Tense
Tense :
Tense
Tense is that attribute of a verb by which it expresses distinctions of TIME.
There are twelve Tenses.
1. The Simple Present Tense
2. The Simple Past Tense
3. The Simple Future Tense
4. The Present Continuous Tense
5. The Past Continuous Tense
6. The Future Continuous Tense
7. The Present Perfect Tense
8. The Past Perfect Tense
9. The Future Perfect Tense
10. The Present Perfect Continuous Tense
11. The Past Perfect Continuous Tense
12. The Future Perfect Continuous Tense
The present time is that which is now as today, this minute, etc.
The past time is that which is gone by as yesterday, last year, etc.
Future time is that which is to come as tomorrow, next year, etc.
The words here used to denote time are nouns or a noun and an adjective. But a verb may be likewise used to denote the time of an event.
Examples :
He is sick.
The form of the verb IS denotes that he is sick now.
He was sick.
The form of the verb WAS denotes that he was sick at some time which is past.
He will be sick.
The form of the verb WILL BE denotes that he will be sick in some future time.
There are three principal distinctions of time, namely, present, past and future. So there are three principal tenses, namely, the present, the past and the future.
The Present Tense is that form of the verb which denotes simply present time as….I write.
The Past Tense is that form of the verb which denotes simply past time as….I wrote.
The Future Tense is that form of the verb which denotes simply future time as….I shall write.
A verb in the Future tense is always accompanied by some one of the words as shall, can, will or may and this accompanying word is considered a part of the verb.
The Present-Perfect Tense is that form of the verb which denotes what is past and finished, but which is connected also with the present time as….I have written.
An event may be past and finished when the period of time referred to is not all past, but comes down to the present moment.
Example : I have recited my lesson this morning.
Here, THIS MORNING is the period of time referred to and this period is not all past yet. But the reciting of the lesson is finished. The thing then was done in a period of time of which the present time is a part. It is therefore a past and finished act, but connected also with the present time.
That form of the verb which enables it to express this peculiar distinction of past time is called the Present-Perfect tense.
A verb in the Present-Perfect tense is always accompanied by one of the words have or has and this accompanying word is considered a part of the verb.
The Past-Perfect Tense is that form of the verb which denotes what was past and finished, before some other event which is also past as….I had written the letter, before it was called for.
An event may have happened some time ago and before another event which also happened some time ago.
Example :
I had washed my hands when they called me to breakfast.
Here the washing and the calling both occurred in past time, but the washing occurred before the calling.
That form of the verb which enables it to express this additional distinction of post time is called the Past-Perfect tense.
A verb in the Past-Perfect tense, in the Indicative mood, is always accompanied by one of the word HAD and this accompanying word is considered a part of the verb.
The Future-Perfect Tense is that form of the verb which denotes a future time prior to some other time which is itself future as….I shall have written the letter before it will be called for.
Here, the writing of the letter and the calling for it are both future.
They are both to take place hereafter. But the writing will be done and finished before the culling for it.
That form of the verb which enables it to express this peculiar distinction of future time is called the Future Perfect tense.
A verb in the Future-Perfect tense is always accompanied by two other words namely, either shall have, can have, will have or may haze and these accompanying words are considered a part of the verb.
Name (or write) five sentences containing a verb of the Present tense, five of the Past tense, five of the Future tense, five of the Present-Perfect, five of the Past-Perfect, five of the Future-Perfect.
Tense :
Elementary English Grammar Index
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