TENSE

ANALYSIS

TENSE: Tense the English word comes from the Latin Tempus which means time. Thus, time’s another name is tense. The main tool to identify this time or tense is a verb in a sentence. So, tense is what denotes the time of a verb.

Examples:

The old man was an athlete.

They like vegetables

It will rain soon

Here, the verb was in the first sentence expresses the past action of its subject the old man; the verb like in the second sentence shows the present action of its subject they; while the verbs will rain exposes the future action of their subject it.

Definition: Tense is the modification of verb to show time of action of the subject in a sentence.

Kinds: As a time of action, Tense is of three kinds- a. Present b. Past and c. Future

Sections: The tense may be studied in two sections. The tense in the first section may be called Independent Tense and the tense in the second one may be named as Dependent Tense. The Independent tense is formed using the Primary Auxiliaries as main verbs. On the other hand, Dependent tense is formed with an ordinary verb (main verb) taking the primary auxiliaries with it. In this case the tense formed is dependent, it is so called because its main verb depends on other verbs (primary auxiliaries) in building any sentence in the tense.

Examples:

The cow is a useful animal.

We are eating mangoes.

The first sentence is formed in an Independent tense; while the second sentence is formed in a Dependent tense as per the above formula.

The Independent tense may be divided into Full-Independent and Semi-Independent. The first sentence above The cow is a useful animal. is formed in Full-Independent tense. It is made in full taking the primary auxiliary is as a main verb without any other verb with it. While Semi-Independent tense is formed using the Modal Auxiliaries. It is called Semi-Independent, because, these auxiliaries can’t build any sentences by themselves. They take other verbs. For example, (a) you should the poor (b) You should help the poor.

Here, the modal auxiliary should used in (a) can’t alone make the sentence, but it builds a sentence in (b) with the aid of other verb help.

TENSE-WISE FORMATION OF VERBS:

1.PRESENT : am/are/is, have/has, there is/are

2.PAST : was/were, had, there was/were

3.FUTURE : shall be/will be,

there shall/will be

EXAMPLES:

PRESENT TENSE

There is a boat in the river

They are none but liars

They were football players

PAST TENSE

There were many clocks in the shop

The boy had a bi-cycle

I shall be a cricketer

FUTURE TENSE

There shall be a charitable hospital in this locality.

They will be scientists.

SEMI-INDEPENDENT TENSE

This tense is generally formed with a modal auxiliary. But a modal auxiliary can’t alone make any tense, it takes another verb as its main verb. That’s why, the tense is named as a Semi- Independent tense.

Examples

I can do it.

You should help me.

They used to walk in the morning.

In the above sentences, the modal auxiliaries can, should, used to each has taken another verb to build a tense.

The modal auxiliaries used to form different kinds of tenses, such as, Present, Past and Future are: can, could, may, might, must, ought to, shall, should, will, would, dare, need, have to, used to, dare say and so on.

Some of them may be used as follows:

His son must be home by noon.

They could do the job easily.

You may enter the room.

They ought to wait for me.

Might I use your pen?

She would look better with longer hair.

He would like to live with me.

You had better take an umbrella in this foul weather.

You needn’t meet her tomorrow.

Need you pay the whole amount now?

I dare say he will help you.

DEPENDENT TENSES

In this section each of three tenses namely Present, Past and Future may be classified into.1. Indefinite 2.Continuous 3.Perfect 4.Perfect continuous

to be continued............................