Muthayammal Engineering College, Rasipuram Department of English Technical English I Tenses - Verbs

Simple Present Tense Present Continuous Tense S+ am / is/ are +V+ ing Form S+ V / Vs / Ves Present Perfect Tense S+ have / has + Past Participle Present Perfect Continuous Tense

S+ have / has + been+ Verb+ ing 1. To express an action that began in the past and is continuing upto the time of speaking
e.g; I have been doing this work for 2 hours/ since 7o Clock

1. Universal Truth
e.g; The Sun rises in the East

1. An action that is going on at the time of speaking

e.g; You are reading

1. To express an action has been recently completed

e.g; I have paid the fee, just now

2. Habitual Activities e.g: He drinks tea daily Rules 3. Scheduled Future e.g: The P.M meets Obama next month 4. Proverbs e.g: Time and Tide waits for none

2. An action in progress,
but not necessarily at the time of speaking
e.g; He is writing a novel

3. Personal fixed future plan

e.g; My uncle is leaving for Singapore next week

2. An action completed long back but time unknown

She has already gone there

She has been suffering since last friday

Compiled by D.Jayavelu & P.Chandrasekaran

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Muthayammal Engineering College, Rasipuram Department of English Technical English I Tenses - Verbs
Always, often, never, seldom, sometimes, usually, generally, once in a day/ week / month/ year/ every morning/ evening/ daily Now, at present, at this time, at the moment, still Just, never, ever, yet, since, for, already, so far, recently Since, for, ever since, all the time, all day, all week

Key words

Compiled by D.Jayavelu & P.Chandrasekaran

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Muthayammal Engineering College, Rasipuram Department of English Technical English I Tenses - Verbs

Simple Past Tense

Past Continuous Tense S+ was/ were +V+ ing

Past Perfect Tense S+ had + Past Participle

Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Form

S+ Past Verb

S+ had + been+ Verb+ ing 1. To express an action which began before a definite moment in the past and continued upto that moment (The action was in progress) e.g: My seniors had been studying in the college for 2 years before I joined in 2012

1. To indicate a past action e.g: We went to Goa last year

1. An action going on at some time in the past e.g: I was watching T.V then 2. The simple Past and the past continuous used together e.g: I was watching T.V when my father came

To indicate that one action had been completed before another action (Past Past form/ P2 Form) st 1 action in past perfect 2nd action in simple past e.g: The train had left before I reached the railway station When, after, before

1.

Rules

Key words

Compiled by D.Jayavelu & P.Chandrasekaran

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Yesterday, two days ago, a week ago, a month ago, last week / month/ year

When, while, for a long time, last evening

When, after, before

Muthayammal Engineering College, Rasipuram Department of English Technical English I Tenses - Verbs

Simple Future Tense

Future Continuous Tense S+ will be +V+ ing

Future Perfect Tense S+ will have + Past Participle

Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Form

S+ will / shall + verb

S+ will have + been+ Verb+ ing 1. An action in progress which will begin before a definite moment in the future, will continue upto that moment e.g: We will have been playing cricket from next week onwards

Rules

1. To express an action that will take place in the future e.g: We will go to Goa next year

1. To express an action in progress in the future e.g: We will be writing the examination at this time next week

1. To express an action completed before a given moment in the future e.g: We will have reached Comibatore by this time tomorrow by, by then, by that time, by the seventh of this month, by next Monday / week / month / year

Tomorrow, soon, next week / month / year, next Sunday next independence day

Key words

at this time tomorrow at this time next week / month / year

This tense is no longer in use

Compiled by D.Jayavelu & P.Chandrasekaran

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