TENSES

MEANING
 An action expressed in the verb can take
place in three different times-past,
present, and future ‘in each time’ it
(the action) can be of three different types-
simple,
Continuous and perfect. Three times
with their types are called tenses.



TENSES
Past Present Future

Simple I played I play I shall play

Continuous I was I am I shall be

playing playing playing

perfect I had played for

two hours by
that time. I had
I have played.
He has played
I shall have
played if you
for ten hours. reach late.
been playing for
I have been
two hours when
Ravi came. playing for ten
hours.
THREE TYPES OF AN ACTION
 Simple: simple type is 
expressed directly

Example
Exampleofofsimple
simpletype
type
•I•Ipassed my B.A. examination
passed my B.A. examination
inin1995.
1995.
•Raja
•Rajawill
willplay
playhockey
. hockey

 Continuous: Continuous type is that which

is incomplete
Examples
ExamplesofofContinuous
Continuoustype
type
•Radha
•Radhawaswascooking
cookingfood.
food.
•Ravi reading. .
•Raviisisreading

 Perfect: Perfect type is that which is

rounded off or complete

Examples
ExamplesofofPerfect
Perfecttype
type
•Ravi
•Ravi has been writingfor
has been writing fortwo
two
hours.
hours.
•Ravi
•Ravihas
haswritten
writtenfor
fortwo
two
hours.
hours.
 ‘Do’ is brought from outside for making questions and
negative sentences of positive assertive sentences in the
simple present and the simplest past tenses.
 Example: I play hockey

 Do you play hockey?

 Ravi does not play hockey.

 The auxiliary ‘do’ makes special emphatic tenses in the

simple present and the past.
 I do see.

 I did see
THANK
YOU