Using Tenses in English: Past, Present, Future

by Manik Joshi

This Book Covers The Following Topics:


What are Tenses?
AGREEMENT Between SUBJECT And VERB
TWENTY-FOUR Auxiliary Verbs
PRESENT TENSE
Present Indefinite Tense
Present Continuous/Progressive Tense
Present Perfect Tense
Present Perfect Continuous/Progressive Tense
PAST TENSE
Past Indefinite Tense
Past Continuous/Progressive Tense
Past Perfect Tense
Past Perfect Continuous/Progressive Tense
FUTURE TENSE
Future Indefinite Tense
Future Continuous/Progressive Tense
Future Perfect Tense
Future Perfect Continuous/Progressive Tense


Sample This:


What are Tenses?


Tenses could be defined as “any of the form of a verb that may be used to show the time of the action or an event or state expressed by the verb”.


THERE ARE THREE KINDS OF TENSES:


The Past Tense – The form of a verb that expresses an action in the past
[Action happened before present]


The Present Tense – The form of a verb that expresses an action that is happening now or at the time of speaking
[Action happens in present]


The Future Tense – The form of a verb that expresses an action that will happen in future
[Action will happen after present]


EACH OF THESE THREE KINDS OF SENTENCES HAS FOUR TYPES OF FORMS:
Simple or Indefinite Form
Continuous or Progressive Form
Perfect Form
Perfect Continuous or Perfect Progressive Form


EACH OF THESE FOUR TYPES OF FORMS HAS FOUR KINDS OF STATEMENTS:
Affirmative Statement --
Used to Show ‘Agreement’
Negative Statement --
Used to Show ‘Disagreement’
Interrogative Statement --
Used to Ask ‘Question’
Interrogative-Negative Statement --
Used to Ask ‘Question’ and Show ‘Disagreement’


Present Indefinite Tense


Expresses - Permanent Situation, Present Habit, General Truth, Action Is Understood To Be Taking Place In Present


(A). AFFIRMATIVE PATTERN –
Subject + First Form of Verb
Singular Verb is used with subject ‘He and She’ + All Singular Subjects.
Plural Verb is used with subject ‘I, We, You and They’ + All Plural Subjects.
Examples:
He/She talks. I/We/You/They talk.


(B). NEGATIVE PATTERN –
Subject + Do/Does + Not + First Form of Verb
Auxiliary ‘Does’ is used with subject ‘He and She’ + All Singular Subjects.
Auxiliary ‘Do’ is used with subject ‘I, We, You and They’ + All Plural Subjects.
Examples:
He/She does not talk. I/We/You/They do not talk.


Contraction - [‘Auxiliary + Not’]
Short (Contracted) Form of ‘do not’ -- don’t
Short (Contracted) Form of ‘does not’ -- doesn’t
Examples:
He/She doesn’t talk. I/We/You/They don’t talk. [Contracted form of ‘Auxiliary + Not’]


(C). INTERROGATIVE PATTERN –
Do/Does + Subject + First Form of Verb
Auxiliary ‘Does’ is used with subject ‘He and She’ + All Singular Subjects.
Auxiliary ‘Do’ is used with subject ‘I, We, You and They’ + All Plural Subjects.
Examples:
Does he/she talk? Do I/we/you/they talk?


Note - Use of Interrogative Word –
Interrogative Word + Do/Does + Subject + First Form of Verb
Why does he/she talk? Why do I/we/you/they talk?


(D). INTERROGATIVE-NEGATIVE PATTERN –
Do/Does + Subject + Not + First Form of Verb
Auxiliary ‘Does’ is used with subject ‘He and She’ + All Singular Subjects.
Auxiliary ‘Do’ is used with subject ‘I, We, You and They’ + All Plural Subjects.
Examples:
Does he/she not talk? Do I/we/you/they not talk?


Contraction - [‘Auxiliary + Not’]
Short (Contracted) Form of ‘do not’ -- don’t
Short (Contracted) Form of ‘does not’ -- doesn’t


Examples:
Doesn’t he/she talk? Don’t I/we/you/they talk? [Contracted form of ‘Auxiliary + Not’]


NOTE: Never use ‘Auxiliary + Not’ before Subject. You must use contracted form of ‘Auxiliary + Not’ before subject
You cannot say-
Does not he/she talk? Do not I/we/you/they talk? [This is wrong]
You must say-
Doesn’t he/she talk? Don’t I/we/you/they talk? [This is correct]


Note - Use of Interrogative Word –
Interrogative Word + Do/Does + Subject + Not + First Form of Verb
Why does he/she not talk? Why do I/we/you/they not talk?
Why doesn’t he/she talk? Why don’t I/we/you/they talk?

ebook

First published September 15, 2013