Tense Part-01

Tense

When we were at school, we had to memorize the definition of Tense along with it's classification. We had to answer narrative questions on tense. In communicative method, there is no need of memorizing the definition or it's classification. So many books were written for this grammar section. I'm not going to present it like a conventional method. I'll do it on my own way to make it more apparent.
Everything, we did/were doing/had done/had been doing/do/are doing/have done/have been doing/will do/will be doing/will have done/will have been doing, is a Tense.

It's apparent in my definition that there are 12 types of tense. Depending on the usages of it, i'll discuss about selective item. Initially, the best way to understand the use of a language is to memorize an example & replace it whenever you fetch that type. So, i'm going to give examples & discuss on it for better understanding. Lets start our discussion.

Present/Past/Future(Indefinite)

 

I/We eat rice(Present Ind.)<>I/We ate rice(Past Ind.)<>I/We shall eat rice(Future Ind.)
He/She eats rice(Present Ind.)<>He/She ate rice(Past Ind.)<>He/She will eat rice(Future Ind.)
They eat rice(Present Ind.)<>They ate rice(Past Ind.)<>They will eat rice(Future Ind.)

Just memorize this single example & start replacing this form whenever you get something like this.
Basically the verb words are changing form depending on time. The verb word 'eat' mentioned present form, 'ate' mentioned past form, 'shall/will eat' mentioned future form. Forget every words in a sentence except these. Let's practice some example or try for yourself.

1. Rahima __ to school regularly.
2. Rahima __ to school yesterday.
3. Rahima __ to school tomorrow.

To know the name of the tense has no value. It's your understanding which convey the value. What you do regularly mention the simple present tense. There can be used many words that replace the word regularly. You can say Usually, Generally, Normally etc. The fact is the meaning of the entire sentence. If sentence represent your daily function, the tense will be simple present.

• Karim __ banana from the the super-shop generally/normally/Usually. 

If the meaning of an entire sentence mention past event, it'll be a past indefinite tense. Yesterday could replace the word ago/before/last day etc. It can be any word mentioning the past event. You have to understand the theme of the sentence. I'm giving another example-

• Sumi __ the cinema last day.

When you say something that is not happened but there is a chance to take place regularly/everyday in the future. Example- Suppose,you are very fat & that's why you went to a doctor. Doctor advises  you to walk everyday in the morning. So, you will walk in the morning soon. Keep focusing the discussion. So, it's very much clear that simple present/past/future tense change their verb mode (eat/ate/shall eat) depending on the meaning of a sentence.

Usage

I've already discussed about the usage. Let's do this again. Now, we know all three form of Simple Present/Past/Future & their verb mode. We have to understand the situation only as I've stated above. In the exam, there will be a single sentence to determine the tense. What will you do to understand the sentence? Go through the sentence & there must be a word like regularly/daily/everyday/yesterday/last day/tomorrow or anything like it. If you don't get any word like regularly or any other key word, it's a simple present. The past & future tense must have a clue or meaning. Now practice on your self or write in the comment box for further discussions.

1. Salma __ a good girl.
2. Rahim __ his prayer everyday.
3. Earth __ round the Sun ( In case of Universal/Habitual fact, always simple present)
4. He __ a lot of money
5. Once he __ a lot of money
6. Never __ a lie.
7. To err __ human.
8. If you work hard, you ___(Succeed) in life. (Use of conditional)
9. He __ smoke. (***)
10. Let us __ the work.

I've given some example out of the box because i'm going to discuss it in my next article.....(Continued)

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