TENSE
(Time)
Explanation: the word “tense” means “time”. There are three times
at which an action can Take place. They are:
1) Present;
2) Past;
3) Future.
Each of these can be divided into:
1. The Continuous Tenses;
2. The Perfect Tenses; and
3. The perfect continuous Tenses.
See the following
PRESENT PAST FUTURE
(Now, today) (yesterday) (tomorrow)
See Saw Will See
Come Came Will Come
Do Did Will Do
Speak Spoke Will Speak
Cry Cried Will Cry
Bring Brought Will Bring
Eat Ate Will Eat
Fall Fell Will Fall
Drink Drank Will Drink
Fight Fought Will Fight
THE PRESENT TENSE:
1. (a) The simple present tense is used:
I. To tell something that is true or a fact.
e. g. The world is round.
The earth goes around the sun.
II. To tell about something that we always do, or about something
that always, often or usually happens.
e. g. It rains every day.
He reads every night.
She often comes here.
(b) The present continuous Tense is used:
I.To tell about an action that is still going on at the time of speaking.
e. g. He is writing a letter.
She is eating.
II.To tell something about the future.
e. g. He is leaving tomorrow.
She is coming next week.
(c) The present perfect Tense is used to tell about an action which
has just now finished or completed.
e. g. I have finished writing the letter.
They have come.
She has gone.
(d) The present perfect continuous Tense tell about an action that
recently stopped or is still going on. It puts emphasis on the duration or
course of the action.
I / you / we / they Has he been speaking?
I have been speaking.
I have not been speaking.
Have I been speaking?
he / she / it
He has been speaking.
He has not been speaking.
THE PAST TENSE
2. (a) The Past Simple Tense is used to tell something that
happened some time ago, that is, in the past.
e.g. He came yesterday.
She wrote a letter last night.
They fought that day.
(b) The Past Continuous Tense is used to tell about an action
which goes on at a certain time in the past.
e. g. He was playing when we saw him.
We were watching television when he arrived.
(c) The Past perfect Tense is used to tell about an action
taking place before a certain time in the past.
e.g I had spoken.
I had not spoken.
Had I spoken?
(d) The Past perfect continuous Tense is used to tell about
emphasis duration of an action taking place before a certain
time in the past and still continuous.
e.g He /she/it had been walking.
I /you /we/ they had been walking.
THE FUTURE TENSE
3. (a) The FUTURE TENSE Is used to tell about something
that will happen in the future, that is, tomorrow, next year,
etc.
e. g. She will see me tomorrow.
They will come next week.
You will hear from me again, soon.
(b) The Future Continuous Tense is used to tell about
something that will be happening tomorrow, next year, etc.,
that is, in the future.
e. g. He will be leaving tomorrow.
I shall be seeing her tonight.
We shall be catching fish, if it does not rain
tomorrow.
(Note: We use “-ing” for continuous tenses (past, present and
future)
Exercise 39
Change the following sentences into the present tense:
1) He read a book.
_______________________________________
_____.
2)We shall meet him.
_______________________________________
____.
3)She saw a goat.
_______________________________________
____.
4)John broke a glass.
_______________________________________
_____.
5)He will come early.
_______________________________________
_____.
6)Mary spoke English very well.
_______________________________________
_____.
7)She will be here.
_______________________________________
____.
8)He did not do it.
_______________________________________
_____.
“SHALL “and “WILL”
(Auxiliary Verbs or Helping Verbs)
See the following
The general rule
I shall You will
We shall He will
She will
It will
They will
Promise Order, Command
I will You shall
We will He shall
She shall
It shall
They shall
Explanation: for the future tense the Auxiliary Verbs “shall”
and “will” are used. There Are two forms:
1. Which just state future time;
2. Which states future time and also express a promise, a
command or order in the mind of the speaker. See the
following:
a. I shall see you tomorrow(No promise)
b. I shall see that I will see you tomorrow.
I promise that I will help you.
A. He will go out. (if he wishes)
B. He shall not go out (order)
You shall not leave without my permission.
