Subject: English

Topic: Tenses

Grade: X

CB/X/1920 Tenses 1 of 13
 Verbs are used to show action.
The tense of the verb refers to
the time of action.

CB/X/1920 Tenses 2 of 13
 Present Tense
A verb that refers to present time is said to
be in the present tense.

Simple Present Tense

Present Continuous Tense

Present Perfect Tense

CB/X/1920 Tenses 3 of 13
 Simple Present Tense
Regular actions,
habits, current situations • Example: Pollution destroys the ozone layer
facts in general

Long lasting or permanent • Example: Mr. Mehra’s bungalow stands on ten

situations acres of land.

Actions which are going to • Example: The flight takes off in five minutes.
happen soon.

Short actions happening at • Example: I agree that what I said earlier was
the time of speaking wrong.

CB/X/1920 Tenses 4 of 13
 Present Continuous Tense
actions which happen
around the time of • Example: He is cycling around the garden.
speaking or writing

Situations which are • Example: I am staying in my brother’s

temporary, lasting for a house until my new house is ready.
short time.

• Example: We are going on an excursion next

Planned future actions. week.

Actions happening at the • Example: We are baking bread for lunch.

time of speaking.

CB/X/1920 Tenses 5 of 13
 Present Perfect Tense
We use this tense to talk about completed actions;
however the exact time of an action is not stated.
denotes an action that has • Example: I have written a letter to grandpa. He
happened at an indefinite has just attended a conference
time

denotes an action that has • Example: We have known each other for the past
been continuous from the seven years.
past up to the present

denotes a completed action

which is connected to the • Example:Tom has purchased a new car.
present moment

CB/X/1920 Tenses 6 of 13
 Past Tense
• Example: People walked from one place to
action or event that occurred at
another before the invention of the wheel.
a definite time in the past and
is over at the time of speaking.

• Example: During my college days, I shared

action or event that took place
my room with my best friend.
over a period of time in the past
but does not happen anymore.

• Example: Last week, a fire broke out in the

reporting certain past events or building.
situations.

CB/X/1920 Tenses 7 of 13
 Past Continuous Tense
• Example: My friends and I were watching movie
action that was going on at a last night.
definite time in the past.

• Example:Mahesh was sorting the books while

For two actions that were going Vijay was writing the names of the books.
on at the same time

Something happened while a • Example:June was watering the plants when a

longer action was going on in the beggar came up to her.
past.

• Example: We spent an hour looking for the car

Repeated actions in the past. keys this morning.

CB/X/1920 Tenses 8 of 13
 Past Perfect Tense
• Example: The sun had risen before
to indicate an event we left the house.
happened before another
event in the past.

• Example: By two o’ clock he had

used with a time in the read most of the novel.
past to show that the event
occurred before that point

CB/X/1920 Tenses 9 of 13
 Future Tense
for actions or events that will • Example: John will retire next year.
happen in the future

to make predictions, to talk • Example: Example: The cyclone will destroy all
about actions which we the coastal villages.
cannot control.

To refer to something which • Example:I hall meet you at the bus stop tomorrow
we decide to do at the time of morning.
speaking.

‘going to’ form for future

action that is planned earlier • Example: Peter is going to watch the football
or events that we think are
finals tomorrow evening.
likely to happen in the future.

CB/X/1920 Tenses 10 of 13
 Future Continuous Tense

to refer to actions or
situations which will be • Example: They will be announcing the results of
going on at a certain time in the election after 5p.m tomorrow .
the future.

to refer to actions or
situations in the future which • Example: He will be participating in the treasure
have already been planned hunt.
or which take place
regularly.

CB/X/1920 Tenses 11 of 13
 Future Perfect Tense

use words ‘already’

and ‘just’ with the
future perfect tense to • Example:Example: By June , Harry
refer to actions or will have already completed his degree
events which will be in architecture.
finished by an
approximate time in
the future.

CB/X/1920 Tenses 12 of 13
 The following verbs do not usually take the continuous tense
whether past, present or future:

1. Verbs of senses or perception: see, hear, smell, touch,

taste.

2. Verbs that express feelings and emotions: feel, fear,

forgive, hate, hope, refuse, want, wish.

3. Verbs that express mental activity or thinking: agree,

appreciate, forget, know, remember, thinking, notice.

4. Verbs that show possession: own owe, contain, possess,

have.

5. Verbs of appearance: seem, look, appear.

CB/X/1920 Tenses 13 of 13