Important Questions: Tenses | English Grammar for Class 9 PDF Download

Q.1. What is the definition of a tense in English grammar? Provide an example.

Ans: A tense in English grammar refers to the time of an action or event. It indicates whether the action happened in the past, present, or future. For example, in the sentence "I ate dinner," the past tense is used to show that the action of eating occurred in the past.

Q.2. Identify the tense used in the following sentence: "She will be studying for her exam tomorrow."

Ans: The tense used in the sentence is the future continuous tense. It is formed by using the auxiliary verb "will" with the base form of the main verb and adding "-ing" to the end of the verb. In this case, the verb "study" is in the future continuous tense.

Q.3. Rewrite the following sentence in the present perfect tense: "They visited Paris last year."

Ans: They have visited Paris. (Or) They've visited Paris.

Q.4. Fill in the blank with the appropriate verb form: "I _____ my homework before dinner."

Ans: I will do my homework before dinner. (Or) I have done my homework before dinner.

Q.5. Change the following sentence to the past perfect tense: "I will finish the project by tomorrow."

Ans: I would have finished the project by tomorrow. (Or) I had finished the project by tomorrow.

Q.6. Explain the concept of tenses and its importance in English grammar. Provide examples to illustrate each type of tense.

Ans: Tenses in English grammar are used to indicate the time of an action or event. They help in understanding when an action took place, is taking place, or will take place. Tenses are crucial for effective communication as they provide clarity and precision in conveying the sequence and duration of events. The three main tenses are past, present, and future, each with further subdivisions.
(a) Past Tense: It refers to actions or events that have already happened. For example, "She played the piano yesterday."
(b) Present Tense: It describes actions or events that are currently happening. For example, "He writes a letter every day."
(c) Future Tense: It signifies actions or events that are yet to occur. For example, "They will go to the park tomorrow."
Each of these tenses can also be further classified into simple, continuous, perfect, and perfect continuous forms. It is essential to understand and use tenses correctly to convey accurate information about the timing of actions or events.

Q.7. Discuss the usage of the simple present tense and provide examples to support your answer. Explain its role in expressing general truths, habits, and scheduled events.

The simple present tense is used to describe actions, states, or events that are habitual, factual, or scheduled. It is characterized by the base form of the verb without any additional markers.
Here are a few examples to illustrate its usage:
(a) General Truths: The simple present tense is used to express facts or general truths. For instance, "The Earth revolves around the Sun."
(b) Habits: It is employed to describe routine actions or habits. For example, "She brushes her teeth every morning."
(c) Scheduled Events: The simple present tense indicates future events that are part of a fixed schedule or timetable. For instance, "The train departs at 9 AM tomorrow."
In all these cases, the simple present tense helps to convey information that is timeless, habitual, or predetermined.

Q.8. Explain the concept of the present continuous tense and provide examples to illustrate its usage in different contexts.

Ans: The present continuous tense is used to describe actions or events that are happening at the present moment or around the current time. It is formed using the present participle form (-ing) of the verb, combined with the auxiliary verb "to be" (am, is, are).
Here are a few examples to illustrate its usage:
(a) Present Actions: The present continuous tense is used to describe actions or events happening right now. For example, "She is reading a book at the moment."
(b) Temporary Situations: It is employed to express temporary situations or actions that may not be typical or permanent. For instance, "I am currently working on a project."
(c) Future Arrangements: The present continuous tense can also be used to express future arrangements or plans. For example, "We are meeting for dinner tomorrow."
In these examples, the present continuous tense helps to convey actions or events that are ongoing, temporary, or future-oriented.

Q.9. Discuss the usage of the simple past tense and provide examples to support your answer. Explain its role in narrating past events and expressing completed actions.

Ans: The simple past tense is used to describe actions, events, or states that have already taken place in the past. It is formed by adding the past tense marker (-ed) to regular verbs, while irregular verbs have specific forms.
Here are a few examples to illustrate its usage:
(a) Past Events: The simple past tense is used to narrate specific actions or events that occurred at a definite time in the past. For instance, "He finished his homework last night."
(b) Completed Actions: It is employed to express actions or events that are completed and no longer happening. For example, "They visited Paris last summer."
(c) Past Habits: The simple past tense can also describe past habits or repeated actions. For instance, "She always walked to school when she was younger."
In these examples, the simple past tense helps to convey actions or events that happened in the past and are now finished or no longer occurring.

Q.10. Explain the concept of the future tense and provide examples to illustrate its usage in different contexts.

Ans: The future tense is used to describe actions or events that are yet to occur. It indicates future time and helps in expressing plans, predictions, or intentions.
Here are a few examples to illustrate its usage:
(a) Simple Future: The simple future tense is used to express actions or events that will happen in the future. For example, "I will visit my grandparents next month."
(b) Future Continuous: It is employed to describe ongoing actions that will happen in the future. For instance, "At 8 PM tomorrow, I will be studying for my exam."
(c) Future Perfect: The future perfect tense indicates actions that will be completed before a specific time in the future. For example, "By this time next year, I will have graduated."
In these examples, the future tense helps to convey actions or events that will happen in the future and their relationship to other events or timeframes.