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Question
Simple Past Tense-Past Perfect Tense
Underline the main verbs in the sentences below. Then, rewrite the sentences in the correct order of events.
1) The people began to starve.
2) In 1925, a disease destroyed the crops in one village.
3) Later, the village people came to retrieve their children
4) The chief decided to send the children of the village to live in a settlement in the next valley.
5) However, they had married outside the village.
6) This caused a war between the two villages.
__________________
__________________
Now work with your partner and tick (✓) the sentence in which a different tense has been used. In pairs, discuss why this has been done.
Sentence No: 5 uses a different tense because ..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
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Solution
1) The people began to starve.
2) In 1925, a disease destroyed the crops in one village.
3) Later, the village people came to retrieve their children
4) The chief decided to send the children of the village to live in a settlement in the next valley.
5) However, they had married outside the village.
6) This caused a war between the two villages.
Sentence No : 5 uses a different tense because
— the event denoted by it has already taken place before other events described.
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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. |
||
| 10. | All incomplete forms will be rejected. |
Present Progressive
(Progressive = continuous)
Form
S +is/ am/ are +verb+ ing
S +is/ am/ are+ not+ verb+ ing.
Is/am/me+ S + verb+ing?
S + is/ am/ are +being+ Verb (past participle)
- Complete the following sentences by filling in the blanks with the present progressive form of the given verbs.
i. "You've put on weight, Cheryl."
"Yes. I.. .... (eat) a lot these days."
ii. "Hurry up! We ... (get) late for school."
"Justa second, please! I ... (come}."
iii. Temperatures ... (rise} all over the world.
iv. "You .... not ... (wear) this dirty shirt to office. Wait, I'll give you another."
v. "l...not ... (do) your homework-forget it. I still haven't forgotten how you
fought with me in the morning."
vi. The Prime Minister ... (leave) for Russia tomorrow on a 5 day state visit.
Vii "You ... (be) ver:yrude, Abhi."
viii. She ... always (make) excuses for coming late.
ix. Aabha ... (write) a novel these days.
- The table below shows different uses or meanings of the present progressive. Match the verbs in the above sentences with the uses or meanings they convey.
| a. Something pre-arranged or a fixed plan ............ b. Insistence............. c. Annoyance............ d. Repeated action............. e. Some development or change........... f. Emphatic refusal............. g. Something happening 'around now'.............. h. An action just starting.......... i. Temporary action not necessarily taking place at the moment of speaking............ |
*It is a little difficult to match the sentences with uses of present progressive
tense. Here are the answers:
a-vi, b-iv, c-vii, d-i, e-iii, f-v, g-ix, h-ii, i-viii.
Compare your answers with these and have a class discussion.
Present Perfect vs. Simple Past
a. Explain the difference in the meaning of the following pairs of
sentences. You may like to use the given hints.
1. a. I have been a teacher for five years.
b. I was a teacher for five years.
(Hint: Is the speaker still a teacher?)
2. a. I always got good marks in English.
b. I have always got good marks in English.
(Hint: Is the speaker still studying?)
3. a. Geeta has never met her cousin.
b. Geeta never met her cousin.
(Hint: Is Geeta's cousin alive?)
4. a. I have never been to Timbuktu.
b. I never went to Timbuktu.
(Is the speaker talking about a particular journey or his travels so far?)
5. a. Jose has completed seven assignments today.
b. Jose completed seven assignments today.
(Hint: Is the day over? Has Jose more assignments to write?)
Here is a letter Nikita wrote to her friend Susie who lives in Milan, Italy. What verb forms has she used in this letter? Bas she used a mix of verb forms? Is there any particular form that has been used more frequently?
Dear Susie
It's a beautiful Sunday morning. Rakesh is busy with some office work and the kids are playing in the park outside and I've time enough to write a quick letter to you.
So, how are you doing? How's your new novel coming along? I hear you're learning Bharatnatyam these days. Couldn't believe it when Sharon told me about it. Bhartnatyam in Milani Never knew there is an Indian Dance school in Italy. Interesting! By the way, who are you taking dance lessons from? I mean, who is your Guru? And why are you learning Bharatnatyam? Must you do everything that I do?
What happened to your plan to visit us this winter? Well, winter is round the corner. When are you coming? How long do you plan to stay? What places would you like to visit? Do let me know, will you? I'll make your itinerruy accordingly. Remember, this time when you come, you are not staying at any hotel as you did last time. You will stay with us. I have a room spare for you to stay as long as you wish. OK? As for the weather, I've already told you, winter is setting in. It's beginning to get cold, especially in the mornings and the evenings. The temperature is falling with each passing day and it's just the right kind of weather for some travel and adventure. Delhi is at its best in the early winter and it is waiting to welcome you with open arms. And how's your mom's health now? Is she keeping well? Is she getting physiotherapy done regularly? I continue to pray for her speedy recovery. I think I got to go now. The kids seem to have had a fight. I can hear the youngerone crying. These boys are giving me a difficult time! Catchyoulater. Bye
Yours
Nikita
Now write short paragraphs to describe the trends in the other groups of visitors featured in the graph.
• Overseas Visitors
....................................................
....................................................
• Domestic Visitors
....................................................
....................................................
• Total Number ofVisitors
....................................................
....................................................
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.
Use the correct tense form of the verb given in the bracket and rewrite the sentence.
She ________ at her left shoulder for quite some time.
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).
We were designing the first Macintosh computer.
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.
Name the Tense of the Verb underlined to include Time (Past/Present/Future) and Aspect (Simple/Continuous/Perfect/Perfect Continuous).
I shall be telling you three stories.
Change the Tense as instructed.
Life hits you in the head. (Present Perfect Continuous)
Spot the error and correct the following sentence.
My grandparents laid down for an afternoon nap.
Rewrite the sentence as per the instruction given along with it.
The mother langur looked straight into my eyes.
(Rewrite the sentence in the Simple Present Tense)
Read the following sentence carefully, underline the verb and find out the tense in the sentence.
He just felt dizzy.
Match the sentences given in part ‘A’ with the sentences given in part ‘B’. Note the differences in structure.
| ‘A’ Part | ‘B’ Part |
| (1) He was kidnapped by an extremist militia. | (a) They forced the child to kill his friends and family. |
| (2) The child was forced to kill his friends and family. | (b) An extremist militia kidnapped him. |
Rewrite the sentence in simple future tense.
He has been playing since afternoon.
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.'
