Tenses
Introduction:
The word tenses is derived from Latin word “tempus” which mean time .
The word indicates the time of an action , event or condition by
changing it form.
Classification of tenses :
• On basis of time .
• On basis of aspect / work.
Based on time frame :
The verb tenses are classified according to time frame ;
• Present tense : Present tense express the situation that exist now .
• Past tense : Past tense express the situation or action that started
and finished in past .
• Future tense: Future tense express the situation or action that will
occur in future .
Based on aspect / work:
The verb tenses are also classified according to aspect or work . Aspect
refer to the nature of action or situation described by the verb .
• Indefinite or simple tense :The three indefinite tenses ,or simple
tenses describe an action but do not state whether the action is
finished .
• Continuous or progressive tense: The three continuous tenses , or
incomplete tenses or progressive tenses describe an unfinished
action .
• Perfect or complete tense: The three complete tenses or perfect
tenses describe a finished action which was in progress and then
finished
• Present perfect continues tense: To combine the complete tense
or perfect tenses and the incomplete tenses to describe and action
which was in progress and then finished.
Type of tenses :
There are twelve possible verb tenses ,
Verb tenses
Present tense Past tense Future tense
• Present • Past continues • Future
continues tense ( tense ( The continues tense
continuing ( used to
nature of act or action ongoing describe action
event or in past ) ongoing in the
condition) Was /Were + future ).
Am/is/Are + 1st 1st form of verb Will be + 1st form
form+ ING . + ING of verb+ ING.
Laughing/ Going/ running
walking/going. /buying .
• Present perfect • Past perfect • Future perfect
tense ( use to tense ( refer to tense ( used to
describe action action took refer an action
that began in place and that will be
past and completed in completed
continues into past) Had + 3rd sometime in
the present or form of verb . future before
just completed ) another action
have/ has + 3rd For example : take place .
form of verb . Had worked , had Will have + 3rd
For example: gone , had done , had form of verb .
Walked. bought , had finished.
• Present indefinite • Past indefinite • Future
tenses (action tense (condition indefinite
occurring in the that occur in tenses(refer to
present ) Present past) 2nd form action that will
indefinite tense of verb . Past take place after
depend upon indefinite tense the act of
routine, schedule depend upon speaking
,habitual action the habitual writing ).
etc. action in past . Will + verb 1st
Use of S/ ES Use of second form .
when form of verb For example:
Subject is 3rd indicates the will plan , will do
Person and singular.
action occur in ,will participate
1st form of verb + past. etc.
S / ES
• Present perfect • Past perfect • Future perfect
continues tenses continues tense continues
( use to describe ( used to tense( used to
the condition indicate that indicate a
start in past and continuing continuing
continues into action that action that will
the present ). began in past ) be completed
Have / has + . Had at some
been + 1st form been + 1st form specified time
of verb + ING . of verb + ING. in the future .
For example : For example: Will have been
• has / have been had been + 1st form +
walking. walking . ING.
➢ The tense we are going to discuss is present perfect
continues tense.
Question :Difference between present perfect and
present perfect continues tense?
➢ Present perfect :
➢ connect present and past. present perfect tense
represent the long time period and more permanent.
for example :I have been cooked dinner.
➢ She worked in IBM ( how long.)
➢ She works in IBM+ 10 year .
➢ She's worked in IBM for 10 years.( Present perfect
tense permanent and long time period.)
➢ Present perfect continues tense :
➢ Started in past continue in present. present perfect
continues tense describe short time period and more
temporary. for example : I have been cooking dinner
➢ We are waiting + how long ----- + 15 minutes.
➢ We have been waiting for 15 minutes ( present
perfect continues tense short time period
temporary.)
➢ Question : How do we make present perfect
continues tense?
The structure of present perfect continues tense is :
Structure :
Subject+ auxiliary verb (has/have)+ auxiliary verb
(been) + main verb( 1st form of verb + ING ).
Positive :
I ,you ,they ,we ------ have been
He , she ,it --------- has been
Negative :
haven’t ------ have not ------- I , you , they ,we.
hasn’t ---- has not ------- He , she , it.
Interogative:
Have / has come in starting and question mark at
the end of sentence.
Examples of present perfect continues tense:
➢ Subject + auxiliary v + auxiliary v + main v
+ I have been waiting for one hour.
+ you have been talking too much.
➢ Subject +auxiliary v + auxiliary v + main v
+NOT
- It has not been raining.
- We have not been playing football.
➢ Auxiliary v + subject + auxiliary v + main v
Have you been seeing her ?
Have they been doing their
Homework.
Present perfect continues classified on basis of
Sentence action:
1. Started continues:
• we have been working on this project for six
months .
• Sea level have been rising.
2. Started finished :
• I have been calling you for hours .
• We have been waiting for you .
3. Common expression:
• I have been studying for three hours .
• It has been raining all day .
• She has been exercising a lot.
Contractions: When we use present perfect
continues tense in speaking , we often contract the
subject and the first auxiliary verb .we also
sometimes do this in informal writing .
Formal to informal writing:
I have been ----------- I've been .
You have been --------- you've been.
He has been --------- He's been.
She has been ------- she's been.
John has been ------ john's been.
We have been ----- We've been.
They have been ----- They've been.
Here are some examples:
▪ I've been reading .
▪ The car's been giving trouble .
▪ We've been playing tennis for two hours.
Question: How do we use present perfect continues
tense?
The present perfect continues tense has usually
connection with the present or now . There are basic tell
uses for present perfect continues tense.
❖ An action that has just stopped or recently stopped
We use present perfect continues tense to talk about
action that started in the past and stopped recently.
There is a result usually now .
I've been tired because I've been running .
Past Present Future
Recent action result now
For example:
• I've tired(now) because I’ve been running.
• Why is the grass wet (now)? Has it been raining.
• You don’t understand (now) because you
haven’t been listening.
❖An action continuing up till now
When we use present perfect continues tense to talk
about the action that start in past and is continuing
now . This is often used with since or for.
I have been reading for two hours.
Past present future
Action Action is continuing
Started in past now.
Examples:
• I have been reading for two hours.[ I am still
reading now. ]
• We have been studying since 9 o' clock[we've
still studying now. ]
• How long you have been learning English?[ You
are still learning now .]
➢ For and since with present perfect
continues tense:
We often use since and for with present
perfect continues tense.
• We use for to talk about the period of time -
5 minute ,2 week ,6 years .
• We use since to talk about the point in past
time 9 o' clock , January, Monday .
Here are some examples :
➢ I have been studying for three hours.
➢ I have been watching TV since 7pm.
➢ Tara hasn’t been feeling well for two weeks.
➢ Tara hasn’t been visiting us since March .
➢ He has been playing football for a long time .
For can be used with all tenses but since is
usually used with perfect tenses only.
Stative verb:
A stative verb do not refer to a physical structure
it depend upon the state and condition. They
usually relate to thought ,emotion and
relationship.
Examples:
X I have been knowing john for two years
✓ I have known john for two years .
X He has been liking this book all his life.
✓ He has liked this book all his life .
Point to be noted :
Main verb used with ING :
Most verb used ING -------- think +ing --- thinking
Verb ending in e ------- drop e ----- change + ing –
changing .
Verb ending in ie ----- change ie to y – lie+ing –
lying.
Verb ending in c.v.c ---- double last letter ---
plan+ing ------- planing.
Test your skills :
➢ It has _____ snowing a lot this week.
Be
Been✓
To
➢ ____ your brother and sister been
Gathering along?
Have✓
Has
➢ I’m tired because I ______ been
working out.
‘ ve✓
Has
Am
➢ Julie _____ living in Italy since may.
Has being
Is been
Has been✓
➢ Did you know he's been teaching
German ____ fifteen years?
For✓
Since
By.
➢ I have been writing articles on
different topic ______ morning.
Since✓
For
To
➢ He has been studying in library_____
three hours.
For✓
Since
By
Highlight the present perfect
continuous tenses in the above given
paragraph:
Goldilock fell asleep. And as she was
Sleeping , the three bear came home .
“Someone’s been eating my porridge,”
Growled papa bear.
“ Someone’s been eating my porridge ,”
Said mother bear.
“ someone’s been sitting in my chair.
