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LECTURE-8/ MODULE-2/COMMUNICATIVE GRAMMAR

LECTURE-8
TIME, TENSE AND ASPECT
This lecture aims at the correct use of tense during speaking and writing
Definition
Time
Time is what we measure in hours , days and years etc.
Tense
Tense normally indicates the time of an action or state.
A set of verb form that indicates a particular point in time or period of time in the past ,
present or future is called tense.
Tense is the form of verb which shows the time of an action and its degree of
completeness.
The word tense have come from the Latin word Tempus means time
Aspect
The manner in which the action denoted by the verb is viewed or experienced is known
as the aspect of the verb.
Time and tense are not the same: its justification with suitable examples.
You shall have a reward if you are good in your exam [ Promise]
You shall not enter the house. [Prohibition ]
He shall come if I order. [Obligation]
I will pass in the examination. [Determination]
Other examples:
1. Simple Present indicating no particular time:
The sun is rising in the east.
2. Simple Present indicating future time:
Monaj leaves for Patna next week.
I will go out when mother gets back.

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We cant have a match if it rains.
The meeting starts within one hour.
3. Present Progressive indicating future time:
I am leaving for Hyderabad tomorrow.
They are planning to attack us.
The cabinet is going to take a decision on this.
4. Present Perfect indicating future time:
I will go home after I have finished my work.
5. Am/is/going + infinitive pattern indicating future time.
He is going to resign from the committee.
It is going to rain after some time.
6. Am/is /are/ + infinitive pattern indicating present time :
I am to see the doctor today.
He is to join the Navy soon.
7. Simple present indicating past time:
World war 2nd ends in 1945 and the UN comes in to existence.
He goes on hiding for five years and then robs the bank.
8. Am / is / are + about to [Present tense but indicating future time].
He is about to speak.
They are about to leave.
9. Simple past indicating present time:
I wish I knew her.
It is time we started.
Might I see you tonight?
Could I use your phone please?
10. Simple past indicating future time:
It might rain tomorrow.
If the earth quake happen all the house would collapsed.

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11. Future Simple indicating present time:
Will have cold drinks.
Wont you have a little more?
Simple present: its different uses [structure sub + verb]
1. Dramatic Narratives :
In the film, Amir plays the centre character.
2. Time Clauses :
Time Clauses are introduced by conjunctions of time such us when , while until , after, as
soon as and no sooner than.
When you come to Mumbai pay us a visit .
3.

Future Action:
I go to Mumbai next week.
The College reopens next Monday.

4.

Factual Writing:
When we show others how to do something we use simple present.[[Preparing of Tea ].

Universal Truth:
Honey is sweet.
Two and two makes four.
6. Permanent Situations:
This roads leads from Berhampur to Rayagada.
Our College faces east.
7. Scientific truth:
EARTH rotates around the sun :
Oil Floats on water.
8. Preferences and dislikes:
I prefer tea to coffee.

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He dislikes cheating.
9. Habitual Action:
o Habitual actions can be represented by using the simple present with Adverb of
Frequency such as always , ever, never, occasionally, or Adverbial Phrases like every
day or twice a month
o E.g. He comes here twice every month.
o I practice learning vocabulary everyday.
10. Conditional Clauses:
o Unless you walk fast you will miss the train.
o If you read loudly, I will be able to hear.
12. Authors Speech:
o Shakespeare says life is but a walking shadow.
o Shiv Khera says you can win.
Present continuous tense
Structure
Sub + is / am / are + V + Obj.
Uses of Present Continuous Tense
1. Happening at the time of speaking :
We are having a meeting come and join in.
I am feeling very tense just now.
2. Habitual action:
He is doing exercise regularly.
He is watching a lot of Hindi Films these days.
3. Planned future action:
We are going to have a debate next Saturday.
I am meeting you at the railway station tomorrow.
4. Progressive change:

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Population is increasing.
My hand writing is improving.
5. Emphasize the present moment:
I am working as a Consultant in Communicative English.
She is spending the summer in Ooty.
6. Frequent Actions:
This is together with Adverb of frequency like always, repeatedly, constantly, forever
can be used to emphasize how often the action takes place.
You are always looking for faults.
She is always talking to him on the on the phone.
Present perfect: structure sub + have /has + pp + obj
1. To talk about an action in the past which has a result now?
He told me his name but I have forgotten it.
2. To give new information announces a recent happening:
The police have arrested two men in connection with the robber.
3. We can use the present perfect with just, already and yet.
He has already left.
4. To talk about a period of time that continues form the past until now.
He has never driven a car before.
Have you ever tried smoking?
Present perfect continuous
For something which started in the past and has been in progress up to the present, we can use
either the present prefect or present perfect continuous (have / has + been + present participle)
without much difference in meaning.
I have lived in this house since 1992. I have been living in this house since 1992.
I have worked in this school for a year. = I have been working in this school for a year.
1. To tell how long something has been happening, we use the present perfect continuous.
Janet has been writing letter all morning. So far she has written three letters.
3. We use the present perfect continuous for situation which is more temporary.
You have been working hard recently. You should take care of your health.

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Exercise [Set-1]
Fill in the blanks using correct tense.
1. When I arrived, Anthony __________ with his Nintendo.
2. The train wasn't there. It __________ already.
3. Tara is exhausted. She __________.
4. How long __________ each other when they got married?
5. I didn't have much to eat at lunch because __________ a lot at breakfast.
6. I __________ long when the alarm went off.
7. She __________ to speak English before she arrived in America.
8. Ram __________ good french because he had been studying for several years.
9. Shakespeare would be famous even if he __________ "To be or not to be..."
10. I __________ from him for ten years when I received his last letter.
Exercise-[Set-2]
Fill the gaps with the correct tenses.
1. I (learn)______ English for seven years now.
2. But last year I (not / work) _______ hard enough for English, that's why my marks (not /
be)______really that good then.
3. As I (pass / want) ______ my English exam successfully next year, I (study)_______
harder this term.
4. During my last summer holidays, my parents (send) ________ me on a language course
to London.
5. It (be)_______ great and I (think)______I (learn)_______a lot.
6. Before I (go) _____to London, I (not / enjoy) _______ learning English.
7. But while I (do) ______ the language course, I (meet)_______ lots of young people from
all over the world.
8. There I (notice) ______ how important it (be)_____ to speak foreign languages
nowadays.
9. Now I (have)_______ much more fun learning English than I (have)_______ before the
course.
10. At the moment I (revise) _______ English grammar.

Exercise-[Set-3]
Fill the gaps with the correct tenses.
1. The British explorer James Cook was born in the village of Marton, Yorkshire, on 27
October, 1728. But his family soon (move)______ to another village, called Great Ayton,
where Cook (spend)______ most of his childhood.
2. As a teenager James Cook (develop)______a fascination for the sea and (travel)____ to
Whit by where he (find)______ employment on a coal ship.
3. While he (serve) _______ in the Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War (1756-1763),
Cook (have) _______the command of a ship.

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4. After the war (end) _______, Cook (take)________ command of the vessel Grenville and
(go)_____to Newfoundland to survey the coasts there.
5. While he (map) _______ the coasts of Newfoundland, he (observe) ______a solar eclipse
off the North American coast.
6. Cook (send) ______ the details to the Royal Society, England's leading scientific
organization, and (win) ______ their attention.
7. After Cook (publish) ______ his observations of the solar eclipse, the Royal Society
(ask)____ him to lead a scientific expedition to Tahiti and (put)______ him in command of
of the HMS Endeavour.
8. From Tahiti Cook then (go on)_______ to explore the South Pacific.
9. He also (reach) ______ New Zealand, which only the Dutchman Abel Tasman (visit)
______before Cook.
10. After Cook (map) _____New Zealand's complete coastline, he (sail)______to Australia's
east coast.

Reference
1. A Communicative Grammar of English by Geoffrey Leech