PRESENT INDEFINITE TENSE

 

Tense is a form of a verb indicating the time (also the continuance or completeness) of the action etc. Time and tense must not be baffled. Time stands for the concept, with which you are all familiar, divided into tenses. On the other hand, tense stands for a verb form and which is used to express a time relation.

Tenses are mainly of three types: 1. Present tense, 2. Past tense and 3. Future tense.

Each tense has four forms:

(1)   Indefinite Tense : Verb does not indicate whether work is complete or not.

(2)   Continuous Tense : Verb indicates incomplete work or work in progress.

(3)   Perfect Tense : Verb indicates completion of work.

(4)   Perfect continuous : Verb indicates work in progress and not yet completed.

USE OF PRESENT INDEFINITE

A.   Affirmative: Subject + 1st form of Verb (s, es) + object. B.   Negative Subject + do/does + not + 1st form of Verb + object. C.   Interrogative: Do/Does + subject + 1st form of Verb + object?

‘S’ or ‘es’ is affixed to verb or helping verb when Subject is third person singular.

Conditions involving this tense:-

1. To denote present action:

a.  She sings a song.

b.  He writes a letter.

2. To denote habitual or customary action:

a.  He takes tea in the morning.

b.  Mohan goes to the club every day.

3. To signify general and universal truth:

a.  The earth revolves round the sun.

b.  Might is right.

4. To refer to historic present:

a.  Julius Caesar rises; Cassius stabs him in the neck.

b. Buddha enters his wife’s room, looks at the mother and child, and then goes out.

5. To indicate definite future when time is given:

a.  I leave for Shimla tomorrow.

b.  The examinations begin next Monday.

6. To stand for condition of future:

a.  If you work hard, you will pass.

b.  It will be pleasant when it rains.