Tenses

Simple Present Tense

                Function:

·         describe about what people do in the present time.

·         it is also used to express something based on the reality

                Time Signal :

·         always

·         generally

·         normally

·         usually

·         some time

·         seldom

·         when

·         there

·         every + time

·         on + time

                Formula

Kind of Sentence	Formula	E.g. sentence Of Simple Present
Positive Verbal	S + V1/e/es +O	He walks with pride
Positive Nominal	S + be(am/is/are) + 3c	Grely is my beautiful gray Persian cat
Negative Verbal	S + aux. verb(do/does) + not + V1	His pride, however, does not extend to his appearance
Negative Nominal	S + be(am/is/are) + not	The children aren’t naughty
Interrogative Verbal	Do/Does + S + V1	Does she like eating out?
Interrogative Nominal	Be(am/is/are) + S	Are the children naughty?

Example in text

(Description text)

My Cat

                Grely is my beautiful gray Persian cat. He walks with pride and grace, performing a dance of disdain as he slowly lifts and lowers each paw with the delicacy of a ballet dancer. His pride, however, does not extend to his appearance, for he spends most of his time indoors watching television and growing fat.

Simple Present Continues

Functions : 

• to describe an action that is going on at this moment
• to describe an action that is going on during this period of time or a trend
• to describe an action or event in the future, which has already been planned or prepared
• to describe a temporary event or situation
• with 'always, forever, constantly', to describe and emphasise a continuing series of repeated actions

Time signal :

·         Now

·         Right now

Kind of Sentence	Formula	E.g. Sentence
Positive	S + am,is,are + Ving + O	I'm cooking dinner
Negative	S + am,is,are + Not + Ving + O	The ships are not sailing.
Interrogative	Be(am/is/are) + S + V1-ing/pres. Participle?	What are you doing?

Formula

Example of present continuous in Conversation

Tracy: Hello, can I speak to Alex.
Alex: This is Alex, who is speaking?
Tracy: Hi, this is Tracy.
Alex: Hi Tracy. What are you doing?
Tracy: Oh, I'm just watching TV. What are you doing?
Alex: Well, I'm cooking dinner.
Tracy: What are you cooking?
Alex: I'm baking some potatoes, boiling some carrots and grilling a steak.
Tracy: It sounds delicious.
Alex: What are you doing for dinner tonight?
Tracy: Well, I don't have any plans...
Alex: Would you like to come over for dinner?
Tracy: Oh, I'd love to. Thanks.
Alex: Great. Mary and Jack are also coming. They are arriving at seven.
Tracy: OK, I'll be there at seven, too.
Alex: OK, see you then. Bye.
Tracy: Bye.

Simple Present Perfect

                Function :

·          An action or situation that started in the past and continues in the present.

·         An action performed during a period that has not yet finished.

·         A repeated action in an unspecified period between the past and now.

·         An action that was completed in the very recent past, (expressed by 'just').

·         An action when the time is not important.

                Time Signal :

·         Already

·         Just

·         Not yet

·         Seldom

·         Often

                Time Duration :

·         Since

·         For

                Time signal duration :

·         Up to now

·         Until now

·         Recently

·         Lately

·         Up to the present

Formula

Kind of Sentence	Formula	e.g. of Sentences
Positive	S + have/has + Past Participle (Verb3) + Object	I have worked hard today
Negative	S + have/has + Not + Past Participle (Verb3) + Object	He has not stopped the car
Interrogative	Have/ has + S + Past Participle (Verb3)	Have they finished the job?

Example of Simple Present Perfect in conversation

Ani : Hello Sandy !

Sandy : Hello Ani !

Ani : I have worked hard today

Sandy : We all have worked hard today

Ani : Have they finished the job?

Sandy : Yes, they finished the job

Ani : He must have stopped the car

Sandy : He has not stopped the car

Ani : She has not done a good job

Sandy : but she has tried her best

Simple Present Perfect Continues

Function :

to describe how
somebody or something has been occupying his/her or its
time

·         for repeated actions
and actions of a continuous nature

Time signal :

For

Since

Long

How long

The whole day

 

 

Formula :

Kind of Sentence	Formula	E.g. sentence
Positive	S + aux. verb(have/has) + been + V1-ing/ present participle	We have been waiting
Negative	S + aux. verb(have/has) + Not + been + V1-ing/ present participle	We haven’t been waiting
Interrogative	aux. verb(have/has) + S + been + V1-ing/ present participle	Have we been waiting?

Example of Simple Present Perfect Continues in dialog

Robin:    I think the waiter has forgotten us. We have been waiting here for          over half an hour and nobody has taken our order yet

Michael : I think you’re right. he has walked by us at least 20 times. He                  probably thinks we have already order

Robin:    Michael look at the couple over there, they have only been here for       5 or 10 minutes and they already have their food.

Michael : he must realize we haven’t ordered yet ! we have been sitting here          for over half an hour staring at him

Robin :   I don’t know if he has even noticed us. He has been running from          table to table for taking orders and serving food.

Michael: that’s true, and he hasn’t looked in our direction once.

Simple Past Tense

 Function :

• to describe an action, an event, or condition that occurred in the past, sometime before the moment of speaking or writing.

Time signal :

·         yesterday

·         last week

·         2 minutes ago

Formula :

Kind of Sentence	Formula	E.g. Sentence
Positive Verbal	S + V2 + O	We arrived
Positive Nominal	S + ( was/were ) + 3c	She was beautiful
Negative Verbal	S + did + not +V1 + O	We did not arrive
Negative Nominal	S + (was/were) + not + 3c	She was not beautiful
Interrogative Verbal	Did + S + V1 + O	Did we arrive?
Interrogative Nominal	Was/were + S + 3C	Was she beautiful?

Example in text

                Last Wednesday we decided to visit the zoo. We arrived the next morning after we breakfa             sted, cashed in our passes and entered. We walked toward the first exhibits. I looked up at a giraffe as it stared back at me. I stepped nervously to the next area. One of the lions gazed at me as he lazed in the shade while the others napped. One of my friends first knocked then banged on the tempered glass in front of the monkey’s cage. They howled and screamed at us as we hurried to another exhibit where we stopped and gawked at plumed birds. After we rested, we headed for the petting zoo where we petted wooly sheep who only glanced at us but the goats butted each other and nipped our clothes when we ventured too near their closed pen. Later, our tired group nudged their way through the crowded paths and exited the turnstile gate. Our car bumped, jerked and swayed as we dozed during the relaxed ride home.

Simple Past Continues

Function :

·          To express an activity that was in progress at a particular time in the past or when another action happened that interrupted the first activity.

·         To talk about two activities that were in progress simultaneously in the past.

Time signal :

·         When

·         As

·         While

Kind of Sentence	Formula	e.g. Santence
Positive	S + (was/were) = Ving + O	He was taking exam last month
Negative	S + (was/were) + not + Ving + O	He was not taking exam last month
Interrogative	(was/were) + S + Ving + O	Was he taking exam last month ?

Example :

Ana : Were they laughing at the joker?

Elsa : They were not laughing at the joker.

Ana : Was he taking exam last month?

Elsa :  He was taking exam last month

Ana : Were you waiting for him yesterday?

Elsa : You were not waiting for him yesterday

Ana : Was she working in a factory?

Elsa : She was working in a factory.

Simple Past Perfect

Function :

·          to make it clear that one event happened before another in the past.

Time signal :

·         Already

·          Just

·          Never

·          not yet

·          Once

·          Until that

Formula :

Kind of sentence	Formula	E.g. in sentence
Positive	S+had+V3+O	The guitarist John Squire had always said
Negative	S+had+not+V3+O	drummer hadn’t played music for years.
Interrogative	had +S+V3+O	Had the drummer played mosi for years ?

Example

                They were part of the famous Manchester scene. Their first album was released in the late 1980s. Their second album only came out in 1994 and soon after they broke up in 1996. The band had been best friends before they split up. However, afterwards they didn’t speak to each other.

                The guitarist John Squire had always said that he did not want to reform the band and had quit music and become a painter. Ian Brown, the singer, had continued his career. The bassist Mani had joined another band called Primal Scream but the drummer hadn’t played music for years.

                Fans of the band are extremely happen that they have reunited and are now playing gigs again. They may even be releasing a new album in 2013.

Simple past Perfect Continues

Function :

·          to express a continued or ongoing action that started in past and continued until sometime in past.

Time signal :

·          Since

·         For

Formula :

Kind of sentence	Formula	E.g. in sentence
Positive	S+had+been+Ving+O	I Had been studying for 2 hours
Negative	S+had+not+been+Ving+O	i had been not working for 5 days
Interrogative	Had+S+been+Ving+O	What had you beebeen doing?

Example :

Vivek : hello, Neha! What had you been doing?

Neha : hello, vivek! I Had been studying for 2 hours

Vivek : i had been not working for 5 days

Neha : had you not been writing poems?

Vivek : I had not been writing poems

Neha : i had not been playing because my examination it at hand

Vivek : had you not been receiving financial assistance from the government?

Neha : i had been getting the assistance since 1992 only.

Simple future

Function :

·           to express an action which has not occurred yet and will occur after saying or in future.

Time signal :

·         When

·         While

·         Before

·         After

·         As soon as

·         Till

·         Until

 

Formula :

Kind of sentence	form	e.g. in sentence
Positive	S + will + (1st form of verb or base form +ing) + O	He will start a business.
Negative	S + will +not + (1st form of verb or base form +ing) + O	He will not start a business.
Interrogative	Will + S + (1st form of verb or base form +ing) + O	Will he start a business?

Example

Lithia : Will he start a business?

Hani :  He will start a business.

Litia : Will she send me a letter?

Hani : She will not send me a letter.

Litia :  Will I give you a pen tomorrow?

Hani :  I will not give you a pen tomorrow

Litia : Will students take exams at the end of semester?

Hani :  Students will take exams at the end of semester.

Litia :  Will they buy a new car?

Hani : They will not buy a new car.

Future continues / future progressive

Function :

·         to express a continued or an ongoing action in future

Time signal :

·         At this time tomorrow

·         At  the same time tomorrow

·         At this time next year

Formula :

Kind of sentence	Form	e.g. in sentence
Positive	S + will be+ 1st form of verb or base form+ing (present participle) + O	we will be shifting to a new home next year
Negative	S + will not be + 1st form of verb or base form+ing (present participle) + O	we will not be shifting to a new home next year
Interrogative	Will + S + be+ 1st form of verb or base form+ing (present participle) + O	we be shifting to a new home next year?

Example :

Lithia : Will we be shifting to a new home next year?

Hani : We will be shifting to a new home next year.

Litia : Will he be flying a kite?

Hani :   He will not be flying a kite.

Litia : Will it be raining tomorrow?

Hani :  It will be raining tomorrow.

Litia : Will she be enjoying her vacations?

Hani :   She will not be enjoying her vacations.

Future perfect

Function :

·         to express an action which will occur in future and is thought to be completed in future

·         It expresses a sense of completion of an action which will occur in future.

Time signal :

·         By next week

·         By the end of this week

Formula

Kind of sentence	Form	e.g. in sentence
Positive	Subject + will have + 3rd form of verb or past participle + object	I will have bought a computer
Negative	Subject + will not have + 3rd form of verb or past participle + object	They will not have shifted to a new home.
Interrogative	Will + Subject +have + 3rd form of verb or past participle + object	they have shifted to a new home?

Example

Hani : Will he have finished his work?

Litia : He will not have finished his work.

Hani : Will you have made a new chair?

Litia : I will have made a new chair.

Hani : Will she have decorated her home?

Litia : She will not have decorated her home.

Hani : Will You have bought a computer?

Litia :  I will have bought a computer.

Hani : Will they have shifted to a new home?

Litia : They will not have shifted to a new home.

Future perfect continues

Function :

·         to express a continued or ongoing action that will start in future and is thought to be continued till sometime in future.

Time signal :

·         By the end of …

·         By the end of this year

Formula :

Kind of sentence	Form	e.g. in sentence
Positive	S + will have been + (1st form of verb or base verb + ing) + O + time reference	She will have been working in this office since 2007.
Negative	S + will not have been + (1st form of verb or base verb + ing) + O +    Time reference	She will not have been working in this office since 2007.
Interrogative	Will + S + have been + (1st form of verb or base verb+ing) + O + time    reference	Will she have been working in this office since 2007?

Example

Riska : Will I have been living in America since 2003?

Litia :  I will have been living in America since 2003.

Riska : Will he have been playing cricket for two hours?

Litia : He will not have been playing cricket for two hours.

Riska :  Will they have been watching television since 6 O’clock?

Litia :  They will have been watching television since 6 O’clock.

Riska : Will she have been working in this office since 2007?

Litia :  She will have been working in this office since 2007.

Past future

Function :

·         To show something that have been plan in the past.

Time signal :

·         Last year

·         Last week

·         Before

·         Next day

Formula

Kind of sentence	Form	e.g in sentence
Positive	S + Would + V1	I would be here next week
Negative	S + Would + not + V1	I would not be here next week
Interrogative	Would + S + V1	would you be here next week ?

Example

Tia : would you be here next week ?

Ana : I would be here next week.

Tia : would he buy you a pair of gloves ?

Ana : he would not buy me a pair of gloves.

Tia : would he leave in three days ?

Ana : he would leave in three days.

Past future perfect

Function :

·         To show something what would happened in the past.

Time signal :

·         By the end of this week

·         By the end of this month

Formula

Kind of sentence	Form	e.g in sentence
Positive	S + Would + Have + V3	I would have drunk jus
Negative	S + Would + Have + Not + V3	I would have not eaten this morning
Interrogative	Would + S + Have + V3	would you have eaten this morning ?

Example

Sita : would you have eaten this morning ?

Sinta : I would have not eaten this morning, and you ?

Sita : I would eaten this morning

Sinta : would you have drank jus ?

Sita : I would have drunk jus. What about you ?

Sinta : of course yes. I would drunk jus

Sita : would you seen the movie ?

Sinta : yes. I would seen the movie.

Past future continues

Function :

·         To show something that would be progressing in the past.

Time signal :

·         In January last year

·         At 9 o’clock yesterday

Formula :

Kind of sentence	Form	e.g. in sentence
Positive	S + Would + Have + Been + Ving	Dastan would have been loving Tamina
Negative	S + Would + Not + Have + Been + Ving	Tamina would not have been loving Tus
Interrogative	Would + S + Have + Been + Ving	would Dastan have been fighting ?

Example :

Elsa : would Dastan have been fighting ?

Ana : he would have been fighting

Elsa : would Tamina have been loving Tus ?

Ana :  Tamina would not have been loving Tus

Elsa : would Dastan have been loving Tamina ?

Ana : yes , Dastan would have been loving Tamina

Past future perfect continues

Function :

·         to tell how long the action would have occurred (period of time) or until a certain time in the past.

Time signal :

·         by the end of this month + past signal

Formula

Kind of sentence	Form	e.g in sentence
Positive	S + would + have + been + V1-ing/present participle	Himeka would have been playing ballet.
Negative	S + would + not + have + been + V1-ing/present participle	Michi would not have been playing football
Interrogative	Would + S + have + been + V1-ing/present participle	would Himeka have been playing ballet ?

Example :

Kazune ; would Himeka have been playing ballet ?

Karin : yes. Himeka would have been playing ballet.

Kazune : would Michi have been playing football ?

Karin ; no, Michi would not have been playing football

Kazune : would Rin have been swimming ?

Karin : of course yes. She would have been swimming