Module 10

Perfect Tenses
Eulogy
Dante’s Inferno
Modal Verbs
What is Tense?

• The tense of a verb indicates the time of the

action or of the state of being that is
expressed by the verb.
 Verbs come in three tenses: past, present, and
future. The past is used to describe things that have
already happened (e.g., earlier in the day, yesterday,
last week, three years ago). The present tense is used
to describe things that are happening right now, or
things that are continuous. The future tense describes
things that have yet to happen (e.g., later, tomorrow,
next week, next year, three years from now).
Types of Verb Tenses

•Simple Tense
•Progressive Tense
•Perfect Tense
•Perfect Progressive Tense
Perfect Tenses
When you want to report an action that was
already completed, you use the perfect tenses of
the verbs.
 Present Perfect Past Perfect Future Perfect

I have driven in snow It had already It will have

many times. snowed before I left. snowed 6 inches
by the end of the
PERFECT day.
TENSES
Have/has + past Had + past Will have + past
participle verb participle verb participle verb
PAST PERFECT TENSE
The past perfect is a verb tense used to talk about
actions that were completed before some point in the
past. This tense is formed by had + the past participle.
Example:
1. Her parents, afraid that they had unwittingly
incurred the anger of the gods, consulted the oracle of
Apollo.

EXPLANATION: In narrating events, writers sometimes refer to two

related past events where one happened before the other. For readers
to understand that in sentence 1, “incurring the anger of the gods”
happened first before “the consultation with Apollo,” the past perfect
tense of the verb is used (in this case had incurred). Notice that the
past perfect tense is formed with had + past participle of the verb. The
simple past tense is used to indicate the second event (consulted).
2. When she had recovered some degree of
composure, she looked around her.
In the second sentence, it is but logical to think that before Psyche
could look around her, she must first recover her composure.

3. But the palace and gardens had vanished, and she

found herself in the open field.
Finally, the palace and the garden must first vanish before she can
find herself in the open field.
Present Perfect Tense
The present perfect tense refers to an action or state that
either occurred at an indefinite time in the past (e.g., we
have talked before) or began in the past and continued to
the present time (e.g., he has grown impatient over the last
hour). This tense is formed by have/has + the past
participle.
Examples:
• I have walked on this path before.
• We have eaten the lasagna here.
• She has worked in the bank for five years.
• She has visited them frequently
Future Perfect Tense
• Future perfect tense is used to indicate a “definite” completion (or
perfection) of an event in the future. Thus, it is a verb tense used for
actions that will be completed before some other point in the future.
It is formed with will/shall +have + past participle of the verb as in
the following example:
Examples:
• “Psyche will have crossed the river by the moon tide.”
• The parade will have ended by the time Chester gets out of bed. At
eight o’clock I will have left.
 Eulogy
A eulogy is a speech given to a beloved deceased extolling his/her virtues
and achievements.
Some pointers in writing a eulogy are:
1. Be reminded that you are amidst an atmosphere of sorrow and sadness so speak in a
slow and sad voice.
2. You may start with a quotation from the Bible regarding death.
3. Give a short biographical sketch of the deceased.
4. Highlight the good traits possessed and demonstrated by the deceased.
5. Mention great and outstanding accomplishments and achievements.
6. Give comforting message to the immediate family to assuage their sorrow.
Archaic Pronouns in English
Archaic English is the English of a much earlier
time probably around 1500 AD. This was the time
when Middle English was transforming into
Modern English.
The chart presents the archaic pronouns, some
of which are, “If, Lord, Thy Love for Me Is Strong.”
 Subjunctive Objective Possessive Verb
  Irregular
(Nominative) (Accusative) (Genitive) -ending
1st person
(singular) I me my, mine   Out hest
2nd person
thou thee thy/thine -est dost/shalt
3rd person
(singular) she her her wilt
he him his -eth hath
it it his doth
1st person
(Plural) we us our, ours    
2nd person
(Plural) ye/you you your, yours   are
3rd person
(Plural) they them their, theirs   are
The Divine Comedy: Inferno
The Divine Comedy: Inferno, written by the
Italian poet Dante Alighieri in 1308 to 1321,
is a long narrative poem of thirty-four cantos
or sections describing the nine circles of hell,
each housing different types of sinners.
 Hell, as depicted in Dante’s poem, is linked to a funnel that leads the
readers to a big hole found at the core of the earth. This hole, based on
a legend, was said to have been created when Satan and his cohorts
were thrown out of heaven, and ever since that it has been there and it
became the unrepentant sinners’ dwelling place.
In Canto I, Dante describes how in his midlife stage, he finds himself
lost in a dark forest and full of fear. In search for the right path, which
he cannot remember how and why he strayed away from, three kinds
of animals make him retreat further into the forest where he meets the
spirit of Virgil, the poet he admires the most. Dante pleads for help and
Virgil tells him to take on a journey with him that will lead him to
paradise. This journey, however, will take him to Hell first. Given Virgil’s
promise to guide him, Dante concedes. Thus, the descent to Hell
ensues.
Modal Verbs
When you need to express ability, possibility, and obligation, or to
request permission, you need to use modal verbs—also called modals,
modal auxiliaries, and modal auxiliary verbs—in your sentences. These
verbs do not change forms (for example, they do not have -s/-es, -d/-
ed, or -ing forms.
 Modal Verb Usage Example
to express ability I can play the violin.
to express possibility Too much alcohol drinking can
can
cause cancer of the liver.
to request permission Can I ride your bicycle, please?
to express possibility It could rain next week.
to express ability in the past She could speak Spanish when she
could
was nine years old.
to ask permission politely Could I borrow your book?
to express possibility Our flight might be delayed due to
may/might bad weather.
to request permission May I have a cup of coffee, please?
to request Will you close the door behind you
will/ would please?
to offer Would you like some tea?
to express strong obligation She must help out here.
must to express logical conclusion or Having worked for so many hours,
certainty she must be tired by now.
should to give advice Young people should learn how to
fend for themselves.