CBSE Class 10 English Advanced Tense Notes Set 01

Tense

What is Tense?

A tense is a form of the verb that tells us when an action takes place (the time) and what stage it has reached (the state of the action). No sentence can exist without a verb, so every sentence has a tense.

The Three Main Tenses

Each of the three main tenses is divided into four kinds: Indefinite (Simple), Continuous, Perfect and Perfect Continuous. This gives twelve tense forms in all.

Tenses at a Glance

Four Present-Tense Sentences Compared

Study these four sentences: (i) I write a letter. (ii) I am writing a letter. (iii) I have written a letter. (iv) I have been writing a letter. The action in all four belongs to the present time, so all of them are in the present tense. They differ in the state of the action.

Past and Future Forms of the Same Sentence

Present Tense

1. Simple Present Tense

The simple present uses the base form (first form) of the verb after the subject. In the third person singular the verb takes -s or -es.

The simple present is used to describe:
1. things that are always true, that is, universal facts (The Sun rises in the East);
2. situations that exist now and will continue (Teachers teach the students);
3. habits and things that happen regularly (We go to school every day).

2. Present Continuous Tense

It shows what is happening now. Structure: subject + am / is / are + present participle (verb + ing).

3. Present Perfect Tense

It shows that an action has just been completed or has finished by the time of speaking. Structure: subject + have / has + past participle (third form of the verb).

4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense

It shows an action that began some time ago and is still in progress now. Structure: subject + have been / has been + present participle.

Past Tense

The past tense speaks of actions and events that took place in the past, at an earlier time.

1. Simple Past Tense

It shows an action completed in the past. Structure: subject + second form of the verb.

2. Past Continuous Tense

It shows an action that was in progress, not yet complete, at some time in the past. Structure: subject + was / were + present participle.

3. Past Perfect Tense

It shows an action that was already finished in the past before another past action began. Structure: subject + had + past participle.

4. Past Perfect Continuous Tense

It shows an action that had been going on when another past action began. Structure: subject + had been + present participle.

Future Tense

1. Simple Future Tense

It shows an action that will happen in the future. Structure: subject + shall / will + base form of the verb.

2. Future Continuous Tense

It shows an action that will be in progress at some time in the future. Structure: subject + shall be / will be + present participle.

3. Future Perfect Tense

It shows an action that will be complete by some point in the future. Structure: subject + shall have / will have + past participle.

4. Future Perfect Continuous Tense

It shows an action that will have been going on for some time at a point in the future. Structure: subject + shall have been / will have been + present participle.

Quick Revision Table

Editing Practice: Missing Words

In an editing question, one word is omitted in each line of a passage, and you have to write the missing word with the word before it and the word after it. Most missing words are helping verbs such as is, are, was, were, has or have, so the tense and the subject decide the answer.