Nile Theological College

NTC

English nOTE for first year first and second semesters class

January 2024

Prepared by

Ustaz Michael Diang Machak

Contacts: +211926411118/+211911000040 /[email protected]

Introduction

As an official language, it is important to train our pastors and other leaders in the church in
English so that they are able to interact with congregations from diverse backgrounds, spread the
Gospel and be ambassadors of peace universally. Learning English shall expose our pastors to
new cultures, opportunities, and connections as they will be able to connect with people
worldwide, boost their education and career, and enjoy connecting with colleagues from various
countries and cultures through English. In order to achieve these aims, the learners will be taken
through parts of speech, tenses, parts of an English sentence and types of English sentence,
active and passive voices amongst others in the first year of the academic endeavor.

Contents

English Grammar - A Complete Guide

Are you a second language learner? Do you think the word ‘grammar’ literally scares you? Do
not worry. You have come to the right place.

How to learn English can be a question that keeps popping into your mind every now and then.
Learning English grammar is one of the factors that many second language learners of English
find intimidating. Though they start learning the language, they often seem to give up on
themselves when they start with the grammar. This need not be the case with you. The only thing
that a second language learner has to do is keep an open mind and cultivate the willpower and
determination to get through the English language learning process, no matter what.

Learning grammar need not necessarily be a Herculean task if you do it the right way. Instead of
learning all the rules of grammar by heart, try to understand how each grammatical component
can be used and how it works differently under different conditions in multiple contexts.

Here is a set order that you can follow to learn grammar effectively and quickly.

 Parts of Speech

 Nouns

 Common Nouns

 Proper Nouns

 Singular Nouns

 Plural Nouns
  Possessive Nouns

 Abstract Nouns

 Collective Nouns

 Compound Nouns

 Pronouns

 Relative Pronouns

 Reflexive Pronouns

 Demonstrative Pronouns

 Possessive Pronouns

 Indefinite Pronouns

 Personal Pronouns

 Subject Pronouns

 Object Pronouns

 Interrogative Pronouns

 Reciprocal Pronouns

 Intensive Pronouns

 Verbs

 Verb Forms

 Main Verbs

 Helping Verbs

 Auxiliary Verbs

 Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

 Regular Verbs

 Irregular Verbs
  Modal Verbs

 Phrasal Verbs

 Finite Verbs

 Non Finite Verbs

 Linking Verbs

 Stative Verbs

 Action Verbs

 Adverbs

 Conjunctive Adverbs

 Adverb Clauses

 Adjectives

 Possessive Adjectives

 Interrogative Adjectives

 Compound Adjectives

 Demonstrative Adjectives

 Adjectives List

 Conjunctions

 Subordinating Conjunctions

 Coordinating Conjunctions

 Correlative Conjunctions

 Prepositions

 Prepositional Phrases

 Interjections

 Sentence Structure
  Types of Sentences
 Tenses

 Simple Present Tense

 Present Continuous Tense

 Present Perfect Tense

 Present Perfect Continuous Tense

 Simple Past Tense

 Past Continuous Tense

 Past Perfect Tense

 Past Perfect Continuous Tense

 Simple Future Tense

 Future Continuous Tense

 Future Perfect Tense

 Future Perfect Continuous Tense

 Active Voice and Passive Voice

Nouns ns: Definition & Types with Examples

What Is a Noun?

Nouns are a part of speech that comprise words that are used to name people, places, animals,
objects and ideas. Almost every sentence will definitely have a noun, and they perform different
roles in a sentence. Nouns can act as the subject, an indirect object, a direct object, a subject
complement and an object complement. Nouns can also function as adjectives and verbs.

Examples of Nouns:

 People – Rahul, Sheela, Man, Person, Tommy, Women, Girl, The Prime Minister
 Places – Bangalore, India, Mexico, North Pole, South Africa, The Nile River, Classroom,
Bedroom, Basketball Court, Cricket Ground, Swimming Pool
  Animals/Birds/Aquatic Animals/Reptiles – Lion, Zebra, Snake, Ostrich, Flamingo,
Bear, Cat, Fish, Shark
 Ideas – Evolution, Invention, Extinction, Argument, Destruction
 Objects/Things – Bat, Cycle, Curtains, Paper, Bag, Blackboard, Cupboard

Types of Nouns

Nouns can be broadly classified into:

1. Proper Nouns: Nouns that are used to name a person, place or thing specifically are called a
proper noun. Proper nouns always begin with a capital letter.

Examples:

 My name is Rose. (Name of a particular person)

 This is my dog, Bruno. (Name of a specific pet animal owned by someone)

 David came back from Minsk. (Name of a specific place)

 Louis Philippe is a famous brand of men’s clothing. (Name of a particular clothing

brand)
2. Common nouns: Common nouns are those nouns that refer to a generic item, group or place.
This means that, unlike proper nouns, they are not used to identify specific people, places or
objects. Common nouns are not capitalised unless they appear at the beginning of a sentence.

Examples

 I bought a pen yesterday. (Common object)

 I am going to school. (Common place)
 Only ten employees showed up to work today. (Common group)
 The car is out of fuel. (Common items)
3. Singular nouns: These are words that are used to name a single person, place, animal, bird or
object.

Examples:

 There is a little boy in front of our house. (Single person)

 That is my daughter. (Single person)
 I found a wounded sparrow in the bush. (Single bird)
 A red van has been following us for a long time. (Single object)
4. Plural nouns: Plural nouns refer to a number of people, places, animals or things. Nouns are
made plural by adding an ‘s’ or ‘es’ or ‘ies’ or ‘ves’ to the existing root word. Nouns that end
with an ‘s’ remain the same. Some nouns remain the same in both their singular and plural
forms, and some others have totally different spelling.

Examples:
 I need some apples.
 Did you find the boxes you were looking for?
 I bought mangoes from the market.
 We took photos of some deer on our way.

5. Countable nouns are those nouns that can be counted or measured.

Examples:

 Tom brought ten packets of lays for the trip. (specific number – ten)
 Mom asked me to buy a dozen eggs. (specific – dozen means twelve)
 I saw an aeroplane around seven in the morning. (specific – an means one)

6. Uncountable nouns are those nouns that cannot be counted. This category of nouns includes
both concrete and abstract nouns.

Examples:

 I have a lot of homework to do. (Not specific)

 I have a cup of tea. (Cannot count)
 We are facing terrible weather today. (Cannot count)

7. Collective Nouns: A collective noun is a naming word that is used to denote a group of
objects, animals or people.

Examples:

 Collective nouns for groups of animals

  A pride of lions

 A flock of sheep

 A swarm of bees

 A herd of elephants

 Collective nouns for groups of people

 A band of musicians

 A board of directors

 A crew of sailors

 A company of actors

 Collective nouns for a number of things/objects

 A pair of shoes

 A chain of mountains

 A fleet of ships

 A bunch of grapes
8. Concrete Nouns: A concrete noun refers to objects that are material and can be perceived by
the human senses.

Examples:

 The book is on the table.

 I had a cup of coffee.
 Sharon opened the windows.
 Hardy goes to school by bus.
9. Abstract Nouns: Any entity that cannot be perceived by the five senses of the human body
are called an abstract noun.

Examples:

 Love is a strong emotion.

 Honesty is the best policy.
 It takes a lot of courage to raise your voice and stand up against injustice.
  You should not misuse the freedom you are given.

Nouns Used as Different Components of a Sentence

Nouns Used as a Subject

When used as a subject, a noun mostly appears at the beginning of a sentence. It can be identified
by asking the question ‘who’.

Examples:

 Bruno went to the playground.

 The teacher asked the students to submit their assignments.
 The elephant was rescued safely after ten long hours.

Nouns Used as an Object

When nouns are used as objects, they appear in the latter part of a sentence. It can be identified
by asking the question ‘what’.

Examples:

 I bought a pen.
 Where is your book?
 I cannot find today’s newspaper.
Nouns can be used as a direct object and an indirect object.

Nouns Used as a Direct Object

You can identify a noun used as a direct object by asking the question ‘what’.

Examples:

 Do you want a lollipop? (What do you want? – a lollipop)

 I loved my dress. (What did you love? – my dress)

Nouns Used as an Indirect Object

You can ask the question ‘for whom’ to identify a noun used as an indirect object.

Examples:
  Dan bought his sister a Mini Cooper. (For whom did Dan buy a Mini Cooper? – his
sister)
 Megha baked Julie a cake. (For whom did Megha bake a cake? – Julie)

Nouns Used as a Complement

When a noun is used to modify or describe another noun, it acts as a complement.

Nouns Used as a Subject Complement

Professions and positions can perform the role of a subject complement.

Examples:

 My brother is an engineer.
 Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime Minister of India.

Nouns Used as an Object Complement

Object complements are nouns that follow the noun they modify. Names, professions and
positions can perform the role of an object complement.

Examples:

 We named our dog, Shadow.

 The teacher made Tabitha, the class leader.

Multifunctional Nouns

Nouns Used as Verbs

There are some nouns which can also be used as a verb. Some nouns can be used as verbs with a
slight change in the spelling of the original word.

Examples:

 His divorce is final. (Used as a noun)

I am divorced. (Used as a verb)

 Do you like my new dress? (Used as a noun)

I am dressed and ready to go. (Used as a verb)
  Derrick had come to collect some ice. (Used as a noun)
My mother iced the fish so that it did not stink. (Used as a verb)

 I have dance practice today. (Used as a noun)

Did you practice the song? (Used as an adjective)

Nouns Used as Adjectives

With a slight change in the spelling or adding a suffix to the root word, nouns can sometimes be
used as adjectives.

Examples:

 I have no money. (Used as a noun)

There has been a change in the monetary policy of the country. (Used as an adjective)

 Javed sensed some danger. (Used as a noun)

What you are trying to do is dangerous. (Used as an adjective)

 She is excited about magic. (Used as a noun)

The experience was completely magical. (Used as an adjective)

 Speaking against another religion is a legal offence. (Used as a noun)

What you did was offensive. (Used as an adjective)

Frequently Asked Questions on Nouns

Q1 What is a noun?

A noun is a part of speech that is used to name or identify a person, place, thing or idea. There
are different types of nouns like common nouns, proper nouns, abstract nouns, collective nouns,
concrete nouns and so on.
Q2 What are the different functions of nouns?

Nouns can also function as verbs and adjectives with a slight change of spelling or by adding a
suffix. For example, divorce can be used as a noun and a verb; money is a noun, while monetary
is the adjective form of the verb. Nouns can also function as different components of the
sentence as well.

Pronouns, Types and Examples

Have you ever heard of pronouns? Pronouns are most probably the second topic that you would
learn in parts of speech. Pronouns are words that are used instead of nouns. In this article, you
will learn more about what pronouns are, their definition, types of pronouns and how they are
used in sentences.

What Is a Pronoun?

A pronoun is used in the place of a noun. It substitutes the noun in a paragraph or piece of
writing to avoid repetition of the noun. Pronouns can be used in singular and plural forms.
The verb used in the sentence should be used in accordance with the particular form of the
pronoun used.

Pronouns are generally classified into three main kinds.

Person Singular Pronoun Plural Pronoun

First Person Pronoun I, Me We, Us

Second Person Pronoun You, Your You

Third Person Pronoun He, She, It, Him, Her They, Them, Their

Definition of a Pronoun

A pronoun is defined as ‘a word that is used instead of a noun or a noun phrase’, according to the
Cambridge Dictionary. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines pronouns as ‘any of a small set
of words (such as I, she, he, you, it, we, or they) in a language that are used as substitutes for
nouns or noun phrases and whose referents are named or understood in the context’. According
to the Collins Dictionary, ‘A pronoun is a word that you use to refer to someone or something
when you do not need to use a noun, often because the person or thing has been mentioned
earlier. Examples are ‘it’, ‘she’, ‘something’, and ‘myself’.’

Types of Pronouns with Examples

Pronouns can be classified into different types based on their functions. Given below are the
various types of pronouns. Go through the examples carefully to have a clear understanding of
each type of pronoun and its function.
  Relative Pronouns are pronouns that are used to relate one part of the sentence to
another. Some examples of relative pronouns are that, which, where, when, why, what,
whom and whose.
 Possessive Pronouns are pronouns that are used to show possession. Some examples of
possessive pronouns are mine, yours, his, hers, theirs and its.
 Reflexive Pronouns are pronouns that are used to refer back to the subject in the
sentence. Some examples of reflexive pronouns are myself, yourself, herself, himself,
oneself, itself, ourselves, themselves and yourselves.
 Demonstrative Pronouns are pronouns that are used to point to specific objects. Some
examples of demonstrative pronouns are this, that, these and those.
 Interrogative Pronouns are pronouns that are used to ask questions. Some examples of
interrogative pronouns are who, what, when, why and where.
 Indefinite Pronouns are pronouns that do not refer to any particular person, place or
thing. Some examples of indefinite pronouns are someone, somebody, somewhere,
something, anyone, anybody, anywhere, anything, no one, nobody, nowhere, everyone,
everybody, everywhere, everything, each, none, few, and many.
 Personal Pronouns are simple pronouns that are used to substitute proper names. Some
examples of personal pronouns are I, you, he, she, we, they, him, her, he, she, us and
them.
 Subject Pronouns are pronouns that perform the action in a sentence. Some examples of
subject pronouns are I, you, we, he, she, it, they and one.
 Object Pronouns are pronouns that receive the action in a sentence. Some examples of
object pronouns are me, us, him, her and them.
 Reciprocal Pronouns are pronouns that are used to express a mutual relationship. Some
examples of reciprocal pronouns are each other and one another.
 Intensive Pronouns are the same as reflexive pronouns, with the only difference being
that you can remove the intensive pronoun from the sentence, and the sentence would
still make sense.

Test Your Understanding of Pronouns

I. Identify the pronouns and the type of pronoun in the following sentences:

1. I am going home today evening.

2. Her aunt will be vacating next week.
3. She is the girl I was talking to you about.
4. This is the place where I found my missing bag.
5. Did you do it yourself?
6. It was a time when I was so happy.
7. We always help each other out.
8. Has everyone completed the work that was assigned for today?
 9. That dog down the street is his.
10. All my friends are coming home for my parents’ 25th wedding anniversary celebration.
Now, let us check how far you have got it right.

1. I am going home today evening. Personal Pronoun/Subject Pronoun

2. Her aunt will be vacating next week. Possessive Pronoun
3. She is the girl I was talking to you about. Personal Pronoun
4. This is the place where I found my missing bag. Relative Pronoun
5. Did you do it yourself? Personal Pronoun, Intensive Pronoun
6. It was a time when I was so happy. Relative Pronoun
7. We always help each other out. Reciprocal Pronoun
8. Has everyone completed the work that was assigned for today? Indefinite Pronoun
9. That dog down the street is his. Possessive Pronoun
10. All my friends are coming home for my parents’ 25th wedding anniversary
celebration. Possessive Pronoun
II. Use suitable pronouns to substitute the underlined nouns in the following sentences:

1. Josh and Derrick visited Disneyland last month.

2. Sarah did not come home last evening.
3. My mom could not find her cupboard keys.
4. Yesterday was my parents’ wedding anniversary.
5. The cat drank all the milk that was left in the kitchen.
6. Sheela and Teena found it hard to move the sofa set across the hall as the sofa set was too
heavy for Sheela and Teena to carry.
7. Divya is Danny’s sister.
8. That silver Brezza belongs to Emmanuel and Usha.
9. My pet dog just lay on the floor the whole day.
10. The teacher asked the students if the students had submitted the students’ assignments.
Check your answers here.

1. They visited Disneyland last month.

2. She did not come home last evening.
3. She could not find her cupboard keys.
4. Yesterday was their wedding anniversary.
5. It drank all the milk that was left in the kitchen.
6. Sheela and Teena found it hard to move the sofa set across the hall as it was too heavy
for them to carry.
7. She is his sister.
 8. That silver Brezza belongs to them.
9. It just lay on the floor the whole day.
10. The teacher asked the students if they had submitted their assignments.
Also try out exercises on personal pronouns, relative pronoun exercises and pronoun exercises.

Frequently Asked Questions on Pronouns in English Grammar

Q1 What is a pronoun?

A pronoun is used in the place of a noun. It substitutes the noun in a paragraph or piece of
writing to avoid repetition of the noun.
Q2 What is the definition of a pronoun?

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines pronouns as ‘any of a small set of words (such as I,
she, he, you, it, we, or they) in a language that are used as substitutes for nouns or noun phrases
and whose referents are named or understood in the context’. According to the Collins
Dictionary, ‘A pronoun is a word that you use to refer to someone or something when you do not
need to use a noun, often because the person or thing has been mentioned earlier. Examples are
‘it’, ‘she’, ‘something’, and ‘myself’.’
Q3 What are the types of pronouns?

There are ten main types of pronouns. They are:

 Relative pronouns
 Reflexive pronouns
 Object pronouns
 Personal pronouns / Subject pronouns
 Reciprocal Pronouns
 Possessive pronouns
 Demonstrative pronouns
 Interrogative pronouns
 Indefinite pronouns
 Intensive pronouns
Q4 Give some examples of pronouns.
Some examples of pronouns are I, he, him, you, we, him, her, yours, theirs, someone, where,
when, yourselves, themselves, oneself, is, hers, when, whom, whose, each other, one another,
everyone, nobody, none, each, anywhere, anyone, nothing, etc.

Verbsrbs - Definition, Types, Uses and Examples

Verbs in English Grammar
In the English language or any language for that matter, verbs happen to be an essential part of
speech, without which it would be impossible to indicate what the subject is doing. It refers to all
actions, including those related to feelings and emotions. Verbs come in different types and
forms so that they can perform differently in order to provide complete meaning. Before we look
into the types of verbs and the verb forms, let us look at how various dictionaries define the term
‘verb’.

Definition of a Verb

The Oxford Learners’ Dictionary defines a ‘verb’ as “a word or group of words that express an
action (such as eat), an event (such as happen) or a state (such as exist)”. According to the
Cambridge Dictionary, a ‘verb’ is defined as “a word or phrase that describes an action,
condition, or experience”. The Collins Dictionary provides a much more elaborate definition of a
verb. According to them, “A verb is a word such as ‘ sing’, ‘ feel’, or ‘ die’ which is used with a
subject to say what someone or something does or what happens to them, or to give information
about them”.

General Classification of Verbs according to What They Signify

Before we get into a broad classification, let us first have a look at how verbs can be classified
generally according to what kind of action they signify.

Verbs Referring to Actions

Verbs referring to action (action verbs) are those that involve the movement of one’s body in one
way or the other. Some examples of verbs referring to actions are as follows:

 Walk
 Run
 Talk
 Sit
 Read
 Write
 Jog
 Cough
 Sleep
 Jump
  Sing
 Drink
 Teach
 Present
 Build
 Break
 Tow
 Toss
 Hug
 Fight

Verbs Referring to Experiences or Feelings

These are verbs that refer to something that you can feel or experience and do not necessarily
involve a movement of any kind. Some examples of verbs referring to feelings and experiences
are as follows:

 Love
 Hate
 Envy
 Believe
 Trust
 Feel
 Entrust
 Experience
 Care
 Cherish
 Sense
 Know
 Recognise
 Understand
 Comprehend
 Like
 Need
 Adore
 Loathe
 Appreciate
Verbs Referring to a State or Condition

These verbs are those that refer to situations or the state of being. All forms of ‘to be’ verbs
belong to this category. Some examples of verbs referring to a state or condition are as follows:

 Am
 Is
 Are
 Was
 Were
 Have
 Has
 Will be
 Appear
 Seem
 Become
 Been
 Being

The Various Types of Verbs with Examples

Verbs can be classified into numerous types according to their function or role in a sentence or
context. Let us look into the various types of verbs and some examples of each type of verb.

Auxiliary Verbs/Helping Verbs

Auxiliary verbs or helping verbs, as the name suggests, is a verb that is used to help another verb
sound sensible and meaningful. It is used to change the other verb’s tense, mood or voice. So,
every time an auxiliary verb is used, you always have one more verb, which acts as the main
verb in a sentence.

Examples of auxiliary verbs are as follows:

 Am
 Is
 Are
 Was
 Were
 Have
  Has
 Do
 Will
 Can
One point you have to take care of when you use auxiliary verbs is that you should conjugate the
auxiliary verb correctly according to the tense form of a sentence. Another specific fact about
auxiliary verbs is that they can also be used as a main verb. Also, there are verbs called modal
verbs that can be used as a helping verb.

Work out exercises on auxiliary verbs to practise.

Modal Verbs

Modal verbs are those verbs that are used to denote the possibility, probability, capability or
necessity of something happening. Modal verbs, unlike other auxiliary verbs, cannot be used as a
main verb in a sentence.

Examples of modal verbs are as follows:

 Can
 Could
 Will
 Would
 May
 Might
 Should
 Must
 Ought to

Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs include phrases that are formed by combining two or more parts of speech that
performs the same function as a verb in a sentence. In most cases, a phrasal verb results from a
combination of a verb and a preposition.

Some examples of phrasal verbs are as follows:

 Go by
 Lay off
  Log in
 Get off
 Run out
 Go all out
 Think through
 Fed up
 Taken aback
 Act on
 Back away
 Back up
 Look up
 Mix up
 Opt out
 Pop in
Linking Verbs

A linking verb, just like the name suggests, is a type of verb that is used to link the subjects in a
sentence to the other parts of the sentence so that it is meaningful. It connects the subject to
the object, an adjective and even a prepositional phrase. All ‘to be’ forms of verbs and verbs like
‘seem’ and ‘become’ can act as linking verbs.

Have a look at the following examples to understand how verbs perform the role of a linking
verb in sentences.

Example 1: Connecting Nouns to Other Nouns in a Sentence

Danny is my brother.

In the above example, the verb ‘is’ is used to connect the subject ‘Danny’ as the ‘brother’ of the
speaker. In this sentence, the words ‘Danny’ and ‘brother’ are used to refer to the same person.

Example 2: Connecting a Noun to a Prepositional Phrase in a Sentence

The children were in the park.

In Example 2, the verb ‘were’ is used to connect the subject ‘the children’ to the prepositional
phrase ‘in the park’.

Example 3: Connecting a Noun/Subject to an Adjective

Your presentation of the life cycle of the silkworm was excellent.

In the above example, the verb ‘was’ is used to link the subject ‘Your presentation of the life
cycle of a silkworm’ to the adjective ‘excellent’.

Example 4: Connecting the Subject/Noun to the Predicate using Seem/Become

This book on a treasure hunt seems interesting.

In this sentence, the subject ‘This book on a treasure hunt’ is connected to the adjective
‘interesting’ with the linking verb ‘seem’.

The students became bored after two continuous hours of classes and were not ready to take
another hour of class without a break in between.

In the above sentence, the subject ‘The students’ has been linked to the rest of the sentence with
the linking verb ‘became’.

Different Categories of Verbs

Verbs can be divided into different categories according to their behaviour when used in a
context. Let us look at the categories explained below.

Regular Verbs and Irregular Verbs

As you can see, verbs are used to denote actions, and they can be used in different forms to
indicate when the subject in a sentence is carrying out an action. A regular verb can be
conjugated to show if the action takes place in the past or if the action is taking place
continuously.

In most cases, the past form of the verb is formed by adding an ‘ed’ to the root verb for regular
verbs. On the other hand, there are other verbs that do not follow this rule. They are
called irregular verbs. These verbs have their own unique forms. If you are wondering how to
learn these irregular verbs, read the article on irregular verbs to find out how.

Have a look at the examples given below.

 Dileep searched for his white shirt in his cupboard, but he did not find it. (Root verb –
search)
 Did you find the book you were looking for?
In the above examples, the verb ‘searched’ is the past form of the regular verb ‘search’ by adding
an ‘ed’ and the verb form ‘looking’ indicates the continuous form of the regular verb ‘look’ by
adding an ‘ing’ to the end of the root verb.

 Selena read the book on the evolution of life on earth.

 Vineeth found the keys that went missing yesterday.
In the above examples, the verb ‘read’ stays the same in the past form and when used as a past
participle. ‘Found’ is the past form of the root verb ‘find’.

Transitive Verbs and Intransitive Verbs

Transitive and intransitive forms of verbs are used to denote how a verb acts when used with a
direct object and an indirect object. Let us look at a few examples.

 Vincent gave a box of chocolates to his brother. (Indirect object – his brother, Direct
object – a box of chocolates)
 Garry passed the water bottle to Kevin, who was sitting in the first row. (Indirect object –
Kevin, Direct object – the water bottle)
 The little girl ran around the park for two hours.
 Francey walked to school every day.
 My mom cleaned the house today. (Direct object – the house)
 Seena did not like the movie. (Direct object – the movie)
In the above examples, the verbs ‘gave’ and ‘passed’ in the first two sentences are seen to take a
direct object and an indirect object, whereas the verbs ‘ran’ and ‘walked’ take no object at all. In
the last two sentences, the verbs ‘cleaned’ and ‘did not like’ take a direct object and no indirect
object.

Verbs that take a direct object alone are called transitive verbs, and those verbs that do not take
either a direct object or an indirect object are called intransitive verbs. There is yet another
category of verbs that take both the direct object and the indirect object, and they are
called ditransitive verbs.

Verb Forms

A verb is used in different ways to indicate the time in which the subject is performing an action.
There are various verb forms that are used to do the same. Let us look at the different verb forms
explained below.
Root Verb

The raw or original form of the verb, how it originally exists in the English language, without
any inflexions or conjugations, is called the root verb.

Some examples of root verbs are as follows:

 Eat
 Sit
 Stir
 Type
 Read
 Fry
 Tick
 Shift
 Trick
 Sing

Simple Present – Third Person Singular

The third person singular form of the verb in the present tense is mostly the verb in the singular
form. When using the third person singular pronouns such as he, she and it, and the nouns that
can be substituted by the third person singular pronouns, the verb is singular (mostly done just by
adding an ‘s’ to the root verb) so that it agrees with the subject in the sentence.

For example:

Kenny likes to have mangoes after every meal. (The noun ‘Kenny’ can be substituted with the
third person singular pronoun ‘he’)

The cat chases every rat it catches sight of. (The noun ‘The cat’ can be substituted with the third
person singular pronoun ‘it’)

She hates going to work on Saturdays and Mondays.

Present Participle

The present participle is used in the continuous form of tenses to indicate an action that is
continuing or in progress at that particular moment or sometime in the past or in the future.
These words are formed just by adding an ‘ing’ to the root verb. For verbs ending with an ‘e’, in
most cases, the present participle is formed by removing the ‘e’ and then adding ‘ing’ to the
remaining portion of the verb.

For example:

Jhanvi is watching a movie along with her cousin. (Present Continuous Tense)

My mother is baking cakes (Present Continuous Tense)

All my brothers were playing dodgeball in the evening. (Past Continuous Tense)

Simple Past

There is a change in the spelling of the root verb when it is used to indicate the simple past
tense form of the verb. There is no one rule to write a verb in the simple past tense; it changes for
each verb – some verbs like ‘give’ and ‘bring’ take a different spelling, and some verbs like ‘cut’
and ‘put’ remain the same when used in the past tense. However, most verbs can be made into
the past tense by adding an ‘ed’ at the end of the root verb.

For example:

 The doctor asked me to take tablets for ten days. (The rook verb here is ‘ask’)
 Nelson bought the car he checked out last week. (The root verbs here are ‘buy’ and
‘check’)
 The baby drank the milk completely. (The root verb here is ‘drink’)

Past participle

The past participle form of the verb is used to denote the perfect tense forms in a sentence. In
some cases, the past tense and the past participle remain the same, but there are a number of
verbs that have different spellings when used as a simple past tense verb and a past participle.

For example:

 I have searched the entire loft for that box, but I did not find it. (The root verb here is
‘search’, ‘have searched’ is the verb in the sentence that indicates the perfect tense and
‘searched’ is the past participle)
 Dylan had read the book already.
In the above example, the root verb here is ‘read’, ‘have read’ is the verb in the sentence that
indicates the perfect tense and ‘read’ is the past participle. In this case, all forms of the verb take
the same spelling but have a different pronunciation.

Gerunds

Any verb can be transformed into a gerund by adding ‘ing’ to the root verb. Gerunds, when it
stands by themselves, can be used as nouns. A gerund can be used as a verb when used with an
auxiliary verb to indicate an action that is continuing at a particular period of time.

For example:

 He is eating an apple.
 Joy will be coming home next week.
 Walking every day is good exercise.
 Drinking and driving is dangerous.

Infinitives

Infinitives, like gerunds, can be used to turn verbs into nouns by adding a preposition ‘to’ in
front of the root verb.

For example:

 Would you like to have something?

 I like to dance in my free time.
 I am going to talk to my friend.

Active Voice and Passive Voice

According to the position of the subject and object in a sentence, the voice of the verb can be
determined. A sentence in which the subject does the action is called the active voice, and a
sentence in which the indirect object or the direct object is switched to make it the subject is
called the passive voice.

For example:

 Active Voice – The doctor checked the patient.

 Passive Voice – The patient was checked by the doctor.
Conjugating Verbs in the English Language – Tense Forms

Verbs can be conjugated to denote the tense you need. There are four tense forms, namely the
simple tense, the continuous tense, the perfect tense and the perfect continuous tense. These
tense forms are used to represent three time periods such as the present, past and future, thereby
forming twelve main tense forms in total.

You can learn more about tenses and how to conjugate them in detail by reading the article on
tenses.

Points to Remember

Here are some points for you to keep in mind when using verbs in your speech or writing.

 Always try to use an active voice in your speech and writing as it is preferred widely and
conveys the message in a quick and simple manner. Do not use the passive voice unless it
is absolutely necessary.
 When you conjugate verbs to indicate different tense forms, see to it that the subject and
the verb agree with each other.
 Improve your vocabulary. Try to learn the specific verbs for every action instead of
modifying other verbs to convey the same. For example, stroll means a leisurely walk,
and jabber means to talk in a very excited, rapid and incomprehensible manner, yelp
means a short and sharp cry to indicate pain or an alarm.

Frequently Asked Questions on Verbs in English Grammar

Q1

What is a verb?
Verbs happen to be an essential part of speech, without which it would be impossible to indicate
what the subject is doing. It refers to all actions, including those related to feelings and emotions.
Verbs come in different types and forms so that they can perform differently in order to provide
complete meaning.
Q2

What is the definition of a verb?

The Oxford Learners’ Dictionary defines a ‘verb’ as “a word or group of words that express an
action (such as eat), an event (such as happen) or a state (such as exist)”. According to the
Cambridge Dictionary, a ‘verb’ is defined as “a word or phrase that describes an action,
condition, or experience”. The Collins Dictionary provides a much more elaborate definition of a
verb. According to them, “A verb is a word such as ‘ sing’, ‘ feel’, or ‘ die’ which is used with a
subject to say what someone or something does or what happens to them, or to give information
about them”.
Q3

What are the types of verbs?

Verbs can be generally classified into three main categories with reference to what they signify,
such as verbs referring to actions, verbs referring to experiences or feelings and verbs referring to
a state or condition. Furthermore, it can be classified into auxiliary verbs (otherwise called
helping verbs), modal verbs, phrasal verbs and linking verbs.
Q4

What are the different verb forms in the English language?

In the English language, there are eight to nine verb forms which include the root verb, the third
person singular present form of the verb, the present participle, the simple past, the past
participle, the gerunds, the infinitives, the active voice and the passive voice.

 Adverbs

Adverbs: Definition, Types, Usage and Examples

‘Adverbs’ – What are they? How often are they used in sentences? Learn all about adverbs, its
definition, types and usage. Take a look at the examples to have a complete understanding of the
topic.

8,677

Table of Contents

 What Is an Adverb?

 Definition of an Adverb

 Types of Adverbs
 Examples of Adverbs

 How Adverbs are used in Sentences

  Check Your Knowledge of Adverbs
 Frequently Asked Questions on Adverbs in English

What Is an Adverb?

Like an adjective gives us more information about the noun in a sentence, an adverb is used to
provide more information about the verb or the action in the sentence. It also has the property of
describing the adjective or another adverb.

Definition of an Adverb

An adverb, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is “a word that adds more information
about place, time, manner, cause or degree to a verb, an adjective, a phrase or another adverb.”
The Cambridge Dictionary defines an adverb as “a word that describes or gives more
information about a verb, adjective, adverb, or phrase.”

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary provides a similar definition. It defines an adverb as “a word

used to modify a verb, an adjective, or another adverb and often used to show degree, manner,
place, or time.” According to the Collins Dictionary, an adverb is defined as “a word such as
‘slowly’, ‘ now’, ‘very’, ‘politically’, or ‘ fortunately’ which adds information about the action,
event, or situation mentioned in a clause.”

Types of Adverbs

Adverbs are categorised into different types according to their functions when used in a sentence.
Given below are the different types of adverbs.

 Adverbs of Manner
 Adverbs of Time
 Adverbs of Place
 Adverbs of Frequency
 Adverbs of Degree
 Conjunctive Adverbs
Check out the article on types of adverbs to learn more about them in detail. Furthermore, read
through the article on adverbial phrases to learn what they are.

Examples of Adverbs
Now that you know what adverbs are and how there are different types of adverbs, let us look at
some adverb examples to see how they can be used effectively in sentences.

How Adverbs are Used in Sentences

Unlike other parts of speech, adverbs can be placed at any part of the sentence (beginning,
middle or end), and make complete sense without sounding absurd. Another characteristic is that
multiple adverbs can be used in a sentence. Have a look at the following examples to have a
clear understanding of the same.

 I was planning to go to the supermarket to buy some groceries. However, I did not find
the time to go. So I ordered online.
 My mom did not cook breakfast today. Therefore, we ended up making noodles for
everyone.
 Normally, we go to church on Sundays.
 Don’t you think the coffee is too sweet?
 Do not worry. You will gradually learn how to do it.
 The song I was listening to yesterday was very soothing.
 He kept talking to me for such a long time but I barely knew him.
 It is extremely hot outside today.
 How often do you work out?
 Can I come home tomorrow?

Check Your Knowledge of Adverbs

Identify the most suitable adverb from the list given below and use them to complete the
following sentences.

(slightly, too, very, anywhere, instantly, quarterly, soon, never, rarely , seldom, monthly,
extremely, seriously, sometimes, weekly)

1. The weather here is _____ cold.

2. I am _________ sorry for the delay.

3. You will receive an OTP and on entering it, your account will be _________ activated.

4. The journal is published ______________.

5. Can you please finish it ______ so that I can use the table.
6. She _______ goes to the salon.

7. Oshin did not find the blue file ________.

8. __________, I like to go on a trip alone just to clear my mind and have a break from this busy
schedule.

9. This seems to be ________ absurd.

10. The teacher asked her students to take the project _________ as it would be considered for
internal marks.

You have probably got all of it right. Let us find out. Note that some adverbs can be used
interchangeably.

1. The weather here is too/very/extremely cold.

2. I am extremely sorry for the delay.

3. You will receive an OTP and on entering it, your account will be instantly activated.

4. The journal is published weekly/monthly/quarterly.

5. Can you please finish it soon so that I can use the table.

6. She seldom/rarely/never goes to the salon.

7. Oshin did not find the blue file anywhere.

8.Sometimes, I like to go on a trip alone just to clear my mind and have a break from this busy
schedule.

9. This seems to be too/very absurd.

10. The teacher asked her students to take the project seriously as it would be considered for
internal marks.

Check out the article on adverb exercises for more practice exercises.

Frequently Asked Questions on Adverbs in English

Q1

What is an adverb?

An adverb is used to provide more information about the verb or the action in the sentence. It
also has the property of describing the adjective or another adverb.
Q2

What is the definition of an adverb?

An adverb, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is “a word that adds more information
about place, time, manner, cause or degree to a verb, an adjective, a phrase or another adverb.”
The Cambridge Dictionary defines an adverb as “a word that describes or gives more
information about a verb, adjective, adverb, or phrase.” The Merriam-Webster Dictionary
provides a similar definition. It defines an adverb as “a word used to modify a verb, an adjective,
or another adverb and often used to show degree, manner, place, or time.” According to the
Collins Dictionary, an adverb is defined as “a word such as ‘slowly’, ‘ now’, ‘very’, ‘politically’,
or ‘ fortunately’ which adds information about the action, event, or situation mentioned in a
clause.”
Q3

What are the different types of adverbs?

Adverbs can be classified into six main types:

 Adverbs of Manner
 Adverbs of Time
 Adverbs of Place
 Adverbs of Frequency
 Adverbs of Degree
 Conjunctive Adverbs
Q4
Give some examples of adverbs used in sentences.

Here are some examples to show you how the different types of adverbs can be used in
sentences.

 My mom did not cook breakfast today; therefore we ended up making noodles for
everyone.
 Normally, we go to church on Sundays.
  Don’t you think the coffee is too sweet?
 Do not worry. You will gradually learn how to do it.
 The song I was listening to yesterday was very soothing.

 Adjectives

Adjectives - Definition, Forms, Types, Usage and Examples

Crazy, intelligent, fun, interesting! Does it sound like you or someone you know? Do you know
what these words mean or what part of speech they belong to? Did you say ‘adjectives’? You
guessed it right. Let us learn more about adjectives, its meaning, definition and types. Check out
the examples and see how they can be used in sentences effectively.

What Is an Adjective?

An adjective is a part of speech that can be used to describe or provide more information about
a noun or pronoun that acts as the subject in a sentence. Adjectives are found after the verb or
before the noun it modifies.

Definition of an Adjective

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, an adjective is defined as “a word that describes a noun
or pronoun.” The Collins Dictionary gives a more elaborate definition. According to it, “an
adjective is a word such as ‘big’, ‘ dead’, or ‘ financial’ that describes a person or thing, or gives
extra information about them. Adjectives usually come before nouns or after link verbs.”

The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines an adjective as “a word that describes a person or thing,
for example ‘big’, ‘red’ and ‘clever’ in a big house, red wine and a clever idea.” An adjective is
“a word belonging to one of the major form classes in any of numerous languages and typically
serving as a modifier of a noun to denote a quality of the thing named, to indicate its quantity or
extent, or to specify a thing as distinct from something else”, according to the Merriam-Webster
Dictionary.

Forms of Adjectives – Degrees of Comparison

Did you know that adjectives can be used to compare similar qualities of different subjects that
perform the same action. There are three forms of adjectives or rather three degrees of
comparison. The are:

 Positive or Absolute Form

  Comparative Form
 Superlative Form

Positive Degree of Comparison:

The positive form or the positive degree of comparison is the form of the adjective used in the
original form. For example: This book is interesting. This form of adjective is used when there
is no other subject to be compared.

Comparative Degree of Comparison

The comparative form of the adjective is used when two subjects performing the same action or
possessing the same quality are compared. For example: The book I read yesterday was more
interesting than the one I read today.

Superlative Degree of Comparison

The superlative degree of comparison is used when comparing the same quality of two or more
subjects and to represent that a subject is superior to two or more subjects in performing an
action. For example: This fantasy novel is the most interesting book that I have ever read.

Types of Adjectives

Adjectives can be divided into different categories based on their functions when used in a
sentence. The different types of adjectives are:

 Possessive Adjectives
 Interrogative Adjectives
 Demonstrative Adjectives
 Compound Adjectives

Possessive Adjectives:

These adjectives, like possessive pronouns, are used to show or represent possession of a quality.
For example: my, your, his, her, their, its, whose, etc.

Interrogative Adjectives:

An adjective that is used to modify a noun or a pronoun by asking a question is called an

interrogative adjective. There are only a few adjectives that can be termed as interrogative
adjectives. They are whose, what and which.
Demonstrative Adjectives:

Demonstrative adjectives are mainly used to describe the position of a subject (a noun or
pronoun) in space or time. This, that, these and those are the demonstrative adjectives in English.

Compound Adjectives:

Compound adjectives consist of two or more adjectives that are combined together to form an
adjective that can be used to modify the subject. Some examples of compound adjectives are
cotton-tailed, curly-haired, absent-minded, happy-go-lucky, etc.

How to Use Adjectives in Sentences?

Adjectives are known to give your writing and speech a very flowery look. It aids in making it
descriptive and also in giving your readers and listeners a visual treat. However, stuffing it with
too many adjectives can make it look or sound vague and unclear. This would only lead to
misunderstanding of your content. Knowing when, where and how to use adjectives is a skill that
you should master.

Any piece of writing should be clear and precise. Find out if there is a word that specifically
means whatever you are trying to convey. For example: quick, swift, hasty, fleet, etc. are all
adjectives that mean ‘very fast’. Likewise, contented, cheerful, merry, joyful, ecstatic, delighted,
etc. are all words that describe different degrees of happiness. There is also another concept that
you should know. There is a particular order in which you should place adjectives when you are
using two or more adjectives to describe the same subject or object. Check out the order of
adjectives to learn more.

Examples of Adjectives

If you are wondering what part of speech a colour or a number belongs to, do not waste any more
time thinking about it. All colours and numbers are classified as adjectives. Adjectives are words
that modify nouns but in most cases, they can be seen to be doing much more than that. Given
below are the various ways in which adjectives can function and be used.

Adjectives as Complements

Adjectives can act as complements that modify nouns that act as subjects and objects. When the
adjective describes the object in a sentence, it is called an object complement and when it is used
to describe the subject in a sentence, it is referred to as a subject complement. They are seen to
be used in sentences which are seen to use the following patterns:

 SVC – Aaron is good.

In the above example, the adjective is ‘good’ and it is used to describe the subject ‘Aaron’ and so
it is called a subject complement.

 SVOC – The movie made Karthik sleepy.

Here, the adjective ‘sleepy’ describes the object ‘Karthik’ and so comes under the category of
object complements.

Adjectives as Coordinates

When two or more adjectives are used to describe the same noun in a sentence, they are called
coordinate adjectives. Coordinate adjectives are often separated by a comma or
the conjunction ‘and’.

For example:

 The mobile phone is easy to use and handy.

 My cousin is tall and thin.

Multifunctional Adjectives

Adjectives can be made to function like or take the role of nouns in a sentence, and sometimes, a
noun, when used to describe or provide more information about another noun, can perform the
role of an adjective.

For example:

 I like my English teacher.

In the above example, the word ‘English’ is generally considered a noun as it represents a
language and it is a proper noun. But here, it is used to describe the noun ‘teacher’ which makes
it an adjective.

 It is our duty to tend to the poor and the oppressed.

In this sentence, the words ‘the poor’ and ‘the oppressed’ pass off as nouns as it refers to ‘poor
people’ and ‘oppressed people’. So, when adjectives are preceded by the article ‘the’, it often
refers to a category of people which makes the adjective a noun.
In addition to these types of adjectives, there are also phrases and clauses which act just like an
adjective. To know what they are and how they work in a sentence, check out the articles
on adjective phrases and adjective clauses.

Check out the adjectives list for an extensive list of adjectives that you can make use of in your
daily communication and work out exercises on adjectives to brush up your knowledge of it.

Check Your Knowledge of Adjectives

Identify the adjectives in the following sentences:

1. I bought a red dress for the wedding.

2. I have eight apples.

3. The food is delicious.

4. My brother is naughty.

5. The movie we watched last night was boring.

6. Pablo Picasso is a fine artist.

7. The weather in Chennai is sultry all round the year.

8. Now is a great time to visit the United States.

9. It was a fabulous drive.

10. The Marina Beach is the longest beach in India.

You should have definitely got it all right. Check them out.

1. I bought a red dress for the wedding.

2. I have eight apples.

3. The food is delicious.

4. My brother is naughty.
5. The movie we watched last night was boring.

6. Pablo Picasso is a fine artist.

7. The weather in Chennai is sultry all round the year.

8. Now is a great time to visit the United States.

9. It was a fabulous drive.

10. The Marina Beach is the longest beach in India.

Frequently Asked Questions on Adjectives in English

Q1 What is an adjective?

An adjective is a part of speech that can be used to describe or provide more information about
the noun or pronoun that acts as the subject in a sentence. Adjectives are found after the verb or
before the noun it modifies.
Q2 What is the definition of an adjective?

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, an adjective is defined as “a word that describes a noun
or pronoun.” The Collins Dictionary gives a more elaborate definition. According to them, “an
adjective is a word such as ‘ big’, ‘ dead’, or ‘ financial’ that describes a person or thing, or gives
extra information about them. Adjectives usually come before nouns or after link verbs.”
The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines an adjective as “a word that describes a person or thing,
for example ‘big’, ‘red’ and ‘clever’ in a big house, red wine and a clever idea.” An adjective is
“a word belonging to one of the major form classes in any of numerous languages, and typically
serving as a modifier of a noun to denote a quality of the thing named, to indicate its quantity or
extent, or to specify a thing as distinct from something else”, according to the Merriam-Webster
Dictionary.

Q3 What are the forms of adjectives?

There are three forms of adjectives in English grammar. They are also called the degrees of
comparison. The three forms of adjectives are:

 The Positive or Absolute Form

 The Comparative Form
  The Superlative Form
Q4 What are the types of adjectives?
Adjectives can be divided into different categories based on their functions when used in a
sentence. The different types of adjectives are:

 Possessive Adjectives
 Interrogative Adjectives
 Demonstrative Adjectives
 Compound Adjectives
Q5 Give some examples of adjectives.
Happy, depressed, hardworking, successful, skilled, sloppy, green, tampered, dilapidated, fixed,
healthy, etc. are some examples of adjectives.

 Conjunctions

Conjunctions in English - Explore Meaning, Definition, Types, Usage and Examples

I bought bread. I bought butter. I bought eggs. I bought vegetables. I bought fruits. I bought milk.

Does it sound right? No. Have you heard of conjunctions? This article discusses the meaning,
definition, types and usage of conjunctions. Also, take a look at the examples and try out the
practice questions to have a better idea of the topic.

What Are Conjunctions?

Conjunctions are used to combine two or more objects, phrases or clauses. It can also be termed
as connectors as they are employed in sentences to make connections. Conjunctions can
normally be found in the latter part of a sentence if they are used to connect clauses. If
conjunctions are used to connect objects or phrases, they can appear in the beginning, middle or
end of the sentence according to the position of the objects or phrases.

Definition of a Conjunction

A conjunction, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is defined as “a word such as ‘and’,

‘but’, ‘while’, or ‘although’ that connects words, phrases, and clauses in a sentence.” The
Merriam Webster Dictionary defines a conjunction as “an uninflected linguistic form that joins
together sentences, clauses, phrases, or words.”

A conjunction is “word that joins words, phrases or sentences, for example and,
but or so”, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary. The Collins Dictionary gives a slightly
different definition. According to it, a conjunction is “any word or group of words, other than
a relative pronoun, that connects words, phrases, or clauses.”

Types of Conjunctions

Conjunctions are mainly used to join actions, ideas and thoughts. They are categorised into three
main types:

 Coordinating conjunctions – used to combine two independent clauses. Examples of

coordinating conjunctions are for, and, nor, but, or, yet and so.
 Subordinating conjunctions – used to combine an independent clause and a dependent
clause. Examples of subordinating conjunctions are if, although, though, after, before,
because, as if, unless, until, when, while, etc.
 Correlative conjunctions – used to combine two phrases or parts of the sentence which
have equal importance within a sentence. Examples of correlative conjunctions are not
only…but also, either…or, neither…nor, whether…or, rather…or, if…then, etc.

Examples of Conjunctions

Have a look at the following sentences to understand how conjunctions can be employed in
sentences.

 Sruthi and I visited Gokarna last weekend.

 Do you have a rough notebook or at least a rough sheet of paper?
 I did not go to work today because I was not keeping well.
 She did not like the food, yet she ate it.
 I will be leaving tomorrow so I am trying to finish all the pending assignments.

List of Most Commonly Used Conjunctions in Daily Communication

Given below is a list of most commonly used conjunctions that you can use in your daily
communication.
 Examples of Conjunctions

And Or Nor

But Yet So

Because Still For

Not only…but also As When

While As soon as If

Unless In case In addition to

Whereas Though Although

Until Before After

Even if Rather than So that

Either…or As if Neither…or

Both…and Whether…or Or else

Check Your Understanding of Conjunctions

Fill in the blanks with the most appropriate conjunctions in the following sentences:

1. Deepak ________ Santhosh are best friends.

2. Make sure you work hard ______ you will not be able to score good marks.
3. _______ Anna does not cook much, she loves baking.
4. Let me know ______ you will be able to make it to the party.
5. I have to go home now ______ I really wish I could stay for some more time.
6. I am not well _______ I decided to take a day off from work.
7. _________ you work out regularly, you will not see any results.
8. He had no money, _____he was prepared to help me
9. I could not find the place ___________ I lost the map.
10. ________ I was walking on the street, I found a wounded dog.
Find out if you have answered it all correctly.

1. Deepak and Santhosh are best friends.

2. Make sure you work hard or you will not be able to score good marks.
3. Although Anna does not cook much, she loves baking.
4. Let me know if you will be able to make it to the party.
5. I have to go home now but I really wish I could stay for some more time.
6. I am not well, so I decided to take a day off from work.
7. Unless you work out regularly, you will not see any results.
8. He had no money, yet he was prepared to help me.
9. I could not find the place since/because I lost the map.
10. While I was walking on the street, I found a wounded dog.

Frequently Asked Questions on Conjunctions in English

Q1 What is a conjunction?

A conjunction is used to combine two or more objects, phrases or clauses. It can also be termed
as connectors as they are employed in sentences to make connections.

Q2 Where can a conjunction be placed in a sentence?

Conjunctions can be found in the latter part of a sentence if they are used to connect clauses. If
conjunctions are used to connect objects or phrases, they can appear in the beginning, middle or
end of the sentence according to the position of the objects or phrases.

Q3 What are the different types of conjunctions?

Conjunctions are mainly used to join actions, ideas and thoughts. They are categorised into three
main types:

 Coordinating conjunctions
 Subordinating conjunctions
 Correlative conjunctions
Q4 Give some examples of conjunctions.
And, or, so, since, for, because, as, but, yet, still, while, as soon as, therefore, moreover, in case,
though, although, even though, etc. are some examples of conjunctions.

Q5 Give some examples of how conjunctions can be used in sentences.

Given below are some sentences to show you how conjunctions can be used in sentences.

 Sruthi and I visited Gokarna last weekend.

 Do you have a rough notebook or at least a rough sheet of paper?
 I did not go to work today because I was not keeping well.
 She did not like the food, yet she ate it.
 I will be leaving tomorrow so I am trying to finish all the pending assignments.

Prepositions: Meaning, Definition, Uses and Examples

‘I have kept your book.’ Don’t you think you want to know where your book is kept? Doesn’t
the sentence look incomplete? It is to denote the position of the objects in a sentence that the
prepositions are used in the English language. This article discusses the meaning, definition and
uses of prepositions. There are also examples of prepositions given to help you understand how
they are used in sentences and also an extensive list of prepositions for your reference.

What Is a Preposition?

A preposition is a short word that is employed in sentences to show the relationship nouns,
pronouns or phrases have with other parts within the respective sentences. Prepositions are
normally found positioned in the latter part of the sentence, but before a noun or pronoun.

Definition of a Preposition

A preposition is defined as “a word that connects a noun, a noun phrase, or a pronoun to another
word, esp. to a verb, another noun, or an adjective”, according to the Cambridge Dictionary. The
Oxford Learner’s Dictionary says that a preposition is “a word or group of words, such as in,
from, to, out of and on behalf of, used before a noun or pronoun to show place, position, time or
method.”

The Collins Dictionary defines a preposition as “a word such as ‘by’, ‘for’, ‘into’, or ‘with’
which usually has a noun group as its object.” The Merriam Webster Dictionary provides a
slightly different definition. According to it, a preposition is defined as “a function word that
typically combines with a noun phrase to form a phrase which usually expresses a modification
or predication.”

Uses of Prepositions

Prepositions are seen to show some key characteristics and perform some vital functions when
used in sentences. Let us look at the various uses of prepositions in English.

 They are used to show the direction of something.

 They can refer to the time of something happening.
 They can be used to denote the position or location of an object in the sentence.
 They are also used to represent spatial relationships.
 Prepositional phrases, in particular, can be used to do all of these when used in sentences.

Types of Prepositions

Based on the different uses and functions of prepositions, they can be divided into four main
types. They are as follows:

 Prepositions of Time – used to show when something is happening.

For example:

 We will be meeting on Friday.

 The supermarket will be closed from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m.

 Can you come after some time?

 We have been asked to work from home until the end of May.

 The whole country was asked to stay home during the pandemic to ensure safety
and well-being.

 Prepositions of Place – indicate the place or position of something.

For example:

 I have kept the book I borrowed from you on the table.

  Henry hid behind the door.

 The dog jumped over the fence.

 Can you place the red roses in between the white daisies?

 He was waiting in front of the EB office.

 Prepositions of Direction – used to denote the direction in which something travels or

moves.
For example:

 The girl ran toward her father the moment she saw him.

 Jerry jumped into the river to help his sister.

 Veena passed the book to Priya.

 When will Salvia be returning from London?

 Neena lives across the street.

 Prepositions of Location – employed to denote the location of a particular object.

For example:

 Kenny would be staying at his cousin’s place for the weekend.

 Make sure you keep all the toys back in its place after you play.

 I lay on the floor for a really long time.

 Prepositions of Spatial Relationship – used to denote an object’s movement away from

the source and towards a source.
For example:

 Navya sat leaning against the wall.

 The circus was stationed opposite the children’s park.

  Lakshmi sat beneath the trees.

 Shankar sat beside the stairs.

 We spent the evening walking around the lake.

 Prepositional Phrase – a combination of a preposition and a noun(the object it is

affecting).
For example:

 See to it that you reach the venue on time.

 The medicines you asked for are out of stock.

 Why don’t we try taking classes outside for a change.

 Make sure you fill in all the forms at once.

 Salmaan was able to finish it only with the help of his friends.

Examples of Prepositions Used in Sentences

To know how exactly prepositions can be used in sentences, check out the following sentences.

 I will be going to church in the morning.

 She placed the plates on the dining table.
 Baskar found the cat hiding under the bed.
 Will you be with Raimy or Mazeeka?
 I love sitting on the beach at night.
 Rachel met Phoebe by the lake.
 Finn stood opposite Lisa.
 The grocery store is right in front of the bus stop.
 My brother climbed onto the roof.
 It feels great to sit beneath the trees and read.

List of Most Popular Prepositions for Everyday Communication

Given below is an extensive list of prepositions that you can make use of in your daily
communication.
 Examples of Prepositions

On At In Over

Around Through Opposite to In front of

Behind Beneath Beside Above

Below Under Underneath Down

Up Out With Into

Onto Across After Before

Near Among Along Between

Toward Away From To

Next to By Until About

Commonly Confused Prepositions

With the huge number of prepositions in the English language, it almost seems impossible to
have no confusion at all. Here is a list of prepositions that cause confusion among the users of
the language.

 In/On/At
These three prepositions can be used to depict both time and position. Take a look at the table
below to have a better understanding of how it works.

Prepositions of Place

In On At

Can be used to show general locations Can be used to refer to more specific Can be used to refer
like neighborhoods, cities, countries locations like streets, avenues, to very specific
and places with a boundary islands, surfaces and large vehicles locations

For example: I live in India. For example: Latha stays on the For example: You
fourth floor. can find us at the
We will be staying in a hotel tonight. park.
The book you are looking for
is on the rack. She is at home now.

Prepositions of Time

In On At

Can be used to depict Can be used to refer to dates, days Can be used to denote very
general timings like of the week, days of the month specific time, times of the day
months, years, centuries and holidays with ‘day’ (for and holidays without ‘day’ (for
and parts of days example – Republic day) example – Easter)

For example: Dan was For example: There is a national For example: We decided to
born in 2000. parade every year on Republic meet at 4 p.m.
day.
I wished my brother at midnight.
Technological development
All of us will be at
in the field of science and
home on Christmas day.
medicine reached its
zenith in the 21st century.
  To/From
To and from are two other prepositions that create confusion.

To From

Used to denote the end location Used to denote the starting location

For example: We went to Sri Lanka with my For example: Have you
family. started from Bangalore?

I received a letter from my father.

I gave my coat to Sandra.

 By/With
The prepositions by and with have various meanings. They sometimes appear to be confusing for
a second language learner of English

By With

Near or next to. In the company of

For example: Glint went to Chennai with his

For example: Is the post office by the bus stop?
friends.

A given time or not later than In addition to

For example: See that you reach the exam For example: would you like to have
hall by 8:30 a.m. tea with breakfast?

Denotes the doer of the action mentioned in a By means of

sentence
For example: I cut my birthday cake with a fruit
For example: The poem was written by my knife.
brother.

Frequently Asked Questions on Prepositions in English

Q1 What is a preposition?
A preposition is a short word that is employed in sentences to show the relationship of nouns,
pronouns or phrases with other parts within the respective sentences. Prepositions are normally
found positioned in the latter part of the sentence.

Q2 What is the definition of a preposition?

A preposition is defined as “a word that connects a noun, a noun phrase, or a pronoun to another
word, esp. to a verb, another noun, or an adjective”, according to the Cambridge Dictionary. The
Oxford Learner’s Dictionary says that a preposition is “a word or group of words, such as in,
from, to, out of and on behalf of, used before a noun or pronoun to show place, position, time or
method.” The Collins Dictionary defines a preposition as “a word such as ‘by’, ‘for’, ‘into’, or
‘with’ which usually has a noun group as its object.” The Merriam Webster Dictionary provides a
slightly different definition. According to it, a preposition is defined as “a function word that
typically combines with a noun phrase to form a phrase which usually expresses a modification
or predication.”

Q3 What are the different types of prepositions?

Prepositions can be divided into different types by categorising them according to their
functions. The different types of prepositions are:

 Prepositions of Place
 Prepositions of Time
 Prepositions of Direction
 Prepositions of Location
 Prepositions of Spatial Relationships
 Prepositional Phrase
Q4 Give some examples of prepositions.
In, on, at, through, across, above, over, up, down, to, with, by, beside, beneath, in front of,
between, among, etc. are some examples of prepositions.
Q5 How can we use prepositions in sentences?

Given below are some examples of how prepositions can be used in sentences.

 The supermarket will be closed from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m.

 Can you come after some time?
 Will you be with Raimy or Mazeeka?
 I love sitting beside the beach at night.
  Rachel met Phoebe by the lake.

Interjectionsctions - Definition, Usage and Examples

In the English language, among the different parts of speech, interjections are the most used in
everyday communication. This article will provide you with all the information regarding
interjections, their meaning, definition and also examples to help you understand clearly.

Interjection are a part of speech used to convey or express sudden feelings and emotions. There

are no particular rules as to where interjections should be placed in a sentence, but most often,

they are seen to appear in the beginning of a sentence. They are used to form exclamatory

sentences. In order to develop a clearer idea of what interjections are exactly, take a look at how

different dictionaries define an interjection.

Definition of an Interjection

An interjection, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as “a short sound, word
or phrase spoken suddenly to express an emotion.” The Cambridge Dictionary defines an
interjection as “a word that is used to show a short sudden expression of emotion.” According to
the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, an interjection is defined as “a word or phrase used in
exclamation” and according to the Macmillan Dictionary, an interjection is “a word or phrase
used for expressing a strong emotion such as surprise or anger.” The Collins Dictionary defines
an interjection as “a word or expression which you use to express a strong feeling such as
surprise, pain, or horror.”

Examples of Interjections

Here are some examples of interjections to show you how they can be used in sentences
effectively.

 Hurray! We won the match.

 Ouch! That really hurt badly.
 Wow! That is a beautiful dress indeed.
 Oh my God! That was unexpected.
 Whoa! That guy is unbelievably huge.
List of Interjections for Everyday Communication

Now, here is a list of interjections that you can use in your daily communication.

Examples of Interjections

Interjection Purpose Example

Alas To express sadness or pity Alas! That was so unfortunate.

Ah To express realisation or surprise Ah, the magic show at the end was a total
surprise!

Eh To enquire or ask for something to be Eh! I didn’t quite get it. Can you please
repeated repeat it?

Dear To express pity or surprise Oh dear! I feel really bad for what happened
to you.

Hey To express surprise or call for Hey! Look out for the car.
attention

Hurray To express joy Hurray! We finally cleared the test.

Oh To express pain or surprise Oh! I have a really bad headache.

Ouch To express pain Ouch! You stepped on my toes.

Phew To express relief, exhaustion, disgust Phew! That was an extremely long
 presentation.

Uh To express hesitation Uh! I don’t think I want to be a part of this.

Well To introduce a remark Well, what you just did was wonderful.

Wow To express your admiration for Wow! Your new bike is amazing.
something

Yippee To express joy Yippee! Tomorrow is a holiday.

How and When to Use Interjections?

When using interjections, there are some very important punctuation rules that you should keep
in mind. Given below are the points you have to remember.

 When a short interjection is used in the beginning of a sentence, it should be followed by

a comma.
 When an interjection forms a sentence by itself, the interjection can be followed by a full
stop, a question mark or an exclamation mark.
 When an interjection is used in the middle of a sentence, the interjection has to be
preceded and followed by a comma.
 In a conversation, interjections are sometimes allowed to stand alone.
 It is better if you do not use too many or any interjections in a formal context.

Test Your Understanding of Interjections

Fill in the blanks with the most suitable interjection in the following sentences.
(Ouch, yippee, bravo, alas, my God, well, uh, ah, wow, oh no)
1. ______, that is new!
2. ______ That hurt me more than I thought it would.
3. ______ We got the tickets to the movie premier night.
4. ______ I don’t want to do it this way.
5. ______ You did a really great job with that piece of furniture.
6. ______ now I understand what you were trying to say.
7. ______ That should have really upset you.
8. ______ I have not cleared the internal assessment.
9. ______ That was a really brave thing to do.
10. _______ The waiting list for the reservation seats is too long; I don’t think we would get a
seat.

Check out if you have filled in the blanks with the right interjections from the answers given
below.
1. Well, that is new!
2. Ouch! That hurt me more than I thought it would.
3. Yippee! We got the tickets to the movie premier night.
4. Uh, I don’t want to do it this way.
5. Wow! You did a really great job with that piece of furniture.
6. Ah, now I understand what you were trying to say.
7. Oh no! That should have really upset you.
8. Alas! I have not cleared the internal assessment.
9. Bravo! That was a really brave thing to do.
10. My God! The waiting list for the reservation seats is too long; I don’t think we would get a
seat.

Frequently Asked Questions on Interjections in English

Q1 What are interjections?

Interjections are used to convey or express sudden feelings and emotions. There are no particular
rules as to where interjections should be placed in a sentence, but most often, they are seen to
appear in the beginning of a sentence. They are used to form exclamatory sentences.

Q2 What is the definition of an interjection?

An interjection, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as “a short sound, word
or phrase spoken suddenly to express an emotion.” The Cambridge Dictionary defines an
interjection as “a word that is used to show a short sudden expression of emotion.” According to
the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, an interjection is defined as “a word or phrase used in
exclamation” and according to the Macmillan Dictionary, an interjection is “a word or phrase
used for expressing a strong emotion such as surprise or anger.” The Collins Dictionary defines
an interjection as “a word or expression which you use to express a strong feeling such as
surprise, pain, or horror.”

Q3 Give some examples of interjections.

Uh, alas, oh, hurray, yippee, bravo, well, oh dear, wow, ah, uh, etc. are some examples of
interjections.

Sentence Structure
Having learnt the parts of speech in the English language, not knowing how to use them and
where to place each part of speech to form a sentence would not be ideal. Right? In fact,
sentence structure is one among the most important grammatical components that acts as the
foundation of a language. So here is what you need to know. In this article, you will learn what a
sentence structure is and the different sentence structures. You will also find examples for every
sentence structure that you can refer to. Also, try out the practice questions given

What Do You Mean by Sentence Structure?

Sentence structure is a grammatical component that tells you exactly where and how each
component of a sentence should be placed in order to blend and make sense. The Collins
Dictionary defines sentence structure as “the grammatical arrangement of words in sentences.”
In other words, the sentence structure is what defines the way a sentence will look and sound.

Basic Parts and Components of a Sentence

Before we look into how sentence structure works, we will have to first learn about the basic
structure of a sentence and the components that make up a sentence.

Parts of a Sentence

A sentence, in the English language, consists of at least a subject and a predicate. In other words,
a sentence should have a subject and a verb.

Subject

The subject can be a noun or a pronoun that does the action.

For example:

 The sun is shining.

 The sky is clear.
 Today is Wednesday.

Predicate

The verb is the action performed by the particular subject in the sentence.

For example:

 I love macaroni and cheese.

 Merin has a pet.
 Anusha can draw.

Components of a Sentence

Like a sentence has two parts, it has five main components that make up the structure of a
sentence, and they are,

 Subject
 Verb
 Object
 Complement
 Adjunct
Now, let us look at each of these components in detail.

Subject

A noun that performs the action in a sentence is considered as the subject. It answers the question
‘who’ or in other words, a subject can be identified by asking the question ‘who’. A subject takes
the first place in most cases, especially in declarative or assertive sentences.

For example:

 The child kept crying.

 Our school team won the match.
 My son is in the eighth grade.
 Hard work pays.
 No one came to the wedding.
Verb

In every sentence the most important word can be said to be the verb. A verb shows action or
activity or work done by the subject. Remember that all verbs including main verbs, helping
verbs, stative verbs and action verbs come under this category. Most often, verbs appear
immediately after the subject.

For example:

 Neena is writing a letter.

 It was too dark.
 I feel tired.
 My phone is not working.
 Tarun’s dog ran away.

Object

An object is a noun or pronoun that receives the action done by the subject. Objects are of two
types and they are,

 Direct Object
 Indirect Object

Direct Object

A noun or pronoun that receives the action directly is the direct object in the sentence. It answers
the question ‘what’. Direct objects mostly appear immediately after the verb and are the primary
objects in the sentence.

For example:

 Harry bought a new car.

 My mom made a cake.
 I met my friend.
 She knows all the songs.
 We watched a movie.

Indirect Object

An indirect object is a noun or pronoun that is a secondary object. It can be identified by asking
the question ‘whom’. When there is an indirect object in a sentence, it is mostly placed after the
verb and before the direct object.
For example:

 Vandhana gave Keerthana a cake.

 My mom bought me a new dress.
 I gave him a chocolate.
 They gave us coffee with breakfast.
 He lent his friend a pen.

Complement

The words required to complete the meaning of a sentence can be referred to as

the complement of the sentence. A complement can be an adjective, a name, a position or a
profession.

For example:

 It grew dark.
 He is a dentist.
 That’s her dog, Bruno.
Complements are further divided into two types based on which component it speaks about. The
two types of complement are,

 Subject Complement
 Object Complement

Subject Complement

The complement which expresses the quality or identity or condition of the subject is
called Subject Complement.

For example:

 She is a doctor.
 I am Sindhu.
 Nandhu is clever.
 The students are very excited.
 My brother is a teacher.

Object Complement

The complement which expresses the quality or identity or condition of an object is called Object
Complement.
For example:

 They made her angry.

 The students elected Sreya the class leader.
 They named their daughter, Thara.
 Marley met her friend, Ryan.
 Nobody found the movie interesting.

Adjunct

An adjunct is a word or a phrase that gives more information about an action, an event, a quality
and so on. In short, it can be said that these words can include adverbs and adverb clauses.
Adjuncts can be identified by asking questions ‘when’, ‘where’, ‘why’, ‘how’, ‘how often’ and
‘to what extent’. When using adjuncts, keep in mind that adjuncts can be used in the beginning,
middle or end of the sentence and that there can be more than one adjunct in a sentence.

Take a look at the following examples to understand how adjuncts can be used.

 Yesterday, we met at the park.

 He is very tired.
 Due to his ill-health, he could not come home for Christmas.
 My father reads the newspaper everyday.
 This workout routine is extremely exhausting.

The Different Types of Sentence Structures in English Grammar

In English grammar, there are a number of sentence structures that you can use to make your
speech or writing sound or look a lot more organised, interesting and professional. Some of the
commonly used sentence structures are as follows.

 Subject + Verb (SV)

 Subject + Verb + Object (SVO)
 Subject + Verb + Complement (SVC)
 Subject + Verb + Adjunct (SVA)
 Subject + Verb + Object + Complement (SVOC)
 Subject + Verb + Object + Adjunct (SVOA)
 Subject + Verb + Indirect Object + Direct Object (SVIODO)
 Adjunct + Subject + Verb + Complement (ASVC)
 Adjunct + Subject + Verb + Object (ASVO)
  Adjunct + Subject + Verb + Indirect Object + Direct Object (ASVIODO)
 Subject + Verb + Adjunct + Adjunct (SVAA)
 Adjunct + Subject + Verb + Adjunct + Adjunct (ASVAA)

Examples of Sentence Structure

Looking at examples will help you understand how each sentence structure works. So, here are a
few examples for you.

SV
 The stars / are shining.
Subject / Verb
 The birds / are chirping.
Subject / Verb
 It / is raining.
Subject / Verb

SVO
 Children / love / ice creams.
Subject / Verb / Object
 Noah / does not like / bitter gourd.
Subject / Verb / Object
 I / have / a pencil.
Subject / Verb / Object

SVC
 I / am / an Indian.
Subject + Verb + Complement
 Carol / is / a nurse.
Subject + Verb + Complement
 My name / is / Gina.
Subject + Verb + Complement

SVA
 Madhu / reached / early.
Subject / Verb / Adjunct
 All of us / are leaving / for Tokyo.
Subject / Verb / Adjunct
 He / went / upstairs.
Subject / Verb / Adjunct

SVOC
 We / lost / out cat, / Quinny.
Subject / Verb / Object / Complement
 My friends / make / me / happy.
Subject / Verb / Object / Complement
 Everyone / found / the book / controversial.
Subject / Verb / Object / Complement

SVOA
 It / is / my birthday / next month.
Subject / Verb / Object / Adjunct
 Lakshmi / reached / school / after 9 a.m.
Subject / Verb / Object / Adjunct
 My brother / plays / football / everyday.
Subject / Verb / Object / Adjunct

SVIODO
 The Board / offered / me / the job.
Subject / Verb / Indirect Object / Direct Object
 Rohit / gave / Reshmi / his favourite book.
Subject / Verb / Indirect Object / Direct Object
 Neetu / bought / herself / a hat.
Subject / Verb / Indirect Object / Direct Object

ASVC
 Suddenly, / it / grew / dark.
Adjunct / Subject / Verb / Complement
 Normally, / the weather / is / good.
Adjunct / Subject / Verb / Complement
 Occassionally, / my dog / gets / restless.
Adjunct / Subject / Verb / Complement

ASVO
 Last week, / we / celebrated / Holi.
Adjunct / Subject / Verb / Object
 Usually, / we / get / a token.
Adjunct / Subject / Verb / Object
 Every year, / we / visit / the orphanage.
Adjunct / Subject / Verb / Object

ASVIODO
 Today, / the teacher / gave / us / our papers.
Adjunct / Subject / Verb / Indirect Object / Direct Object
 Yesterday, / my mom / bought / me / a bicycle.
Adjunct / Subject / Verb / Indirect Object / Direct Object
 Every time he comes home, / my brother / gets / my mom / her favourite chocolates.
Adjunct / Subject / Verb / Indirect Object / Direct Object

SVAA
 They / go / to work / by bus.
Subject / Verb / Adjunct / Adjunct
 We / meet / every evening / on the way back home.
Subject / Verb / Adjunct / Adjunct
 Jancy / went / to the grocery store / last Saturday.
Subject / Verb / Adjunct / Adjunct

ASVAA
 Normally, / my parents / come / by bus / to Pondicherry.
Adjunct / Subject / Verb / Adjunct / Adjunct
 Last year, / my friends and I / went / to Meghalaya / for a month.
Adjunct / Subject / Verb / Adjunct / Adjunct
 Usually, / Finn’s parents / would come / to the airport / as soon as his flight lands.
Adjunct / Subject / Verb / Adjunct / Adjunct

Check Your Understanding of Sentence Structure

Now that you have gone through a number of examples, apply your knowledge to identify the
sentence structure of the following sentences. Make sure you split the sentences according to the
sentence structure.

1. My dog is acting weird lately.

2. It is getting too cold here.
3. The sky is blue.
4. Every year, the company updates its registry.
5. Brittany bought me a pair of shoes.
6. Nobody knows the answer.
7. The movie was great.
8. I will come home as soon as I finish work.
9. In September, she will be travelling to New York.
10. My brother’s phone is not working.

Check if you got it right from the answers given below.

1. My dog / is acting / weird / lately.

Subject / Verb / Complement / Adjunct (SVCA)
2. It / is getting / too /cold / here.
Subject / Verb / Adjunct / Complement / Adjunct (SVACA)
3. The sky / is / blue.
Subject / Verb / Complement (SVC)
4. Every year, / the company / updates / its registry.
Adjunct / Subject / Verb / Object (ASVO)
5. Brittany / bought / me / a pair of shoes.
Subject / Verb / Indirect Object / Direct Object (SVIODO)
6. Nobody / knows / the answer.
Subject / Verb / Object (SVO)
7. The movie / was / great.
Subject / Verb / Complement (SVC)
8. I / will come / home / as soon as I finish work.
Subject / Verb / Adjunct / Adjunct (SVAA)
9. In September, / she / will be travelling / to New York.
Adjunct / Subject / Verb / Adjunct (ASVA)
10. My brother’s phone / is not working.
Subject / Verb (SV)

Frequently Asked Questions on Sentence Structure

Q1 What is sentence structure?

Sentence structure is a grammatical component that tells you exactly where and how each
component of a sentence should be placed in order to blend and make sense. The Collins
Dictionary defines sentence structure as “the grammatical arrangement of words in sentences.”
Q2 What are the parts of a sentence?

A sentence has two parts namely, a subject and a predicate. For example: In the sentence, I
watched a movie, ‘I’ is the subject and ‘watched a movie’ is the predicate.

Q3 What are the components of a sentence?

There are five main components that make up the structure of a sentence, and they are,

 Subject
 Verb
 Object
 Complement
 Adjunct
Q4 Give some examples of sentence structure.
SVO – The students completed their assignments.
SVC – My mom is a teacher.
ASVO – Last week, we watched a movie.
ASVA – Normally, I don’t go to the hospital.
SVOAA – The boys were playing football on the turf all day.

Types of Sentences

Sentences in English with Examples

Learning how to write and speak good sentences is the key to your success as a powerful English
communicator. However, this does not mean that you can use sentences in a similar form
throughout your speech or writing. That will only make it too monotonous and uninteresting. So,
to help you make your speech and writing interesting, this article will help you with the different
types of sentences along with examples.

The Sentence Types in English Grammar

The English language gives every learner the liberty to make good use of the language in the best
possible way. Using different types of sentences will make your speech or writing sound and
look well-structured and aid you in getting your thoughts and ideas across to your target
audience in a clear and effective manner. This will also allow you to express your emotions and
let your readers experience what you want them to experience.
The Four Different Types of Sentences

There are four different kinds of sentences in English grammar and they are as follows:

Declarative or Assertive Sentence – A declarative or assertive sentence is a sentence that is

informative and ends with a period or a full stop.

Examples:

 I like fantasy novels.

 There is a white house around the corner.
Imperative Sentence – An imperative sentence is a sentence that expresses a command, an order,
or a request.

Examples:

 Please pick up the notes when you come.

 Close the door.
Interrogative Sentence – An interrogative sentence is one that is used to question something and
it ends with a question mark.

Examples:

 What is the name of the movie you were watching?

 Can I come with you to the book fair?
Exclamatory Sentence – An exclamatory sentence is one which is used to express sudden and
strong emotions, and it ends with an exclamation mark. You can also use interjections to form
exclamatory sentences.

Examples:

 Wow, how good this is!

 That was a great match!
Also explore: Simple Sentences│Compound Sentences│Complex Sentence│Simple English
Sentences│Sentence Structure

Frequently Asked Questions on the Types of Sentences

Q1 What are the types of sentences in English?

The different types of sentences in English are:

  Declarative Sentence
 Imperative Sentence
 Interrogative Sentence
 Exclamatory Sentence
Q2 Give some examples of the different types of sentences.
Given below are a few examples of the different types of sentences.


 Declarative Sentence – This is my house.

They are my parents.


 Imperative Sentence – Come home as soon as you finish the dance practice.
Please lend me a pen.


 Interrogative Sentence – When are you going to the park?

Where is the attendance register?


 Exclamatory Sentence – Oh, what a beautiful dress!

What a wonderful day!

 Tenses

 Simple Present Tense

The Simple Present/Present Indefinite Tense

The simple present tense is employed in a sentence to represent an action or event that takes
place or just happened in the given context at the present moment. The simple present is also
called the present indefinite tense.

Definition of Simple Present Tense

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the simple present tense form of the verb in a sentence
is defined as “the tense that is used to refer to events, actions, and conditions that are happening
all the time, or exist now.” The Cambridge Dictionary gives a much more elaborate definition of
the simple present tense. According to them, “the present tenses of a verb are the ones that are
used to talk about things that happen regularly or situations that exist at this time. The simple
present tense uses the base form or the ‘s’ form of a verb, as in ‘I play tennis twice a week’ and
‘She works in a bank’.”

Structure of the Simple Present Tense

The structure of the simple present tense can be understood by analyzing the positive, negative,
interrogative and negative interrogative forms of the tense. Have a look at the following simple
present tense structure chart so that you can understand easily how it works.

Structure of Simple Present Tense

Positive Negative Interrogative Negative Interrogative

Subject + Verb in Subject + Do Do/Does + Subject + Verb Don’t/Doesn’t + Subject + Verb

the base form/third not/Don’t/Does
person plural form not/Doesn’t + Verb in
the base form/third
person plural form

Example: Example: You do not Example: Do you look beautiful? Example: Don’t you look beautiful?
You look beautiful. look beautiful.
Does she look beautiful? Doesn’t she look beautiful?
She looks beautiful. She does not
look beautiful.

Rules and Points to Remember When Using the Simple Present Tense

In order to use the simple present tense accurately and effectively, there are some rules and
points you have to keep in mind. This is because of the fact that the sentence or the context
would not make sense if the verb does not agree with the subject in the sentence.

 The first thing that you should understand about the simple present tense is that the verb
mostly appears in the base form.
  This changes when a third-person pronoun or subject is used in a sentence. In this case,
the verb used should be made plural.

What Do You Use the Simple Present Tense For?

The present tense can be used for various purposes. The following are the functions of the
present tense.

 Used to quote general truths and scientific facts.

 Used to denote habitual actions that happen on a daily basis or at regular intervals.
 Used to indicate unchanging events.
 Used to give directions or instructions
 Used to speak about fixed arrangements
 Used along with future constructions

Forming the Simple Present Tense – Examples

To show you how sentences are formed using the simple present tense and how they are
employed for various purposes, here are a few examples.

Indicating General Truths and Scientific Facts

 The Sun sets in the west.

 Hydrogen is the first element in the periodic table.
 Rome is the capital of Italy.

Indicating Habitual or Repeated Actions

 Every day, I go to work by bus.

 The firm publishes their company magazine every month.
 Do you attend class regularly?

Giving Directions or Instructions

 Take right from the junction to reach the hospital.

 Close the door when you come in.
 Come home as soon as possible.

Speaking about Fixed Arrangements

  My brother’s flight arrives around 5 p.m.
 Our summer vacation starts on the 16th of April.
 Her cousin arrives tomorrow.

Using with Future Constructions

 I will meet you before you leave.

 Karishma will let you know when Sandhya arrives.
 He will give it to Sam when he comes home.

Test Your Understanding of Simple Present Tense

Fill in the blanks with the right form of the verb given in the brackets in the following sentences:

1. Do you _______ (watch) English movies?

2. I _____ (read) a lot of short stories.

3. Geetha _____ (be) a doctor.

4. Deena, Priya and Shanti _____ (be) friends.

5. He _____ (go-negative) to work regularly.

6. ______ (be) you the one who came to get the stationery for the competition?

7. _______ (take) a left after the petrol bunk on the right.

8. Please _______ (switch) off the fans when you ______ (leave).

9. ______ (give) it to him when he ________ (arrive).

10. Harry told me that he will meet me before I _____ (leave) for Chennai.

Find out if you have used the right form of the verb from the following sentences.

1. Do you watch English movies?

2. I read a lot of short stories.

3. Geetha is a doctor.

4. Deena, Priya and Shanti are friends.

5. He doesn’t go to work regularly.

6. Are you the one who came to get the stationery for the competition?

7. Take a left after the petrol bunk on the right.

8. Please switch off the fans when you leave.

9. Give it to him when he arrives.

10. Harry told me that he will meet me before I leave for Chennai.

Frequently Asked Questions on Simple Present Tense

Q1

What do you mean by simple present tense?

The simple present tense is employed in a sentence to represent an action or event that takes
place or just happened in the given context at the present moment.
Q2

What is the present indefinite tense?

The present indefinite tense is the simple present tense – the tense that represents an action that
takes place in the present.
Q3

What is the definition of simple present tense?

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the simple present tense form of the verb in a sentence
is defined as “the tense that is used to refer to events, actions, and conditions that are happening
all the time or exist now.” The Cambridge Dictionary gives a much more elaborate definition of
the simple present tense. According to them, “the present tenses of a verb are the ones that are
used to talk about things that happen regularly or situations that exist at this time. The simple
present tense uses the base form or the ‘s’ form of a verb, as in ‘I play tennis twice a week’ and
‘She works in a bank’.”
Q4
What are the rules to be followed when using the simple present tense?

There are two main rules you have to follow when using the simple present tense. They are:

 The first thing that you should understand about the simple present tense is that the verb
mostly appears in the base form.
 This changes when a third-person pronoun or subject is used in a sentence. In this case,
the verb used should be made plural.
Q5
What is the formula of the simple present tense?

The basic formula of a positive sentence using the simple present tense is as follows:
Subject + Verb in the base form/third person plural form + the rest of the sentence
Q6

Give some examples of simple present tense.

 Do you have ice cream for dessert?

 I do not want anything now.
 Deepak writes short poems.
 Meera is a good actress.
 You are a very kind person.

 Present Continuous Tenseinuous Tense - Meaning, Definition, Formula, Uses,

Structure with Examples
Are you wondering how the present continuous tense can be used? Well, fret no more. You just
came across a sentence with the present continuous tense. In this article, you will learn all that
you need to know about what the present continuous tense is, its definition, uses, structure and
rules of usage. Along with these, with the examples and practice questions, you will surely be
able to use the frame sentences using the present continuous tense accurately.

Understanding the Present Continuous Tense

The present continuous tense, as the name suggests, is the form of tense that is used to denote an
action that is ongoing or occurring in that current moment. It is also referred to as the present
progressive tense as they represent the action that is progressing in the present. Let us now take a
look at the definitions provided by various dictionaries about the present continuous tense.

Definition of the Present Continuous Tense

 The Cambridge Dictionary defines the ‘present continuous tense’ as “the verb form used for
actions or events that are happening or developing now.” According to the Collins Dictionary,
the present continuous tense is defined as “a verb form consisting of an auxiliary be in
the present tense followed by a present participle and used especially to indicate that a present
action or event is in progress, being repeated, or of a temporary nature or to express the future.”
The present continuous tense is “the tense used to talk about actions or behaviour that are in
progress now or planned for the future”, according to the Macmillan Dictionary.

Structure of the Present Continuous Tense

There is definitely just one formula to mastering the present continuous tense and this is how it
goes.

Subject + am/is/are + present participle (verb+ing) + the rest of the sentence

However, there is something more you should pay attention to. You should also learn how the
sentences with the present continuous tense form of the verb are structured when they are
positive, negative, interrogative and negative interrogative.

Have a look at the table given below to have a deeper understanding of the structure of the
present continuous tense.

Structure of the Present Continuous Tense

Positive Negative Interrogative Negative Interrogative

Subject + am/is/are Subject + am/is/are Am/is/are + subject + Isn’t/aren’t + subject +

+ present participle + not + present present participle present participle (verb+ing)
(verb+ing) + the participle (verb+ing) + the rest of + the rest of the sentence
rest of the sentence (verb+ing) + the the sentence
rest of the sentence (Or)

Am/is/are + subject + not +

present participle (verb+ing)
+ the rest of the sentence
Examples: Examples: Examples: Examples:

 I am  I am not  Am I reading a  Am I not reading a

reading a reading a newspaper? newspaper?
newspaper. newspaper.  Are you doing it  Are you not doing it
 You are  You are wrong? wrong? / Aren’t yo
doing it not doing it  Is he playing ten u doing it wrong?
wrong. wrong. nis?  Is he not
 He is  He is not playing tennis? / Isn
playing ten playing ten ’t he playing tennis?
nis. nis.

Rules and Points to Remember When Using the Present Continuous Tense

When using the present continuous tense, make sure you follow the sentence structure exactly.

 Always start with the subject when it is a positive or negative sentence and with
the helping verb when it is in the interrogative format.
 A sentence with the present continuous tense consists of a helping verb (‘to be’ form of
verbs) and a main verb. The helping verbs can be ‘am’ for the pronoun ‘I’, ‘is’ for
singular subject and ‘are’ for a plural subject.
 Just note that like the other pronouns, the pronoun ‘am’ cannot be used in the negative
form in an interrogative sentence. Instead of ‘amn’t’, ‘aren’t’ is used.
For example:

 Amn’t I reading a newspaper? Wrong

 Aren’t I reading a newspaper? Correct

 The present continuous tense can never be used with stative verbs.

Uses of the Present Continuous Tense

Like the simple present tense, the present continuous tense is also generally used to talk about an
action that is taking place in the present. The only difference is that it denotes an action that is
continuing to happen or progressing at the current moment.

Take a look at the following points that elaborate on the more specific uses of the present
continuous tense.
  It is used to represent an action that is happening or progressing in the moment that the
speaker is speaking.
For example:

 My son is working on his science project.

 Santana is singing Don’t Rain on my Parade.
 It is used to depict a future event or arrangement.
For example:

 What are you planning to do tomorrow?

 I heard that Rachel is moving to Paris next month.
 It is used to denote an action that is going on or continuing at the time of speaking.
For example:

 Is she still working at the National Institute of Medical Sciences?

 I am currently taking guitar lessons so that I could play for your wedding.

Examples of Present Continuous Tense

Going through more and more examples can only make you an expert in the particular subject or
topic. So , here you go. Check out the examples of sentences using the present continuous tense
given below.

10 Sentences Using the Present Continuous Tense

 My mom is cooking dinner.

 The band is playing all the classics.
 Monica and Rachel are going on a trip tomorrow.
 Sheethal is not practising for the final audition.
 I am trying out something new.
 They are not travelling to London next week.
 Are you watching a movie tonight?
 Is your phone working properly now?
 The children are loving the new park.
 Diana is playing the main role in the play.

Test Your Understanding of the Present Continuous Tense

Having gone through all the given examples, you should have understood really well. Check
your understanding of the present continuous tense by filling in the blanks in the following
sentence with the right form of tense using the verbs given in the brackets.

1. ______ the clock ________ (work)?

2. The teachers ___________ (plan) to dance to all the latest songs on Childrens Day.
3. ______ she ___________ (play – negative) the piano anymore?
4. The dog __________ (run) all around the garden.
5. We ____________ (go – negative) to the party tomorrow.
6. The Bellas ___________ (perform) the songs of the 80s.
7. Will, Smith and Sherlock ___________ (dance) well.
8. _______ I __________ (look) good today?
9. Trinita and Vinitha ____________ (ride) on their new cat.
10. _____ he still ________ (stand) there?

Ready to see if you got it all right. Check out the answers given below.

1. Is the clock working?

2. The teachers are planning to dance to all the latest songs on Childrens Day.

3. Is she not playing the piano anymore?

4. The dog is running all around the garden.

5. We are not going to the party tomorrow.

6. The Bellas are performing the songs of the 80s.

7. Will, Smith and Sherlock are dancing well.

8. Am I looking good today?

9. Trinita and Vinitha are riding on their new cat.

10. Is he still standing there?

Frequently Asked Questions on Present Continuous Tense

Q1 What is the present continuous tense?
The Present Continuous Tense, as the name suggests, is the form of tense that is used to denote
the action that is ongoing or occurring in that current moment. It is also referred to as the present
progressive tense as they represent the action that is progressing in the present.

Q2 What is the definition of the present continuous tense?

The Cambridge Dictionary defines the ‘present continuous tense’ as “the verb form used for
actions or events that are happening or developing now.” According to the Collins Dictionary,
the present continuous tense is defined as “a verb form consisting of an auxiliary be in the
present tense followed by a present participle and used especially to indicate that a present action
or event is in progress, being repeated, or of a temporary nature or to express the future.” The
present continuous tense is “the tense used to talk about actions or behavior that are in progress
now or planned for the future”, according to the Macmillan Dictionary.

Q3 What is the formula to be followed when using the present continuous tense?

The formula to be kept in mind and used when writing or speaking a sentence in the present
continuous tense is as follows:
Subject + am/is/are + present participle (verb+ing) + the rest of the sentence

Q4 Give some examples of the present continuous tense.

Here are a few examples to show you how the present continuous tense is used.

 The band is playing all the classics.

 Monica and Rachel are going on a trip tomorrow.
 Sheethal is not practising for the final audition.
 Are you watching a movie tonight?
 Is your phone working properly now?
Q5 What are the uses of the present continuous tense?

The present continuous tense can be used to talk about an action that

 is happening or progressing in the moment that the speaker is speaking.

 depicts a future event or arrangement.
 is going on or continuing at the time of speaking.
Present Perfect Tenses - Meaning, Definition, Formula, Structure and Uses
Examples
The present perfect tense is indeed simple and easy if you try to understand and use it the right
way. It seems to be confusing to some though the tense has a very simple structure. However,
anything can be learnt, and so this article on present perfect tense is here to help your learning
process. In this article, the meaning, definition, formula, structure and uses will be explained
along with examples to help you understand better.

What Is the Present Perfect Tense?

The present perfect tense is employed in a sentence to represent an action that just happened in
the recent past and still has its effect in the present or an action that represents an indefinite time
in the past. To have a clearer idea of the tense, let us look at how different dictionaries define the
tense.

Definition of the Present Perfect Tense

The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines the present perfect tense as “the form of a verb that
expresses an action done in a time period up to the present, formed in English with the present
tense of ‘have’ and the ‘past participle’ of the verb, as in I have eaten.” According to the
Cambridge Dictionary, the present perfect tense is defined as “the form of the verb used for
actions or events that have been completed or have happened in a period of time up to now.”

A much more elaborate definition is given by the Collins Dictionary and according to it, “the
present perfect tenses of a verb are the ones used to talk about things which happened before the
time you are speaking or writing but are relevant to the present situation, or things that began in
the past and are still happening.” The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the present perfect
tense as one “relating to, or constituting a verb tense that is traditionally formed in English with
have and a past participle and that expresses an action or state begun in the past and completed at
the time of speaking (as in “I have finished”) or continuing in the present (as in “We have lived
here for several years”).

Structure and Formula of the Present Perfect Tense

The general formula of the present perfect tense is as described below:

 Subject + have/has + past participle + the rest of the sentence

The structure of the present perfect tense can be analyzed with reference to positive, negative,
interrogative and negative interrogative types of sentences. Have a look at the table given below
for a closer look at the same.

Structure of the Present Perfect Tense

Positive Negative Interrogative Negative Interrogative

Subject + have/has + Subject + have/has + Have/has + subject + past Have/has + subject + not
past participle + the not + past participle + the rest of the participle + the rest of the s
rest of the sentence participle + the rest sentence (or)
of the sentence Haven’t / hasn’t + subjec
participle + the rest of the s

Examples: Examples: Examples: Examples:

 I have  I have not  Have I finished my  Haven’t I finished m

finished my finished my work? work?
work. work.  Have you finished your  Haven’t you finishe
 You have  You have not work? work?
finished your finished your  Has he finished his  Hasn’t he finished h
work. work. work? work?
 He has  He has not  Has she finished her  Hasn’t she finished
finished his finished his work? work?
work. work.  Have they finished their  Haven’t they finishe
 She has  She has not work? work?
finished her finished her  Have you not finish
work. work. work?
 They have  They have  Has she not finis
finished their not work?
work. finished their  Has he not finis
work. work?
 Have they not
finished their work?

Rules to be Followed When Using the Present Perfect Tense

The very first thing that you will have to learn before you start using present perfect tense is how
past participles are formed. In the English language, a past participle is formed by adding an
‘ed’ to the base form of the verb in most cases. However, there are a number of irregular verbs
that have different spellings and do not, in any way, follow the concept of adding ‘ed’ to the base
form like regular verbs. You can take a look at the extensive list of irregular verbs to analyze
how these verbs are in their past participle form.

The next point to remember is that a sentence with the past perfect form of the verb uses two
verbs – a helping verb and a main verb. ‘Have’ and ‘has’ are the two helping verbs that are
used. ‘Have’ is used when the pronouns ‘I’, ‘you’, ‘they’ or plural nouns act as the subject in a
sentence. ‘Has’ is used when the pronouns ‘he’, ‘she’, ‘it’ or singular nouns act as the subject.

Uses of the Present Perfect Tense

The present perfect tense can be used

 To denote an action or event that happened or started in the past and still has its impact or
some connection to the subject in the present.
 To indicate an action that happened in the past and continues to occur in the present.
 To connect the events of the present to the events that happened in the past.

Examples of the Present Perfect Tense

Learn how to use the present perfect tense effectively by going through the examples given
below.

Examples of Present Perfect Tense

Pronouns / Nouns Examples

I I have worked as a teacher for two years.

You You have worked as a teacher for two years.

We We have worked as teachers for two years.

 He He has worked as a teacher for two years.

She She has worked as a teacher for two years.

They They have worked as teachers for two years.

It It has been here the whole time.

Singular noun Michael has worked as a teacher for two years.

Plural noun Devika and Priscilla have worked as teachers for two years.

Check Your Understanding of the Present Perfect Tense

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate form of the present perfect tense in the following
sentences:

1. We ___________ (find – negative) it yet.

2. Venu and Parvati ____________ (invited) all their friends for today’s party.
3. Shashi _________ (sleep – negative) all night.
4. ________ he _________ (finish) his work?
5. It ___________ (be – negative) the same ever since you left.
6. They __________ (buy) a 2BHK flat.
7. You ___________ (come) to the right place.
8. _______ you ever ________ (be) to Malaysia?
9. Do you know why she __________ (like – negative) it?
10. ________ you _________ (hear) about the new education policies?

Check if you have used the right form of the tense from the following sentences.

1. We have not found it yet.

2. Venu and Parvati have invited all their friends for today’s party.
3. Shashi has not slept all night.
4. Has he finished his work?
5. It has not been the same ever since you left.
6. They have bought a 2BHK flat.
7. You have come to the right place.
8. Have you ever been to Malaysia?
9. Do you know why she has not liked it?
10. Have you heard about the new education policies?

Frequently Asked Questions on the Present Perfect Tense

Q1 What is the present perfect tense?
The present perfect tense is employed in a sentence to represent an action that just happened in
the recent past and still has its effect in the present or an action that represents an indefinite time
in the past.
Q2 What is the definition of the present perfect tense?
The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines the present perfect tense as “the form of a verb that
expresses an action done in a time period up to the present, formed in English with the present
tense of ‘have’ and the ‘past participle’ of the verb, as in I have eaten.” According to the
Cambridge Dictionary, the present perfect tense is defined as “the form of the verb used for
actions or events that have been completed or have happened in a period of time up to now.”
Q3 What is the formula of the present perfect tense?
The general formula of the present perfect tense is as described below:
Subject + have/has + past participle + the rest of the sentence
Q4 What are the rules to be followed when using the present perfect tense?
The point that you should keep in mind when using the present perfect tense is that it has two
verbs – a helping verb and a main verb. ‘Have’ and ‘has’ are the two helping verbs that are used.
This is followed by the main verb which appears in its past participle form.
Q5 Give some examples of the present perfect tense form.
Given below are a few examples of sentences using the present perfect form of the verb.

 Veena has not reached home yet.

 All the children have finished their assignments.
 Rinita has eaten all the mangoes.
 I have not watched the movie yet.
 Has she still not gone to the hospital?
Q6 What are the uses of the present perfect tense?
The present perfect tense can be used
  To denote an action or event that happened or started in the past and still has its impact or
some connection to the subject in the present.
 To indicate an action that happened in the past and continues to occur in the present.
 To connect the events of the present to the events that happened in the past.

 Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Present Perfect Continuous Tense - Meaning, Definition, Formula, Structure, Uses and Examples

Have you been looking for information regarding the present perfect continuous tense? In this
article, you will find all that you need to know about the present perfect continuous tense. The
meaning, definition, formula and uses of the present perfect continuous tense are discussed along
with examples so that you understand perfectly well how to use the present perfect continuous
tense of the verb.

What Is the Present Perfect Continuous Tense?

The present perfect continuous tense is employed in a sentence to indicate an action that started
in the recent past and is still continuing in the present. It is also referred to as the present perfect
progressive tense as the action progresses from the past to the present.

Definition of the Present Perfect Continuous Tense

The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines the ‘present perfect continuous tense’ as a tense that is
used to ‘talk about an action or activity that started in the past and continues now or has only just
stopped’.

Formula and Structure of the Present Perfect Continuous Tense

The present perfect continuous tense can be formed by following the formula given below.

Subject + have/has + been + present participle (verb+ing) + the rest of the sentence

Like every other tense, the sentence structure of the present perfect continuous tense can be
analysed in its positive, negative, interrogative and negative interrogative kinds of sentences.

Structure of the Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Positive Negative Interrogative Negative Interrogative

Subject + have/has Subject + have/has Have/has + subject Have/has + subject + not +

+ been + present + not + been + + been + present been + present
participle + the rest present participle + participle + the rest of participle + the rest of the
of the sentence the rest of the the sentence sentence
sentence
(or)

Haven’t / hasn’t
+ subject + been + present
participle + the rest of the
sentence

Examples: Examples: Examples: Examples:

 I have been  I have not  Have I been  Haven’t I been

working on been working on this working on this
this project working on project for a project for a week?
for a week. this project week?  Haven’t you been
 You have for a week.  Have you been working on this
been  You have working on this project for a week?
working on not been project for a  Hasn’t he been
this project working on week? working on this
for a week. this project  Has he been project for a week?
 He has been for a week. working on this  Hasn’t she been
working on  He has not project for a working on this
this project been week? project for a week?
for a week. working on  Has she been  Haven’t they been
 She has this project working on this working on this
been for a week. project for a project for a week?
working on  She has not week?
 Have you not been
this project been  Have they been working on this
for a week. working on working on this project for a week?
 They have this project project for a
for a week.  Has she not been
been week?
working on this
working on  They have
project for a week?
this project not been
for a week. working on  Has he not been
this project working on this
for a week. project for a week?
  Have they not been
working on this
project for a week?

Points to be Remembered When Using the Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Similar to the present perfect tense, the present perfect continuous tense also consists of helping
verbs and main verbs. The only difference is that instead of one helping verb and one main verb
in the past participle form, the present perfect continuous tense uses two helping verbs and
a main verb in the present participle form. The helping verbs used are ‘have’ or ‘has’ along with
‘been’. These verbs are followed by the present participle of the main verb, which is formed by
adding an ‘ing’ to the base verb.

The other fact that you should remember is that, like the present perfect tense, the helping verbs
‘have’ and ‘has’ are used in accordance with the pronoun or noun used in the sentence.

The Present Perfect Continuous Tense – Uses

The present perfect continuous tense can be used for the following reasons:

 It can be used to represent the progress of an unfinished action that started in the past
until now.
 It can be used to depict a finished action that started in the past and just stopped recently.
 It can also be used to denote a temporary or habitual action that started in the past and
continues in the present.

Examples of the Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Take a look at the following table of examples to see how the present perfect continuous tense is
used differently with different pronouns and nouns.

Examples of Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Pronouns / Nouns Examples

I I have been working as a doctor for two years.

 You You have been working as a doctor for two years.

We We have been working as doctors for two years.

He He has been working as a doctor for two years.

She She has been working as a doctor for two years.

They They have been working as doctors for two years.

It It has been raining for a week now.

Singular noun Firoz has been working as a doctor for two years.

Plural noun Manoj and Dheeraj have been working as doctors for two years.

Present Perfect Continuous Tense Vs Present Perfect Tense

Most English language learners have a dilemma when it comes to choosing between the present
perfect tense and the present perfect continuous tense. You can do away with this confusion if
you understand the difference between the two and the situations in which they are used. Check
out the table given below to learn more.

Present Perfect Tense Present Perfect Continuous Tense

The present perfect tense is used to The present perfect continuous tense, on the other
 represent actions or events that have started hand, is used to depict an action or event that started
and completed in the recent past and still in the recent past and is still continuing at the time
have its effect in the present. when the speaker is referring to it.

For example: Preethi has worked as an For example: Preethi has been working as an English
English teacher for two years. teacher for two years.

The above sentence means that Preethi has The above sentence means that Preethi has been
worked as a teacher for two years and works working as a teacher for two years and is still working
or does not work as a teacher anymore. as a teacher now.

Test Your Understanding of the Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Fill in the blanks with the present perfect continuous form of the verb in the following sentences:

1. I ____________ (watch) this movie for two hours.

2. Sam ____________ (ask) for you.

3. Indrajith ___________ (dance) all day.

4. Joji and Shaji _____________ (plan) to go to Hyderabad next week.

5. _______ you ____________ (look) for this bag?

6. I ________________ (work out – negative) for two months now.

7. Cherina ______________ (work) on this essay for a week.

8. ____________ he ______________ (try) to get into Jawaharlal Nehru University? Is there any
progress?

9. They _______________ (practise) for the farewell programme.

10. Manu ________________ (think) of sending in his resignation letter.

Find out if you have used the right form of the verb by checking the answers given below.

1. I have been watching this movie for two hours.

2. Sam has been asking for you.

3. Indrajith has been dancing all day.

4. Joji and Shaji have been planning to go to Hyderabad next week.

5. Have you been looking for this bag?

6. I have not been working out for two months now.

7. Cherina has been working on this essay for a week.

8. Hasn’t he been trying to get into Jawaharlal Nehru University? Is there any progress?

9. They have been practising for the farewell programme.

10. Manu has been thinking of sending in his resignation letter.

Frequently Asked Questions on the Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Q1
What is the present perfect continuous tense?

The present perfect continuous tense is employed in a sentence to indicate an action that started
in the recent past and is still continuing in the present. It is also referred to as the present perfect
progressive tense as the action progresses from the past to the present.
Q2
What are the rules to be followed when using the present perfect continuous tense?

The points to be kept in mind when using the present perfect continuous tense is as follows:

 The present perfect continuous tense uses two helping verbs and a main verb in the
present participle form. The helping verbs used are ‘have’ or ‘has’ along with ‘been’.
These verbs are followed by the present participle of the main verb, which is formed by
adding an ‘ing’ to the base verb.
 The other point that you should remember is that, like the present perfect tense, the
helping verbs ‘have’ and ‘has’ are used in accordance with the pronoun or noun used in
the sentence.
Q3
What is the formula of the present perfect continuous tense?

The present perfect continuous tense can be formed by following the formula given below.
Subject + have/has + been + present participle (verb+ing) + the rest of the sentence
Q4
What are the uses of the present perfect continuous tense?

The present perfect continuous tense can be used for the following reasons:

 It can be used to represent the progress of an unfinished action that started in the past
until now.
 It can be used to depict a finished action that started in the past and just stopped recently.
 It can also be used to denote a temporary or habitual action that started in the past and
continues in the present.

 Simple Past Tenset Tense - Definition, Structure, Rules, Uses and

Examples
Did you learn the simple past tense yet? No? Nothing to worry about. This article on simple past
tense will help you understand the meaning, definition and structure of simple past tense.
Furthermore, you will also learn how to use the simple past tense and its uses along with
examples.

The Simple Past Tense

The simple past tense, in English, is used to represent an action/event that took place in the past.
With many verbs, the simple past tense is formed by adding an ‘ed’ or a ‘d’ to the end of the base
verb. However, there are other verbs which behave differently and take different spellings when
used in the simple past form.

Definition of Simple Past Tense

The ‘simple past tense’, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is defined as “the form of a
verb used to describe an action that happened before the present time and is no longer happening.
It is usually made by adding -ed.” The Collins Dictionary defines the ‘simple past tense’ as “a
tense used to refer to the past.” The Macmillan Dictionary defines the simple past tense as “the
tense used to talk about habitual actions, behaviour, or situations that happened or existed before
now.”

Structure of the Simple Past Tense

Learning the structure of the simple past tense can be made simple if you analyse how the tense
is used in the positive, negative, interrogative and negative interrogative formats. Look at the
table below to have a better understanding of the same.

Structure of Simple Past Tense

Positive Negative Interrogative Negative Interrogative

Subject + Verb Subject + Did + Subject + Verb in the Didn’t + Subject + Verb in the
in the past form Didn’t + base form base form
(base form of the Verb in the
verb + ed/d for base form
regular verbs or
past tense form
of the irregular
verbs)

Example: Example: Example: Did you speak reall Example: Didn’t you speak reall
You spoke reall You did y well? y well?
y well. not Did I have my breakfast? Didn’t I have my breakfast?
speak reall
I had my y well.
breakfast. I did not
have my
breakfast.

Rules and Points to Remember When Using the Simple Past Tense

When conjugating a verb in the simple past tense, there are a few points you have to bear in
mind.
  Conjugating regular verbs – In order to present the main verb in the sentence, you just
have to add ‘-ed’ to the end of the regular verb and ‘-d’ to the end of a regular verb which
ends with an ‘e’.
For example: Reach – reached, kick – kicked, walk – walked, confess – confessed, work –

worked

Like – liked, introduce – introduced, force – forced, announce – announced,

` notice – noticed

 Verbs that remain the same – Some verbs take the same spelling as the base verb and
remain the same in the past tense.
For example: Cut – cut, put – put, hurt – hurt, set – set, hit – hit

 Verbs that take different spelling patterns – Irregular verbs are seen to follow different
spelling patterns and there is no rule as such to explain why they are so.
For example: Buy – bought, think – thought, draw – drew, drink – drank, see – saw

What Do You Use the Simple Past Tense For?

The simple past tense can be used to,

 Refer to an action or event that happened in the past

 Speak about something that was true for some time in the past
 Explain something that happened more than once in the past

Forming the Simple Past Tense – Examples

To help you understand how the simple past tense can be used, here are a few examples.

Referring to an action that happened in the past

 We went to the park yesterday evening.

 I totally forgot about the meeting.
 Manu opened the door for the guests.

Referring to an action that was true for some time in the past

 Karthik played tennis when he was in school.

  Miss Holly worked as a guest lecturer at our college.
 Santana used to love reading fantasy novels when she was younger.

Referring to an action that took place several times in the past

 I worked as an academic counsellor for six months.

 We enjoyed playing Pictionary every time we met.
 My father dropped me at school every day till I entered high school.

Test Your Understanding of Simple Past Tense

Fill in the blanks with the simple past tense of the verbs mentioned in the brackets:

1. I _____ (pay) the bills already.

2. The teacher ________ (motivate) her kids to stand up for themselves and their fellow
classmates.

3. Reena ______ (to be) a student at Delhi University.

4. ______ you ______ (finish – interrogative) the science and maths assignments?

5. Tina __________ (know – negative) about yesterday’s test.

6. _________ he ________ (complete – negative interrogative) the paper yet?

7. Rahul __________ (play) basketball in college.

8. Will and Emma _________ (to be) at the fair.

9. Manish _________ (sell) all the sachets.

10. I _________ (think) about it, but I don’t think it will work.

Check out if you filled in the blanks with the right form of the verb.

1. I paid the bills already.

2. The teacher motivated her kids to stand up for themselves and their fellow classmates.
3. Reena was a student at Delhi University.

4. Did you finish the science and maths assignments?

5. Tina did not know about yesterday’s test.

6. Didn’t he complete the paper yet?

7. Rahul played basketball in college.

8. Will and Emma were at the fair.

9. Manish sold all the sachets.

10. I thought about it, but I don’t think it will work.

Frequently Asked Questions on Simple Past Tense in English

Q1
What is the past tense?

The simple past tense, in English, is used to represent an action event that took place in the past.
With many vwebs, the simple past tense is formed by adding an ‘ed’ or a ‘d’ to the end of the
base verb. However, there are other verbs which behave differently and take different spellings
when used in the simple past form.
Q2
What is the definition of simple past tense?

The ‘simple past tense’, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is defined as “the form of a verb
used to describe an action that happened before the present time and is no longer happening. It is
usually made by adding -ed.” The Collins Dictionary defines the ‘simple past tense’ as “a tense
used to refer to the past.” The Macmillan Dictionary defines the simple past tense as “the tense
used to talk about habitual actions, behaviour, or situations that happened or existed before
now.”
Q3
What is the formula of the simple past tense?

The basic formula of the simple past tense is as follows:

Subject + verb in the past tense (verb + ‘ed/d’ for regular verbs)
Q4
Give some examples of the simple past tense.

Here are a few examples to show you how the simple past tense is used in sentences.

 We went to the park yesterday evening.

 My father dropped me at school every day till I entered high school.
 Santana used to love reading fantasy novels when she was younger.
 We enjoyed playing Pictionary every time we met.
 Manu opened the door for the guests.

 Past Continuous Tense

Past Continuous Tense: Definition, Formula, Structure and Examples

I was watching Avengers Endgame. Don’t you want to know if I liked it or not? Learn how to
speak about a movie that you watched, a person you met or a place that you visited using the past
continuous tense. You can give your reader or listener a feeling of how the action or event was
progressing at that time in the past. In this article, you will learn about the meaning, definition,
formula and structure of the past continuous tense along with examples that will definitely let
you use the tense effectively.

9,587

Table of Contents

 What Is the Past Continuous Tense?

 Definition of the Past Continuous Tense

 Formula and Structure of the Past Continuous Tense

 Using the Past Continuous Tense – Points to Remember
 Uses of the Past Continuous Tense
 30 Sentence Examples of Past Continuous Tense
 Examples of the Past Continuous Tense
 Check Your Understanding of the Past Continuous Tense
 Frequently Asked Questions on the Past Continuous Tense
What Is the Past Continuous Tense?

The past continuous tense is employed in a sentence to represent an action or event that was
going on in the past. In other words, it shows the progress of the action or event at a specific time
in the past. The past continuous tense is, therefore, also called the ‘past progressive tense’. Take
a look at how different dictionaries define the past continuous tense so that you can develop a
clear idea of what it is.

Definition of the Past Continuous Tense

The past continuous tense, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is defined as “the
grammatical form used for an action that someone was doing or an event that was happening at a
particular time.” The Macmillan Dictionary defines the past continuous tense as “the tense used
to talk about actions or behaviour that were begun and ended at some time in the past”, and
according to the Collins Dictionary, it is defined as “a verb form consisting of an auxiliary be in
the past tense followed by a present participle and used esp. to indicate that an action or event
was incomplete or in progress at a point of reference in the past, as ‘was sleeping’ in I was
sleeping when the phone rang.”

Formula and Structure of the Past Continuous Tense

Conjugating a verb in the past continuous tense can be made easier if you know and understand
its formula and structure.

Here is the formula with which you can structure a sentence in the past continuous tense.

Subject + was/were + present participle (verb+ing) + the rest of the sentence

Now, learn how to write a positive, negative, interrogative and negative interrogative sentence by
looking at the following table and examples given.

Structure of the Past Continuous Tense

Positive Negative Interrogative Negative Interrogative

 Subject + was/were Subject + Was/were + subject + Wasn’t/weren’t + subject +
+ present participle was/were + not + present participle present participle (verb+ing)
(verb+ing) + the present participle (verb+ing) + the rest of + the rest of the sentence
rest of the sentence (verb+ing) + the the sentence
rest of the sentence (Or)

Was/were + subject + not +

present participle (verb+ing)
+ the rest of the sentence

Examples: Examples: Examples: Examples:

 I was  I was not  Was I listening to  Wasn’t I listening to

listening to listening to the news? the
the news. the news.  Were you doing i news? / Was I not
 You were  You were t again? listening to the
doing it not news?
 Was he driving a
again. doing it car?  Weren’t you doing i
 He was again. t
 Was it raining w
driving a  He was not again? / Were you n
hen you came?
car. driving a ot doing it again?
 It was car.  Wasn’t he driving a
raining wh  It was not car? / Was he not
en you raining wh driving a car?
came. en you  Wasn’t it raining w
came. hen you
came? / Was it not
raining when you
came?

Using the Past Continuous Tense – Points to Remember

Knowing how to structure the verb in the past continuous tense can make your task easy. A verb,
when used in the past continuous tense, always takes a helping verb (was or were) and a main
verb. The helping verb is followed by the main verb, which happens to be in the present
participle form (gerund form – base verb +ing). The sentence should start with a subject when it
is a positive or negative sentence. When the tense is used in an interrogative or negative
interrogative sentence, it should start with the helping verb, followed by the subject and the main
verb.
Uses of the Past Continuous Tense

The past continuous tense can be put to use when,

 You want to convey parallel or simultaneous actions.

For example:

 Mercy was studying while her mom was cooking breakfast.

 She wasn’t listening properly when I was speaking.
 You want to speak about an overlapping action.
For example:

 I was watering the plants when my brother came home.

 When Joe was playing cricket, he sprained his ankle.
 You want to indicate an action at an overlapping time.
For example:

 At five o’clock, I was studying for the Maths exam.

 Yesterday, she was waiting for me in the evening.
 You want to emphasise an action or event that was taking place at some point in the past.
For example:

 He was working on his project all day.

 My mom was looking for these keys the whole day.
 You want to give details about the background of a story.
For example:

 When she woke up, the sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and the wind was
swirling.
 The children were playing cricket, and the parents were watching happily.

Examples of the Past Continuous Tense

Now, take a look at a few more examples to enrich your knowledge of past continuous tense.

 The band was playing The Best of Me.

 I was not preparing for the test though I was scared.
 Were you not sleeping yesterday when I came home?
 I was thinking about meeting you.
  Brendon was talking to his class teacher when we were leaving home.
 The whole gang was laughing at the boy who tripped and fell down.
 My cousin was watching the new series that was released yesterday.
 My friends were waiting for me the whole day.
 The children were shouting when the teacher entered the class.
 Even at midnight, we were sitting on the balcony and talking.

30 Sentence Examples of Past Continuous Tense

Now, take a look at a few more examples to enrich your knowledge of past continuous tense.

 The band was playing The Best of Me.

 I was not preparing for the test though I was scared.
 Were you not sleeping yesterday when I came home?
 I was thinking about meeting you.
 Brendon was talking to his class teacher when we were leaving home.
 The whole gang was laughing at the boy who tripped and fell down.
 My cousin was watching the new series that was released yesterday.
 My friends were waiting for me the whole day.
 The children were shouting when the teacher entered the class.
 Even at midnight, we were sitting on the balcony and talking.
 It was snowing yesterday.
 They were eating at the restaurant.
 You were working yesterday.
 I was studying last night.
 I was waiting for the cab when I met Raj.
 The children were shouting when the teacher came in.
 It was midnight when it was raining.
 Everyone was clapping.
 Raj was practising the guitar after classes.
 The baby was laughing when I came into the room.
 The children were playing in the garden.
 The girls were dancing as the music played.
 The child was eating an apple.
 Trina was going to the library.
 The dog was barking in the night.
 The students were not studying for the test.
  The armies were going to war.
 My mother was baking a cake for me.
 The birds were chirping in the sky.
 The kite was flying in the sky.

Check Your Understanding of the Past Continuous Tense

Fill in the blanks with the right form of the past continuous tense using the verbs given in the
brackets.

1. Oshin _________ (prepare) dinner.

2. ______ he _________ (drive – negative) the car?
3. I ___________ (watch) TV when my mom came.
4. Sheela __________ (play) the lead role in the skit.
5. Yesterday, we _____________ (clean) the house when the guests arrived.
6. She ______________ (do – negative) what the teacher had asked her to do.
7. _______ you ________ (feel – negative) good yesterday?
8. I _________ (plan) to dance at my cousin’s wedding.
9. The train __________ (run) late by an hour.
10. We ___________ (go) to buy new clothes for all of us.

Find out if you answered it all correctly from the answers given below.

1. Oshin was preparing dinner.

2. Wasn’t he driving the car?

3. I was watching TV when my mom came.

4. Sheela was playing the lead role in the skit.

5. Yesterday, we were cleaning the house when the guests arrived.

6. She was not doing what the teacher had asked her to do.

7. Were you not feeling good yesterday?

8. I was planning to dance at my cousin’s wedding.

9. The train was running late by an hour.

10. We were going to buy new clothes for all of us.

Frequently Asked Questions on the Past Continuous Tense

Q1
What is the past continuous tense?

The past continuous tense is employed in a sentence to represent an action or event that was
going on in the past. In other words, it shows the progress of the action or event at a specific time
in the past. The past continuous tense is, therefore, also called the ‘past progressive tense’.
Q2
What is the definition of the past continuous tense?

The past continuous tense, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is defined as “the
grammatical form used for an action that someone was doing or an event that was happening at a
particular time.” The Macmillan Dictionary defines the past continuous tense as “the tense used
to talk about actions or behaviour that were begun and ended at some time in the past”, and
according to the Collins Dictionary, it is defined as “a verb form consisting of an auxiliary be in
the past tense followed by a present participle and used esp. to indicate that an action or event
was incomplete or in progress at a point of reference in the past, as ‘was sleeping’ in I was
sleeping when the phone rang.”
Q3
What is the formula of the past continuous tense?

Understanding the past continuous tense could be made easy if you know the formula of the past
continuous tense. The formula is as follows:
Subject + was/were + present participle (verb+ing) + the rest of the sentence
Q4
What are the uses of the past continuous tense?

Given below are the various reasons for which the past continuous tense can be used.

 To convey parallel or simultaneous actions.

 To speak about an overlapping action.
 To indicate an action at an overlapping time.
 To emphasise an action or event that was taking place at some point in the past.
 To give details about the background of a story.
Q5
Give some examples of the past continuous tense.

Here are a few examples of sentences using the past continuous tense.

 Brendon was talking to his class teacher when we were leaving home.
 The whole gang was laughing at the boy who tripped and fell down.
 My cousin was watching the new series that was released yesterday.
 My friends were waiting for me the whole day.
 The children were shouting when the teacher entered the class

 Past Perfect Tense

Past Perfect Tense - Meaning, Definition, Formula, Structure and Uses with Examples
You would have definitely learnt how to use the simple past tense and the past continuous
tense to speak about the actions that happened or were taking place in the past. Well, there is
another tense called the past perfect tense which allows you to compare and contrast different
actions, times and events in the past. In this article, you will learn everything about the past
perfect tense, its meaning, definition, structure, formula and uses along with examples to help
you understand well. Check out the topics given below to have an in-depth analysis of the same.

What Is the Past Perfect Tense?

The past perfect tense is slightly different in its structure and use in a sentence from the simple
past tense and the past continuous tense. The past perfect tense clearly states that one action took
place before another action in the past. It can also be said that the past perfect tense represents a
past action that took place in the past. Now, take a look at the definitions of the past perfect tense
given by various dictionaries.

Definition of the Past Perfect Tense

The past perfect tense, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is defined as “ the form of
a verb that is used to show that an action had already finished when another action
happened.” The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines the past perfect tense as “the form of
a verb that expresses an action completed before a particular point in the past, formed
in English with had and the past participle.”
Another definition of the past perfect tense given by the Merriam Webster Dictionary is as
follows. According to it, the past perfect tense is “ the form of the verb that is used in
referring to an action that was completed by a particular time in the past.” The Collins
Dictionary puts it a little differently. According to it, the past perfect tense is “a tense
indicating an action as completed or a state as having ended before a specified or implied
time in the past,” and they also call the tense with another term – ‘pluperfect.’

Structure and Formula of the Past Perfect Tense

Learning the structure and formula of the past perfect tense will help you in a way that you don’t
expect. Obviously, anything becomes easy once you know what it is, right? So, here is the
formula of the past perfect tense.

Subject + had + past participle + the rest of the sentence

The structure of the past perfect tense can be learnt by analyisng how it is used in a positive,
negative, interrogative and negative interrogative sentence.

Structure of the Past Perfect Tense

Positive Negative Interrogative Negative Interrogative

Subject + had + past Subject + had + not + Had + subject + past participle + Had + subject + not + past
participle + the rest of past participle + the rest the rest of the sentence participle + the rest of the sentence
the sentence of the sentence

(or)

Hadn’t + subject + past participle +

the rest of the sentence

Examples: Examples: Examples: Examples:

 I had  I had not  Had I completed my  Hadn’t I completed my

completed my completed my assignment before assignment before everyone
assignment assignment. everyone else even else even started?
before started?
everyone else
 You had not  Hadn’t you completed you
even started.
completed you  Had you completed you r assignment before
r assignment. r assignment before everyone else even started?
  You had  He had not everyone else even  Hadn’t he completed his
completed you completed his started? assignment before everyone
r assignment assignment.  Had he completed his else even started?
before
everyone else
 She had not assignment before  Hadn’t she completed her
completed her everyone else even assignment before everyone
even started. started?
assignment. else even started?
 He had 
completed his
 They had not Had she completed her  Hadn’t they completed thei
completed thei assignment before r assignment before
assignment everyone else even
r assignment.. everyone else even started?
before started?
everyone else  Had you not finished your
even started.  Had they completed thei assignment before everyone
r assignment before else even started?
 She had everyone else even
completed her started?  Had she not finished her
assignment assignment before everyone
before else even started?
everyone else
even started.  Had he not finished his
assignment before everyone
 They had else even started?
completed thei
r assignment  Had they not finished their
before assignment before everyone
everyone else else even started?
even started.

Using the Past Perfect Tense – Points to Remember

The past perfect tense is similar to the present perfect tense in its structure. Like the present
perfect tense, the past perfect tense also employs a helping verb (had) and the past participle of
the main verb. The only difference is that the past perfect tense uses the same helping verb ‘had’
irrespective of the first, second or third pronoun being used as the subject. Past participles
of regular verbs are usually the same as the past form, whereas most irregular verbs take
different spellings when used in the past form and the past participle form. If you know the past
participles correctly, you will not find any difficulty with understanding or employing the past
perfect tense in your writing and speech.

Check out the article on irregular verbs if you need to just brush up your knowledge of how the
verbs form their past and past participle forms.

Uses of the Past Perfect Tense

The past perfect tense can be used to provide information about the following scenarios:

 To indicate the order of more than one past event.

 To denote the time until a certain point in the past.
  To inform that an action was incomplete and not done at a specific time in the past when
a simple past action took place.

Examples of the Past Perfect Tense

Given below are a few examples to show you how the past perfect tense can be used to perform
the different functions discussed above.

Indicating the order of events in the past

Example 1:

 When my mom arrived, my friends had left.

It can also be written as follows,

 My friends had left when my mom arrived.

Example 2:

 The train had arrived on the second platform when we reached the station. (or)
 When we reached the station, the train had arrived on the second platform.

Denoting the time until a specific point in the past

Examples:

 Ann had completed all eight grades of western music by the time she was 15 years old.
 Had Brian and Courtney arrived when I called you yesterday?

Representing an incomplete action that was not done in a specific time in the past before another
simple past action

Examples:

 The students had gone for their games period before the teacher could inform them about
the assignment they had to do.
 It was so unfortunate that Finn had died before the series was over.

Check Your Understanding of the Past Perfect Tense

Since you have learnt about the past perfect tense, why not check how far you have understood
the topic? Fill in the blanks with the right form of the tense in the following sentences.
1. Alice ______________ (read) all the Harry Potter novels by the time she was fifteen years old.

2. I ________________ (complete – negative) my work when my parents arrived.

3. When we were in college, we ________________ (perform) this song live.

4. My friend, Raimy _______ already ___________ (watch) the movie before we met.

5. _________ you ___________ (work – negative interrogative) at CTS before you started
working at this company?

6. My mom told me that we ________ (meet) Priyanka already but I don’t think so.

7. My brother __________ (solve) five math problems before I completed two.

8. The place ___________ (close) by the time we got there.

9. _______ he __________ (bring) all the documents when you reached?

10. We felt sad that the movie _______ already _________ (start) before we got there.

Here are the answers for the above exercise. Check if you have answered the questions correctly.

1. Alice had read all the Harry Potter novels by the time she was fifteen years old.

2. I had not completed my work when my parents arrived.

3. When we were in college, we had performed this song live.

4. My friend, Raimy, had already watched the movie before we met.

5. Hadn’t you worked at CTS before you started working at this company?

6. My mom told me that we had met Priyanka already but I don’t think so.

7. My brother had solved five math problems before I completed two.

8. The place had closed by the time we got there.

9. Had he brought all the documents when you reached?

10. We felt sad that the movie had already started before we got there.

Frequently Asked Questions on the Past Perfect Tense

Q1

What is the past perfect tense?

The past perfect tense clearly states that one action took place before another action in the past. It
can also be said that the past perfect tense represents a past action that took place in the past.
Q2

What is the definition of the past perfect tense?

The past perfect tense, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is defined as “ the form of a verb
that is used to show that an action had already finished when another action happened.” The
Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines the past perfect tense as “the form of a verb that expresses
an action completed before a particular point in the past, formed in English with had and the past
participle.” The Collins Dictionary puts it a little differently. According to them, the past perfect
tense is “a tense indicating an action as completed or a state as having ended before a specified
or implied time in the past,” and they also call the tense with another term – ‘pluperfect.’
Q3

What is the formula of the past perfect tense?

The general formula of the past perfect tense is as follows:

Subject + had + past participle + the rest of the sentence
Q4

What are the uses of the past perfect tense?

The past perfect tense can be used to provide information about the following scenarios:

 To indicate the order of more than one past event.

 To denote the time until a certain point in the past.
 To inform that an action was incomplete and not done at a specific time in the past when
a simple past action took place.

 Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Past Perfect Continuous Tense - Meaning, Definition, Formula, Structure, Uses and Examples
Have you been thinking of learning the past perfect continuous tense? Well, this is your chance.
This article will provide you with everything that you need to know about the past perfect
continuous tense. It discusses the meaning, definition, formula, structure, rules to be followed
when using the tense, functions and uses of the tense. Examples and practice questions are also
given to help you understand the usage of the tense and develop a clearer idea of the same.

What Is the Past Perfect Continuous Tense?

The past perfect continuous tense is generally used in a sentence to depict an action that started
at some time in the past and continued until a specific time in the past. It is also called the past
perfect progressive tense since it refers to an action that had been progressing until a certain
point in the past. Now, have a look at the different definitions of the past perfect continuous
tense provided by various dictionaries.

Definition of the Past Perfect Continuous Tense

The past perfect continuous tense, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as a
tense form used to indicate “an action or a situation that continued for a period of time before
another action or situation in the past.” According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the past perfect
continuous tense is defined as a tense that refers to “actions or events which started before a
particular time in the past and were still in progress up to that time in the past.”

Formula and Structure of the Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Understanding the formula of the past perfect continuous tense can help you and make
everything easy. Given below is the formula that you can employ when you write a sentence
using the past perfect continuous tense.

Subject + had + been + present participle (verb+ing) + the rest of the sentence

Now, take a look at how sentences are structured in a positive, negative, interrogative and a
negative interrogative sentence using the past perfect continuous tense.
Structure of the Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Positive Negative Interrogative Negative Interrogative

Subject + had + been Subject + had + not Had + subject + been Had + subject + not +
+ present + been + present + present participle + been + present
participle + the rest participle + the rest the rest of the sentence participle + the rest of the
of the sentence of the sentence sentence

(or)

Hadn’t + subject + been

+ present participle + the
rest of the sentence

Examples: Examples: Examples: Examples:

 I had been  I had not  Had I been  Hadn’t I been

cooking my been cooking my cooking my
mom’s cooking my mom’s mom’s favourite
favourite dish mom’s favourite dish dish when she
when she favourite dish when she walked into the
walked into when she walked into the kitchen?
the kitchen. walked into kitchen?  Hadn’t you been
 You had been the kitchen.  Had you been cooking your
cooking your  You had not cooking your mom’s favourite
mom’s been mom’s dish when she
favourite dish cooking your favourite dish walked into the
when she mom’s when she kitchen?
walked into favourite dish walked into the  Hadn’t he been
the kitchen. when she kitchen? cooking his mom’s
 He had been walked into  Had he been favourite dish
cooking his the kitchen. cooking his when she walked
mom’s  He had not mom’s into the kitchen?
favourite dish been favourite dish  Hadn’t she been
when she cooking his when she cooking her
walked into mom’s walked into the mom’s favourite
the kitchen. favourite dish kitchen? dish when she
 She had been when she  Had she been walked into the
cooking her walked into cooking her
 mom’s the kitchen. mom’s kitchen?
favourite dish  She had not favourite dish  Hadn’t they been
when she been when she cooking their
walked into cooking her walked into the mom’s favourite
the kitchen. mom’s kitchen? dish when she
 They had favourite dish  Had they been walked into the
been when she cooking their kitchen?
cooking their walked into mom’s  Had you not been
mom’s the kitchen. favourite dish cooking your
favourite dish  They had not when she mom’s favourite
when she been walked into the dish when she
walked into cooking their kitchen? walked into the
the kitchen. mom’s kitchen?
favourite dish  Had she not been
when she cooking her
walked into mom’s favourite
the kitchen. dish when she
walked into the
kitchen?
 Had he not been
cooking his mom’s
favourite dish
when she walked
into the kitchen?
 Had they not been
cooking their
mom’s favourite
dish when she
walked into the
kitchen?

Rules to be Followed when Using the Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Similar to the present perfect continuous tense, the past perfect continuous tense also consists of
two helping verbs and a main verb. Among the three verbs that represent the tense, the first
helping verb should always be ‘had’ followed by ‘been’, which is in turn followed by the present
participle of the main verb. This rule holds true when the sentence is a positive sentence. In case
you are employing the tense form in an interrogative sentence, the helping verb ‘had’ comes first
followed by the subject which is in turn followed by the the helping verb ‘been’ and the present
participle of the main verb.
For a negative sentence, ‘not’ is placed after the first auxiliary verb ‘had’ and for a negative
interrogative sentence, you can either use the contraction ‘hadn’t’ or place ‘not’ after the subject.

Uses of the Past Perfect Continuous Tense

The past perfect continuous tense is used to perform two main functions. They are:

 To denote an action that has been the cause of another action or event in the past.
 To represent an action that started at some point in the past and continued or progressed
till a particular time in the recent past.

Examples of the Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Now, let us look at a few examples to see how the past perfect continuous tense is used to
perform the different functions.

Denoting an action that is the cause of another action in the past

 Asha was completely exhausted as she had been travelling continuously for three days.
 George was angry because he had been waiting for them the whole day.

Representing an action that progressed in the past until another action in the past

 Do you know for how long Anitha had been working at the college before she moved to
Pollachi?
 I had been waiting to hear from the admissions officer for more than a month before I
applied to other colleges.

Test Your Understanding of the Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Fill in the blanks with the right form of the tense in the following sentences:

1. Derrick __________ (work) at the hospital for over two years before he left for Spain.

2. I don’t think the place ____________ (function) well for a very long time before it shut down.

3. Theena __________ (sing) for an hour before her mom arrived.

4. _______ you ___________ (wait – interrogative) at the railway station for over two hours
when the train finally arrived?
5. How long _____ you ____________ (stand) there to meet the manager?

6. The dogs ______________ (bark) continuously until the owner finally came home and fed
them.

7. My brother _____________ (ask) me to buy him an Axon helmet for years before I could
somehow make some money to buy him one.

8. They ______________ (live) in New York for four years when they had to leave due to
personal reasons.

9. He __________ (run) around for hours looking for my dog before I found him with my
neighbour at the park.

10. My cousins ______________ (suggest) that we called the police when we found the burglars.

Check if you used the tense correctly from the answers given below:

1. Derrick had been working at the hospital for over two years before he left for Spain.

2. I don’t think the place had been functioning well for a very long time before it shut down.

3. Theena had been singing for an hour before her mom arrived.

4. Hadn’t you been waiting at the railway station for over two hours when the train finally
arrived?

5. How long had you been standing there to meet the manager?

6. The dogs had been barking continuously until the owner finally came home and fed them.

7. My brother had been asking me to buy him an Axon helmet for years before I could
somehow make some money to buy him one.

8. They had been living in New York for four years when they had to leave due to personal
reasons.

9. He had been running around for hours looking for my dog before I found him with my
neighbour at the park.
10. My cousins had been suggesting that we called the police when we found the burglars.

Frequently Asked Questions on the Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Q1

What is the past perfect continuous tense?

The past perfect continuous tense is generally used in a sentence to depict an action that started
at some time in the past and continued until a specific time in the past. It is also called the past
perfect progressive tense since it refers to an action that had been progressing until a certain
point in the past.
Q2

What is the definition of the past perfect continuous tense?

The past perfect continuous tense, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as a
tense form used to indicate “an action or a situation that continued for a period of time before
another action or situation in the past.” According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the past perfect
continuous tense is defined as a tense that refers to “actions or events which started before a
particular time in the past and were still in progress up to that time in the past.”
Q3

What is the formula of the past perfect continuous tense?

Employing the past perfect continuous tense in a sentence can be done easily if you know the
formula of the tense. Given below is the formula of the past perfect continuous tense.
Subject + had + been + present participle (verb+ing) + the rest of the sentence
Q4

What are the uses of the past perfect continuous tense?

The past perfect continuous tense is used to perform two main functions. They are:

 To denote an action that has been the cause of another action or event in the past.
 To represent an action that started at some point in the past and continued or progressed
till a particular time in the recent past.
Q5
Give some examples of the past perfect continuous tense.

Here are a few examples to show you how the past perfect continuous tense can be used in
sentences.
  Asha was completely exhausted as she had been travelling continuously for three days.
 George was angry because he had been waiting for them the whole day.
 Do you know for how long Anitha had been working at the college before she moved to
Pollachi?
 I had been waiting to hear from the admissions officer for more than a month before I
applied to other colleges.

 Simple Future Tense

Simple Future Tense - Explore the Meaning, Definition, Formula, Structure, Rules, Uses and

Examples
Are you going to the Lakshadweep islands for the summer holidays? Don’t you want to share
every little detail about what you would be doing for your vacation? Learn everything you need
to know about the simple future tense – the meaning, definition, formula, structure, rules and
uses along with examples to help you have a clear idea of the topic. Also, try working on the
practice questions to further check your understanding of the same.

Table of Contents

 The Simple Future Tense – What Is It?

 Definition of the Simple Future Tense

 Structure and Formula of the Simple Future Tense

 Rules and Points to Remember When Using the Simple Future Tense
 What Do You Use the Simple Future Tense For?
 Forming the Simple Future Tense – Examples
 Test Your Understanding of the Simple Future Tense
 Frequently Asked Questions on the Simple Future Tense

The Simple Future Tense – What Is It?

The simple future tense is a tense that is used to represent an action that takes place in the future.
One fact that you should keep in mind is that a simple future tense action starts and finishes in
the future itself.

Check out the following definitions provided by various dictionaries to have a better idea of what
the simple future tense is.

Definition of the Simple Future Tense

The simple future tense, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as “the form of
a verb that expresses what will happen after the present.” The Merriam-Webster Dictionary
defines the simple future tense as “a verb tense that is used to refer to the future.” “A tense of
verbs used when the action or event described is to occur after the time of utterance”, is the
definition of the simple future tense according to the Collins Dictionary. The Macmillan
Dictionary defines the simple future tense as the tense that depicts actions or events “expected to
exist or happen during the time following the present time.”

Structure and Formula of the Simple Future Tense

Let us look at the structure and formula of the simple future tense. First, take a look at the
formula to find out how the simple future tense works.

The formula of the simple future tense is as follows:

Subject + Helping verb (will) + base form of the verb + the rest of the sentence

Now, try analysing the structure of the simple future tense and how the sentence structure
changes when used in the positive, negative, interrogative and negative interrogative format.

Structure of Simple Future Tense

Positive Negative Interrogative Negative Interrogative

Subject + Helping Subject + Will Will + Subject + base form Will + Subject + not +
verb (will) + Base not/Won’t + Base of the verb + the rest of the Base form of the verb +
 form of the form of the verb + sentence the rest of the sentence
verb + the rest of the rest of the
the sentence sentence (or)

Won’t + Subject + Base

form of the verb + the
rest of the sentence

For example: For example: I will For example: Will I read the For example: Will I not
I will read the not read the newspaper from tomorrow? read the newspaper from
newspaper from newspaper from tomorrow?
tomorrow. tomorrow.
(or)
(or)
Won’t I read the
I won’t read the newspaper from
newspaper from tomorrow?
tomorrow.

Another verb usage to represent the simple future tense is the ‘to be’ form of the verb along with
‘going to’. Take a look at the following table to understand how it works.

Infinitive Positive Negative

Verb

To check  I am going to check for some  I am not going to check for some
new ideas for my assignment. new ideas for my assignment.
 We are going to check for some  We are not going to check for
new ideas for our assignment. some new ideas for our
 He is going to check for some assignment.
new ideas for his assignment.  He is going to check for some new
ideas for his assignment.

To find  I am going to find another way  I am not going to find another

to do it. way to do it.
 We are going to find another  We are not going to find another
way to do it. way to do it.
 He is going to find another way  He is not going to find another
to do it. way to do it.
 To meet  I am going to meet my friend at  I am not going to meet my friend
the park. at the park.
 We are going to meet our friend  We are not going to meet our
at the park. friend at the park.
 He is going to meet his friend at  He is not going to meet his friend
the park. at the park.

Rules and Points to Remember When Using the Simple Future Tense

If you are planning to use the simple future tense, here are a few points that you have to keep in
mind. The simple future tense form of the verb should always have two verbs – an auxiliary
verb (will) and the base form of the verb. Interrogative sentences start with the helping
verb ‘will’ followed by the subject and the base form of the main verb. A negative sentence can
be identified by the usage of ‘not’ after the auxiliary verb ‘will’. Remember that the helping verb
‘will’ is what mainly indicates to the reader or listener that the tense used speaks about a future
or event that is going to happen in the future.

What Do You Use the Simple Future Tense For?

Knowing all the situations in which the simple future tense can be used will allow you to use the
tense effectively. Here is a glimpse of the various ways in which the simple future tense can be
used.

 To represent events or actions that are about to take place in the near future.
 To make guesses or predictions about someone or something in the future.
 To state or express some factual statement about the future.
 To ask questions about something or someone doing something in the future.
 To think about future consequences, conditions or possibilities.
 To give orders or make commands as in imperative sentences.

Forming the Simple Future Tense – Examples

Look at the following examples and try to comprehend how the simple future tense can be used
for the various uses as stated above.

Representing events or actions that are about to happen in the near future

 Danny and Sid will go to the gym in the evening.

  Agnes will be here in an hour.

Making guesses or predictions about the future

 The weather forecast said that there will be hail storms tomorrow.
 I guess the red curtain will look good for the backdrop.

Expressing a factual statement about the future

 The house they are looking for will cost them a fortune.
 The country will see a change in the weather next month like it has never before.

Asking questions about the future

 Will you be able to complete it in time?

 Won’t she be ready to give the chief guest address on the annual day?

Thinking about future consequences, possibilities or conditions

 Larry told me that he will be able to come to the party only if his sister agrees to drop
him off at the venue.
 If she does not take this seriously, she will get into a lot of trouble.

Giving orders or commands

 You will have to submit all your assignments by Monday.

 You will need to provide all the supporting documents if you want the loan to be
sanctioned as soon as possible.

Test Your Understanding of the Simple Future Tense

Fill in the blanks with the right form of the simple future tense in the following sentences:

1. Quinn __________ (sing) at the final auditions.

2. Madame Smith _________ (be) the judge for the cultural competitions.

3. _________ you __________ (finish – negative interrogative) writing the song before the
event?

4. I don’t think he ____________ (enjoy) something like this.

5. Sandy had told me that it _____________ (rain – negative) today.

6. ________ Adharsh ____________ (visit) you or not?

7. Amal ____________ (arrive – negative) in time for the reception.

8. Santana _____________ (be) your partner for the dance.

9. Do you think it ____________ (matter) to them at all?

10. Abdul ____________ (give) you all the instructions regarding what should be done when
you get here.

The answers to the above questions are given below. Find out if you got the answers right.

1. Quinn will sing at the final auditions.

2. Madame Smith will be the judge for the cultural competitions.

3. Won’t you finish writing the song before the event?

4. I don’t think he will enjoy something like this.

5. Sandy had told me that it will not rain today.

6. Will Adharsh visit you or not?

7. Amal will not arrive in time for the reception.

8. Santana will be your partner for the dance.

9. Do you think it will matter to them at all?

10. Abdul will give you all the instructions regarding what should be done when you get here.

Frequently Asked Questions on the Simple Future Tense

Q1

What is the simple future tense?

The simple future tense is a tense that is used to represent an action that takes place in the future.
In this tense, the action starts and finishes in the future itself.
Q2

What is the definition of the simple future tense?

The simple future tense, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as “the form of
a verb that expresses what will happen after the present.” The Merriam-Webster Dictionary
defines the simple future tense as “a verb tense that is used to refer to the future.” “A tense of
verbs used when the action or event described is to occur after the time of utterance”, is the
definition of the simple future tense according to the Collins Dictionary. The Macmillan
Dictionary defines the simple future tense as the tense that depicts actions or events “expected to
exist or happen during the time following the present time.”
Q3

What is the formula of the simple future tense?

The simple future tense can be easily understood and used with the help of the following
formula:
Subject + Helping verb (will) + base form of the verb + the rest of the sentence
Q4

Give some examples of the simple future tense.

Given below are a few examples to show you how to use the simple future tense.

 Danny and Sid will go to the gym in the evening.

 The country will see a change in the weather next month like it has never before.
 You will need to provide all the supporting documents if you want the loan to be
sanctioned as soon as possible.
 Larry told me that he will be able to come to the party only if his sister agrees to drop
him off at the venue.
 I guess the red curtain will look good for the backdrop.

 Future Continuous Tense

Future Continuous Tense - Meaning, Definition, Formula, Structure, Rules, Uses and Examples
Having learnt how to use the simple future tense, the next step would be to learn the future
continuous tense. In this article, you will learn the meaning, definition, formula, structure, rules
and uses of the future continuous tense. Explore the examples and try out the practice questions
to develop a better understanding of the same.

5,056

Table of Contents

 The Future Continuous Tense – What Is It?

 Definition of the Future Continuous Tense

 Structure and Formula of the Future Continuous Tense

 Rules and Points to Remember When Using the Future Continuous Tense
 What Do You Use the Future Continuous Tense For?
 Examples of the Future Continuous Tense
 Check Your Understanding of the Future Continuous Tense
 Frequently Asked Questions on the Future Continuous Tense

The Future Continuous Tense – What Is It?

The future continuous tense is generally used to represent an event or action that is happening at
a certain point in time in the future. The tense is also called the future progressive tense, as it
denotes an action or event that is progressing or continuing at a particular time in the future.

Have a look at how different dictionaries define the future continuous tense in order to have a
much better idea of what it is.

Definition of the Future Continuous Tense

The future continuous tense, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is defined as a tense that is
used to “refer to temporary actions and events that will be in progress at a particular time in the
future.” According to the Collins Dictionary, the future continuous tense is used “to suggest that
something is about to happen or will happen at some time that is not clear or precise.”

Structure and Formula of the Future Continuous Tense

To have a more detailed idea of the future continuous tense, take a look at the formula and
structure of the tense.
The formula of the future continuous tense is as follows:

Subject + Helping verbs (will + be) + present participle form of the verb + the rest of the sentence

Now, analyse the structure of the future continuous tense to see how the sentence structure
changes when used as a positive, negative, interrogative and negative interrogative sentence.

Structure of Future Continuous Tense

Positive Negative Interrogative Negative Interrogative

Subject + Helping Subject + Will not Will + Subject + Be Will + Subject + not + be +
verb (will + be) + be/Won’t be + + Past participle form of Past participle form of the
Past participle Past participle the verb + the rest of the verb + the rest of the
form of the verb + form of the verb + sentence sentence
the rest of the the rest of the
sentence sentence (or)

Won’t + Subject + be +
Past participle form of the
verb + the rest of the
sentence

For example: For example: For For example: Will Balu not
Balu will be Balu will not be example: Will Balu be be performing at the
performing at the performing at the performing at the International event in
International event International event International event in Australia?
in Australia. in Australia. Australia?
(or)
(or)
Won’t Balu be
Balu won’t be performing at the
performing at the International event in
International event Australia?
in Australia.
Rules and Points to Remember When Using the Future Continuous Tense

Like the present continuous tense and the past continuous tense, the future continuous tense
consists of two helping verbs – ‘will’ and ‘be’ followed by the past participle form of the main
verb. The past participle of the main verb can be formed by adding an ‘ing’ to the end of the
verb. The tense can be made negative by adding ‘not’ after ‘will’. When used in the interrogative
form, the sentence starts with ‘will’ followed by the subject, ‘be’ and the past participle form of
the verb.

Furthermore, always keep in mind that the future continuous tense can be used only with action
verbs and never with stative verbs. This is mainly because only action verbs can be done for a
particular duration. Also, remember that the action mentioned in the future continuous tense
would have started earlier but would not have been completed at that particular point in time.

What Do You Use the Future Continuous Tense For?

The future continuous tense can generally be used to,

 Denote an action that takes place at a specific time in the future.

 Also used to express an action that will take place over a period of time and does not
happen all at once in that time.
 To compare between the present and the future.
 To indicate that there is more than one action taking place at the same point in time in the
future.

Examples of the Future Continuous Tense

Now, take a look at the following examples to have an in-depth analysis of how the future
continuous tense can be used in sentences.

Denoting an action that takes place at a point of time in the future

 I will be watching the new marvel movie along with my brother at 4:30 p.m. tomorrow.
 Susan will not be sleeping at that time.

Expressing an action that will take place over a period of time and not all at once

 The judges will be announcing the winners of the competition at 5 p.m on Tuesday.
 According to the plan, we will be meeting at the park around 11 a.m.
Comparing between the present and the future

 This time next month, we will be travelling to Canada.

 He might not be bold enough to make a decision now, but he will definitely be living a
good life in the future.

Indicating more than one action taking place at the same time in the future

 I will be going to school at 8 a.m, so I can drop her off as well.

 Sheena told me that she cannot make it to the reception tomorrow because she will be
travelling to Bangalore.

Some Simple Examples of Future Continuous Tense

 I will be writing the letter tomorrow.

 The baby will be playing the whole night.
 I will be helping my mother to make breakfast.
 Sheldon will be eating the cake later.
 Penny will be running in the marathon tomorrow.
 She will be taking her dog for a walk.
 Ritz will be coming to our place soon.
 My mother won’t be working tomorrow.
 The series won’t be releasing this month.
 Who will be waiting for John at the railway station?
 Will I be sleeping here?
 I will be arriving at the station by 5:00 P.M.
 My friends will be coming over for lunch tomorrow.
 Will you be doing laundry tonight?
 I will be watering the plants tomorrow morning.
 Shyam will be visiting his aunt tomorrow.
 I will be joining the new office from next week.
 My parents will be flying to Delhi tomorrow.
 I will not be working tomorrow.
 Rajesh will be staying at the hotel on Friday.

Check Your Understanding of the Future Continuous Tense

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the future continuous tense in the following sentences:
1. Next month, at this time, I ______________ (chill) in Maldives along with my friends.

2. Nathan _____________ (reach) home at this time tomorrow.

3. Bindhu _______________ (work – negative) for a month as she has to take care of her sick
mother.

4. __________ Sue ____________ (attend – interrogative) the Glee club rehearsals the day after
tomorrow?

5. ________ Gowtham ____________ (come – negative interrogative) along with you to

Chennai?

6. Tania _______________ (try out – negative) for the relay this year.

7. Sandhya ______________ (help) us with the arrangements for tomorrow as Theena will not
be able to do it.

8. ____________ Irene ___________ (lead – interrogative) the drill on Sports Day?

9. _________ they ____________ (perform – negative interrogative) Don’t Stop Believing for
the Sectionals?

10. The students ______________ (participate) in the extracurricular activities organised by the
senior students on Children’s Day.

Now, check the answers given below to find out how far you have understood and answered the
questions correctly.

1. Next month, at this time, I will be chilling in the Maldives along with my friends.

2. Nathan will be reaching home at this time tomorrow.

3. Bindhu will not be working for a month as she has to take care of her sick mother.

4. Will Sue be attending the Glee club rehearsals the day after tomorrow?

5. Won’t Gowtham be coming along with you to Chennai?

6. Tania will not be trying out for the relay this year.

7. Sandhya will be helping us with the arrangements for tomorrow, as Theena will not be able to
do it.

8. Will Irene be leading the drill on Sports Day?

9. Will they not be performing Don’t Stop Believing for the Sectionals?

10. The students will be participating in the extracurricular activities organised by the senior
students on Children’s Day.

Frequently Asked Questions on the Future Continuous Tense

Q1

What is the future continuous tense?

The future continuous tense is generally used to represent an event or action that is happening at
a certain point in time in the future. The tense is also called the future progressive tense, as it
denotes an action or event that is progressing or continuing at a particular time in the future.
Q2

What is the definition of the future continuous tense?

The future continuous tense, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is defined as a tense that is
used to “refer to temporary actions and events that will be in progress at a particular time in the
future.” According to the Collins Dictionary, the future continuous tense is used “to suggest that
something is about to happen or will happen at some time that is not clear or precise.”
Q3

What is the formula of the future continuous tense?

The formula of the future continuous tense is as follows:

Subject + Helping verbs (will + be) + present participle form of the verb + the rest of
the sentence.
Q4

What are the uses of the future continuous tense?

The future continuous tense can be used to perform the following functions:

 Denote an action that takes place at a specific time in the future.

  Also used to express an action that will take place over a period of time and does not
happen all at once in that time.
 To compare between the present and the future.
 To indicate that there is more than one action taking place at the same point in time in the
future.

 Future Perfect Tense

Future Perfect Tense - Meaning, Definition, Formula, Structure and Uses with Examples
In the English language, perfect tenses such as the present perfect tense, the past perfect
tense and the future perfect tense are used to represent actions that happen within a particular
time frame. In this article, you will learn the meaning, definition, formula, structure and uses of
the future perfect tense. Furthermore, the article provides you with a number of examples and
practice questions to help you learn better.

5,056

Table of Contents

 What Is the Future Perfect Tense?

 Definition of the Future Perfect Tense

 Structure and Formula of the Future Perfect Tense

 Points to Remember When Using the Future Perfect Tense
 Uses of the Future Perfect Tense
 Future Perfect Tense Vs Simple Future Tense
 Examples of the Future Perfect Tense
 Test Your Understanding of the Future Perfect Tense
 Frequently Asked Questions on the Future Perfect Tense

What Is the Future Perfect Tense?

The future perfect tense is a tense form that can be used to represent an action or event that will
be over within a particular time in the future. The action referred to in the future perfect tense has
an end date or time.
Given below are a few definitions of the future perfect tense as put forth by various dictionaries.

Definition of the Future Perfect Tense

The future perfect tense, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is defined as “the form of
the verb that is used to show that an action will have been performed by a particular time.”
According to the Collins Dictionary, the future perfect tense is defined as one “denoting a tense
of verbs describing an action that will have been performed by a certain time.” The Merriam-
Webster Dictionary defines the future perfect tense as a tense “relating to, or constituting a verb
tense that is traditionally formed in English with will have and shall have and that expresses
completion of an action by a specified time that is yet to come.” According to the Britannica
Dictionary, the future perfect tense is “a verb tense that is used to refer to an action that will be
completed by a specified time in the future.”

Structure and Formula of the Future Perfect Tense

If you are wondering how to use the future perfect tense, here is the answer. Knowing the
general formula with which you can structure your sentences in the future perfect tense is what
will help you. Here is the formula of the future perfect tense.

Subject + Helping verbs (will + have) + Past participle form of the main verb + the rest of the
sentence.

In addition to learning the formula, analysing the structure of sentences when used in the
positive, negative, interrogative and negative interrogative formats. Look at the table below for
reference.
Structure of the Future Perfect Tense

Positive Negative Interrogative Negative Interrogative

Subject + will + Subject + will + Will + subject + have + Will + subject + not + have
have + past not + have + past past participle + the + past participle + the rest
participle + the participle + the rest of the sentence of the sentence
rest of the sentence rest of the sentence
(or)

Won’t + subject + have +

past participle + the rest of
the sentence

Examples: Examples: Examples: Examples:

 I will have  I will not  Will I have  Will I not have

dressed have dressed up by dressed up by the
up by the dressed the time you time you reach
time you up by the reach home? home?
reach home. time you  Will you have  Will you not have
 You will reach home. dressed up by dressed up by the
have  You will not the time they time they reach
dressed have reach home? home?
up by the dressed  Will he have  Will he not have
time they up by the dressed up by dressed up by the
reach home. time they the time you time you reach
 He will reach home. reach home? home?
have  He will not  Will she have  Will she not have
dressed have dressed up by dressed up by the
up by the dressed the time you time you reach
time you up by the reach home? home?
reach home. time you
 Will they have  Will they not have
 She will reach home.
dressed up by dressed up by the
have  She will not the time you time you reach
dressed have reach home? home?
up by the dressed
 Won’t I have
time you up by the
dressed up by the
reach home. time you
time you reach
 They will reach home.
home?
have  They will
 Won’t you have
Points to Remember When Using the Future Perfect Tense

Always keep in mind that the future perfect tense can be formed using two auxiliary verbs (will
and have) followed by the past participle of the main verb. For example, They will have
reached the station by eight in the morning. Also, as you know, the past participle form of the
verb can be formed by adding ‘ed’ to the end of the verb. However, this is not always the case.
Irregular verbs take different spelling patterns when used as a past participle. Check out the
article on irregular verbs for a detailed explanation and the list of verbs and their past participles.

Adverbs that can be used with the Future Perfect Tense

Since the future perfect tense should always have a time frame, you need to know what kind
of adverbs can be used to indicate the time frame. Given below is the list of adverbs.

 Before
 By the time
 By (a specific time)
 When
 After
 By (date/year)
 By then
 Until
 By the end of
 Till
 By the year 2022

Uses of the Future Perfect Tense

The future perfect tense can be used when you want to speak about,

 An action or event that will be over before a certain time in the future.
 An action or event that will be over before another event in the future.
It is also used to express a conviction about something that will happen at a certain time in the
future.

Simple Future Tense Vs Future Perfect Tense

For most English language learners, there is always confusion of whether to use the simple future
tense or the future perfect tense. Well, that confusion ends now. Look at the table below to learn
the difference between the two tenses.

Simple Future Tense Future Perfect Tense

Used when you want to speak about Used when you want to speak about an action or event that
an action or event that will take will take place at a certain time in the future before another
place at some time in the future. action or event.

Can be used to refer to actions that Can be used to show the sequence of events or actions that
happen in the future. happen before a specific time in the future clearly. Also, to
speak about an action that happens before another action in
the future.

Example: Diana will reach home on Example: Diana will have reached home by Monday.
Monday.

Examples of the Future Perfect Tense

Here are a few examples to show you how to use the future perfect tense in sentences.

Referring to an action or event will be over within a certain time in the future

 Harry will have planted all the saplings in the garden by 4 p. m.

 Lakshmi will have arrived by then.

Referring to an action or event which will happen before another action or event in the future

 The train will have left by the time you reach the station.
 The children are very smart. They will have learnt how to do it by themselves before we
appoint someone else to teach them.

Making a conviction about something that will or will not happen at a time in the future

 I don’t think Mithuna will have cleaned the house completely by the time we reach.
  Karishma and her friends will not have finished their work by Monday, considering how
things are going on now.

Test Your Understanding of the Future Perfect Tense

Fill in the blanks with the right form of the future perfect tense in the following sentences:

1. Mom ______________ (cook) our favourite meal since we are going home after a really long
time.

2. I think all the plants ________________ (grow) before I return.

3. Sindhu _____________ (forget – negative) anything by now.

4. __________ you ___________ (complete – interrogative) the invitations before 7 p.m.

5. He ________________ (learn) all the songs by heart before anyone else does.

6. Do you think Karl _______________ (find) all the answers to the questions you gave him by
now?

7. I guess I ___________ (finish) my painting by Monday.

8. All our relatives ___________ (arrive) at the hotel in the morning.

9. ________ they ___________ (paint – negative interrogative) the house before the guests
arrived?

10. We ___________________ (meet) the Principal before noon.

Check if you have used the future perfect tense correctly from the answers given below.

1. Mom will have cooked our favourite meal since we are going home after a really long time.

2. I think all the plants will have grown before I return.

3. Sindhu will not have forgotten anything by now.

4. Will you have completed the invitations before 7 p.m.

5. He will have learnt all the songs by heart before anyone else does.

6. Do you think Karl will have found all the answers to the questions you gave him by now?

7. I guess I will have finished my painting by Monday.

8. All our relatives will have arrived at the hotel in the morning.

9. Won’t they have painted the house before the guests arrived?

10. We will have met the Principal before noon.

Frequently Asked Questions on the Future Perfect Tense

Q1

What is the future perfect tense?

The future perfect tense is a tense form that can be used to represent an action or event that will
be over within a particular time in the future. The action referred to in the future perfect tense has
an end date or time.
Q2

What is the definition of the future perfect tense?

The future perfect tense, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is defined as “the form of the
verb that is used to show that an action will have been performed by a particular time.”
According to the Collins Dictionary, the future perfect tense is defined as one “denoting a tense
of verbs describing an action that will have been performed by a certain time.” The Merriam-
Webster Dictionary defines the future perfect tense as a tense “relating to, or constituting a verb
tense that is traditionally formed in English with will have and shall have and that expresses
completion of an action by a specified time that is yet to come.” According to the Britannica
Dictionary, the future perfect tense is “a verb tense that is used to refer to an action that will be
completed by a specified time in the future.”
Q3

What is the formula of the future perfect tense?

The future perfect tense can be used accurately with the formula given below.
Subject + Helping verbs (will + have + been) + Past participle form of the main verb + the rest of
the sentence.
Q4

What are the uses of the future perfect tense?

The future perfect tense can be used when you want to speak about an action or event
that will be over before a certain time in the future or one that will be over before another
event in the future. It can also be used to express a conviction about something that will
happen at a certain time in the future.
Q5

Give some examples of the future perfect tense.

Here are a few examples of the future perfect tense to help you.

 Harry will have planted all the saplings in the garden by 4 p. m.

 The children are very smart. They will have learnt how to do it by themselves before we
appoint someone else to teach them.
 Karishma and her friends will not have finished their work by Monday, considering how
things are going on now.

 Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Future Perfect Continuous Tense - Meaning, Definition, Structure, Formula, Uses and Examples
By now, you should have learnt how perfect continuous tenses work since you have already
come across the present perfect continuous tense and the past perfect continuous tense. In this
article, you will learn the meaning, definition, structure, formula and uses of the future perfect
continuous tense, along with examples to help you understand and use the tense accurately. Also,
try out the practice questions given in the article to check how far you have learnt about it.

What Is the Future Perfect Continuous Tense?

The future perfect continuous tense is a verb tense that can be used to refer to an action that will
be continuing until a certain point of time in the future. The future perfect continuous tense can
also be referred to as the future perfect progressive tense as it expresses an action or event that
will be progressing to a specific time in the future.
Definition of the Future Perfect Continuous Tense

The Future Perfect Continuous Tense, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is defined as a
tense form used “when we are looking back to the past from a point in the future, and we want to
emphasise the length or duration of an activity or event.”

Structure and Formula of the Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Here is the formula that you can use to structure a sentence in the future perfect continuous tense.

Subject + Helping verbs (will + have + been) + Present participle form of the main verb + the
rest of the sentence.

Now that you know the formula of the future perfect continuous tense, try analysing the structure
of the tense with reference to how the sentence structure changes when used as a positive,
negative, interrogative or negative interrogative sentence.

Check out the table given below.

Structure of the Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Positive Negative Interrogative Negative Interrogative

Subject + will + Subject + will + Will + subject + have + Will + subject + not + have +
have + been + not + have been + present participle of been + present participle of
present +been + the main verb + the rest of the main verb the rest of the
participle of present the sentence sentence
the main participle of
verb + the rest the main (or)
of the sentence verb + the rest
of the sentence Won’t + subject + have +
been + present participle of
the main verb + the rest of the
sentence

Examples: Examples: Examples: Examples:

 In  In  In  In January, will I not

January, January, January, will I have have been living in San
I will I will been living in San Francisco for ten years?
have not have Francisco for ten  In January, will you not
been been years? have been living in San
living in living in  In Francisco for ten years?
San San January, will you hav  In January, will he not
Francisc Francisc e been living in San have been living in San
o for ten o for ten Francisco for ten Francisco for ten years?
years. years. years?
 In January, will she not
 In  In  In have been living in San
January, January, January, will he have Francisco for ten years?
you will you will been living in San
have not have  In
Francisco for ten
been been January, will they not
years?
living in living in have been living in San
 In Francisco for ten years?
San San
January, will she hav
Francisc Francisc  In
e been living in San
o for ten o for ten January, won’t I have
Francisco for ten
years. years. been living in San
years?
 In  In Francisco for ten years?
 In
January, January,  In
January, will they ha
he will he will January, won’t you hav
ve been living in San
Points to Remember When Using the Future Perfect Continuous Tense

It is a fact that the future perfect continuous tense is the least used tense in the English language.
However, it is always good that you learn how to use the tense since you never know when you
will need to use the tense. So, when you have to use the future perfect continuous tense, keep in
mind that the tense has three auxiliary verbs – will, have and been followed by the present
participle form of the main verb. Also, remember that the future perfect continuous tense can be
used only with action verbs and not stative verbs.

Uses of the Future Perfect Continuous Tense

The future perfect continuous tense can be used to do the following:

 To denote an action or event that will keep going on until a certain point of time or
another event in the future.
 To depict an action or event that is the cause of some other action or event that will
happen in the future.

Examples of the Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Taking a look at a number of examples will definitely help you understand well, so here are a
few examples to show you how the future perfect continuous tense should be used.

Denoting an action that will continue till a certain point of time

 Blaine will have been waiting for more than five hours by the time Kurt arrives.
 Remya will have been working at the company for twelve years in 2022.
 Will they have been living in the United States for three years when they finish their
postgraduate studies?
 How long will she have been playing the piano when she graduates?
 Next month, I will have been following a diet for three months.

Depicting an action or event that is the cause of another action or event that will happen in the
future

 I think my sister will be exhausted when she gets here as she will have been working
out for two hours continuously.
 I will be tired by the time my cousins get home because I will have been studying for
many hours.
  Monica will be well-versed in all the concepts of geometry by 2022, as she will have
been specialising in mathematics for more than five years.

Check Your Understanding of the Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Fill in the blanks with the right form of the future perfect continuous tense in the following
sentences:

1. Sam and Quinn will definitely not be that exhausted when they get here as they
______________ (drive – negative) for so long.

2. Vinita _______________ (walk) around for hours.

3. How long ______ they ______________ (play – interrogative) the guitar next year?

4. Next week, Tharun _________________ (work – negative) for more than a year.

5. In November, Devika _________________ (teach) at this school for three years.

6. We are late. I guess Aldrin and Sam ______________ (wait) for us.

7. Ashwin will be very tired when he gets home as he ______________ (exercise) for over an
hour.

8. ________ Neelaveni Ma’am ____________ (train – negative interrogative) students for more
than twenty years at the end of this academic year?

9. ________ you _______________ (live – interrogative) in Australia for over a year when you
finish your studies?

10. When you come at 8 p.m, __________ they ______________ (practise) long enough?

The answers to the above questions are given below. Go through them to check out how far you
have understood the topic.

1. Sam and Quinn will definitely not be that exhausted when they get here as they will not have
been driving for so long.

2. Vinita will have been walking around for hours.

3. How long will they have been playing the guitar next year?

4. Next week, Tharun will not have been working for more than a year.

5. In November, Devika will have been teaching at this school for three years.

6. We are late. I guess Aldrin and Sam will have been waiting for us.

7. Ashwin will be very tired when he gets home as he will have been exercising for over an
hour.

8. Won’t Neelaveni Ma’am have been training students for more than twenty years at the end
of this academic year?

9. Will you have been living in Australia for over a year when you finish your studies?

10. When you come at 8 p.m, will they have been practising long enough?

Frequently Asked Questions on the Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Q1

What is the future perfect continuous tense?

The future perfect continuous tense is a verb tense that can be used to refer to an action that will
be continuing until a certain point of time in the future. The future perfect continuous tense can
also be referred to as the future perfect progressive tense as it expresses an action or event that
will be progressing to a specific time in the future.
Q2

What is the definition of the future perfect continuous tense?

The Future Perfect Continuous Tense, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is defined as a
tense form used “when we are looking back to the past from a point in the future, and we want to
emphasise the length or duration of an activity or event.”
Q3

What is the formula of the future perfect continuous tense?

The formula of the future perfect continuous tense is as given below.

Subject + Helping verbs (will + have + been) + Present participle form of the main
verb + the rest of the sentence.
Q4

What are the uses of the future perfect continuous tense?

Given below are the uses of the future perfect continuous tense.

 To denote an action or event that will keep going on until a certain point of time or
another event in the future.
 To depict an action or event that is the cause of some other action or event that will
happen in the future.
Q5
Give a few examples of the future perfect continuous tense.

Here are a few examples of the future perfect continuous tense to understand how to use the
tense in sentences.

 Blaine will have been waiting for more than five hours by the time Kurt arrives.
 Remya will have been working at the company for twelve years in 2022.
 Will they have been living in the United States for three years when they finish their
postgraduate studies?
 I will be tired by the time my cousins get home because I will have been studying for
many hours.
 Monica will be well-versed in all the concepts of geometry by 2022, as she will have
been specialising in mathematics for more than five years.

 Active Voice and Passive Voice

sage & Examples

Having learnt about the different parts of speech in the English language and the 12
different tenses, the next topic that you should focus on is the active voice and the passive voice.
In this article, you will learn all about the active and passive voice, what it means, its definition
and usage. Along with the difference between the two voices and examples given in the article,
you will be able to understand and use the active voice and passive voice accurately and
effectively.

11,180

Table of Contents
  ‘Voice’ – What Is It?
 The Two Voices in the English Language

 What is the Active Voice? – Meaning and Definition

 What is the Passive Voice? – Meaning and Definition

 Using the Active Voice and the Passive Voice – Points to Remember
 Difference between the Active Voice and the Passive Voice
 Rules to be Followed When Converting the Active Voice to the Passive Voice
 Examples of the Active and Passive Voice
 Check Your Understanding of the Active Voice and the Passive Voice
 Frequently Asked Questions on the Active Voice and the Passive Voice

‘Voice’ – What Is It?

The term ‘voice’ is a term that is used to denote the form of the verb which shows if the subject
in a given sentence is the doer or receiver of the action. The voice of a verb describes the
relationship between the action and the participants (subject or object) in a sentence.

The Two Voices in the English Language

There are two voices in the English language and they are as follows:

 Active Voice
 Passive Voice
Let us look into the two voices a little in detail with the help of the meaning and definition given
below.

What is the Active Voice? – Meaning and Definition

The active voice, in a sentence, denotes that the noun or pronoun that acts as the subject in the
sentence is the doer of the action. In other words, the subject performs the action or acts upon the
verb.

According to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, the active voice is defined as “the form of a verb
in which the subject is the person or thing that performs the action”, and according to the Collins
Dictionary, the active voice is defined as “a voice of verbs used to indicate that the subject of a
sentence is performing the action or causing the event or process described by the verb.”
What is the Passive Voice? – Meaning and Definition

The passive voice, on the other hand, represents that the subject is one acted upon by the action
or verb in the sentence. It can also be said that the passive voice indicates that the subject in the
sentence is no longer active but passive.

According to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, the passive voice is defined as “the form of a verb
used when the subject is affected by the action of the verb”, and according to the Collins
Dictionary, the passive voice is “formed using ‘be’ and the past participle of a verb. The subject
of a passive clause does not perform the action expressed by the verb but is affected by it.”

Using the Active Voice and the Passive Voice – Points to Remember

There are a few points that you have to bear in mind when using the active voice and the passive
voice. In the English language, the active voice is used generally as they give the information in
a direct and clear manner. Make sure you do not use the passive voice just because you think it
sounds better. Use it only if it is necessary. Remember that the active voice has the subject doing
the action and the passive voice has the subject receiving the action. If you want to communicate
your thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively, especially in a professional setup, it would be
best to use the active voice.

A pro tip for you to master the active voice and the passive voice is to know the structure and
formula by which they work.

Active Voice – Subject + Verb + Object

Passive Voice – Object + Verb + Subject

Difference between the Active Voice and the Passive Voice

Analysing the difference between the active voice and the passive voice is what will help you in
a much better way to learn how to use the two voices effectively. Take a look at the following
table to know how they differ.
 Active Voice Passive Voice

 Denotes that the subject is  Denotes that the subject is acted upon by the
performing the action. verb or action in the sentence.

 The active voice does not require a  The passive voice uses a linking verb followed
linking verb to make sense. by the past participle of the main verb.

 The active voice focuses on the doer  The passive voice comes in handy when the
of the action. doer of the action is undetermined.

 Has a direct, clear and strong tone.  Has an indirect, weak and subtle tone.

 Examples:  Examples:

 I decorated the hall.  The hall was decorated by me.

 Devi gave Shanthi a gift.  Shanthi was given a gift by Devi.

Rules to be Followed When Converting the Active Voice to the Passive Voice

When converting the active voice into the passive voice or vice versa, there are changes in the
tenses and pronouns used in the sentences.

The table given below shows you how the tenses change when converting the active voice to the
passive voice and vice versa.
Conversion Rules for Active Voice and Passive Voice

Tense Voice Simple Tense Continuous Perfect Tense Perfect

Tense Continuous Tense

Present Active Brendon plays Brendon is playing Brendon has Brendon has been
cricket. cricket. played cricket. playing cricket.

Passive Cricket is Cricket is being Cricket has been No Passive

played by played by played by
Brendon. Brendon. Brendon.

Past Active Brendon played Brendon was Brendon had Brendon had been
cricket. playing cricket. played cricket. playing cricket.

Passive Cricket was Cricket was being Cricket had been No Passive
played by played by played by
Brendon. Brendon. Brendon.

Future Active Brendon will Brendon will be Brendon will Brendon will have
play cricket. playing cricket. have played been playing
cricket. cricket.

Passive Cricket will be No Passive Cricket will have No Passive

played by been played by
Brendon. Brendon.
 Change of Pronouns

Active Voice Passive Voice

I Me

We Us

He Him

She Her

They Them

It It

There are a few other points that you have to know so that you can use the two voices
effectively. They are as follows:

 When converting a sentence in the active voice to the passive voice, the first thing that
you have to do is interchange the subject and the object.
 The next part of speech you have to focus on is the verb. When converting the active
voice into the passive voice, you just have to convert the main verb into its past participle
or its third form. The third form of the main verb is the past participle form of the verb.
 When you are changing the tense of the main verb, make sure you use an auxiliary
verb which maintains the tense the sentence represents.
 Always use the preposition, ‘by’ before the subject in a passive sentence.
 If there are any adverbs used in the sentence with the active voice, be sure to include it in
the passive voice as well. Do not just drop it when you convert a sentence in the active
voice to the passive voice or vice-versa.

Examples of the Active and Passive Voice

Given below are a few examples of how to convert the active voice into the passive voice.

 Active Voice – Twinkle likes adventure stories.

Passive Voice – Adventure stories are liked by Twinkle.

 Active Voice – Latha is learning French this year.

Passive Voice – French is being learnt by Latha this year.

 Active Voice – Kurt has brought macaroons.

Passive Voice – Macaroons have been brought by Kurt.

 Active Voice – Sidharth played cricket.

Passive Voice – Cricket was played by Sidharth.

 Active Voice – They were making invitation cards.

Passive Voice – Invitation cards were being made by them.

 Active Voice – Becky had packed the bags.

Passive Voice – The bags had been packed by Becky.

 Active Voice – Mira will buy the refreshments for the party.
Passive Voice – The refreshments for the party will be bought by Mira.

 Active Voice – Sanjay will have given the forms to all the participants.
Passive Voice – The forms will have been given to all the participants by Sanjay.

Check Your Understanding of the Active Voice and the Passive Voice

Now that you have seen a number of examples and learnt how the conversion is done, try
converting the following sentences as directed.

1. Varun is helping Reshmi. (Change into passive voice)

2. A gift was given to Manassa by me. (Change into active voice)

3. Santana will sing All My Life at the Nationals. (Change into active voice)

4. A mouse was being chased by my cat. (Change into active voice)

5. Naveen loves Praveena. (Change into passive voice)

6. The decorations for the annual day will be done by Emma. (Change into active voice)

7. J. K. Rowling wrote the Harry Potter novels. (Change into passive voice)

8. Ms. Holly will teach Spanish this year. (Change into passive voice)

9. Mike was hit by Nick. (Change into active voice)

10. Naslen is being scolded by his mom. (Change into active voice)

Check out if you did the conversion right from the answers given below.

1. Reshmi is being helped by Varun.

2. I gave Manassa a gift.

3. All My Life will be sung by Santana at the Nationals.

4. My cat was chasing a mouse.

5. Praveena is loved by Naveen.

6. Emma will do the decorations for the annual day.

7. The Harry Potter novels were written by J. K. Rowling.

8. Spanish will be taught by Ms. Holly this year.

9. Nick hit Mike.

10. Naslen’s mom is scolding him.

Frequently Asked Questions on the Active Voice and the Passive Voice
Q1
What is the active voice?

The active voice, in a sentence, denotes that the noun or pronoun that acts as the subject in the
sentence is the doer of the action. In other words, the subject performs the action or acts upon the
verb.
Q2
What is the passive voice?

The passive voice, on the other hand, denotes that the subject is acted upon by the action or verb
in the sentence. It can also be said that the passive voice indicates that the subject in the sentence
is no longer active but passive.
Q3
What is the definition of the active voice?

According to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, the active voice is defined as “the form of a verb
in which the subject is the person or thing that performs the action”, and according to the Collins
Dictionary, the active voice is defined as “a voice of verbs used to indicate that the subject of a
sentence is performing the action or causing the event or process described by the verb.”
Q4
What is the definition of the passive voice?

According to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, the passive voice is defined as “the form of a verb
used when the subject is affected by the action of the verb”, and according to the Collins
Dictionary, the passive voice is “formed using ‘be’ and the past participle of a verb. The subject
of a passive clause does not perform the action expressed by the verb but is affected by it.”
Q5
Give some examples of active voice and passive voice.

Given below are some examples of active and passive voice for your reference.
Active Voice – Twinkle likes adventure stories.
Passive Voice – Adventure stories are liked by Twinkle.
Active Voice – Sidharth played cricket.
Passive Voice – Cricket was played by Sidharth.
Active Voice – Mira will buy the refreshments for the party.
Passive Voice – The refreshments for the party will be bought by Mira.
All you have got to do is be determined and trust yourself and the process. Why wait? Begin
your language learning journey immediately.