English Tenses

Time is a universal, non-lingustic concept, makes a three-way distinction between

past, present, and future, by which we understand the correspondence between the
form of the verb and our concept of time.Tense is a linguistic concept; it refers to the
role of specific verb forms in a given language to locate situations in time. Tense
indicates, to varying degrees of precision, the time when an event occurred or a
situation existed relative to the time of utterance. Verbs change form to indicate tense.
We have three tenses in English:

Past Present Future

In order to indicate the distribution of the situation over time, the degree of its
completion, or at what stage the action is, (is it instantaneous or a long, slow process?;
completed or ongoing?; once only or a recurring event?), the tenses are sub-divided
into four categories:

Indefinite Continuous Perfect Perfect

(simple, (ongoing, (completed) Continuous
unmarked) progressive)

PRESENT TENSE
The Present Indefinite Tense (Simple Present Tense)
We use this tense form to refer
(i) things that are always true.
(ii) situations that exist now and will go on indefinitely for general time.
(iii) habits or things that happen regularly.
(iv) universal truth.
e.g. The sun rises in the east.
He always comes here on Sundays.
Seenaa is a Millionaire.
I get up at 6 every morning
Different uses of the Present Indefinite Tense
(a) to mention different universal/general truths:-
e.g. The sun rises in the east. Water boils at 100º c. The earth
moves round the sun. The stars shine at night.

(b) to make statements of general nature:

e.g. We hear with our ears. The rose smells sweet.

(c) to express a habitual action (repeated action):

e.g. He often comes late. I eat fried sandwich every morning.

(d) in newspaper headlines:-

e.g. Two murderers escape.
(e) to narrate different actions at the time of speaking:
e.g. When the door opens, many people enter the hall.

(f ) to describe a pre-planned travel plan of near future which is based on certain

schedule:
e.g. We leave for Agaro at 8:00 and reach there at 9:00.
We stay there for two days and then leave for Metu.

(g) to refer historic events:

e.g. Ethiopia defeats Italy in Adwa battle.
Now Akbar calls Birbal and asks ..... .

(h) to show future time using 'when':

e.g. I shall do it when he comes.
When I finish the letter, I will give it to you.

(i) to mention a fixed programme with time table:

e.g. The train leaves at 4:30 p.m.
Classes begin next Monday.

(j) in conditional sentences:

e.g. If he comes to me, I shall help him.
If she sees Kamal, she will tell him.

(k) with certain verbs which are normally not used in the Present participle form
(-ing):
e.g. I love you. To say 'I am loving you' is wrong.

(l) to begin imperative sentences:

e.g. Work hard.
Obey your elders
Never tell a lie.
Mark of Identification:
We may identify the Tense of a sentence by the verb form used in it. But when we are
asked to fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb, we need to identify the
tense examining the adverbials of time used in such sentences.

When the sentences contain the following 'Adverbs of time', they are usually in the
Present Indefinite Tense.
(a) always, often, sometimes, usually, generally, frequently, seldom, rarely,never,
regularly, daily, occasionally.
(b) every day/night/month/year etc.
(c) each day/night/month/year etc.
(d) on Sundays/Mondays.......
(e) in the mornings/evenings etc.
(f) once/twice ... a day/week/month etc.

Present Perfect Tense

The present perfect tense form refers to an action or a process that has been completed
in the present time.
Form : Subject + has/have + Past Participle
eg. We have solved all the questions.
They have left for Jaipur just now.
She has written a story today.
Various Uses of the Present Perfect Tense :
(a) To express an action that has been recently completed. Words like just, already,
recently are used between the helping verb and the main verb in the sentence.
e.g. He has just gone out.
She has already explained her problem to me.

(b) To express an action that began in the past and still continues, use of 'since/for +
time' is necessary to mention at the end of the sentence.
e.g. He has been here for two weeks. Mr Sharma has lived in Jaipur since 2005.

(c) To describe an action which is completed in the past, but its effect is in the present
time.
e.g. He has cut his finger.
The President of USA has arrived to Ethiopia.

(d) To describe a just occurred action the time of which is not given.
e.g. I have read the book.
Have you taken food ?

(e) To mention an incomplete time like this

morning/afternoon/evening/week/month/year etc. The statement is made in the
meantime, before the completion of time portion.
e.g. I haven't seen Ram this morning.
I have sipped four cups of tea today.
Mark of Identification - (To solve 'fill in the blanks' type exercise).
Adverbials such as today, this evening/week/month/year, just, till, now, already,
recently, lately, not yet, so far, by now, always, never, ever, since, for etc. are used in
the sentences showing the Present Perfect Tense.
PAST TENSE
The Past Indefinite Tense (Simple Past)
The Past tense refers to the events and actions that took place in an earlier time or in
the past.
Form " Subject + (past form) .......... .
e.g. He gave me a pen yesterday. I lived in this house.
The uses of the Simple Past Tense –
1. To express an event which occurred at a particular point of time in the past.
e.g. He wrote a novel last year.
India became free in 1947.

2. Habits of the past time, which do not exist now (in present time) can be expressed
using 'used to':
e.g. When he was young, he used to play cricket.

3. The past form of 'be' is was/were, which is used to ask or tell anything about
someone.
e.g. She was an expert pilot. Was she an expert pilot? No, she wasn't
an expert pilot.

4. In Conditional Sentence, the simple past tense form is to show imagination.

If + past Indefinite + ...... would/should + present simple
e.g. If I had money, I would buy a car.
If I knew his address, I would tell you.
Mark of Identification – (To solve 'fill in the blanks' type exercises).
Time adverbials such as 'last night/year/month/week, ago, long ago, back, just now,
yesterday, in 2000 etc. are used in sentences to show the Simple Past Tense.
The Simple Past and the Present Perfect Tenses: Basic Difference
1. When an action has been completed in the past and the time is not mentioned, the
Present Perfect tense is used. But when the time is mentioned, the Past Indefinite
tense is used.
e.g. I have bought a new TV. I bought a new TV last week.
He has written a letter, but He wrote a letter and posted it yesterday.
He hasn't posted it.

2. If some action has been completed in the past but whose effect is still on the present
time, then the Present Perfect Tense is used. But if the effect of the action is absent in
the present time, the Past Indefinite Tense is used.
e.g. Sita has had an accident. Sita had an accident.
(She is still in the hospital.) (She is quite well now.)
I have lost my pen. I lost my pen and had to borrow
Sara's.

3. An action is completed in the Past and if there is some possibility of its beginning
again, then the Present Perfect Tense is used, otherwise the statement is expressed in
the Past Indefinite Tense.
e.g. Chetan has written a number of dramas. Kalidas wrote a number of
dramas.
(He can write more as he is alive.) (No possibility of
writing more now.)

4. When a statement is made within an unfinished time, it is in the Present Perfect

Tense and if it is made after the completion of time period it is in the Past Indefinite
Tense.
e.g. I have taken a lot of tea today. I took a lot of tea
yesterday.
Other examples:
Present Perfect Past Indefinite
1. She has phoned me six times this 1. She phoned me six times this
morning. morning..
(saying at 11:00 a.m.) (saying at 2:00 p.m.)
2. Have you seen him this week? 2. Did you see him last week?
3. I have never played cricket in my life.3. I didn't play cricket when I was at
Kota.
Generally unfinished time is expressed by The finished time can be expressed
'this morning/afternoon/week/month/year, by 'yesterday, last week/month/year
 today etc'. in 2012 etc.

PAST PERFECT TENSE

This tense refers to an action or a process that has been completed in the past time. In
a simple sentence we never use the Past Perfect Tense, unless it contains adverbials
like already, before, never, still etc.
e.g. The guests had already taken tea.
She had never visited the Taj before.
Different Uses of the Past Perfect Tense –
1. When two inter-related actions happened in the past one after the other, then the
action that took place before is mentioned in the Past Perfect Tense. The other action,
which took place later on is expressed using the Past Indefinite Tense. To connect
such sentences conjunctions like before, when, after, till, until etc are used.
e.g. 1. They had practised before they did it.
OR
Before they did it, they had practised.
(Here the action of practising occurred earlier and the action of doing took place later
on). Some more examples are -
1. He had seen the ball before he hit it.
2. He had worked very hard before he finally won.
3. He went out after the rain had stopped.
OR
After the rain had stopped he went out.
Note:
(a) Generally the Past Perfect Tense is used in the sentence after the word "after".
After + Past Perfect + Past Indefinite
OR
Past Indefinite + after + Past Perfect
(b) Normally the clause following the word 'before' is mentioned in the Past Indefinite
tense form.
Past Perfect + before + Past Indefinite
OR
Before + Past Indefinite + Past Perfect
(c) With 'till or until' the Past Perfect Tense is used and then the Past Indefinite Tense
follows.
e.g. He did not move until I had asked him.
Nobody waited till I had finished my lunch.
Note :
(a) When two actions were happening altogether at the same time in the past, The
Simple Past Tense is used to express them in sentences.
e.g. As soon as he saw the police, he ran away.
(b) Do not use the Past Perfect Tense, to express an individual action happened in the
Past time.
e.g. I had finished my work yesterday. (Incorrect)
I finished my work yesterday. (Correct)

2. While changing narrations form direct into indirect, the statements in the Simple
Past Tense are converted into the Past Perfect tense form. e.g.
(i) Direct: He said,“I left the school a few months ago.”
Indirect: He said that he had left the school a few months before.
(ii) Direct : Sita said,“I have already read this book.”
Indirect : Sita said that she had already read that book.

3. With conditional sentences Type III unfulfilled conditions in the past time, the past
perfect tense form is used.
Pattern : If + Past perfect + ....... would have/should have + past participle ........
e.g. If you had reached the station in time, you would have met your friend.

4. To express an unfulfilled wish of the past time, the Past Perfect Tense is used
generally with the words like 'wish, would sooner, rather, if only, as if, as though etc.
e.g.
(i) I wish I hadn’t telephoned her ( = I am sorry I telephoned her).
(ii) If only I had seen the thief ( = but couldn't see).

5. If someone wants to know about an action that had already happened in the past
time, the Past Perfect Tense is used.
e.g. I apologized because I had forgotten my book.

6. To express an action that started before the other in the past time. e.g.

(a) Previous Action Subsequent Action

(Past Perfect) (Simple Past )
e.g.He had been ill for two days when the doctor was sent for.
(b) Subsequent Action Previous Action
(Simple Past) (Past Perfect)
e.g.The sheep fled in a great haste for a wolf had entered the field.

7. To express the completion of an action that took place in the past time before
another action started. e.g.
(i) By the time it began to snow, they had reached home.
Past
Now

They had reached home It began to snow

(ii) When he stopped weeping, everyone had left.

Difference between the Present Perfect and the Past Perfect Tense
The Present Perfect Tense is used to The Past Perfect Tense is used to
express an action that began in the past express an action that started in the past
and still continues in present or its effect and completed also in the past time. It
is still there in present. has no effect in the present time.
(i) A. Who is that boy ? (i) I didn't know who he was. I had
B. I have never seen him. never seen him.

(ii) The room is dirty. Nobody has (ii) The room was dirty. Nobody had
cleaned it for a long time. cleaned it for a long time.