TENSES

 

CORRECT USE OF TENSES 

Key points: 

• TENSE (TIME & CONDITION)
• PRESENT INDEFINITE TENSE 
• THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE 
• THE PRESENT PERFECT TENSE  
• THE PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE 
• THE PAST INDEFINITE TENSE 
• THE PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE 
• THE PAST PERFECT TENSE 
• THE PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE
• THE FUTURE INDEFINITE TENSE 
• THE FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE 
• THE FUTURE PERFECT TENSE 
• THE FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE

TENSE (Time & Condition) 

Tense is the form of the Verb, which denotes time and degree of completeness of an action. There are three main tenses, they are present, Past and Future. Each of the three main tenses has four forms: three main tenses has four forms;

1. Indefinite 

2, Continuous 

3, Perfect 

4, Perfect Continuous 

1. Indefinite shows the time of the action in its simplest form: It may be past, present or future. We come, We came, We shall come. 

2. Continuous shows that the action is still continuing or is yet to be completed. 

We are coming, We were coming, We shall be coming.

3. Perfect shows that action denoted by the verb is completed or is in the perfect state: 

I have come. I had come. I shall have come. 

4. Perfect Continuous combines actions denoted by the verb in both preceding forms (2) and (3) i.e, continuous and perfect; as: 

I have been coming. I had been coming. I shall have been coming. 

The verb of the above sentences denotes that the action has been completed but is also continuous. 

PRESENT INDEFINITE TENSE 

The present indefinite Tense is used: 

(i) To express a momentary action happening at the present time; as 

He works hard now a days. 

She never tells a lie. 

Pakistan exports rice. 

(ii) To express habitual and permanent action, as 

I go to college on foot. 

The fish swim in water. 

He always takes hot tea. 

(iii) To express general truth; as (Universal truth) 

The sun rises in the east.

The earth rotates round the sun. 

(iv) to express historical event as substitute for the Past Tense. 

Ahmed Shah Abdali fights against the Marhatas and defeats them.

(v) to introduce a quotation; as 

Keats says, "If winter comes, can summer he far behind." 

(vi) to express the future events that are part of a fixed programme which is official. 

The goods reach you in a few days. 

The ship leaves at 6.30 a.m. tomorrow.

(vii) It is also used instead of the future tense in a subordinate clause of time and condition introduced by 'if or 'when', while, till. 

If you work hard, you will succeed. 

She will wait until I arrive. 

When the sun rises, the sparrows will chirp. 

It is important to note that the present indefinite tense is often used with adverbs such as; always, often, usually, daily, everyday, never, sometimes, generally, occasionally, every week, Fridays, twice a year, etc.

EXERCISE 

Supply correct form of the present indefinite tense of verbs given in brackets: 

(i) The bird (fly) in the air. 

(ii) He never (waste) his time. 

(iii) She (learn) music at present. 

(iv) He (leave) for Karachi tomorrow. 

(v) The cow (give) milk. 

(vi) Aslam usually (come) late. 

(vii) The moon (shine) at night. 

(viii) He (deal) in rice. 

(ix) He (get) up early in the morning every day.

(x) He (go) to swat every year. 

THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS (Progressive) TENSE 

The Present Continuous Tense is used: 

(i) For an action that is happening at the time of speaking, as 

I am reading a book. 

It is raining. 

(ii) For an action which is not happening actually at the moment of speaking, as 

I am reading King Lear these days. 

She is taking examination now-a-days. 

(iii) As a substitute for the immediate future, for fixed programme which is personal, as: 

I am going to Lahore tomorrow. 

We are attending the function tonight. 

(iv) For an action which appears to be continuous; as 

He is always wandering in the streets. 

EXERCISE 

Use correct form of the Present Continuous Tense: 

1. He (work) in a factory at present. 

2. We (go) abroad tomorrow. 

3. The train (arrive) soon. 

4. The boys (make) a noise. 

5. The Afghans (fight) against the enemy aggression. 

6. These days (learn) painting. 

7. She (wash) the clothes at present.

8. The shopping bags (cause) pollution. 

9. Pakistan (put Kashmir problem in the next session of General Assembly. 

10. I (work) on my thesis. 

THE PRESENT PERFECT TENSE 

The present Perfect Tense is used: 

(i) to express complete actions in the immediate past; as 

I have just taken tea. 

The train has just arrived. 

(ii) to indicate past activities whose time is not mentioned or definite: 

He has been to France. 

Have you read "The Arabian Nights?" 

(iii) to express an action beginning at some time in the past and completed to the present time;

He has worked in this shop for ten years. 

I have not seen you for a long time of ten with "since" and "For" 

He has been absent for ten days. 

EXERCISE 

Put the verbs in the correct form of the Present Perfect Tense: 

(I) I just (receive) the letter. 

(ii) They (live) in this house for two months. 

(iii) I (be) to Islamabad for two months. 

(iv) Jamal (be) ill for two months. 

(v) He (hurt) his foot. 

(vi) They (eat) all the apples. 

(vii) We (achieve) our aim. 

(viii) The (work) in this office for five years. 

(ix) I (do) my duty. 

THE PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS (Progressive) TENSE 

The present perfect continuous tense is used:

(i) to denote an action which began in the past and is still continuing upto the present; as 

I have been waiting for him for a week. 

She has been reading since morning. 

(ii) to indicate an action that was already finished but its continuity is emphasized, as:

Why are you so tired?

I have been tilling the soil.

EXERCISE 

Put the verb in correct form of the Present Perfect Continuous Tense. 

1.He (take) exercise since morning. 

2. India (oppress) the Kashmiries for fifty years. 

3. I (teach) in this college sine 1984. 

4. The farmers (sow) wheat since December.

5. She (search) for her books for half an hour. 6. The baby (sleep) for two hours. 

7. We (walk) on foot all the day. 

8. Why are your clothes dirty? "I (dust) the furniture!" 

9. The labourers (protest) for two months. 

10. He (write) a book since 2001. 

THE PAST INDEFINITE TENSE 

The Past Indefinite Tense is used: 

(i) to indicate an action completed in the past with or without an adverb of past time i.e. yesterday, ago, last; as: 

The tailor sew the clothes yesterday. 

I met him a week ago. 

The gardener watered the plants last week.

(I)  (a) But this tense may also be used without adverb of past time when the past time is indicated from the context. e.g. Pakistan defeated Australia in a friendly match. 

(b) He came to see his sister. 

(ii) to express a habitual action in the past; as

We went to sleep at 10 p.m. daily. 

I went out for a walk in the morning every day. 

EXERCISE 

Put the verbs in the correct form of the present indefinite Tense. 

1. I (receive) your letter yesterday. 

2. She (join) the college last year. 

3. I (help) him when he was in trouble. 

4. The children (visit) to zoo a week ago. 

5. The government (impose) new taxes in the last budget. 

6. We (export) rice last year. . 

7. He always (depend) upon himself. 

8. Pakistan (carry) out atomic explosion. 

9. I (go) to see him last night. 

10. We (visit) swat valley every year. 

THE PAST CONTINUOUS (Progressive) TENSE 

The Past Continuous Tense is used: 

(i) to denote an action that was going on at some time in the past; as 

He was looking for his book. 

We were studying while they were playing.

While he was cleaning the white board, the principal came in. 

When I saw him, he was studying. 

Note: In the last two examples, the past continuous and past indefinite are used together when a new action happened in the middle of a longer action. The past indefinite is used for the new action. 

EXERCISE 

Put the verb in the correct form of the past Continuous Tense: 

1. I stayed at home when it (rain) 

2. When I saw him, he (study) 

3. When you (help) him, he (betray) you. 

4. While you (travel) by air we (journey) by bus. 

5. When we met him, he (look) weak. 

6. When the peon rang the bell, I (take) test.

7. He (try) to use unfair means when the inspector caught him. 

8. The light went out when I (read) book. 

9. We stayed at the door when the dog (bark).

10. We listened patiently when he (deliver) a speech. 

THE PAST PERFECT TENSE 

The past perfect Tense is used to indicate an action which had been completed before an action was begun; as 

I had reached college before the peon rang the bell. 

When we reached the station, the train had arrived. 

EXERCISE 

Put the verb in correct form of Past Perfect Tense. 

1. The children (pluck) the flowers before the gardener reached. 

2. The rain (start) before we reached home.

3. The bus (leave), when we reached the station. 

4. He (sell) his property before he went abroad. 

5. We (complete) arrangements when the guests arrived.

6. The bird (fly) away before the hunter fired the gun. 

7. Akram (eat) all the biscuits before the tea was prepared. 

8. We (complete) preparation before the examination began. 

9. He (go) out two weeks before. 

10. She (buy) woollen garments before winter set in. 

THE PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE

The Past Perfect Continuous Tense is used:

To denote an action that had been going on before or at a certain point in the past and continued upto that time: 

When I joined this college in 1984, Mr. Tanveer Ajmal had been working here as a principal for five years. 

He had been working in a private firm for two years before he joined the government service. 

EXERCISE 

Put the verb in correct form of the Past Perfect Continuous Tense. 

1.  I (read) in this college for two years before I joined university. 

2.  He (jog) since morning before he took breakfast. 

3.  He (learn) English for four years. 

4. He (take) rest for two hours when I knocked at the door. 

5.  He (deal) in rice since 1998. 

6. We (walk) for an hour when it suddenly started to rain.

7. Farhan ( make) a speech for half an hour when the audience attacked him. 

8. Ahmed (solve) the sums for hours when his mother called him. 

9. The workers (raise) slogans for three hours when the police dispersed them. 

10. He (live) in this city since 1990. 

THE FUTURE INDEFINITE TENSE 

The Future Indefinite Tense is used: 

(i) to talk about what we believe will take place in future; as 

I think the Kashrniries will win their war of freedom. 

I am sure that you will pass the examination. 

I hope that we shall overcome our difficulties.

 (ii) to denote such things as we cannot control; as 

It will be Sunday tomorrow. 

She will be nineteen next month. 

Our examination will take place in June. 

(iii) to denote actions we decide to do at the time of speaking; as 

It is raining. 

I shall stay at home. 

The patient is taking rest. 

We shall enquire after him tomorrow.

Note: We can also use present indefinite tense (for fixed official programmes) and present continuous tense (for fixed personal programme) as substitutes for future indefinite tense. 

EXERCISE 

Put the verb in correct form of the Future Indefinite Tense: 

1. We (favour) him. 

2. The train (arrive) at 4.30 pm. 

3. I think Pakistan not (surrender) to Australian pressure. 

4. We hope our team (win) the match. 

5. It (be) Eid the next month. 

6. Mr. Sohail is busy. I (wait) for him. 

7. The university (declare) the result tomorrow. 

8. I have completed preparation. I (take) examination. 

9. I am sure you (achieve) your aim. 

10. We (overcome) our difficulties. 

THE FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE 

The Future Continuous Tense is used: 

(i) to denote an action which will be in progress at some time in the future; as 

We shall be visiting Swat Valley the next month. 

I think Umar will be waiting for us when we reach there. 

(ii) to indicate future action which is already planned or which is expected to happen; as

He will be accompanying us next week. 

We shall be staying in Swat till Friday. 

The supply of goods will be reaching soon. 

EXERCISE 

Put verb in correct form of the Future Continuous Tense: 

1. I suppose it (rain) when we leave home. 

2 This time we (travel) by train tomorrow. 

3. He (continue) his studies till next month. 

4 The rain (fall) soon. 

5 He (go) home next month. 

6. The postman (deliver) the letter till 4 o'clock. 

7. I think he (look) for us. 

8. The cabinet (take) oath next week. 

9. The Security Council (discuss) the afghan issue. 

10. The birds (return) to their nests when the sun sets. 

THE FUTURE PERFECT TENSE 

The Future Perfect Tense is used to indicate an action that will be completed by a certain future time; as 

He will have completed his education by next year. 

The sun will have set when we reach our destination. 

The bus will have left, when you reach the station. 

EXERCISE 

Put verb in correct form of the Future perfect Tense: 

1. The match (end) when we reach the stadium. 

2. The tortoise (reach) the goal when the hare gets up. 

3. WE (complete) our syllabus when the examination commences. 

4. The thief (break) into the house, before he wakes up. 

5. I (write) the essay by then.  

6. The farmers (harvest) the crops when winter sets in. 

7.The traveller (reach) the destination before the sun sets.

8. He (go) before we go to see him.

9. By the end of this year, I (work) in the office for ten years. 

10. The old man (die) before the doctor comes. 

THE FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE

The Future Perfect continuous Tense is used to indicate an action that will have been going on at or  before some point of time in the future; as

By next year, we shall have been living here for five years. 

He will have been looking for his lost son for one year by next June. 

HAVE A NICE DAY.