PAST TENSES
INDEFINITE
STRUCTURE | ACTIVE VOICE | PASSIVE VOICE |
AFFIRMATIVE | D.Obj+WAS/WERE+V3RD + (BY+S) | |
EXAMPLE | Scientists invented computer in last century. | Computer was invented in the last century. |
NEGETIVE | D.Obj+WAS/WERE+NOT+V3RD + (BY+S) | |
EXAMPLE | Scientists did not invent computer in last century. | Computer was not invented in the last century. |
INTERROGATIVE | DID1+ | WAS/WERE+D.Obj+V3RD+ (BY+S)? |
EXAMPLE | Did scientists invent computer in last century? | Was computer invented in last century? |
USES | 1. To indicate an action completed in past. 2. To indicate past habits. | |
NOTES SPECIFICALLY FOR PAST INDEFINITE TENSES
1. Adverb of time may or may not be mentioned.
2. In Active Voice Negative or Interrogative sentences, don’t use V2nd form with “Did.”
PRACTICE EXERCISE
ACTIVE VOICE | PASSIVE VOICE | |
I | Umpire postponed the match due to rain. | The match was postponed by the umpire due to rain. |
ii | Z.A.Bhutto wrote, ‘If I were assassinated!’ | ‘If I were assassinated!’ was written by Z.A.Bhutto |
iii | An earthquake severely shattered | |
iv | Hajjaj did not invade | |
v | Did people laugh at her in the party? | Was she laughed at in the party? |
CONTINUOUS
Note: Prst.Prtp (V1st+ing) is included in all continuous tenses
STRUCTURE | ACTIVE VOICE | PASSIVE VOICE |
AFFIRMATIVE | S+WAS/WERE+ Prst.Prtp +(Obj) | D.Obj+WAS/WERE+BEING+V3RD + (BY+S) |
EXAMPLE | He was beating the child mercilessly. | The child was being beaten mercilessly by him. |
NEGETIVE | S+WAS/WERE+ NOT+ Prst.Prtp +(Obj) | D.Obj+WAS/WERE+NOT+BEING+V3RD + (BY+S) |
EXAMPLE | He was not beating the child mercilessly. | The child was not being beaten mercilessly by him. |
INTERROGATIVE | WAS/WERE+S+ Prst.Prtp + (Obj)? | WAS/WERE+D.Obj+BEING+V3RD+ (BY+S)? |
EXAMPLE | Was he beating the child mercilessly? | Was the child being beaten mercilessly by him? |
USES | 1. To describe a continued action or habit in the past. | |
PRACTICE EXERCISE
ACTIVE VOICE | PASSIVE VOICE | |
i | Carpenter was polishing the sofa when it began to rain. | The sofa was being polished when it began to rain. |
ii | ||
iii | Residents were shouting slogans against the authorities due to price-hike. | Slogans were being shouted against the authorities due to price-hike. |
PERFECT
STRUCTURE | ACTIVE VOICE | PASSIVE VOICE |
AFFIRMATIVE | S+HAD+V3RD +(Obj) | D.Obj+HAD+BEEN+V3RD + (BY+S) |
EXAMPLE | We had lost our eastern wing by the end of 1971. | Our eastern wing had been lost by the end of 1971. |
NEGETIVE | S+HAD+ NOT+V3RD +(Obj) | D.Obj+HAD+NOT+BEEN+V3RD + (BY+S) |
EXAMPLE | We had not lost our eastern wing by the end of 1971. | Our eastern wing had not been lost by the end of 1971. |
INTERROGATIVE | HAD+ | HAD+D.Obj+BEEN+V3RD+ (BY+S)? |
EXAMPLE | Had we lost our eastern wing by the end of 1971? | Had our eastern wing been lost by the end of 1971? |
USES | 1. To describe an action, that took place before another event, in the past. 2. Used in indirectly narrating reported speech of the past. | |
NOTES SPECIFICALLY FOR PAST PERFECT TENSES
1. ‘Had’ is used as a helping verb in past perfect tense.
2. Consider this sentence carefully, “I had had the lunch at noon .”
In this sentence, the first ‘had’ is helping verb and the second ‘had’ is used in place of 3rd form of the Main Verb.
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
Note: It is only formed in Active Voice.
STRUCTURE | ACTIVE VOICE |
AFFIRMATIVE | S+HAD+BEEN+ Prst.Prtp + Obj + TIME CLAUSE1 |
EXAMPLE | I had been giving tuition since my school days. |
NEGETIVE | S+HAD+NOT +BEEN + Prst.Prtp + Obj +TIME CLAUSE1 |
EXAMPLE | I had not been giving tuitions since my school days. |
INTERROGATIVE | HAD+S+ BEEN+ Prst.Prtp +Obj+ TIME CLAUSE1? |
EXAMPLE | Had I not been giving tuitions since my school days? |
USES | 1. To describe earlier of the two actions of the past. |
NOTES SPECIFICALLY FOR PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSES
1. All rules are similar as that of Present Perfect Continuous tense.
FUTURE TENSES
Rule#12
The chief characteristic of all Future Tenses is the presence of ‘Modal Verbs.’
MODAL VERBS
Modal Verbs are similar to Auxiliary Verbs. They are used with main verbs to give additional meaning to Main Verb. They survive in two forms only. Following chart further explain the meanings of various Modal Verbs.
1st form | Explanation | 2nd form | Explanation |
Will | Definite future chance | Would | Condition |
Shall | Future with emphasis | Should | Advice, obligation, prediction |
Can | Possibility, ability, Permission | Could | Possibility/ability in past |
May | Possibility, permission | Might | Probability |
SOME OTHER AUXILIARY VERBS ACTING AS MODALS
Here are some more Auxiliary Verbs which act like Modals, but they survive only in one form.
1. Must = Necessity or logical conclusion.
2. Have to (has/had to) = Compulsion.
3. Going to = Actions already decided.
4. Need (Needed) = Requirement.
5. Ought to = Should, advice.
Rule #13
“Whichever form of the Modal verb is used, it is always followed by the first form (dictionary form) of the Main Verb.”
INDEFINIE/SIMPLE
STRUCTURE | ACTIVE VOICE | PASSIVE VOICE |
AFFIRMATIVE | S+MV+V1ST +Obj | D.Obj+MV+BE+V3RD+(BY+S) |
EXAMPLE | Crowd can boost the morale of the team. | The morale of the team can be boosted by crowd. |
NEGETIVE | S+MV+NOT+V1ST+Obj | D.Obj+MV+NOT+BE+V3RD+ (BY+S) |
EXAMPLE | Crowd cannot boost the morale of the team. | The morale of the team cannot be boosted by crowd. |
INTERROGATIVE | MV +S+ +V1ST+Obj? | MV+D.Obj+ +BE+V3RD+(BY+S)? |
EXAMPLE | Can crowd boost the morale of the team? | Can the morale of the team boosted by crowd? |
USES | 1. To show a certain action to be completed in future. | |
NOTES SPECIFICALLY FOR FUTURE INDEFINITE TENSES
1. No need to change the form on Modal Verb unless otherwise necessary.
2. The word ‘be’ is used as a helping Verb in Passive Voice.
PRACTICE EXERCISE
ACTIVE VOICE | PASSIVE VOICE | |
i | The doctor is going to vaccinate me tomorrow. | I am going to be vaccinated tomorrow. |
ii | You must not write your name inside answer sheet. | Your name must not be written inside answer sheet. |
iii | A qualified engineer ought to build structures. | Structures ought to be built by a qualified engineer. |
iv | One should respect elders and love younger ones. | Elders should be respected and younger ones should be loved. |
v | We must look after orphans so they can get a respectable place in society. | Orphans must be looked after so that a respectable place can be got by them in society. |
CONTINUOUS/PROGRESSIVE
Note: Prst.Prtp (V1st+ing) is included in all continuous tenses
Passive Voice is not possible for Future continuous tense.
STRUCTURE | ACTIVE VOICE |
AFFIRMATIVE | S+MV+BE+ Prst.Prtp +Obj |
EXAMPLE | It will be raining in monsoon |
NEGETIVE | S+MV+NOT+BE+ Prst.Prtp +Obj |
EXAMPLE | It will not be raining in monsoon |
INTERROGATIVE | MV+S+ BE+ Prst.Prtp +Obj? |
EXAMPLE | Will it not be raining in monsoon? |
USES | 1. To mention action that will be in progress in future. 2. To mention expected future actions |
NOTES SPECIFICALLY FOR FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSES
1. The word ‘be’ is used as an Auxiliary Verb, i.e. it is acting as a Main Verb.
2. If the Modal ‘going to’ is used in Future Continuous, it is preceded by present form of ‘be.’ E.g. ‘The patient isgoing to die.’
PERFECT
STRUCTURE | ACTIVE VOICE | PASSIVE VOICE |
AFFIRMATIVE | D.Obj+MV1+HAVE+BEEN+V3RD+(BY+S) | |
EXAMPLE | By the end of this month, we shall have achieved our goal. | By the end of this month, our goals shall have been achieved. |
NEGETIVE | S+ MV+NOT+ HAVE+V 3RD+Obj. | D.Obj+MV+NOT+HAVE+BEEN+V3RD+ (BY+S) |
EXAMPLE | By the end of this month, we shall not have achieved our goal. | By the end of this month, our goals shall not have been achieved. |
INTERROGATIVE | MV+S+ HAVE+ V 3RD+Obj? | MV+D.Obj+HAVE+BEEN+V3RD+ (BY+S)? |
EXAMPLE | By the end of this month, shall we have achieved our goal? | By the end of this month, shall our goals have been achieved? |
USES | 1. To indicate a certain action that will be completed by a certain time in future. | |
NOTES SPECIFICALLY FOR FUTURE PERFECT TENSES
1. The Modal Verbs to be used in these tenses are only ‘Will (would)/Shall (should)/Can (could)/May (might)’.
2. ‘Have’ is used as a helping verb. ‘Has/Had’ cannot be used directly after a Modal Verb in any case.
PRACTICE EXERCISE
ACTIVE VOICE | PASSIVE VOICE | |
i | An artist must have decorated this lovely flat. | This lovely flat must have been decorated by an artist. |
ii | A financer shall have lent a car to me for the week. | A car shall have been lent to me for a week. |
iii | Will you have purchased a new house next year? | Will a new house have been purchased by you next year? |
iv | In recent future, people will have created their own power generators. | Own power generators will have been created in the recent future. |
v | The officer will have selected the right candidate soon. | The right candidate will have been selected soon. |
PERFECT CONTINUOUS
Note: Passive Voice is not possible for Future continuous tense.
The Modal Verbs to be used in these tenses are only ‘Will (would)/ Shall (should).
STRUCTURE | ACTIVE VOICE |
AFFIRMATIVE | S+ MV1+HAVE+BEEN+ Prst.Prtp +Obj +TC |
EXAMPLE | I will have been working for three years by next month. |
NEGETIVE | S+ MV+HAVE+NOT+BEEN+ Prst.Prtp +Obj +TC |
EXAMPLE | I will have not been working for three years by next month. |
INTERROGATIVE | MV+ S+HAVE+BEEN+ Prst.Prtp +Obj +TC? |
EXAMPLE | Will I have been working for three years by next month? |
USES | 1. The use of this tense is not very common. |
