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Question
Tenses -Summary
Read the biodata of Sangeeta Rani Puri, India's swimming sensation. Then, complete the interview in the spaces provided. Do NOT add any extra information. Use appropriate tenses.
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Natne : Sangeeta Rani Puri Status : Non-resident Indian Place of Birth : Trinidad Place of Residence : USA Parents : Raj Krishna Puri (Father) -fatnous immigration lawyer Moyna Margaret Puri (mother) - (from Trinidad) Achievements records : i) six new national records in five day (Junior National Swimming Meet, Vijaywada) |
Interviewer: Sangeeta, since you were in India for only a short while before
you flew to Atlanta, would you tell us a little about yourself?
Sangeeta : Well, I'm an Indian and I'm proud to be one.
I: Please tell us about your parents.
S: My father ____________________
_______________________ from Trinidad.
I: Have you taken part in any of the National Championships?
S: (Very excited) Yes,_________at Vijaywada.
I: How ______________________________________________ Senior Nationals?
S: I won seven events and __________
I: How do you rate your performance in the Altanta Olympics in 1996?
S: I ___________________________ in the 50 metres freestyle. It's true that I _____________in Atlanta. But _____________________
I: Haveyou ___________________ forthefuture?
S: I in the USA. And of course I ____________for as long as possible. Also I _______________________ in the olympics.
I: Thank you, Sangeeta. I wish you all the best.
S: Thankyouverymuch.
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Solution
Interviewer : Sangeeta, since you were in India for only a short while before you flew to Atlanta, would you tell us a little about yourself ?
Sangeeta : Well, I’m an Indian and I’m proud to be one.
I : Please tell us about your parents.
S : My father is a Non-Resident Indian (NRI) and he hails from Trinidad.
I : Have you taken part in any of the National Championships ?
S : (Very excited) Yes, I set six new national records in five days at the Junior Nationals at Vijaywada.
I : How did you fare at Kolkata in October 1995 at the Senior Nationals ?
S : I won seven events and set five new national records.
I : How do you rate your performance in the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 ?
S : I felt proud to represent India in the 50 metres freestyle. It’s true that I clocked the best time of my life: 29.02 seconds in Atlanta. But I couldn’t win a medal.
I : Have you any plans for the future ?
S : I have won a Swimming Scholarship and am training in the USA. And, of course, I would be glad to represent India for as long as possible. Also, I hope to win an Olympic Medal in the Olympics.
I : Thank you, Sangeeta. I wish you all the best.
S : Thank you very much.
APPEARS IN
RELATED QUESTIONS
Let us begin by studying the relationship between the different verb forms and the time they denote.
Work individually
Indicate the tense and time of each of the highlighted verbs in the table below.
The first has been done as an example.
| Sentence | Tense | Time | |
| 1. | We are planning to go out for a picnic tomorrow. | Present | Future |
| 2. | India has made tremendous progress in the past few decades. |
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| 3. | It has been raining since morning. | ||
| 4. | Could you please send your e-mail address as soon as possible? |
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| 5. | The train must have reached Delhi by now. |
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| 6. | It always rains in July here. | ||
| 7. | Cold wave intensifies further. (A news headline) |
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| 8. | He was playing here a minute ago. | ||
| 9. | She won the Student of the Year award last year. |
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| 10. | All incomplete forms will be rejected. |
Now compare your answers with those of your partner and discuss the
following questions and write your observations in the given space.
a. Is the time referred to in the sentences always the same as the tense of
the verb? What conclusion can you draw from your observation? Write
your observation below.
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b. How have you found the tense of the verbs in the sentences above? Are
there any indicators or markers that reveal the tense of the verb? Write
your observation below.
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c. Did you find any verb form that could be called 'future form'? (You will
learn more about the different ways of talking about future later in this
unit.)
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d. Why do you think verb forms are often labelled as 'simple' or 'indefinite', 'progressive' or 'continuous', 'perfect' and 'perfect continuous'?
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Verbs that are normally NOT used in the progressive form.
1. Which sentence in each of the following pairs is acceptable and
why?
1. a. I am respecting you.
b. I respect you.
2. a. My son loves to draw and paint.
b. My son is loving to draw and paint.
3. a. We are having two cars.
b. We have two cars.
4. a. I am thinking you are new to this place.
b. I think you are new to this place.
5. a. The cake smells good.
b. The cake is smelling good.
| Verbs referring to mental states (eg. know, think, believe etc) and to the use of the senses (eg. smell, taste etc) are never, or hardly ever, used in progressive forms. Some of these verbs are: believe prefer know suppose feel sound (dis)like love realise understand hear taste see hate recognise want see belong doubt imagme remember wish smell agree possess own owe involve include depend |
Can you explain the difference between?
1. a. l justcan'timaginehowyougotintosuchamess.
b. You're imagining things nothing will happen.
2. a. The coffee tastes bitter
b. Mother is tasting coffee to check ifit is too bitter.
3. a. My teacher admires my art work
b. She is admiring the latest painting I have made.
4. a. The doctor is feeling the patient's pulse.
b. The patient is feeling better.
Present Perfect vs. Simple Past
b. What conclusion can you draw from these sentences about the use of present perfect and simple past forms of verbs?
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Study the following picture carefully and then write a paragraph to describe what is happening.

Look at the incomplete sentences below. Using the information provided, complete each sentence using a suitable tense. Follow the examples:
1947 until now India I has been (be) independent since 1947.
1947 India became (become) independent in 1947.
1. 1947 until now l There --------- (be) manywars.
2. 1991 There ------- (be) a war in the Persian Gulf.
3. 1953 -------- Edmund Hilary and Tensing first (climb) Everest.
4. 1953 until now Many people ________ (climb)Everest.
5. 1983 India --------- (win) the Prudential Cricket World Cup in England.
6. 1983 until now India -------- (win) many limited-overs cricket trophies.
As Susie, write a reply to Nikita's letter. Do take care to answer all the
questions Nikita has asked you. What verb forms would you like to use?
Milan
25th October, 2011
Dear Nikita
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
Yours
Susie
Work with apartner
In the following sentences, choose and circle the verb form you think best fits the meaning of each sentence. You have been provided an example.
| 1. Tomorrow | is will be is going to be | Wednesday. |
| 2. The train | has left will have left is going to leave | by the time you reach the station. |
| 3. Hurry! The film | does will is about to | start. |
| 4. The Minister | opens is opening is about to open | the new Art Centrenext week. |
| 5. This time next year, he | will live is living will be living | in Mumbai. |
| 6. I | am going to be will be will have been | a nurse when I grow up |
Name the Tense of the Verb underlined to include Time (Past/Present/Future) and Aspect (Simple/Continuous/Perfect/Perfect Continuous).
I slept on the floor.
Name the Tense of the Verb underlined to include Time (Past/Present/Future) and Aspect (Simple/Continuous/Perfect/Perfect Continuous).
I have been facing death.
Change the Tense as instructed.
Life hits you in the head. (Present Perfect Continuous)
Rewrite the sentence as per the instruction given along with it.
I took the baby langur to our backyard.
(Rewrite the sentence in the Past Perfect Tense)
Underline the verb and choose the correct option from the options.
Preeti was scornful.
(singular/plural)
Read the following sentence carefully, underline the verb and find out the tense in the sentence.
The sun was now ascending the sky.
Observe the following underlined phrases. Here ‘have/has’ are followed by the past participle form of the verb. This construction indicates the perfect present tense. Find more such sentences from the speech.
- We have made progress in the last couple of decades.
- We have prevented millions of child deaths.
- It has happened.
- ...................................
- ...................................
- ...................................
Rewrite the sentences in present perfect tense:
I had been working for Anil for almost a month.
Rewrite the sentence in the simple present tense.
He will go to the school.
Fill in each of the numbered blanks with the correct form of the word given in brackets. Do not copy the passage but write in correct serial order the word or phrase appropriate to the blank space.
It was hot in the railway compartment and the fan ______ (1) (not work). The elderly lady ______ (2) (use) up all her water because she had cheerfully shared it with her fellow passengers. She knew that the train ______ (3) (halt) at the station for only three minutes. Calling a shoeshine boy she said, ‘Will you help me? I ______ (4) (need) a bottle of cold water and here is the money,' and she put a twenty rupee note in his hand. The boy snatched the money and ______ (5) (disappear) into the crowd on the platform. A fellow passenger ______ (6) (cannot believe) what he had witnessed. ‘What ______ (7) (you do)?’ He said, ‘You ______ (8) (never see) your money again.' Just then the whistle was heard and the train began to move. At that moment the child appeared at the window with the water. 'Your water,' he gasped, out of breath. ‘And the change.'
