Verb Tenses

TENSES

UNIVERSITY OF THE PUNJAB DEPARTMENT: Microbiology &

Molecular Genetics

USES1.A future action that will be completed

prior to a specific future time.Example: I will have finished this work by

midnight.2.A state or action that will be completed

in the future prior to some other future time or event.

Example: I will have finished my essay by the time you return from college.

TENSESGrammar:  Grammar is the set of rules governing how the words in a

language may be joined to make sense. Verb Tenses: Verb tenses are tools that English speakers use to express time

in their language. Events can happen in thePresentPastFuture.

IMPORTANCEImportance of Verb Tenses: The English becomes easy and clear to

understand.Consistency in speaking.To express the event with proper verb tenses.One can better communicate with society

SIMPLE PRESENT TENSEPRESENT INDEFINITE TENSE

Otherwise known as the timeless present

Present IndefiniteSubject + 1st form of verb + object

Negative subject+ do not/ does not + first form +

object

Interrogative wh-words + do/does + subject + 1st form +

object

Simple present tense is used Habitual action

Example: He goes for a walk daily. Universal truths

Example: the sunsets in the west.General statements/ Facts

Example: God helps those who help themselves

Indicators Always whenever everydayUsually often frequentlySometimes rarely occasionallynever

PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE

Some times called the present progressive tense.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE Actions that are occurring right nowExample :o She is typing a paper for her class.o He cant talk .He is fixing the sink right now.

For temporary, present actions.Example: Ahmed is living in Islamabad , but he might

move soon

Present continuous formulasSimple Subject + is/am/are+1st form + ing + object

NegativeSubject +is /am/are+not+1st form + ing +

object

InterrogativeWh words + is /am/are+1st form + ing+ object

Indicators Right now , at this momentStillThis yearWeek MonthAs we speak

PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

A tense very commonly used in English to refer to the past

Present perfect formulasSimple Subject + has/have + 3rd form + object

NegativeSubject +has not/have not+3rd form + object

InterrogativeWh words + has/have + 3rd form + object

USESThe present perfect is used to talk about

an event that began in the past and continues up to the present.

Example: He has lived in Modesto for two years. (He began living in Modesto two years ago and he still lives there.)

The present perfect is also used to talk about an event that was completed in the past, but the specific time of the event is not important.

Examples: I have seen that movie before. He has already visited Vietnam.(Specific dates and times are not mentioned.)

When an activity was very recently completed before now.

Examples: I have just eaten. Nabila has just finished

her homework

INDICATORSBeforeEverSo farNeverYetForRecentlyJustSincealready

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE

OR

PRESENT PERFECT PROGRESSIVE TENSE

formulasSubject + has been / have been +1st form + since/for + time

For specific time since 2 o’clock, morning, childhood, Monday ,10th December 2010

For not specific time for1 hour, 10 days, 5 years, 2months

FORMULAS Negative: Subj + has/have + not+ been +1st form + ing + obj

+ since/for + timeExample: He has not been doing sums for two

hours. Interrogative: Has/Have+subj+been+1st

form+ing+obj+since/for+timeExample: Has he been doing sums for two hours?

USES This tense is also used to describe events that have been in progress recently and are rather temporary.

Example: She has been living in Taiwan for the last two months, but she plans to move soon

USESThis tense is used to describe the

duration of an action that began in the past and continues into the present.

Examples: He has been studying grammar for an hour.She has been cooking all day.

(He is still studying and she is still cooking.)

USESThe incompleteness of an action in progress.

Example: I have been reading a book. {Compare – I have read a book.}

INDICATORS

Before Ever Never

So far Already YetJust Recently

ForSince

PAST TENSE

PAST INDEFINITE TENSE(SIMPLE PAST TENSE)

FORMULASSimple formula:Subj + 2nd form + objExample: He visited his sister yesterdayNegative: Subj + did not + 1st form + objExample: He did not visit his sister yesterday Interrogative:Did + subj + 1st form + objExample: Did he visit his sister yesterday?

USES 1.Habitual action in the past.Example: Ali jogged to work every day last year.2.Actions /events that are now completed and no

longer true in the present.Example: I saw a movie every weekend when I was

a teenager.3.To indicate when an action took place in the

past.Example: I visited my sister yesterday

INDICATORSLast night, week, year, month, Saturday,

semester, etc.YesterdayAgo

 The Past Progressive Tense:

It is also called Past Continuous Tense

FORMULASSimple formula: Subj + was/were + 1st form + ing + objExample: Aslam was playing cricket.Negative: Sub + was/were+ not + 1st form + ing + objExample: Aslam was not playing cricket. Interrogative: Was/were + subj + 1st form + ing + objExample: Was Aslam playing cricket?

USES1.When one action was in progress while

another action occurred.Example: I was watching TV when the door

bell rang.2.When two actions in the past continued

at the same time.Example: Fatima was watching T.V while

Amna was sleeping

PAST PERFECT TENSE

FORMULASimple formula: Sub + had + 3rd from + objExample: He had visited her many times before she died. Negative: Subj + had + not +3rd form + objExample: He had not visited her many times before she died. Interrogative: Had + sub + 3rd form + objExample: Had he visited his sister many times before she

died?

USESPast conditional.Example: If she had studied harder, she would

have passed the exam.For events that took place in the past

before another past event.Example: He had already walked to Newcastle

before I could offer him a ride.

PAST PERFECT

PROGRESSIVE

FORMULASimple formula: Subj + had been+1st form + ing + obj + since/for + timeExample: He had been doing sums for two hours. Negative: Subj + had not been +1st form + ing + obj + since/for +

timeExample: He had not been doing sums for two hours. Interrogative: Had+subj+been+1st form+ing+obj+since/for + timeExample: Had he been doing sums for two hours?

USESA past action that is in progress gets

interrupted by another past action.Example: We had been planning to holiday in

France but changed our minds when we heard about the bad weather.

This tense is used to emphasize the duration of an action that was completed before another action or event in the past.

Example: She had been driving around the city for three hours before she finally found the right office.

FUTURE TENSE

FUTURE INDEFINITE TENSESimple formula: Subj +will/shall+1st form+objExample: The gardener will water the plants. Negative: Subj+will not/shall not+1st form+objExample: The gardener will not water the plants. Interrogative: Will/shall+subj+1st form+objExample: Will the gardener water the plants?

USES1.A future habitual action or future state.Example: Ali will take the bus to Islamabad

next year.

2.A situation that may occur in the present and will occur in the future but with a definite end date.

Example: You will live in England until you finish your degree.

INDICATORSTomorrowNext Saturday week month year

The Future Progressive

Tense: (FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE)

FORMULASimple formula: Subj + will be/shall be + 1st form +ing + subjExample: The girl will be running spinning wheels. Negative: Subj + will not be/shall not be + 1st form + ing + subjExample: The girl will not be running spinning wheels. Interrogative: Will/shall + subj + be + 1st form + ing + objExample: Will the girl be running spinning wheels?

USES1.An action that will be in progress at a

specific time in the near future.Example: He will be walking to school at

9.00am tomorrow.2.Duration of some specific future actionExample: Sara will be working on her thesis

for the next ten years.

The Future Perfect Tense

FUTURE PERFECT TENSESimple formula: Subj + will have/shall have + 3rd form + objExample: The engineers will have approved this map. Negative: Subj + will not have/shall not have + 3rd form + objExample: The engineers will not have approved this map. Interrogative: Will + subject + have + 3rd form + obj Example: Will the engineers have approved this map?

usesA state or action that will be completed

in the future prior to some other future time or event.

Example: I will have finished my essay by the time you return from college.

A future action that will be completed prior to a specific future time.

Example: I will have finished this work by midnight

The Future Perfect Progressive Tense:

FORMULASimple formula: Subj + will/shall have been + 1st form + ing + obj + since/for + timeExample: We will have been living in this house since December 26, 2008. Negative: Subj + will/shall + not + have been + 1st form + ing + since/for + timeExample: We will have not been living in this house since December 26,

2008.  Interrogative: Will/shall + subj + have been + 1st form + ing + obj + since/for + time. Example: Shall we have been living in this house since December 26,

2008?

USES1.Habitual actions Example: He will have been studying for 3

hours by the time I get home.2.Action that has been in progress for

duration of time before another event or time in the future.

Example: By the time he finishes law school, we will have been living in the U.S. for eight years.

Activity1. She reads the newspaper after getting

up.2.We are not wasting our time.3. Why has she fallen ill?4. I had been working very hard before the

examination.5. I shall have been called to Rawalpindi by

Febuary.

Remember !Whenever you are writing you should try to stay in the same tense all the way through.

THANK YOU & GOD BLESS YOU