Tense
Structurally, verbs can be classed in two categories:
1. Finite Verb
2. Non-Finite Verb
Finite Verb:
Finite Verb consists of Auxiliary Verb and Main/Principle Verb. It is always the finite verb
which speaks of time (Tense means time).
However, the structure of tense also depends on the voice of the sentence. According to the rules
of voice, sentence is of two kinds: Active Sentence and Passive Sentence. (See Unit 6, Lesson
5)
Active Sentence means the subject of the sentence is the doer of the action.
Example:
He (subject: doer) plays football.
Passive Sentence means the subject of the sentence is not the doer of the action. In three
situations, passive is mandatory:
a. When the subject is unknown
b. When the subject is unnecessary to mention
c. When the speaker wants to hide the subject
Note: Learn more in Unit 6, Lesson 5 about Active and Passive Voice
Example:
He (subject: non-doer) was arrested last night.
Note: Here the doer is the police which is hidden in the meaning and it is unnecessary to mention
this subject.
Primarily, tense (time) are of three kinds:
1. Present
2. Past
3. Future
Each three of these are of 4 kinds:
Present Past Future
Indefinite/Simple Indefinite/Simple Indefinite/Simple
Continuous Continuous Continuous
Perfect Perfect Perfect
Perfect Continuous Perfect Continuous Perfect Continuous
So, in total, there are 4x3=12 kinds of tenses.
As there are two kinds of sentence structures in Finite Verb (Active and Passive), each 12
tenses have 2 structures. So, there are 12x2 = 24 kinds of tense. Here is the list of 24 structures:
Finite Verb Structure
Tense Active Passive
1. Present Simple v1 am/is/are + v3
2. Present Continuous: am/is/are + v1 + ing am/is/are + being + v3
3. Present Perfect has/have been + v1 + ing has/have + been + v3
4. Present Perfect Continuous has/have been + v1 + ing has/have + been + being + v3
5. Past Simple v2 was/were + v3
6. Past continuous was/were + v1 + ing was/were + being + v3
7. Past Perfect had + v3 had + been + v3
8. Past Perfect Continuous had been + v1 + ing had been + being + v3
9. Future Simple will + v1 will be + v3
10. Future Continuous will be + v1 + ing will be being + v3
11. Future Perfect will have + v3 will have been + v3
12. Future Perfect Continuous will have been + v1 +
ing
will have been + being + v3
Note:
V1: base form of verb (for instance: go, do, eat)
V2: past form of verb (for instance: went, did, ate)
V3: past participle form of verb (for instance: gone, done, eaten)
Auxiliary Verb:
Auxiliary Verb means helping or supporting verb. It is a part of the finite verb. It helps the main
verb. It also can work like main verb. It also suggests time (Tense).
Example:
I have a car.
Here ‘have’ is used as main verb.
I have done the work.
Here ‘have’ is used as helper to the main verb ‘done’.
In total, there are 34 auxiliary verbs. These verbs can be divided in 4 categories:
1. Verb to be (10):
am, is, are, was, were, shall be, will be, be, being, been
2. Verb to have (4):
have, has, had, having
3. Verb to do (3):
do, did, does
4. Modal Verb (17):
shall, will, may, can, could, would, should, might, need, must, used to, ought to, had
better, had rather, would better, would rather, dare
Note:
1. Modal Verb will have no suffix like --- ‘s, es, t, ed, ing...’
2. After Modal Verb ‘to’ (preposition) or ‘to’ (infinitive) will never sit.
3. ‘Base form’ (v1) of verb is used after Modal Verb.
1. Present Simple/Indefinite
We use present simple in the following cases---
a. Everyday action
b. Habitual act
c. Universal truth
The adverbs that help us identifying a present simple tense are---
Regularly, off and on, often, everyday, sometimes
Example:
Active Present Simple: (Subject+v1)
I often visit my uncle’s home.
The sun rises in the east.
I take bread and butter in breakfast.
Passive Present Simple: (Subject + am/is/are + v3)
The homework is done.
It is said that tortoise live longer than elephants.
2. Present Continuous
We use present continuous in the following case---
a. When the action is on-going --- occurring at that moment when spoken
The adverbs that help us identifying a present simple tense are---
At present, now, at the moment
Example:
Active Present Continuous: (Subject + v1 + ing)
At present, women are joining in multi-national companies.
Ria is 3 years old. Look, she is walking now.
Passive Present Continuous: (Subject + am/is/are + being + v3)
Clothes are being displayed in the exhibition now.
3. Present Perfect
We use present perfect---
a. To suggest that the action has just finished. The effect of the action is still present.
The adverbs that help us identifying a present simple tense are---
Yet, recently, just, already, ever, never
Example:
Active Present Perfect: (Subject + has/have + v3)
I have just done the work.
He hasn’t arrived yet.
Have you ever been to Cox’s Bazar?
Passive Present Perfect: (Subject + has/have + been + v3)
The work has been completed recently.
This has been already complained to the authority.
4. Present Perfect Continuous
We use present perfect continuous in the following cases---
a. When the action has started in past and still going on in present
b. When the action has just ended, but when it was going on it was a continuous action
The prepositions that help us identifying a present simple tense are---
Since, for
Note:
Since means --- when the period began
For means --- how long the period is
Example:
Active Present Perfect Continuous: (Subject + has/have + been + v1 + ing)
I have been writing a novel since a month.
He has been waiting there for 2 hours.
Passive Present Perfect Continuous: (not applicable)
Passive form of Present Perfect Continuous is not used.
5. Past Simple
We use past simple to mean a past usual activity.
Example:
Active Past Simple: (Subject + v2)
I visited the place a week ago.
Passive Past Simple: (Subject + was/were + v3)
The window was broken yesterday.
6. Past Continuous
We use past continuous when an action continuously happened in past.
Example:
Active Past Continuous: (Subject + was/were + v1 + ing)
While he was travelling, he met his childhood friend in the bus.
Passive Past Continuous: (Subject + was/were + being + v3)
Door was being knocked for a long time when I arrived.
HSC Programme
Unit 5 Page # 108
7. Past Perfect
Past perfect is used before past simple action. An action that happens before simple past is ---
past perfect.
Note:
‘After’ or ‘Before’ are the conjunctions that helps us to identify the time of past simple and past
perfect.
Example:
Active Past Perfect: (Subject + had + v3)
I had done the work before my father came.
I went to bed after I had finished my work.
Passive Past Perfect: (Subject + had + been + v3)
It had been done before he came.
8. Past Perfect Continuous
Past perfect continuous is used before past simple action. An action that happens before simple
past is --- past perfect. The difference between past perfect and past perfect continuous is --- past
perfect continuous has to be a continuous action as well.
Note:
‘After’ or ‘Before’ are the conjunctions that helps us to identify the time of past perfect.
Example:
Active Past Perfect Continuous: (Subject + had + been + v1 + ing)
I had been driving car when our eyes met.
He had been eating dinner when I called him.
Passive Past Perfect Continuous: (not applicable)
Passive form of Past Perfect Continuous is not used.
9. Future Simple
We use future simple in 6 situations:
1. Invitation:
Will you come to the party?
2. Prediction:
I think Bangladesh will win the match.
3. Offer:
You dropped your pen. I will help you.
4. Promise:
I will pay you next week.
5. Instant Decision:
There is a chocolate shop over there! I will buy some.
6. Fact:
I will be 18 next month.
Active Future Simple: (Subject + will + v1)
Example:
I will join the party tomorrow.
Passive Future Simple: (Subject + will be + v3)
Example:
The work (subject non-doer) will be done, I guarantee.
Compare auxiliary + going to + v1 and Future Simple:
Future Simple Auxiliary + going to + v1
Instant decision
Example: There is a
chocolate shop over there! I
will buy some.
Pre-decided action
Example: I am going to
buy some chocolates after
an hour.
Prediction/Guess
Example: I think
Bangladesh will win the
match.
Prediction with proof
Example: The sky is cloudy.
I think it is going to rain.
10. Future Continuous
We use future continuous to mean a continuous action in future. Usually, it speaks the future ongoing time-length and sometimes it expresses a starting time of the action.
Active Future Continuous: (Subject + shall be/will + v1 + ing)
Example:
Next week at noon, I will be lying on the beach.
Passive Future Continuous: (Subject + shall be/will be + being + v3)
Example:
Results will be being announced from 3pm tomorrow.
11. Future Perfect
We use future perfect when the sentence gives an end-time of the action in future. To put an endtime, it uses a preposition ‘by’.
Active Future Perfect: (Subject + shall/will + have + v3)
Example:
I will have finished the book by tomorrow noon.
Passive Future Perfect: (Subject + shall/will + have + been v3)
Example:
My bi-cycle will have been repaired by next Friday.
12. Future Perfect Continuous
We use future perfect continuous tense in the followings cases---
a. Action that started in past, still going on, and will end in future
b. To put an end-time, it uses a preposition ‘by’
c. To express the time-length, it uses ‘since’ or ‘for’
Active Future Perfect Continuous: (Subject + shall/will + have + been + v1 + ing)
Example:
By next January, I will have been teaching here for 2 years.
Passive Future Perfect Continuous:
Passive form of this tense is not in use.
Exercise A
Present Tense
Fill the gaps with appropriate verbs:
1. I (play)____ tennis.
2. The train (leave) ____ tonight at 6 PM.
3. Rina (go)____ to school.
4. Ritu (score)____ 10 in her examination.
5. I (live) ____ in Dhaka for ten years.
Exercise B
Past Tense
Fill the gaps with appropriate verbs:
1. I (see) ____ a movie yesterday.
2. My parents (come) ____ to visit me last July.
3. Riha (work) ____ on her homework when I saw her.
4. He came after I (leave) ____ the place.
5. Luna (write) ____ her book for a year.
Exercise C
Future Tense
Fill the gaps with appropriate verbs:
1. I (send) ____ you the information when I get it.
2. Nila (go)___ to university next year.
3. I (see) ____ you off are the airport tomorrow.
4. By next November, I (receive) ____ my promotion.
5. Father will be tired when he gets home because he (jog) ___ for over an hour.
Answer Key
A
1. play
2. leaves
3. is going
4. has scored
5. have been living
B
1. saw
2. came
3. was working
4. had left
5. had been writing
C
1. will send
2. will be going
3. will be seeing
4. will have received
5. will have been jogging