Action words are called verbs. (Latin word verbum = work).
TENSES
A tense is a form of verb which shows the time at which an action happens. (Latin word tempus = time).
INDEFINITE/SIMPLE TENSE:
1. SIMPLE PRESENT
Simple Present Tense is used:
It is used with the adverbs usually, generally, occasionally, rarely, always, often, sometimes on Sundays, once a week/month/year, etc.
AFFIRMATIVE | NEGATIVE |
I play. | I do not play. |
We play. | We do not play. |
You play. | You do not play. |
He/She/It plays. | He/She/It does not play |
They play. | They do not play. |
Ravi plays. | Ravi does not play |
Boys play. | Boys do not play. |
INTERROGATIVE | NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE |
Do I play? | Do I not play? |
Do we play? | Do we not play? |
Do you play? | Do you not play? |
Does he/she/it play? | Does he/she/ it not play? |
Do they play? | Do they not play? |
Does Ravi play? | Does Ravi not play? |
Do boys play? | Do boys not play? |
2. SIMPLE PAST
Simple Past Tense is used:
(i) When the time is given:
I met him yesterday.
She died in 1987.
(ii) When the time is not given, but it is implied and definite:
I bought this pen in Bombay.
(iii) When the time is asked for:
When did you meet him?
Every day he read a chapter of the Gita.
He never smoked.
AFFIRMATIVE S+V2+O | NEGATIVE S+did+not+V1+O |
I played. | I did not play. |
We played | We did not play. |
You played. | You did not play. |
He/she/it played. | He/she/ it did not play. |
They played. | They did not play. |
Ravi played. | Ravi did not play. |
Boys played. | Boys did not play. |
INTERROGATIVE Did + S+V1+O (?) | NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE Did + S + not + V1 + O (?) |
Did I play? | Did I not play? |
Did we play? | Did we not play? |
Did you play? | Did you not play? |
Did he/she/it play? | Did he/she/it not play? |
Did they play? | Did they not play? |
Did Ravi play? | Did Ravi not play? |
Did boys play? | Did boys not play? |
3. SIMPLE FUTURE
Simple Future Tense is used:
He will play cricket tomorrow.
AFFIRMATIVE S+will/shall+O | NEGATIVE S+will/shall+not+V1+O |
I shall play. | I shall not play. |
We shall play. | We shall not play. |
You will play. | You will not play. |
He/she/it will play. | He/she/ it will not play. |
They will play. | They will not play. |
Ravi will play. | Ravi will not play. |
Boys will play. | Boys will not play. |
INTERROGATIVE Will/Shall + S+V1+O (?) | NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE Will/Shall + S + not + V1 + O (?) |
Will I play? | Will I not play? |
Will we play? | Will we not play? |
Will you play? | Will you not play? |
Will he/she/it play? | Will he/she/it not play? |
Will they play? | Will they not play? |
Will Ravi play? | Will Ravi not play? |
Will boys play? | Will boys not play? |
CONTINUOUS/PROGRESSIVE TENSE
1. PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE
The Present Continuous is used:
The following verbs are not normally used in the present continuous tense:
These verbs are used in the simple present tense. They may, however, be used in the continuous tense with a changed meaning.
The headmaster is seeing the student in the afternoon. (meeting)
The judge is hearing the case tomorrow.
AFFIRMATIVE S+is/am/are+V1+ing+O | NEGATIVE S+is/am/are+not+V1+ ing+O |
I am playing. | I am not playing. |
We are playing. | We are not playing. |
He/she/it is playing. | He/she/it is not playing. |
They are playing. | They are not playing. |
Ravi is playing. | Ravi is not playing. |
Boys are playing. | Boys are not playing. |
INTERROGATIVE Is/am/are+S+V1+ing+ O(?) | NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE Is/am/are+Sub+not+ V1+ing+O(?) |
Am I playing? | Am I not playing? |
Are we playing? | Are we not playing? |
Are you playing? | Are you not playing? |
Is he/she/ it playing? | Is he/she/it not playing? |
Are they playing? | Are they not playing? |
Is Ravi playing? | Is Ravi not playing? |
2. PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE
The Past Continuous Tense is used:
AFFIRMATIVE S+was/were+V1+ ing+O | NEGATIVE S+was/were+not+V1+ ing+O |
I was playing. | I was not playing. |
We were playing. | We were not playing. |
He/she /it was playing. | He/she/it was not playing. |
They were playing. | They were not playing. |
Ravi was playing. | Ravi was not playing. |
Boys were playing. | Boys were not playing. |
INTERROGATIVE Was/were+S+ V1+ ing+O (?) | NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE Was/were+S+ not+V1+ ing+O (?) |
Was I playing? | Was I not playing? |
Were we playing? | Were we not playing? |
Was he/she/it playing? | Was he/she/it not playing? |
Were they playing? | Were they not playing? |
Was Ravi playing? | Was Ravi not playing? |
Were boys playing? | Were boys not playing? |
3. FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE
The Future Continuous is used:
AFFIRMATIVE S+will/shall+be+V1+ ing+O | NEGATIVE S+will/shall+not+be+V1+ ing+O |
I shall be playing. | I shall not be playing. |
We shall be playing. | We shall not be playing. |
He/she /it will be playing. | He/she/it will not be playing. |
They will be playing. | They will not be playing. |
Ravi will be playing. | Ravi will not be playing. |
Boys will be playing. | Boys will not be playing. |
INTERROGATIVE Will/Shall+S+be+V1+ ing+O | NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE Will/Shall+S+not+be+V1+ ing+O |
Shall I be playing? | Shall I not playing? |
Shall we be playing? | Shall we not be playing? |
Will he/she/it be playing? | Will he/she/it not be playing? |
Will they be playing? | Will they not be playing? |
Will Ravi be playing? | Will Ravi not be playing? |
Will boys be playing? | Will boys not be playing? |