the
least used form of present tense. Present perfect progressive is
used to indicate an action that began in the past and is still occurring in the
present. Both present perfect and present perfect continuous can be used to
indicate this type of action.
Structure:
|
Subject + have/has + been + [verb +
ing] + . . . . . .
|
Example:
Alex has been reading for 3 years.
I have been sleeping since 10.00 AM
Robert has been working in that shop
for 6 years.
We have been living together for four
years.
EXAMPLES OF PRESENT PERFECT
CONTINUOUS TENSE
I have been writing articles on
different topics since morning.
He has been reading the book for two
hours.
They have been playing football for
an hour.
She has been finding the dress since
morning.
He has been studying in the library
for three hours.
We have been shopping at this fair
for two hours.
We have been watching a movie in this
Cineplex for two hours.
You have been shopping in that market
for three hours.
I have been singing different kinds
of songs, especially modern.
I have been listening to melodious
songs for an hour.
He has been traveling around the
world for a month.
They have been playing cricket in
that field for five hours.
The poet has been writing romantic
poems for several hours.
The lyricist has been writing
realistic songs since the beginning of his career.
Have you been listening to realistic
songs since morning?
I have not been watching the cricket
match for an hour.
Have you been preparing the
assignment for two hours?
I have been helping him to do the
task for an hour.
My mom has been cooking for three
hours.
I have been watching the 
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