Posted by: Carlo A. Sangutan
Sources: English Plus A Communicative Approach by Ida Yap Patron
English Grammar Notes c/o Prof. Rufina C. Esagre
________________________________________________________________
This module intends to let the students:
- distinguish simple present, past, and future tenses;
- identify what simple tenses have expressed; and
- complete sentences using correct tenses of the verb
Introduction
Most of us here in the world like to have this what we call simplicity. Simplicity can mean clearness or innocence. It is the artlessness of the mind and the absence of excessive or artificial ornament. This will help us acquire the freedom from duplicity. Being simple makes us unique from others. In real life situations, being simple is very important because if we are simple, we can show to others our originality. It is but we should not limit this characteristic only to human beings for animals and things have it too. In English grammar, simplicity is also there especially in the tenses of verbs.
Language Focused
Actually, a verb (a word expressing an action) has its own properties. One of its properties is tense.
Q: What is tense?
Tense is a verb attribute that shows the time of the action, condition or state of being in relation to the time of speaking or writing. Verbs have forms indicating the present, past or future time. There are actually four sets of tenses and one of them is the simple tenses. Simple tenses are divided into three main divisions: simple present, simple past and simple future tenses.
Q: What is simple present tense all about?
The simple present tense goes this way. The present for all verbs (be is excluded) is in the simple form for all persons, except the third person singular which takes the s-form or the singular form of the verb. The s-form is simply a verb form that ends in s or es. The s-form of be is is; that of have is has.
Q: What does simple present tense express?
The simple present tense is used to express the following:
1. A present fact or current situation
Examples:
☻Students today depend greatly on the advanced technology.
☻My teacher now emphasizes the values of patience and industry.
2. Habitual action → from time in the past through the present and into the future.
Examples:
☻We celebrate Christmas Day every 25th of December.
☻He changes the tires of his car every five years.
3. A general or all-time truth
Examples:
☻God's commandments guide us to do good things.
☻Anger doesn't solve problems.
4. Simple futurity or future action → usually in headlines about flights.
Examples:
☻He flies next month.
☻SS Veronica sails tonight.
5. Historical present → used in the narration of past events, in writing book reviews as well as summaries, and heading news reports.
Examples:
☻Teresias predicts Oedipus' downfall.
☻"Makati Mayor Bans Long Hair." - News Title
6. Universal fact
Examples:
☻The planets revolve around the sun.
☻All living things have souls.
7. Permanent condition
Examples:
☻The North Pole is a region of snow and ice.
☻Water has three states: solid, liquid, and gaseous.
8. Permanent location
Examples:
☻The sun is 83, 000, 000 miles away from the earth.
☻Baguio is up north while Zamboanga is down south.
Q: Aside from the ordinary form of the simple present tense, is there another form of the tense?
Actually, there is also the emphatic form which uses either do or does for an auxiliary.
Examples:
☻Printed fabrics fill the textile market today. (ordinary)
☻Printed fabrics do fill the textile market today. (emphatic)
Q: How about simple past tense? What is it all about?
The simple past tense expresses an action, condition, or situation that took place at a definite in the past. This action, condition or situation is not carried over to the present. The past tense may be used with time expressions such as yesterday, a while ago, and last week.
Examples:
☻Jack became desperate.
☻The President called an emergency meeting yesterday to define the position of the Philippines in the wake of earthquake and tsunami happened in Japan.
Regular verbs form their past by adding -d or -ed to the simple form.
Examples:
hope - hoped call - called
walk - walked answer - answered
Irregular verbs form their past in a variety of ways.
Examples:
choose - chose buy - bought
lose - lost give - gave
Q: There is also what we call simple future tense. What does it express?
The simple future tense is used to express an action that will take place in the future. The verb form is a combination of either will or shall and the simple form of the verb.
Examples:
☻The contract will expire next year.
☻We shall have classes for 192 days.
Test of Learning
A. Fill in the blanks with the correct present forms of the verbs in the parentheses.
1. A calm and rational person _____ (keep) his or her coolness.
2. Dreams _____ (do) vanish.
3. You _____ (need) to make your dreams come true.
4. Some people _____ (dwell) on their dreams and ambitions in life.
5. The wicked always _____ (tell) lies about other people.
6. Humility _____ (reflect) on a person's gratefulness.
7. Even friends and kin _____ (challenge) our patience.
8. Forgiveness _____ (allow) us to keep peace with ourselves.
B. Fill in the blanks with the correct past forms of the verbs in the parentheses.
1. They _____ (break) their promise.
2. I _____ (cut) the roses across the lawn.
3. The soldiers _____ (fight) bravely during the war.
4. She _____ (answer) questions quickly.
5. Luna _____ (paint) the "Spolarium".
C. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in each sentence.
1. Love _____ (beget) love.
2. When the strong winds came, we _____ (think) of leaving.
3. Superstitions _____ (influence) a lot of people.
4. She _____ (hurt) herself last night.
5. I _____ (come) to school tomorrow as early as I can.
6. Mother _____ (feed) the dogs early yesterday.
7. Josefa _____ (visit) her parents every weekend.
No comments:
Post a Comment