The Tens

There are three main tenses : Present, Past and Future. Each of these has four forms : Simple, Continuous, Perfect and Perfect Continuous.

Tense Table
Verb used : Take
Tense	Active voice Passive voice	Simple	Continuous	Perfect	Perfect Continuous
Present	AV	I take	I am taking	I have taken	I have been taing
	PV	I am taken	I am being taken	I have been taken	-
Past	AV	I took	I was taking	I had takne	I had been taking
	PV	I was taken	I was being taken	I had been taken	-
Future	AV	I shall take	I shall be taking	I shall have taken	I shall have been taking
	PV	I shall be taken	-	I shall have been taken	-

The Uses of the Tenses

The Present (Simple Present) Tense :The simple present tense is used to represent the action taking place at the time of the speaking

Eg: They boy cries, They go.

To express an action which is more or less a habit.

Eg: Boys play games, Old people get up early, My father always takes coffee in the morning.

To express general truth.

Here “General Truth” means actions which take place of their own accord without any outside interference. It means that such actions are natural and are not managed by man.

Eg: Ice is cold, Steam is hot, The earth goes round the sun, The moon shines by night, Slow and steady wins the race.

In describing a past event in detail the past tense is some times avoided and only the simple present is used.

Eg: John cuts off the nose and ears of the cruel woman and makes her look ugly.

The events reterred to in the above sentences are past events. In describing them the simple present tense is used to give it a dramatic touch and make the narration more impressive.  The present tense used in such cases is called “The Historic Present”.

When the nature of a future action is revealed by the context, the simple resent tense is used instead of the future.

Eg:We go on an excursion to Nagarjuna sagar next week, My father leaves for Delhi by the G.T Express, We get our results next Sunday, The Chief Minister gives clothes to the poor people on the 10^th of next month.

Here the futurity of the action is clearly brought out by the context. Hence the simple present tense is used in instead of the furute. Here the future action is already planned.

The Present Continuous Tense : The present continuous is used to describe an action that is going on and will continue upto the time of speaking.

Eg: The girls are singing a song, The boys are playing games.

The present continuous describes an action that is continuing but it may not continue till the time of speaking.

Eg: The teacher is drawing a picture, The farmers are working in the fields, They are milking the cows.

In the above sentences the action is in progress and it may not continue till the time of speaking.

The present continuous tense is used to express an action that is already planned and will take place in the near future.

Eg: The Prime Minister is visiting Andhra Pradesh shortly, They  are going to sit for the examination next week, I am thinking of going to America next month.

In these sentences the event or action is planned before hand and will take place according to the plan. It is to be noted that the action is not taking place at the time of speaking.

The words. “always”, “constantly” and “repeatedly”, generally give a positive meaning. But when they are used with a verb in the present continuous tense, there is a kind of dislike for the action represented by the verb.

Eg: The boys are always playing, She is constantly taking up the violin for practice.

Here the speaker expresses some dislike for the person doing the action.

Certain verbs are not used in the present continuous tense.

Verbs of perception

See, hear, smell, notice

Verbs denoting the state of the mind

Desire, wish, forgive, hate, like, admire

Verbs referring to the act of thing

Know, suppose, recollect, forget, mind

Verbs denoting possession

Own, owe, belong, possess

Verbs such as Keep, consist, contain, seen, cost

When these verbs are used in the present continuous tense, they give a different meaning.

Eg: I am seeing the doctor to day, He is wishing to make his son a doctor

They are wishing to ask for a holiday tomorrow.

The Present Perfect : The Present Perfect is used to express an action that has completed just the before the time of speaking

Eg: I have finished all .my home work, She has arrived just now.

The Present Perfect is also used represent an action which began at some time in the past and it still continuing.

Eg: They have lived in UK for eight years.

Present Perfect Continuous: The present perfect continuous tense is used to denote an action that began in the past and continuous till now (at the time of speaking).

Eg: She has been singing, They have been working, They have been taking lesson in grammar.

The Simple Past (Past Indefinite) :The simple past tense is used to denote a past action

Eg: My friend gave me all his books

This tense is also used to indicate an action to which the speaker is used do in the past.

Eg: Abraham Lincoln, the famous President of America, split logs of wood when he was a boy.

The Past Continuous Tense : The Past Continuous tense is used to indicate an action going on at some time in the past.

Eg: When I saw him, he was doing his work in the office, The students were playing games.

The Past Perfect Tense : The past perfect tense represents an action which took place before another action. For such case the past perfect is used with the first action and the simple past with the second action.

Eg: The thief had already left when the police arrived.

When only one action is mentioned along with the point of time, the past perfect tense may also be used.

Eg: At 2 p.m. the train had left, At 10 years of age the boy had already shown his skill in using the violin.

Of the two actions, if one is the result of the other, the past perfect tense is used with the clause denoting the cause

Eg: I knew the man very well because he had come to my house very often.

“Here ‘He had come to my house very often’ is the cause and ‘I knew him very well’ is the result.

The past perfect tense is used to denote the cause and the simple past is used to express the result.

The past perfect tense is used to express an unfulfilled desire or wish.

Eg: I wish I had acted upon your advice, I wish I had not moved the point with him.

In these sentences the speaker acted against his wishes and feels sorry for having done so. The tense of the verb in the two clause is different.

If the two past actions are too close in time, the conjunction, ‘when’ is used to show that the two actions took place one after the other and not at the same time.

Eg: When he had seen the tiger, he climbed up a tree, When he had seen his result in the news paper, he jumped up with joy.

The Future Tense

Simple future

·        I shall go to school tomorrow

·        They will play the match next week

·        He will meet me at some time in the evening

·        The girl will sit for the examination next year

In all the sentences the action denoted by the verb will take place at sometime afterwards So it expresses a future action. To express a future action the words “shall or will” are used.

Future Continuous

·        By the time tomorrow I will be answering my paper in English.

·        My father will be going over here next week

·        They will be attending a meeting next Monday.

·        In all these sentences an action is mentioned as taking place or continuing at some time in future.

Future Perfect Tense

·        I shall have finished the work by Monday

·        He shall have received the money by then

In these sentences the action denoted by the verb is expected or supposed to be completed at some times in future tense.

The Future Perfect Continuous Tense

·        They will have been sleeping by that time

·        She will have been learning music by them

·        You will have been working in the office by that time.

In all the above sentences the action denoted by the verb is supposed to begin at some time in future and it will be going on for some more time in future. In this tense there is no mention of either the beginning or the completion of the action. It will only tell us that the action is being continued at a given point of time in future.

Ways of Expressing Future

·        I shall take the box tomorrow

·        We will sit to discuss the matter

·        This boy will certainly pass in First class

Here the future tense express a pure or colourless future action. It does not depend upon any other external factors.

·        My father is going to US next week

·        I am going to punish him for his misconduct

·        The bridge is going to collapse

·        The meeting is going to begin

·        I am going to help him in this affair

Here the ‘going to’ for is used to express the likelihood of the action denoted by the verb. The action in these cases must take place in the near future.

·        He will be coming to me shortly

·        They will be meeting shortly to decide the matter

·        Our college team will be playing with them

·        The future continuous tense is here used to express a future action taking place shortly

·        The president comes here next Sunday

·        Here instead of the future tense the simple present tense is used to denote a planned future action.

·        Will you help me with some money?

·        Shall I come to you again in the evening?

·        I hope you will finish the work in time

·        Here the future tense is used to convey a request or a suggession.

·        Write to me when you have reached Us

·        They will wait till you have finished your work

·        In clauses time and condition the present perfect is used to denote the future perfect.

·        If you work hard, you will pass the examination

·        If I receive a letter. I will not go there.

·        It if rain, I will not go out

Here the conditional clause is introduced by “if” and it refers only to a future action.

Three Forms of Verbs

Present Tense	Past Tense	Past participle		Present Tense	Past Tense	Past participle
abide	abode/abided	abode/abided		byild	built	built
arise	arose	arisen		burn	burnt/burned	burnt/burned
awake	awoke	awaked/awoke		burst	burst	burst
be	was	been		buy	bought	bought
bear	bore	bore/born		cast	cast	cast
beat	beat	beaten		chide	child	chidden/chid
become	became	become		catch	caught	caught
befall	befell	befallen		choose	chose	chosen
beget	begot	begotten		cleave	clove/cleft	cloven/cleft
begin	began	begun		clothe	clothed	clothed
behold	beheld	beheld		cling	clung	clung
bend	bent	bent/bended		come	came	come
bereave	bereaved/bereft	bereaved/bereft		cost	cost	cost
beseech	besought	besought		creep	crept	crept
bet	bet/betted	bet/betted		crow	cowed/crew	crowed
betake	betook	betaken		cut	cut	cut
bethink	bethought	bethought		dare	dared/drust	dared
bid	bade/bid	bedden/bid		deal	dealt	dealt
bide	bode/bided	bided		dig	dug	dug
bleed	bled	bled		dive	dived/dove	dived
blend	blended/blent	blended/blent		do	did	done
bless	blessed/blest	blessed/blest		draw	drew	drawn
blow	blew	blown		dream	dreamed/dreamt	dreamed
break	broke	broken		drink	drank	drunk
breed	bred	bred		drive	drove	driven
bring	brought	brought		dwell	dwelt	dwelt
broadcast	broadcast/broadcasted	broadcast/broadcated		eat	ate	eaten

Present Tense	Past Tense	Past participle		Present Tense	Past Tense	Past participle
fall	fell	fallen		hear	heard	heard
feed	fed	fed		heave	heaved, hove	heaved,hove
feel	felt	felt		hew	hewed	hewd,hewn
fight	fought	fought		hide	hid	hidden,hid
find	found	found		hit	hit	hit
flee	fled	fled		hold	held	held
fling	flung	flung		hurt	hurt	hurt
fly	flew	flown		inlay	inlaid	inlaid
forbear	forbade/forbad	forbidden		keep	kept	kept
forecast	forecast/forecasted	forecast/forecasted		kneel	knelt	knelt
foreknown	foreknow	foreknown		knit	knitted,knit	knitted,knit
forsee	foresaw	foreseen		know	knew	known
foretell	fortold	foretold		lade	laded	laden
forget	forgot	forgotten		lay	laid	laid
forgive	forgave	forgiven		lead	led	led
forsake	forsook	forsaken		lean	leant,leaned	leant,leaned
forswear	forswore	forsworn		leap	leapt,leaped	leapt,leaped
freeze	froze	frozen		learn	learnt,learned	learnt,learned
gainsay	gainsaid	gainsaid		leave	left	left
get	got	got		lend	lent	lent
gild	gilded/gilt	gilded		let	let	let
gird	girded/girt	girded/girt		lie	lay	lain
give	gave	given		light	lighted,lit	lighted,lit
grind	fround	groupnd		lose	lost	lost
grow	grew	grown		make	made	made
hang	hung/hanged	hung/hanged		mean	meant	meant
have	had	had		meet	met	met

Present Tense	Past Tense	Past participle		Present Tense	Past Tense	Past participle
melt	melted	melted,molten		override	overrode	overridden
miscast	miscast	miscast		overrun	overrun	overrun
misdeal	misdealt	misdealt		oversee	oversaw	overseen
misgive	misgave	misgiven		overset	overset	overset
mislay	mislaid	mislaid		overshott	overshot	overshot
mislead	misled	misled		oversleep	overslept	overslept
misspell	misspelt	misspelt		overtake	overtook	overtaken
misspend	misspent	misspent		overthrow	overthrew	overthrown
mistake	mistook	mistaken		overwork	overworked	overworked,overwrought
misunderstand	misunderstood	misunderstood		partake	partook	partaknen
mow	mowed	mown		pay	paid	paid
outbit	outbade,outbid	outbidden,outbid		prove	proved	proved,proven
outdo	outdid	outdone		put	put	put
outgo	outwent	outgone		read	read	read
outgrow	outgrew	outgrown		rebult	rebult	rebult
outride	outrode	outridden		rebind	rebound	rebound
outrun	outran	outrun		redo	redid	redone
outshine	outshore	outshone		relay	relaid	relaid
overbear	overbore	overborne		remake	remade	remade
overcast	overcast	overcast		rend	rent	rent
overcome	overcame	overcome		repay	repid	repaid
overdo	overdid	overdone		rerun	reran	rerun
overhang	overhung	overhung		rest	reset	rest
overhear	overheard	overheard		retell	retold	retold
overlay	overlaid	overlaid		rewrite	rewritten	rewritten
overleap	overleapt,overleaped	overleapt,overleaped		rid	ridded,rid	ridded,rid
overlie	overlay	overlain		ride	rode	ridden

Present Tense	Past Tense	Past participle		Present Tense	Past Tense	Past participle
ring	rang	rung		slay	slew	slain
rise	rose	risen		sleep	slept	slept
rive	rived	riven,rived		slide	slid	lid,slidden
run	rang	rung		sling	slung	slung
saw	sawed	sawn,sawed		sliak	slunk	slunk
say	said	said		slit	slet	slit
sell	sold	sold		smell	smelt,smelled	smelt,smelled
seek	sought	sought		smit	smote	smitten
seek	sawed	seen		sow	sowed	sownsowed
send	sent	sent		speak	spoke	spoken
set	set	set		speed	sped,speeded	sped,speeded
sew	sewed	sewn		spell	spelt,spelled	spelt,spelled
shake	shook	shaken		spend	spent	spent
shave	shaved	shaved,shaven		spill	split,spilled	spilled,split
shear	sheared	shron,sheared		spin	spun,span	spun
shed	shed	shed		split	split,spilled	split
shine	shone	shone		spoil	spoilt,spoiled	spoilt,spoiled
shoot	shot	shot		spring	sprang	sprung
shoe	shod	shod		spread	spread	spread
show	showed	shown,showed		stand	stood	stood
shred	shredded	shredded		stave	staved,stove	staved,stove
shrink	shrank,shrunk	shrunk,shrunken		steal	stole	stolen
shrive	shrove,shrived	shriven,shrived		stick	stuck	stuck
shut	shut	shut		sting	stung	stung
sing	sang	sung		strew	strewed	strewn,strewed
sink	sank	sunk,sunken		stride	strode	stridden,strid
sit	sat	sat		strike	struck	struck

Present Tense	Past Tense	Past participle		Present Tense	Past Tense	Past participle
string	strung	strung		weave	wove	woven,wove
strive	strove	striven		wed	wedded	wedded,wed
sunburn	sunburned,sunburnt	sunburned, sunburnt		win	won	won
swear	swore	sworn		wind	winded,wound	winded,wounded
swep	swept	swept		withdrew	withdrew	withdrawn
swell	swelled	swollen		withhold	withheld	withheld
swim	swam	swelled		withstand	withstood	withstood
take	took	swum		work	wrought	wrought
teach	taught	takne		wring	wrung	wrung
tear	tore	torn		write	wrote	written
tell	told	told
think	thought	thought
thrive	throve,thrived	thriven,thrived
throw	threw	thrown
thrust	thrust	thrust
tread	trod	trodden,trod
unbend	unbent	unbent
unbind	unbound	unbound
underbid	underbid	underbidden,underbid
undergo	underwent	undergone
understand	understood	understood
undertake	undertook	undertaken
upset	upset	upset
wake	woke,waked	woken,waked
waylay	waylaid	waylaid
wear	wore	worn
weep	wept	wept