Tenses

WHAT IS TENSE ?WHAT IS TENSE ?
ORIGIN LatinORIGIN Latin tempustempus "time”"time”
 A tenses is a form taken by a verb to showA tenses is a form taken by a verb to show
the time of action.the time of action.
 A verb-based method used to indicate theA verb-based method used to indicate the
time, and sometimes the continuation ortime, and sometimes the continuation or
completeness of an action or state in relationcompleteness of an action or state in relation
to the time of speaking.to the time of speaking.

Components Of Many EnglishComponents Of Many English
TensesTenses
TimeTime and Aand Aspectspect..
TimeTime expresses:expresses:
 PresentPresent -- now, or any time that includes nownow, or any time that includes now
 PastPast -- before nowbefore now
 FutureFuture -- after nowafter now
AspectAspect can be:can be:
 ProgressiveProgressive -- uncompleted action or stateuncompleted action or state
 PerfectivePerfective -- completed action or statecompleted action or state

Voice And Mood, ThAT Allow Us ToVoice And Mood, ThAT Allow Us To
creATe More ThAn The TwelVe TensescreATe More ThAn The TwelVe Tenses

TIME
PAST PRESENT FUTURE
Simple (no aspect) sang Sings / Sing Shall / will sing
Aspect Progressive Was / were
singing
Am / is / are
singing
Shall be / will be
singing
Perfective had sung Have / has
sung
Shall have / will
have sung
Perfect
Progressive
had been
singing
Have been/
has been
singing
Shall have been /
will have
been singing

Simple PresentSimple Present
UsageUsage
 a single or repeated action in the presenta single or repeated action in the present
 general validitygeneral validity
 actions happening one after the otheractions happening one after the other
 confirmed future actions (time table, schedule)confirmed future actions (time table, schedule)
Signal WordsSignal Words
 always, every …, never, normally, often, seldom,always, every …, never, normally, often, seldom,
sometimes, usually if-clause type I (If I talk, …)sometimes, usually if-clause type I (If I talk, …)
Positive / Negative / QuestionPositive / Negative / Question
 P:P: He speaks.He speaks.
 N:N: He does not speak.He does not speak.
 Q:Q: Does he speak?Does he speak?
Train Schedule

Present ProgressivePresent Progressive
UsageUsage
 action currently taking placeaction currently taking place
 action limited to a particular timeframeaction limited to a particular timeframe
 already planned or agreed-upon future actionalready planned or agreed-upon future action
 at the moment, just, just now, Listen!, Look!, now,at the moment, just, just now, Listen!, Look!, now,
right nowright now
 P:P: He is speaking.He is speaking.
 N:N: He is not speaking.He is not speaking.
 Q:Q: Is he speaking?Is he speaking?

SimpleSimple PastPast
UsageUsage
 a single or repeated action in the pasta single or repeated action in the past
 actions happening one after the other in the pastactions happening one after the other in the past
 a new action that interrupts an action that wasa new action that interrupts an action that was
already taking placealready taking place
 yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in 1990, the other day,yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in 1990, the other day,
last Fridaylast Friday
if-clause type II (If I talked, …)if-clause type II (If I talked, …)
 P:P: He spoke.He spoke.
 N:N: He did not speak.He did not speak.
 Q:Q: Did he speak?Did he speak?

Past ProgressivePast Progressive
UsageUsage
 emphasis on the process of an action taking placeemphasis on the process of an action taking place
in the pastin the past
 multiple actions taking place at the same timemultiple actions taking place at the same time
 an action that was taking place when interrupted byan action that was taking place when interrupted by
a new actiona new action
 when, while, as long aswhen, while, as long as
 P:P: He was speaking.He was speaking.
 N:N: He was not speaking.He was not speaking.
 Q:Q: Was he speaking?Was he speaking?

Present PerfectPresent Perfect
UsageUsage
 the result is emphasisedthe result is emphasised
 action that lasts to the present momentaction that lasts to the present moment
 action that has just been completedaction that has just been completed
 completed action with influence on the presentcompleted action with influence on the present
 an action that has never/once/more than once taken placean action that has never/once/more than once taken place
up to the time of speakingup to the time of speaking
 already, ever, just, never, not yet, so far, till now, up toalready, ever, just, never, not yet, so far, till now, up to
nownow
 P:P: He has spoken.He has spoken.
 N:N: He has not spoken.He has not spoken.
 Q:Q: Has he spoken?Has he spoken?

Present Perfect ProgressivePresent Perfect Progressive
UsageUsage
 the action is emphasised (not the result)the action is emphasised (not the result)
 action that has lasted until the present timeaction that has lasted until the present time
 completed action with influence on the presentcompleted action with influence on the present
 all day, for 4 years, since 1993, how long?, theall day, for 4 years, since 1993, how long?, the
whole weekwhole week
 P:P: He has been speaking.He has been speaking.
 N:N: He has not been speaking.He has not been speaking.
 Q:Q: Has he been speaking?Has he been speaking?

Past PerfectPast Perfect
UsageUsage
 action taking place before a certain time in the pastaction taking place before a certain time in the past
 sometimes interchangeable with past perfectsometimes interchangeable with past perfect
progressiveprogressive
 emphasises only the fact that something took placeemphasises only the fact that something took place
before a certain point in the pastbefore a certain point in the past
 already, just, never, not yet, once, until that dayalready, just, never, not yet, once, until that day
if-clause type III (If I had talked, …)if-clause type III (If I had talked, …)
 P:P: He had spoken.He had spoken.
 N:N: He had not spoken.He had not spoken.
 Q:Q: Had he spoken?Had he spoken?

Past Perfect ProgressivePast Perfect Progressive
UsageUsage
 action before a certain point in the pastaction before a certain point in the past
 sometimes interchangeable with past perfect simplesometimes interchangeable with past perfect simple
 emphasises the action or length of the actionemphasises the action or length of the action
 for, since, the whole day, all dayfor, since, the whole day, all day
 P: P: He had been speaking.He had been speaking.
 N: N: He had not been speaking.He had not been speaking.
 Q: Q: Had he been speaking?Had he been speaking?

Simple FutureSimple Future
UsageUsage
 events in the future that cannot be influencedevents in the future that cannot be influenced
 spontaneous decisionspontaneous decision
 suppositions about the futuresuppositions about the future
 in a year, next …, tomorrowin a year, next …, tomorrow
if-clause type I (If you ask her, she will help you.)if-clause type I (If you ask her, she will help you.)
supposition: I think, probably, perhapssupposition: I think, probably, perhaps
 P: P: He will speak.He will speak.
 N: N: He will not speak.He will not speak.
 Q: Q: Will he speak?Will he speak?

Future ProgressiveFuture Progressive
UsageUsage
 action that will be taking place at a certainaction that will be taking place at a certain
point in the futurepoint in the future
 certain or obvious eventscertain or obvious events
 in one year, next week, tomorrowin one year, next week, tomorrow
 P: P: He will be speaking.He will be speaking.
 N: N: He will not be speaking.He will not be speaking.
 Q: Q: Will he be speaking?Will he be speaking?

Future PerfectFuture Perfect
UsageUsage
 action that will have been completed by aaction that will have been completed by a
future timefuture time
 by Monday, in a weekby Monday, in a week
 P: P: He will have spoken.He will have spoken.
 N: N: He will not have spoken.He will not have spoken.
 Q: Q: Will he have spoken?Will he have spoken?

Future Perfect ProgressiveFuture Perfect Progressive
UsageUsage
 action that will have been completed by aaction that will have been completed by a
future timefuture time
 emphasises the length of the actionemphasises the length of the action
 for …, the last couple of hours, all day longfor …, the last couple of hours, all day long
 P: P: He will have been speaking.He will have been speaking.
 N: N: He will not have been speaking.He will not have been speaking.
 Q: Q: Will he have been speaking?Will he have been speaking?

Sample Questions:Sample Questions:
 SheShe oftenoften _____(go) to the cinema._____(go) to the cinema.
 We _______(stand)We _______(stand) in front ofin front of the cinema.the cinema.
 We _____ (go) to the cinemaWe _____ (go) to the cinema yesterdayyesterday..
 They _____(wait) in front of the cinema yesterday.They _____(wait) in front of the cinema yesterday.
 We ______(queue) for the ticketsWe ______(queue) for the tickets for half an hourfor half an hour..
 BeforeBefore they went to the cinema, they _______(book) their tickets.they went to the cinema, they _______(book) their tickets.
 BeforeBefore they got their tickets, they ________(queue)they got their tickets, they ________(queue) for half an hourfor half an hour..
 I _____(go) to the cinemaI _____(go) to the cinema tonighttonight..
 At 9 pmAt 9 pm we ________(watch) the film.we ________(watch) the film.
 They _________(return) from the cinemaThey _________(return) from the cinema by 11 pmby 11 pm..
 In two more minutesIn two more minutes we ______ (queue)we ______ (queue) for half an hour.for half an hour.

Tenses

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