PRESENT TENSES
INDEFINITE
STRUCTURE | ACTIVE VOICE1 | PASSIVE VOICE2 |
AFFIRMATIVE | D.Obj+IS/AM/ARE+V3RD + (BY+S) | |
EXAMPLE | Nations remember their heroes. | Heroes are remembered. (by nation) |
NEGETIVE | S+DO NOT/DOES NOT+V1ST +(Obj) | D.Obj+IS/AM/ARE+NOT+V3RD + (BY+S) |
EXAMPLE | Nations do not remember their heroes | Heroes are not remembered (by nation). |
INTERROGATIVE | DO/DOES+ | IS/AM/ARE+D.Obj+V3RD+ (BY+S)? |
EXAMPLE | Do nations remember their heroes? | Are heroes remembered (by nation)? |
USES | 1. To mention the routine works and schedules. 2. To show the habits and customs 3. To express general statements and truth irrespective of time. 4. To express exclamation. | |
NOTES SPECIFICALLY FOR PRESENT INDEFINITE:
1. In Active Voice, add ‘s’, ‘es’ or ‘ies’ after V1st form if the Subject is a singular noun or is a 3rd person singular pronoun. Same rule applies on the use of ‘do’ and ‘does.’
2. Note that it is not necessary to mention the subject in these sentences.
PRACTICE EXERCISE
ACTIVE VOICE | PASSIVE VOICE | ||
i | They produce leather jackets. | Leather jackets are produced. | |
ii | A board of governors runs the school. | The school is run by board of governors. | |
iii | People want peace than terror. | Peace is wanted than terror. | |
iv | No one ever does anything in this country. | Nothing is ever done in this country. | |
v | Saky teaches us grammar. | D.Obj=Grammar | Grammar is taught to us by Saky. |
D.Obj=We | We are taught grammar. (by Saky) | ||
CONTINUOUS/PROGRESSIVE
Note: Present Participle (V1st+ing) is included in all continuous tenses.
STRUCTURE | ACTIVE VOICE | PASSIVE VOICE1 |
AFFIRMATIVE | S+IS/ARE/AM+ Prst.Prtp+ (Obj) | D.Obj+IS/AM/ARE+BEING+V3RD + (BY+S) |
EXAMPLE | Mobile phones are using Bluetooth technology nowadays. | Bluetooth technology is being used by mobile phones nowadays. |
NEGETIVE | S+IS/ARE/AM +NOT +Prst.Prtp +(Obj) | D.Obj+IS/AM/ARE+NOT+BEING+V3RD + (BY+S) |
EXAMPLE | Mobile phones are not using Bluetooth technology nowadays. | Bluetooth technology is not being used by mobile phones nowadays. |
INTERROGATIVE | IS/ARE/AM +S+ Prst.Prtp + (Obj)? | IS/AM/ARE+D.Obj+BEING+V3RD+ (BY+S)? |
EXAMPLE | Are mobile phones using Bluetooth technology nowadays? | Is Bluetooth technology being used by mobile phones nowadays? |
USES | 1. To express actions that are in progress right ‘NOW’ 2. To show the scheduled action for near future, e.g. ‘I am leaving the city tomorrow’. | |
NOTES SPECIFICALLY FOR CONTINUOUS TENSES
1. In Active Voice of Present Continuous, ‘is/am/are’ act as auxiliary verbs, while in passive voice they act as helping verbs.
2. The word ‘Being’ is formed as ‘be+ing.’
3. In Passive Voice, the V3rd form is made from the Present Participle in Active Voice.
e.g. “She is cleaningdesk”===”Desk is being cleaned by her”.
PRACTICE EXERCISE
ACTIVE VOICE | PASSIVE VOICE | |
i | They are destroying the whole building. | The whole building is being destroyed. |
ii | Nothing is preventing our success. | Our success is not being prevented. |
ii | Is that man checking copies? | Are copies being checked by that man? |
iv | My secretary is typing your letter. | Your letter is being typed by my secretary |
v | Power crisis is making life uneasy. | Life is being made uneasy by power crisis. |
PRESENT PERFECT
STRUCTURE | ACTIVE VOICE1 | PASSIVE VOICE |
AFFIRMATIVE | S+HAS/HAVE+V3RD +(Obj) | D.Obj+HAS/HAVE+BEEN+V3RD + (BY+S) |
EXAMPLE | Inflation has destroyed our lives. | Our lives have been destroyed by inflation. |
NEGETIVE | S+HAS/HAVE+ NOT+V3RD +(Obj) | D.Obj+HAS/HAVE+NOT+BEEN+V3RD + (BY+S) |
EXAMPLE | Inflation has not destroyed our lives. | Our lives have not been destroyed by inflation.. |
INTERROGATIVE | HAS/HAVE+ | HAS/HAVE+D.Obj+BEEN+V3RD+ (BY+S)? |
EXAMPLE | Has inflation destroyed our lives? | Have our lives been destroyed by inflation? |
USES | 1. To express actions those are ‘just’ completed in very near past. 2. To express past actions whose time is not defined. e.g. “I have never left my country in my life.” | |
NOTES SPECIFICALLY FOR PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
1. Has/Have are always used as helping verbs in perfect tenses (both voices)
2. When Has/Have are used as helping verb, don’t forget to use 3rd form of Main Verb in all circumstances.
3. ‘Has’ is used with singular nouns and 3rdperson singular pronouns.
PRACTICE EXERCISE
ACTIVE VOICE | PASSIVE VOICE | |
i | Someone has cheated me in market. | I have been cheated in market. |
ii | Somebody has already shut the door. | The door has already been shut. |
iii | Have all of you completed the work? | Has the work been completed by all? |
iv | The enemy has defeated our army. | Our army has been defeated by enemy. |
v | No one has told me what to do. | I have not been told what to do. |
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
Note: It is only formed in Active Voice.
STRUCTURE | ACTIVE VOICE |
AFFIRMATIVE | S+HAS/HAVE+BEEN+ Prst.Prtp +ObJ+TIME CLAUSE1 |
EXAMPLE | |
NEGETIVE | S+HAS/HAVE+NOT +BEEN + Prst.Prtp + Obj +TIME CLAUSE1 |
EXAMPLE | |
INTERROGATIVE | HAS/HAVE+S+ BEEN+ Prst.Prtp +ObJ+TIME CLAUSE1? |
EXAMPLE | Has |
USES |
|
NOTES SPECIFICALLY FOR PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSES
1. ‘Time Clause” is an ad-verbal or prepositional phrase. It has two parts; one is a preposition of time like “SINCE” or “FOR”, and the other part is an adverb showing time like ‘morning,’ ‘Sunday,’ ‘last time,’ ‘8`O clock’ etc.
2. The use of SINCE and For depends on whether the time is definite or indefinite. “SINCE” is used with all DEFINITE time periods. “FOR” is used with all indefinite time periods. Following chart further clarifies the use of both:
SINCE | FOR |
DEFINITE TIME | INDEFINITE TIME |
EXAMPLES | |
Morning; afternoon; night; | A day; five-weeks; two-hours; several years |
February; | A long time; a short time; many days |
(Specific occasion) e.g. Birthday; Eid; then | (General times) e.g. a whole-year; half-an-hour |
