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Use of Tenses
Use of Tenses
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Use of Tenses
The Present Continuous is used----
Present continuous represents an action as going on
at the time of speaking; as,
She is singing.
The present Perfect tense is used-----
The present Perfect denotes an action that has just
been completed; as,
There I have written my exercises.
Present perfect is also used, instead of a past tense,
to represent a past action as continuing to the
present; as,
We have lived here ten years. [we are still living
there]
Note the Difference-----
• We have lived here ten years.
• We lived here ten years.
Sentence I shows that we are still living here.
Sentence ii shows that we are living here no longer.
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Use of Tenses
The past Indefinite is used -----
To denote a single act in the past; as,
Smith scored twenty runs
The steamer sailed yesterday.
Steve defeated Rana Smith at West Ring.
To denote an action going on in the past; as,
While they danced (=were dancing), we sang
(=were singing.)
To denote a habitual action in the past; as,
He studied (=used to study) many hours every
day.
Scottish kings were crowned (=used to be
crowned) at scone.
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Use of Tenses
The past perfect tense--------
The past perfect tense also called the Pluperfect
denotes an action completed at some point in past
time before another action was commenced; as,
The rain has stopped when we came out.
I had written the letter before he arrived.
The Future indefinite---------
The future Indefinite is used of a single act that has
still to take place; as,
I shall see him tomorrow.
Future continuous tense-------
The future continuous tense represents an action as
going on at some point in future time; as,
I shall be reading the paper, then.
Future Perfect-----------
Future perfect denotes an action that will be
completed at some point in the future time; as,
I shall have written my exercise by that time.
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