VERBS

- An action, a state of being or existence or possession

(Eg) The cow is eating grass. (action)

The dog barked. (action)
Radha is sixteen years old. (state)
My brother has a scooter. (possession)
The snake was killed by a boy. (action)

TRANSITIVE & INTRANSITIVE VERBS

(Eg) I saw.

She is arranging. Intransitive Verbs

The dog bit.

(Eg) I saw a movie.

She is arranging flowers. Transitive Verbs

The dog bit a boy.

Now look at these sentences (which make a complete sense):

(Eg) The child is sleeping.

She sat down.

Several verbs can be used as both Transitive and Intransitive

TRANSITIVE INTRANSITIVE

Lata started the quarrel. The meeting started on time.

I opened the door. The library opens at 10.00 am

The government increased the price of petrol. The water level steadily increased.

The pencil broke into two.

They broke the window panes.

Some verbs have two objects

(Eg) Shakthi gave me (Indirect Object) a pen (Direct Object).

Grandfather told us a story.
The Principal gave an award to the boy.
His father wrote a long letter to him.
I will tell you a story.
Will you buy me an ice-cream?
Can you lend me a pen?
She gave chocolates to every child in the class.
We sent messages to all those who won prizes.
VERBS – TENSES

- Shows the time of an action and the degree of its completeness.

TYPES

PRESENT

1. Simple Present She bakes a cake

2. Present Continuous (v+ing) She is baking a cake

3. Present Perfect (has/have +past participle) She has baked a cake

4. Present Perfect Continuous (has+ been+v+ing) She has been baking a cake

PAST

1. Simple Past She baked a cake

2. Past Continuous She was baking a cake
3. Past Perfect (had+pp of the v) She had baked a cake
4. Past Perfect Continuous (had+been+v+ing) She had been baking a cake

FUTURE

1. Simple Future She will bake a cake

2. Future Continuous (will+be+v+ing) She will be baking a cake
3. Future Perfect (will+have+pp of v) She will have baked a cake
4. Future Perfect Continuous (will+have+been+v+ing) She will have been baking a cake

USES OF THE SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

1. Used to express a regular, habitual or repeated action or events.

(Egs) I change my library book every week.
He takes the dog out twice a day.
Birds usually build nests in the tree.
I get up every day at 5 o’ clock.
 My father always takes his coffee without sugar.
2. Express a Universal truth or scientific principle
(Eg) The planets revolve around the sun.
Water contains oxygen and hydrogen.
The sun rises in the east.
Ice melts above 0 degree Celsius.

3. Express a future action(preplanned)

to indicate an arranged program.

(Eg) The Governor arrives here tomorrow morning.

The Chief Minister opens the new building in our school tomorrow.
The Prime Minister of Russia arrives to India next month.
The DEO visits our school tomorrow.
The film releases in 1st January I Star Theatre.

To indicate future action (definite one)

(Eg) Our Examination begins on Next Monday.

My class teacher retires in May next year.
The University reopens in June.
We fly to Canada next month.

4. Used in Proverbs and Maxims

(Eg) Honesty is the Best Policy.
Time and Tide waits for none.
Barking dogs seldom bite.
Empty vessels make much noise.
Slow and steady wins the race.
 5. Used in Imperative sentences.
(Eg) Write neatly.
Close the door.
Do well in next time.
Don’t smoke here.

KEYWORDS

Usually, as usual, generally, in general, always, rarely, seldom, occasionally, scarcely, hardly
ever, whenever, daily, everyday, every week, often, frequently, ever, sometimes, in these days,
regularly, as a rule, nowadays, periodically, normally, never, once, twice a week

Exercise

1. My brother often ---goes--(go) to see English films.

2. He always -gets-----(get) late.
3. I -read---(read) newspaper daily.
4. Light travels------(travel) in a straight line.
5. They -play----(play) cricket every evening.
6. He rarely ---wears---(wear) glasses.
7. The thieves usually -work----(work) at night.
8. Good children always obey-----(obey) their parents.
9. The teacher --explains---(explain) the difficult points regularly.
10. Make hay while the sun --shines-(shine).
PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE

1. Used to express an action going on at the time of Speaking.

(Eg) He is working in the garden now.
The boys are watching a cricket match at present.
The children are playing games at this moment.
My father is reading newspaper still now.
2. The Present Continuous of ‘come’ & ‘go’ is used to express future action.
(Eg) My Uncle is going to Chennai tomorrow.
My brother is coming from London next Monday.
Iam going to see him this evening.
She is going to be married next month.

KEYWORDS

Now, at present, at this moment, any longer, still, still now, even now, any more

VERBS NEVER USED IN CONTINUOUS FORM

Smell hear see notice

Think believe like need

Love hate seem resemble

Understand forget know remember

Prefer want wish belong

Appear refuse own dislike

EXERCISE

1. At present I –am working-----(work) as teacher in this school.

2. The boy is----writing-------(write) an essay now.
 3. Shakthi is typing------------(type) a letter still now.
4. My sister ---is coming--------(come) from Chennai tomorrow.
5. At this moment they –are watching---------(watch) the TV.

PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

Used to indicate actions completed in the immediate past.(The adverb ‘just’ may be used)

(Eg) He has….(has/ have) just …gone…(went/go/gone) out.

It has…..(has/have/had) just struck twelve.

We have……(have/has) just …started….(start) our breakfast.

Used to describe an action which began in the past and is still continuing.

(Eg) Kannan has lived in Trichy for two years.

I have not eaten anything for five hours.

I have not taken non-veg meals for the past two months.

Chithra has not visited her Uncle since Sunday.

India -----(has stopped/have stopped) importing wheat since 1990.

I …have done…..(has done/have done) a lot of work today.

…Haven’t……….(Haven’t/Hasn’t) the children …gone….(go/gone) to school yet?

I ----have warned------(have warned/has warned) you several times not to come late.

KEYWORDS

Just, so far, just now, till, till now, upto now, yet, already, lately, recently, ever, never

EXERCISE
 1. He …has walked………..(walk) in the hot sun for nearly an hour.
2. I have not visited……………(not visit) my village since 1997.
3. Prakash …has studied……………(study) three lessons so far.
4. Bina …has been…………(be – am, is, was, are, were) ill for a long time.
5. I ……have………already seen………..(see) the movie “Jurassic Park”.
6. They …have not paid……….(not pay) the telephone bill yet.
7. The train has left…………..(leave) the station just now.
8. I have……….never eaten……(eat) chicken.
9. We …have attended………….(attend) all the meetings so far.
10. Chitra …has…..just finished……(finish) her work.

SIMPLE PAST TENSE

--to show an action that took place in the past.

Eg – It rained yesterday.

Ram went home last week.

--to show an action that happened over a long period of time in the past.

Eg- The Prince grew into a great warrior.

The poor boy later became a Scientist.

PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE

----to show an action that was continuing at a given time in the past.

Eg- Last evening I ---------------(read) a book.

At 7 in the morning I ------------(study) fiction.

PAST PERFECT TENSE

---When two actions took place in the past, the earlier action is shown by past perfect and the
later action by simple past.
Eg- When I reached home last night my mother had already gone to bed.

I -----------------(complete) the work before you -------------(ask) me about it.

When they --------------(reach) the station the train ------------------(leave) already.

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE

------speaks of two actions in the past. If the earlier action has been continuing for some time, it
is shown by past perfect continuous and the later action is indicated by simple past tense.

Eg- They cancelled the match as it had been raining the whole night.

They --------------------------(look)for him for three hours when they -------------(got) the phone
call.

They -----------------(cancel) the match as it --------------------------(rain) the whole night.