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TENSE
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Tense is the form of a verb that shows the time something happened, or is going to happen. |
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We use the simple present tense: |
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a. for actions that happen now.
For example:
- I watch television.
- I wash my face.
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b. for actions that happen again and again.
For example:
- I watch television every night.
- I wash my face every morning.
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c. When we talk about facts.
For example:
- Samad likes football.
- Atiqah loves ice cream.
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d. When we give instructions.
For example:
- Close the door.
- Open the window!
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REMEMBER THIS!
The verb must agree with the subject of the sentence.
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Singular Subject |
Singular Verb |
A turtle |
lives |
A shark |
eats |
An octopus |
has |
A dolphin |
is |
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Plural Subject |
Plural Verb |
Turtles |
live |
Sharks |
eat |
Octopuses |
have |
Dophins |
are |
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Simple past tense shows actions that happened in the past. |
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Add “-d” or “-ed” to change some verbs into the past tense.
For example:
a. Work = Worked
b. Ask = Asked
c. Enter = Entered
d. Love = Loved
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'Was' shows past tense. Use it for singular nouns which means for one person, one place or one thing.
For example:
a. He was happy.
- Meaning: Now he is not happy.
b. She was at the market.
- Meaning: Now she is not at the market.
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'Were' shows past tense. Use it for plural nouns which means more than one person, more than one place or more than one thing.
For example:
a. Siti and Senah were hungry.
- Meaning: Now they are not hungry.
b. They were sad.
- Meaning: Now they are not sad.
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Words like Once upon a time, Yesterday, Last month, Long ago and Years ago tell us that we have to use the simple past tense.
For example:
- Once upon a time there was an ugly duckling.
- I saw her yesterday afternoon.
- Last month, a fisherman saved a dolphin.
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The simple future tense tells us about actions that take place in the future. |
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a. Use 'shall' or 'shan't' for the pronouns 'I' and 'We'.
For example:
- I shall listen to the language tape.
- We shall not (shan't) play here.
b. Use 'will' or 'won't' for all pronouns.
For example:
- Priya and Shanti will attend the computer lesson next month.
- Mr. Raja will not (won't) send the email today.
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The words used to show the simple future tense are soon, later, afterwards, next week, next month, next year, tomorrow, etc. |
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The verb following 'will', 'won't', 'shall' and 'shan't' must be at its base form (root word). |
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1.4 |
PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE |
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The present continuous tense is formed with the subject plus the present particle form (-ing) of the main verb and the present continuous tense of the verb to be: am, is, are. |
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a. show an action is still going on at the time of speaking.
For example:
- Mother is reading the newspaper now.
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b. show a future action that has been planned.
For example:
- We are having a birthday party this coming Sunday.
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c. show the meaning 'about to'.
For example:
- I am going to paint my bedroom.
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d. show habitual actions. It is used with words like 'always', 'often', 'after', 'constantly', etc.
For example:
- The headmaster is always scolding the gardener.
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We use the present continuous tense in the negative forms.
For example:
- The pupils are not doing their homework. they are watching a video show.
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The present continuous tense is formed as follows:
The simple formula:
Subject + Verb to be + Verb with (-ing form)
For example:
a. I (subject) + am (verb to be) + speaking
The correct sentence would be:
a. I am speaking.
b. I (subject) + am (verb to be) + speaking
The correct sentence would be:
a. I am speaking.
Remember this:
a. Subject
- I, He, She, It, Singular nouns, We, They, Plural nouns
b. verb to be
- am, is, are
c. Verb with (-ing form)
For example:
- speak + ing = speaking
- cut + t + ing = cutting
- chang - e + ing = changing
- transfer + r + ing = transferring
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1.5 |
PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE |
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The past continuous describes actions or events in a time before now, which began in the past and were still going on when another event occurred. |
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We use the past continuous tense to talk about the past:
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a. for something which happened before and after another action.
For example:
- The children were playing their toys when I got home.
- They were waiting for the bus when the accident happened.
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b. for something that happened before and after a specific time.
For example:
- It was nine o'clock. I was writing a thesis.
- It was six o'clock. We were discussing about our assignments.
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c. to show that something continued for some time.
For example:
- She was shouting.
- The animals were relaxing in the shade of the trees.
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d. for something that happened again and again
For example:
- We were meeting secretly after school.
- They were always arguing.
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e. with verbs which show change or growth
For example:
- Her English was improving.
- My hair was going grey.
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Remember: with verbs not normally used in the continuous form, the simple past is used. |
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1.6 |
FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE |
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The future continuous tense is used to show an action that is going on at a particular time in the future. |
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a. Use 'shall be' or 'shall not be' for the pronouns 'I' and 'We'.
For example:
- I shall be going on a study tour.
- We shall not be going on a study tour.
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b. Use 'will be' or 'will not be' for the pronouns 'He', 'She', 'It', 'You' and 'They'.
For example:
- He will be visiting the grape factory this weekend.
- They will not be visiting the grape factory this weekend.
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