TENSES AND ITS TENSES AND ITS USESUSES

SIMPLE PRESENTSIMPLE PRESENTSIMPLE PASTSIMPLE PASTSIMPLE FUTURESIMPLE FUTUREPRESENT CONTINUOUSPRESENT CONTINUOUSPAST CONTINUOUSPAST CONTINUOUSFUTURE CONTINOUSFUTURE CONTINOUSPRESENT PERFECTPRESENT PERFECTPAST PERFECTPAST PERFECTFUTUREPERFECTFUTUREPERFECTPRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUSPRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUSPAST PERFECT CONTINUOUSPAST PERFECT CONTINUOUSFUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUSFUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

SIMPLE PRESENTSIMPLE PRESENT For habitual actions:For habitual actions:

• I read the newspaper I read the newspaper every dayevery day.. For instantaneous present:For instantaneous present:

• He bowls from the pavilion end.He bowls from the pavilion end. For historical present:For historical present:

• Here goes Laika into space.Here goes Laika into space. Future expressed with certainty:Future expressed with certainty:

• He arrives on the 7He arrives on the 7thth.. To indicate possessions:To indicate possessions:

• He has a golden ring.He has a golden ring. In proverbs:In proverbs:

• Haste makes waste.Haste makes waste.

SIMPLE PASTSIMPLE PAST To refer to past actions/events:To refer to past actions/events: I saw a film ten days I saw a film ten days ago.ago. To refer to present time:To refer to present time: I wondered if I could borrow your bike.I wondered if I could borrow your bike. In conditional clause 2:In conditional clause 2: If I were a bird I would fly.If I were a bird I would fly. In reported speech:In reported speech: NASA asked her to join duty.NASA asked her to join duty.

Simple futureSimple future

To refer to future time or events with To refer to future time or events with certainity:certainity:

I will go to my uncle’s house I will go to my uncle’s house tomorrow.tomorrow.

To refer to ordinary future actions:To refer to ordinary future actions: The count down will begin at The count down will begin at

8.00a.m. tomorrow. 8.00a.m. tomorrow.

PRESENT CONTINOUSPRESENT CONTINOUS To refer to an action in progress at the To refer to an action in progress at the

moment of speaking or writing:moment of speaking or writing: He is reading the newspaper He is reading the newspaper now.now. With ‘always’ to express anger or With ‘always’ to express anger or

irritation:irritation: He is always disturbing me when I’m He is always disturbing me when I’m

studying.studying. To refer to future time:To refer to future time: They are visiting the planetarium They are visiting the planetarium next next

week.week.

PAST CONTINUOUSPAST CONTINUOUS

To refer to an action in progress in To refer to an action in progress in the past:the past:

He was surfing the net.He was surfing the net. To refer to an action which started To refer to an action which started

before the action in the simple past:before the action in the simple past: He was watching the cricket when I He was watching the cricket when I

phoned him.phoned him.

FUTURE CONTINUOUSFUTURE CONTINUOUS

To refer to an action as going on To refer to an action as going on some time in the future:some time in the future:

They will be coming to my house They will be coming to my house next Sundaynext Sunday..

PRESENT PERFECTPRESENT PERFECT To refer to an action just completed:To refer to an action just completed: He has bought a telescope.He has bought a telescope. To refer to a past action recollected at the To refer to a past action recollected at the

present time:present time: I have visited all the tourist spots in I have visited all the tourist spots in

Tamilnadu.Tamilnadu. To refer to past action or events whose To refer to past action or events whose

results are seen in the present:results are seen in the present: It has rained here.It has rained here.

PAST PERFECTPAST PERFECT

To refer to the earlier of the two past To refer to the earlier of the two past actions:actions:

When he switched on the computer When he switched on the computer the power had failed.the power had failed.

FUTURE PERFECTFUTURE PERFECT

To refer to an activity or state To refer to an activity or state extending up to a definite point in extending up to a definite point in the future:the future:

They will have settled that problems They will have settled that problems next week. next week.

PRESENT PERFECT PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUSCONTINUOUS

To refer to an action which began in To refer to an action which began in the past and progress at the present the past and progress at the present moment:moment:

It has been raining heavily It has been raining heavily sincesince last last night.night.

PAST PERFECT PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUSCONTINUOUS

To refer to an activity of limited To refer to an activity of limited duration in the distant past:duration in the distant past:

Last year, he had been pestering his Last year, he had been pestering his father for a full week to give his father for a full week to give his share of the property.share of the property.

FUTURE PERFECT FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUSCONTINUOUS

To refer to an activity or state in To refer to an activity or state in progress at a definite point in the progress at a definite point in the future:future:

Next month by nowNext month by now I will have been I will have been traveling to North India traveling to North India