Tense

Tense (noun): a verb-based method used to indicate the time, and sometimes the
continuation or completeness, of an action or state in relation to the time of speaking.
ORIGIN Latin tempus "time" Tenses denote the time of action. They show when the work is
done. They are: (1) Present Tense (2) Past Tense (3) Future Tense

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 The simple present tense is used:
 To express habits, general truths, repeated actions or unchanging situations, emotions and
wishes:
I smoke (habit); I work in London (unchanging situation); London is a large
city (general truth)
 To give instructions or directions.
You walk for two hundred meters, then you turn left.
 To express fixed arrangements, present or future:
Your exam starts at 09.00
 To express future time, after some conjunctions: after, when, before, as soon as, until:
He'll give it to you when you come next Saturday.

 For habits
He drinks tea at breakfast.
She only eats fish.
They watch television regularly.
 For repeated actions or events
We catch the bus every morning.
It rains every afternoon in the hot season.
They drive to Monaco every summer.
 For general truths
Water freezes at zero degrees.
The Earth revolves around the Sun.
 For instructions or directions
Open the packet and pour the contents into hot water.
You take the No.6 bus to Watney and then the No.10 to Bedford.
 For fixed arrangements
His mother arrives tomorrow.
Our holiday starts on the 26th March
 With future constructions
she’ll see you before she leaves.
We’ll give it to her when she arrives.

To describe the frequency of actions

We use the present simple to describe how often we do things, from never to always and
everything in between. Sometimes this describes a routine or habit (on Saturdays, once a
week, usually, every summer, and always. We also use this to describe something
we don't do regularly: now and then, once in a while, rarely, sometimes, when I'm tired).

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 Examples:

 On Saturday mornings, I sleep late.

 My father rides the bus to work once a week.
 His girlfriend never drinks alcohol.
 When I'm tired, I watch television.
 They rarely win any matches.
 I always call my mother on her birthday.

Actions set by a time table or schedule

We use the present simple tense for actions and events that are set by a timetable. This is
often something that is set by an organization. Please note that this can actually describe
an event happening in the future.

 The flight to Rome departs at five o'clock tonight.

 Don't worry, the bus comes every 20 minutes.
 When does the football game start?
 Class begins in two minutes.
 The conference ends on Friday.

To describe a present state

We use the simple present with verbs that express opinions, states,
feelings and emotions (not actions).
Common state verbs include:
Be, belong, seem, realize, think, believe, understand, like, love, hate, hear, smell, see,
think, understand, want, and wish.
Examples:
 I want that new dress. (NOT: I'm wanting that new dress)
 I love hamburgers. (NOT: I'm loving hamburgers).
 Do you smell popcorn?
 She understands this grammar.
 I don't like apples.

 They are very happy together.

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 Past Simple Tense
The Past Simple Tense is used to refer to actions that were completed in a time period before the
present time.
In the Simple Past the process of performing the action is not important. What matters is that the
action was completed in the past. The action may have been in the recent past or a long time ago.
So let’s start learning the Simple Past Tense – one of the most common tenses in spoken
English – and the points to pay attention to.
Forming the Simple Past

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Affirmative sentences in the Simple Past
I played football yesterday.
He saw his family last week.
I was in France in June.
Negative sentences in the Simple Past
To make negative sentences in the simple past we use the auxiliary ‘did not’ /
‘didn’t’ and the base form of the verb.
Subject + did not + base form of verb + object
For example:
I didn’t play football yesterday.
They didn’t go to the theater last month.
She didn’t arrive on time this morning.
Questions in the Simple Past
To make questions in the simple past we use ‘did’ in front of the subject and base
form of the verb.
Did + subject + base form of verb + object?
For example:

Did you play football yesterday?

Did they lose the match?
Did he clean his home last weekend?

Regular and Irregular Verbs

In order to convert regular verbs from their base form to the simple past form, we
add -ed. For irregular verbs, however, the simple past form doesn’t follow this
rule and can vary significantly and you simply need to learn them by heart. There
are many irregular verbs but below you can find the most common ones that you
need to know for daily use.
Regular verb examples
 place – placed
 dance – danced
 plan – planned
 stop – stopped
 fix – fixed

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  snow – snowed
 rain – rained
 need – needed
 help – helped
 add – added
 worry – worried
 play – played
As you can see from these examples, with most regular verbs we add -ed. When a
verb ends in -e we simply add -d. And when a verb ends in a consonant and -y, we
change the -y to -i and add -ed.
Irregular verb examples
 be – was/were
 buy – bought
 come – came
 do – did
 eat – ate
 find – found
 go – went
 have – had
 leave – left
 make – made
 pay – paid
 see – saw
 take – took
 tell – told
 write – wrote

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 The use of Simple Past Tense

 The Simple Past is used for actions that started and finished at a specific
time in the past. It’s also possible to use the simple past in a sentence
without specifying a time, but it must have previously been made clear that
the speaker is referring to a finished period.
 I saw a movie last week.

 The Simple Past is used to describe several actions that were completed in
the past.
 I finished work, walked to the beach and met my friends.
 The Simple Past is used to describe a process that started and finished in the
past. In this case, the process of the action is long and is used by specifying
time periods such as ‘the whole year’ or ‘all day’.

 I lived in Italy for five years.

 The Simple Past can also be used in sentences that describe past habits. These
sentences have the same purpose as the expression ‘used to’. It should be
clear in this kind of sentence that the action referred to is a habit. Time
expressions like always, often, usually and never can be used to underline
this.
 I often played football when I was a young man.

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 Past perfect tense
Forming the past perfect
 The Past Perfect tense in English is composed of two parts: the past tense of the verb to
have (had) + the past participle of the main verb.

Affirmative : she had given.

Negative : she hadn’t given.

Interrogative : had she given?

Past perfect + just

'Just' is used with the past perfect to refer to an event that was only a short time earlier than
before now, e.g.

 The train had just left when I arrived at the station.

 She had just left the room when the police arrived.
 I had just put the washing out when it started to rain.

Using Past Perfect Tense

There are several situations where the past perfect tense can be used. It is appropriate to use in
the following ways.

To show that an action happened before something else in the past:

 She stayed up all night because she had received bad news.
 They lost many of the games because they had not practiced enough.
 Anthony had met Ryan before you introduced him to us at the party.
 You had studied Italian before you moved to Rome.

To show that an action happened before a specific time in the past:

 She had established her company before 2008.

 He had never played football until last week.
 They had gotten engaged before last year.

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 Another use of past perfect tense includes reported speech. Examples of this use include:

 The teacher asked if we had studied for the exam.

 The usher asked if we had purchased our tickets.

Past perfect tense can also be used to show dissatisfaction with the past. Examples of this use
include:

 We wished we had purchased the winning ticket.

 I wished I had told the truth.
 She wished she had seen her friend.

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 Active and passive voice
The active voice asserts that the person or thing represented by the grammatical subject
performs the action represented by the verb.

The passive voice makes the subject the person or thing acted on or affected by the action
represented by the verb.

We can use passive voice with most tenses.

To change the tense of a passive sentence, you change the form of the verb 'be'. The main verb in
a passive sentence is always in the past participle form.

How to Identify Active/Passive Voices

By knowing the order in which the Subject, Verb and Object are placed in a sentence, we can tell
whether the sentence is Active or Passive. The rule for placement of subject, Verb and Object in
both Active and Passive voice are given below.

Structural Formula for Active Voice-

Subject + Verb + Object

Structural Formula for Passive Voice-

Object + Verb + Subject

Therefore an Active Voice statement always begins with the Subject, followed by the verb and
the Object respectively. On the contrary a Passive Voice statement begins with the Object,
followed by the verb and then the Subject at last.

Rules To Convert Active To Passive Voice and Vice Versa:

For changing a sentence from Active voice to Passive voice common Structural Changes are
applied as explained above. The verb forms to be chosen for different Tenses are explained
below with Examples-

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1) Simple Present Tense
When an Active voice in simple Present Tense is converted into Passive Voice; the verb is
changed into past participle form complemented with the Auxiliary Verbs – is, are, am +v3.

TENSE ACTIVE VOICE PASSIVE VOICE

VERB FORM: First Form VERB FORM: is/am/are +

/Base Form Past Participle (v3)

I write a letter A letter is written by me

She speaks French French is spoken by her

SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

He does not drink coffee Coffee is not drunk by him

Does she play chess? Is chess played by her?

They leave me I am left by them

Pronouns I, she, he, they are changed to me, her, him and them respectively, while converting to
Passive Voices.

Exercises with Answers

Identify whether the following sentences are Active or Passive and convert to other forms
accordingly.

1) I stop the car.

2) He spread the cheese.

3) The pillow is squeezed by them.

4) Dogs are fed by her.

5) He starts the generator.

Answers-

1) The statement is in Active Voice

Passive Voice- The car is stopped by me.

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2) The statement is in Active Voice

Passive Voice- The cheese is spread by me

3) The statement is in Passive Voice

Active Voice- They squeeze the pillow.

4) The statement is in Passive Voice

Active Voice- She feeds the dogs

5) Statement is in Active Voice

Passive Voice- The generator is started by them.

2) Present Continuous Tense

TENSE ACTIVE VOICE PASSIVE VOICE

VERB FORM: is/am/are +

VERB FORM: is/am/are +
being + Past Participle
ing form of the Verb
(third form) of the Verb

A letter is being written by

I am writing a letter
me

The dinner is being cooked by

PRESENT CONTINUOUS She is cooking the dinner
her
TENSE

Football is not being played

They are not playing football
by them

A horse is being ridden by

He is riding a horse
him

They are buying a car A car is being bought by them

Exercises with Answers:

Identify whether the following sentences are Active or Passive and convert to other forms
accordingly.

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1) Doctor is sterilizing the equipments.

2) The car is being started by him.

3) He is digging a pit.

4) They are stitching the tent.

5) The books are being submitted by her.

Answers-

1) The statement is in Active Voice

Passive Voice- The equipments are being sterilized by the doctor.

2) The statement is in Passive Voice

Active Voice- He is starting the car.

3) The statement is in Active Voice

Passive Voice- A pit is being dug by him.

4) The statement is in Active Voice

Passive Voice- A tent is being stitched by them.

5) The statement is in Passive Voice

Active Voice- She is submitting the books

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3) Present Perfect Tense

TENSE ACTIVE VOICE PASSIVE VOICE

VERB FORM: has/have + VERB FORM: has/have +

Past Participle form of the been + Past Participle form
Verb of the Verb

I have eaten a pie A pie has been eaten by me

A letter has been written by

He has written a letter
him
PRESENT PERFECT
TENSE
A car has been lifted up by
They have lifted up the car
them

Two books have been written

He has written two books
by him

Two cars have been bought

They have bought two cars
by them

Exercises with Answers:

Identify whether the following sentences are Active or Passive and convert to other forms
accordingly.

1) They have stirred the emotions.

2) He has written a letter.

3) We have studied the subject.

4) The pack has been subscribed by her.

5) The fields have been swept by flood.

Answers-

1) The statement is in Active voice.

Passive Voice- The emotions have been stirred by them

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2) The statement is in Active Voice

Passive Voice- A letter has been written by him

3) The statement is in Active Voice

Passive Voice- The subject has been studied by us.

4) The statement is Passive Voice

Active Voice- She has subscribed the pack

5) The statement is in Passive Voice

Active Voice- The flood has swept the fields

4) Simple Past Tense

TENSE ACTIVE VOICE PASSIVE VOICE

VERB FORM: Past Tense VERB FORM: was/were

Form (Second Form) of the + Past Participle form of
verb the Verb

I ate a burger A burger was eaten by me

They built a house A house was built by them

SIMPLE PAST TENSE

Two cats were bought by
They bought two cats
them

Two letters were written by

She wrote two letters
her

The stage was decorated by

I decorated the stage
me

Exercises with Answers:

Identify whether the following sentences are Active or Passive and convert to other forms
accordingly.

1) She took the pen.

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2) The prefect was sworn by the principal.

3) The samples were tasted by members.

4) People were taxed by the authorities.

5) We threw a party.

Answers-

1) The statement is Active Voice.

Passive Voice- The pen was taken by her

2) The statement is in Passive voice

Active Voice- The principal swore the prefect.

3) The statement is in Passive Voice

Active Voice- Members tasted the samples

4) The statement is in Passive Voice.

Active Voice- The authorities taxed people.

5) The statement is in Active voice

Passive Voice- A party was thrown by us

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5) Past Continuous Tense

TENSE ACTIVE VOICE PASSIVE VOICE

VERB FORM: was/were

VERB FORM: Was/were +
+ being + Past Participle
ing form of the verb
form of the Verb

A burger was being eaten by

I was eating a burger
me

A bike was being ridden by

He was riding a bike
PAST CONTINUOUS him
TENSE
The cats were being fed by
She was feeding the cats
her

They were cleaning the The utensils were being

utensils cleaned by them

The pitcher was being filled

I was filling a pitcher
by me

Exercises with Answers:

Identify whether the following sentences are Active or Passive and convert to other forms
accordingly.

1) I was playing a guitar.

2) A ball was being thrown by him.

3) They were sweeping the floor.

4) A story was being told by him.

5) We were trying to escape.

Answers-

1) The statement is in Active Voice

Passive Voice- A guitar was being played by me.

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2) The statement is in Passive Voice.

Active Voice- He was throwing a ball.

3) The statement is in Active Voice.

Passive Voice- The floor was being swept by them

4) The statement is in Passive Voice

Active Voice- He was telling a story

5) The statement is in Active Voice

Passive Voice- An escape was being tried by us.

6) Past Perfect Tense

TENSE ACTIVE VOICE PASSIVE VOICE

VERB FORM: had been+

VERB FORM: had + Past
Past Participle form of the
Participle Form of the Verb
Verb

A letter had been written by

I had written a letter
me

The book had not been read

She had not read the book
by her
PAST PERFECT TENSE

The church had been visited

They had visited the church
by them

The money had been

They had collected the money
collected by them

A book had been purchased

I had purchased a book
by me

Exercises with Answers:

Identify whether the following sentences are Active or Passive and convert to other forms
accordingly.

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1) I had transferred the powers.

2) She had touched the flower.

3) We had trapped the animal.

4) The book had been valued by him.

5) The claim had been verified by the officer.

Answers-

1) The statement is in Active Voice

Passive Voice- The powers had been transferred by me.

2) The statement is in Active Voice

Passive Voice- The flower had been touched by her.

3) The statement is in Active Voice

Passive Voice- The animal had been trapped by us

4) The statement is Passive

Active Voice- He had valued the book

5) The statement is Passive

Active Voice- The officer had verified the claim

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7) Future Simple Tense

TENSE ACTIVE VOICE PASSIVE VOICE

VERB FORM: will/shall +

VERB FORM: will/shall +
be + Past Participle form of
first form of the verb
the Verb

Holiday will be announced by

He will announce holiday
him

We shall write a letter A letter shall be written by us

FUTURE SIMPLE TENSE

A movie will be watched by

They will watch a movie
them

She will sing a song A song will be sung by her

You health shall be improved

It shall improve your health
by it

Exercises with Answers:

Identify whether the following sentences are Active or Passive and convert to other forms
accordingly.

1) I shall type a letter.

2) He will view the proceedings.

3) They will violate the rules.

4) The students shall be warned by the teachers.

5) Money will be wasted by them.

Answers-

1) The statement is in Active Voice

Passive Voice- A letter shall be typed by me

2) The statement is in Active Voice

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Passive Voice- The proceedings will be viewed by him.

3) They statement is Active Voice

Passive Voice-The rules will be violated by them

4) The statement is Passive Voice

Active Voice- The teachers will warn the students

5) The statement is Passive Voice

Active Voice- They will waste the money

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8) Future Perfect Tense

TENSE ACTIVE VOICE PASSIVE VOICE

VERB FORM: will/shall + VERB FORM: will/shall +

have + Past Participle Form have been + Past Participle
of the verb form of the Verb

A cab will have been hired by

I will have hired a cab
me

A letter will have been

She will have written a letter
written by them
FUTURE PERFECT TENSE

You shall have received Doctorate shall have been

Doctorate received by you

They will not have eaten the The dinner will have not been
dinner eaten by them

She will have answered the The questions will have been
questions answered by her

Exercises with Answers:

Identify whether the following sentences are Active or passive and convert to other forms
accordingly.

1) I will have watched the match.

2) The plants shall have been watered by me.

3) She will have called her mother.

4) The proposal will have been withdrawn by them.

5) They will have uprooted the tree

Answers-

1) The statement is Active Voice

Passive Voice- The match will have been watched by me.

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2) The statement is Passive Voice

Active Voice- I shall have watered the plants

3) The statement is Active voice

Passive Voice- Her mother will have been called by her.

4) The statement is in Passive Voice

Active Voice- They will have withdrawn the proposal.

5) They statement is in Active Voice

Passive Voice- The tree will have been uprooted by them.

Active Voice Statements That Cannot Be Converted Into Passive Voice

Active Voice statements expressed in the following tenses can’t be converted into Passive voice-

1) Present Perfect Continuous (or Progressive) Tense

He has been working in the factory for two years.

She has been living here since 2015.

They have been changing home for five months.

2) Past Perfect Continuous (or Progressive) Tense

He had been studying for five hours.

She had been living in that house since 2010.

3) Future Perfect Continuous (or Progressive) Tense

She will have been studying here for two years.

We will have been dining here since 2014.

4) Future Continuous (or Progressive) Tense

He will be reading a book tomorrow.

They will be playing football tomorrow..

5) Sentences with Intransitive Verbs

Intransitive Verbs sentences cannot be transformed into Passive Voices. For Ex-
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I am sleeping.

He was walking.

They are lying.

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