Unit 12

Tenses Introduction and Regular activities

Objective: To learn about different types of tenses in English.

Tenses
Tense means Time. There are basically three types of tenses. They are,
1. Present tense
2. Past tense and
3. Future tense
Under each tense, there are four further classifications. So, totally there are twelve tenses in English.
They are as follows.
1. Simple Present tense
2. Present Continuous tense
3. Present Perfect tense
4. Present Perfect Continuous tense
5. Simple Past tense
6. Past Continuous tense
7. Past Perfect tense
8. Past Perfect Continuous tense
9. Simple Future tense
10. Future Continuous tense
11. Future Perfect tense
12. Future Perfect Continuous tense

Simple Present tense
Usage:
Occasionally and Frequently done actions
Permanent and Regular activities
General and Universal truths
Habits and Customs
Scheduled events in the near future

Structures:
S =Subject; M.V =Main Verb; O.W =Other Words
Positive statement:

S + M.V (s/ es/ ies) + O.W
Examples:
I/ You/ We/ They/ Raja and Joseph write a letter.
He/ She/ It/ Raja writes a letter.

Negative statement:

S + do not/ does not + M.V + O.W
S + dont/ doesnt + M.V + O.W
Examples:
I/ You/ We/ They/ Raja and Joseph do not write a letter (or)
I/ You/ We/ They/ Raja and Joseph dont write a letter.
He/ She/ It/ Raja does not write a letter (or)
He/ She/ It/ Raja doesnt write a letter.


Yes/ No Positive question:

Do/ Does + S + M.V + O.W?
Note:
Use Do for I/ You/ We/ They/ Raja and Joseph.
Use Does for He/ She/ It/ Raja.

Examples:
Do you sing songs?
Does she pelt the stone?

Yes/ No Negative question:

Do/ Does + S + not + M.V + O.W?
Dont/ Doesnt + S + M.V + O.W?
Note:
Use Do + not/ Dont for I/ You/ We/ They/ Raja and Joseph.
Use Does + not/ Doesnt for He/ She/ It/ Raja.

Examples:
Do you not write poems?
Doesnt he like Cricket?

Wh Positive question:

Wh + do/ does + S + M.V + O.W?
Examples:
Where do you go jogging?
How does Krishna finish his work on time?

Who + M.V(s/ es/ ies) + O.W?
Examples:
Who lives here?
Who plays football?

Wh(y) Negative question:

Why + do/ does + S + not + M.V + O.W?
Why + dont/ doesnt + S + M.V + O.W?
Examples:
Why do they not attend the classes?
Why doesnt Ricky play well nowadays?