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| Arup Roy, Lecturer in English Language & Literature, Kanchkura University College |
Hi, this is Arup from the channel "Language & literature." Today, I'm back with a new lesson. Today's topic is Tense. You know that primarily tense has been classified into three groups: present, past, and future. Each tense again has four aspects. They are simple/indefinite, continuous, perfect, and perfect continuous. So, In total, there are 12 tenses. Understanding these 12 tenses is really very important because, in our daily life, we do many activities at many different times. Tense helps us express the exact times of our actions. This is where we find the importance of learning tenses. So, let's start with the present simple tense.
1. Present Simple Tense
We use the present simple tense to express habit.
- I eat rice
- I play football.
- I play cricket.
- I sing songs.
These are the activities I regularly do. These are the routine activities and these activities have become my habits. So, these are habitual actions. So, we use present indefinite tense or simple tense to express such habitual actions.
we also use present indefinite or simple tense to talk about facts, be it scientific or universal.
- The earth moves around the sun.
- The Sun rises in the East.
- The Sun sets in the West.
- Everything is changing.
- Man is mortal
They all are universal truth and we use the present simple sentence to express such universal truth.
- 100 Degree Celsius is the normal boiling point of water.
- Water fridges at 0 Degree Celsius.
- Wind causes waves.
- There are volcanoes under water.
It has scientifically been proved that 100 Degree Celsius is the normal boiling point of water. So, any kind of scientific fact should be expressed through the present simple tense.
There is another usage of present simple tense and that is future construction. In this format, we have two sections. One is the future and another is present simple. We express our desire and wish in future simple sections.
- I'll receive her when she arrives at the airport.
- He'll surprise her she meets with him.
So, my wish has been expressed in the future form that I will receive her. The rest of the part has been present simple tense.
So, we use present simple tense to talk about habitual action, to talk about facts, be it scientific or universal and there is also another usage that is future construction. Then we can go to the next part that is present continuous tense.
2. Present Continuous Tense
Present continuous tense again has three usages. We use the present continuous tense to talk about an activity that is happening at the time of my speaking. For example, you are listening at the time of my speaking.
- They are playing.
- They are working.
- I am having my breakfast.
- She is watching television.
We also use the present continuous tense to talk about any temporary activities.
- I am helping the flood-affected people.
I am in the process of helping them that I spend one or two days a week helping them and it is definitely a temporary activity.
- I am learning piano.
It means I am in the process of learning piano. I spend some time. I spend one or two days a week learning piano. For that kind of temporary activities use present continuous tense.
- Global temperature is increasing.
- Cricket is replacing football.
- Western culture is becoming popular.
- Prize of daily necessaries is increasing.
The structure of present continuous tense is subject + am/is/are + "ing" form of the verb.
3. Present Perfect Tense:
Present perfect tense has two usages. Through the present perfect tense, you can talk about any past activity without mentioning time. For example, you went to New York five years back. Here, "You went to New York." is a past simple. Now, you can say you have gone to New York without mentioning time. So, you can express any past incident without mentioning time.
- I've written a letter.
The second usage is that you can express your experiences in an ongoing time frame through the present perfect tense.
- I've bought 15 books this year.
Here, the time frame is the complete year. This is the month of July. I have another five months to complete the year. So, I buy more books. These kinds of experiences in an ongoing time frame can be expressed through the present perfect tense.
- I've learned many things in my life.
- I've visited India many times.
My life has not finished I may learn more things in the future. So, we can express such experiences or past incidents through the usage of the present perfect tense. Subject + have/has + past participle form of the verb (V3) is the structure.
- 4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense
Present perfect continuous tense deals with an action that started earlier but still continues.
- It's been raining since morning.
The rain started in the morning and it is still continuing.
- I have been reading a book for five days.
My reading started five days earlier and it's still continuing. Here you should be aware of the usage of since and for. We use since to talk about the starting time. If you want to refer to the starting time, you should use since. For example, "since morning" means your starting time is morning. "Since 2018" means your starting time is 2018. And you use "for" to talk about any length of time. It may be the length of two hours; it may be the length of seven days or 20 years. Hope that you have understood the difference between "since" and "for." Let's have a couple of examples.
- He's been suffering from fever for seven days.
- He's been working here since 2018.
The structure of the present perfect tense is subject + have been/has been + "ing" form of the verb.
5. Past Simple
We use past simple to talk about any completed action.
- I bought a car last year.
- I went to college yesterday.
- They found her crying.
- She visited Cox's Bazar last year.
These completed actions in the past have been expressed through the past simple sentence. Here, we may or may not add adverb of time. Subject + past form of the verb (V2) is the structure of past simple tense.
6. Past Continuous
Past continuous tense has several usages. We use past continuous tense for an action that was continuing before and after a particular time.
- I was eating rice at 7 am.
It means my eating started before 7 am and it was continuing even after 7 am.
- I was reading at 8 pm.
My reading started before 8 pm and it was continuing even after 8 pm. So, it is one of the four usages of past continuous tense.
We also use past continuous tense to talk about two actions that were going on at the same time. - While I was reading My father was watching television.
- While they were playing cricket, some of their friends were roaming here and there.
This is the second usage of past continuous tense.
- While I was reading, one of my friends knocked at the door.
- So, my friend knocked at the door when I was reading.
My friend knocked at the door when I was reading.
- I was playing cricket regularly.
- I was going to college every day.
So, these are the usages of past continuous tense. Subject + was/were + "ing" form" of the verb.
7. Past Perfect Tense
Past perfect tense talks about an action that took place before another action in the past.
- The patient had died before the doctor came.
Here, we have two actions: "the patient died" and "the doctor came." We are supposed to use past perfect tense for the action which happened earlier. Which action happened earlier? The patient died earlier. That is why I said, "The patient had died before the doctor came." "The doctor came" is the past simple because it happened later. Let's have some examples:
- I had submitted my CV before my friend submitted it.
- The train had left the station before I reached there.
- He left the place after I had met him.
- The patient died after the doctor had come.
Subject + had + past participle form of the verb (V3)
8. Past Perfect Continuous Tense
Past perfect continuous tense talks about continuous action in the past which was continuing for some time.
- I took a rest because I had been working for two hours.
"I had been working for two hours." is the past perfect continuous tense and it happens for a duration of time. So, it is the past perfect continuous tense. So, past perfect continuous tense refers to a continuous tense in the past which continued up to a certain point in time. Let's have a couple of examples:
- I had been working at Stamford before I joined Kanchkura University.
- I had been searching for 2 hours before I found my wallet.
Subject + had been + "ing" form of the verb is the structure of past perfect continuous tense.
9. Future Simple
Future simple tense is used for many purposes. We use future simple tense to make any prediction.
- I think the global temperature will continue to increase.
- I think he'll do good in the exam.
- I think he will earn a lot of money.
They all are predictions.
We also use future simple tense to make an offer.
- It's too hot.
You are in a room along with your friend and you are saying, "It's too hot." And your friend says, "I'll turn on the fan." Here, your friend is actually offering to turn on the fan to make the environment comfortable. So, it is the offer. So, we use future simple tense to make an offer. We use future simple tense to make predictions.
We also use future simple tense to make promises or threats.
- If you come with me, I'll help you.
- If you don't come with me, I'll not help you.
- Do it or I'll rebuke you. Move or you'll die.
So, these sentences carry promise or threat.
We also use the future simple sentence to make an assertion and in that case, we use "shall". We should keep in mind that this usage is really very limited to British English. Americans do not use "shall". So, it is limited to British English. So, we can say:
- Shall we go out for a walk?
- Shall we move out?
We can also use the future simple sentence to make a request.
- Will you do me a favor?
- Will you help me?
- Will mind opening the door?
- Will you tell me the fact?
So, you can see how you can use future simple tense. Future simple tense is used for various purposes. But we should keep in mind that we should not use future simple tense at the beginning of the cause when there is the expression of time.
- When I reach home I'll let you know.
When I reach home" is the expression of time. That is why, here, we cannot use the future simple tense. Let's have another example.
- When I finish my assignment, I'll inform you.
Subject + shall/will + base form of verb. But we should keep in mind that Americans do not use "shall". They always use "will". So, it is better to use "will" all the time. Even usage of "shall" is not so popular in British English too. So, it is better to use "will" all the time.
10. Future Continuous Tense
Future continuous tense talks about an ongoing action in the future.
- I'll be reading a book at 7 am.
My reading will be started before 7 am and I will continue to read even after 7 am. Let's have some more examples.
- I'll be playing cricket until 6 pm.
- We'll be playing against them in the competition.
- I'll be having a very tensed time tomorrow in the exam.
Subject + will be + "ing" form of the verb is the structure of future continuous tense.
11. Future Perfect Tense
Future perfect tense talks about a completed action in the future. At the same time, it deals with the duration of time. It looks up to that time and looks back to the duration of the time. For example, I want to buy a car in four months. It is the month of July and I want to buy a car in four months. So, I can say:
- I'll have bought a car by November.
So, November is the final time and I will have bought this car even before November. We look up to that November and look back to the starting time to see the duration of the time. This is the future perfect tense.
- I'll have finished my assignment by Thursday.
Here, Thursday is the final time. We look up to Thursday and look back to the starting time to understand or see the duration of time. Let's have another example.
- By December, I'll have completed my homework.
Subject + will have + past participle form of the verb (V3)
12. Future Perfect Continuous Tense.
Future perfect continuous tense talks about ongoing activities in the future and, at the same time, it talks about the duration of the time. It also looks up to that time and looks back to the starting time to understand the duration of the time.
- I'll have been working for five months.
So, if it is July, it means I will have been working up to December. So, I can say I'll have been working on this project for 5 months. Let's have some more examples:
- By November, I'll have been working on this project for 5 months.
- In 2021, I'll have been working at the university for eight years.
Subject + will have been + "ing" form of the verb is the structure of future perfect continuous tense.
So, through this lecture, I have talked about the present tense, past tense, and future tense with all four aspects. So, I hope that you will carefully watch this video to understand all these types and aspects of tense. As you have come to know the importance of tense lies in the fact that if we understand tense, we will be able to express the exact time of our actions. Thank you all!
ARUP ROY
WORKING AS A LECTURER IN ENGLISH
LITERATURE & LINGUISTICS
AT KANCHKHURA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE
FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF IELD
FORMER LECTURER OF STAMFORD COLLEGE
& DHAKA PUBLIC COLLEGE
WORKED AS A MEMBER SECRETARY
AT STAMFORD ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLUB UTTARA
AT STAMFORD ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLUB UTTARA