Tense

Question 1

Tense = Time + action

Answer 1

Tense doesn’t exist by itself. It’s not a separate thing in a sentence. Tense is created by combining the action (verb) with information about the time of the action.

Think of it like this:

• Verb (Action): This is the what, the action being done. (e.g., play, jump, eat)
• Time: This is the when, past, present, or future.

By putting the verb together with the time information, we create a tense. The verb itself changes form (conjugates) to show this time information.

Here’s an example:

• Action: Play
• Time: Past

If we combine these, we get the past tense “played”. (“Yesterday, I played a game.”)

Similarly:

• Action: Play
• Time: Present

We get the present tense “play” (“Right now, I play a game.”) or “am playing” (“Right now, I am playing a game.”) depending on whether we’re talking about a general habit or something happening now.

So, the saying “tense is equal to action + time” is a shorthand way of explaining how tenses are formed. It emphasizes that tense is created by combining information about the action and the time.

I hope this clarifies the concept!

Question 2

Is it true that we don’t use stative/non action verb in continuous form?

Answer 2

Yes, it’s generally true that stative verbs are not used in the continuous (progressive) form. Stative verbs describe states or conditions that are relatively static and do not involve an action or process that progresses over time. Examples of stative verbs include verbs related to thoughts and opinions (e.g., “know,” “believe”), emotions (e.g., “love,” “hate”), senses (e.g., “see,” “hear”), possession (e.g., “own,” “belong”), and measurements (e.g., “contain,” “consist”).

For instance:
- “I know the answer” (not “I am knowing the answer”).
- “She loves chocolate” (not “She is loving chocolate”).

However, some verbs can be both stative and dynamic, depending on their use and meaning in context. For example:
- “I think you are right” (stative, meaning ‘believe’).
- “I am thinking about the problem” (dynamic, meaning ‘considering’).

In the latter case, “thinking” describes an ongoing process, so it is used in the continuous form.

Question 3

Nobody

Answer 3

Nobody is singular.
Eg.Nobody wants to go there to help him

Question 4

Adverbs of frequency are typically used with the present indefinite tense, not the present continuous tense.

Here’s why:

Answer 4

Yes, that’s correct. Adverbs of frequency are typically used with the present indefinite tense, not the present continuous tense.

Here’s why:

• Present indefinite tense describes habits, routines, or facts that are generally true.
• Adverbs of frequency tell you how often something happens.

Since they both talk about general occurrences, they complement each other well.

Example:

• Present indefinite: “I always drink coffee in the morning.” (This sentence describes a routine with the adverb “always”).
• Not present continuous: “I am not always drinking coffee.” (This wouldn’t be natural because you can’t be continuously drinking coffee in the morning.)

Here are some other adverbs of frequency commonly used with the present indefinite tense:

• Usually
• Often
• Sometimes
• Rarely
• Never

Question 5

Present indefinite vs continuous (1)

Answer 5

Use Present Indefinite:

• When talking about habits, routines, or facts that are generally true. These actions happen repeatedly over time.
• Often used with adverbs of frequency like “every day,” “usually,” “often,” “sometimes,” “rarely,” or “never.”

Use Present Continuous:

• When talking about actions that are happening right now or around the current time.
• Used for actions that are temporary or a recent development that might not be the usual routine.
• Can be used with phrases like “these days,” “right now,” “at the moment,” or “this week.”

Here are some additional tips:

• Think about the duration: If something happens repeatedly over a longer period (e.g., daily, weekly), the present indefinite is likely better. For shorter durations or ongoing changes, use the present continuous.
• Consider the adverb: If the sentence has an adverb of frequency, it usually points towards the present indefinite tense. Phrases like “these days” or “this week” often indicate the present continuous.

By understanding these guidelines, you can effectively choose between the present indefinite and present continuous tense to accurately describe habits, routines, and temporary changes.

Question 6

you cannot use “have” in the continuous form (with “be + having”) to show possession.

Here’s why:

Answer 6

No, you cannot use “have” in the continuous form (with “be + having”) to show possession.

Here’s why:

The continuous tenses (present continuous, past continuous, future continuous) are used for actions that are ongoing or happening over a period of time.

Possession is a state, not an action. You either have something or you don’t. It’s not something that happens over time.

Therefore, sentences like “She is having a car” or “We were having lunchboxes” are grammatically incorrect when used to express possession.

Here’s how you would correctly express possession:

Simple present tense: This is the most common way to show possession. (e.g., She has a car, We have lunchboxes)

Possessive pronouns: These are another way to show possession. (e.g., Her car, Our lunchboxes)

Non-continuous uses of “having” to express a temporary state related to possession:

There are some situations where “having” might be used with a different meaning related to possession, but it wouldn’t be the continuous tense. Here are a couple of examples:

“I’m having trouble finding my keys.” - Here, “having trouble” is a phrase that describes a temporary state (difficulty) related to possession (finding the keys).

“We’re having guests for dinner tonight.” - In this case, “having guests” means “receiving guests” which is a temporary action leading to a state of having guests for dinner.

Overall, for simple possession, stick to the simple present tense or possessive pronouns.

Question 7

Are the words so far, until now, and up to now are related to the present perfect tense?

Answer 7

Yes, the words so far, until now, and up to now are all indeed related to the present perfect tense.

These words function as time phrases that specifically connect a past action or state with the present moment. They emphasize that the action or state began in the past and continues to be relevant up to the present.

Here are some examples of how these phrases are used with the present perfect:

• I have finished two essays so far this week. (The action of finishing essays began this week and is ongoing)
• She hasn’t seen the movie until now. (The state of not seeing the movie has continued up to the present moment)
• We have traveled to ten countries up to now. (The action of traveling began in the past and continues as a cumulative experience)

Yet is also sometimes used with the present perfect, but in a different way. “Yet” indicates that something has not happened up to the present moment.

• I haven’t seen him yet. (The expected action of seeing him has not occurred)
• We haven’t finished dinner yet. (The action of finishing dinner is ongoing but not complete)

So, while “yet” doesn’t directly connect an action to the present moment in the same way as the other phrases, it does function within the context of the present perfect tense to show the current state of something not being completed.