Tenses 2

THE CONDITIONAL TENSE
A conditional tense is a verb
tense which indicates that
a state of being or an
action depends on the
occurrence of a condition.
The conditional tense can
be formed with the use of
an auxiliary verb “would”.
Hence, the action is a suitable step ahead.
There are four ways in which
a conditional tense is used in sentences.
A conditional tense is used
to indicate the outcome of
an already known situation/
condition in the ongoing present.
Examples:
Incorrect: If the colour yellow
were mixed with blue, it becomes green.
Correct: If the colour yellow
is mixed with blue, it becomes green.
Incorrect: Whenever people will
buy something from a shopkeeper
, they give cash in return.
Correct: Whenever people buy
something from a shopkeeper,
they give cash in return.
The conditional in the above
examples has two different verb
groups: the condition in the
first part, “If the colour
yellow is mixed with blue”
and the result, “it becomes green”.
Both the groups assume the
simple present tense and at
the same time they also
indicate universality.
A conditional tense is used to assert
the outcome of an expected
or a possible condition in the future
the outcome of an ordinary
condition in a continuing present.
Examples:
Incorrect: If an earthquake takes
place, there is loss of life
and property.
Correct: If an earthquake
takes place, there will be
loss of life and property.
Incorrect: If she studies well
, her mother gifts her a video game.
Correct: If she studies well
, her mother will gift her
a video game.
In the above examples,
there is a conditional
verb group and expression of
universality. However, there is
an implication of choice in the
consequence which necessitates
the use of the modal “will”.
Modals are verbs in the English
language which behave irregularly.
“Will” can also be substituted
with different first dimension
modals like “dare”, “shall”, “may”, “can” etc.
Examples:
If you tell the truth, I
may/shall/can/dare forgive you.
If you are brave enough,
you may/shall/can/dare strike back.
A conditional tense is used
to indicate results for:
Condition in the present
that is as yet unreal or unknown.
Condition that is not expected in future.
Examples:
Incorrect: If Minal was
performing on stage today, you
would find her name in the participants’ list.
Correct: If Minal were
performing on stage today,
you would find her name in the
participants’ list.
Incorrect: If she were so rich
she will be staying in a bungalow.
Correct: If she were so rich
she would be staying in a bungalow.
Incorrect: If she asks you
to forgive her, what would you do?
Correct: If she asked you to
forgive her, what would you do?
In the above examples, both
the verb groups have stepped
back in accordance with
Standard English tense rules.
The sentence still indicates
a future time or a present
time but the simple present
tense turns into a simple
past tense.
A conditional tense is used
to indicate results for a
condition in the past which was never true.
Examples:
Incorrect: If you had told me,
I will help you.
Correct: If you had told me,
I would have helped you.
Incorrect: If my father was with me
today, I would have felt better.
Correct: If my father had been with
me today, I would have felt better.
• Incorrect: If I was marrying
Mr. Das, I would have been recognised as Mrs. Das.
Correct: If I had married Mr. Das
, I would have been recognised as Mrs. Das.
In the above examples, the verb
form moves further back in
order to connect two events
that did not take place in
the past.
VERBS THAT CONFUSE (IRREGULAR VERBS)
Certain verbs like to lie, to
fly, to blow have confusing verb forms.
Examples:
I lie to my mother every day.
I lied to my mother yesterday.
I lie on the sofa to watch TV.
I lay the napkin on the table.
I lay on the beach yesterday.
The model of the bungalow was laid on the table.
I cut the cloth in two parts today.
I cut the cloth and threw it away.
The minister has cut the ribbon.
I blow a whistle.
I blew a whistle.
I have blown a whistle.
Following is the list of the
verb forms which indicates
which verb form is used in
a particular sentence.
Infinitive (To + verb) Simple Past
Past Participle(verb form -d/ -t /-en/ n)
Arise Arose Arisen
Awake Awoke Awoken
Become Became Become
Begin Began Begun
Bleed Bled Bled
Choose Chose Chosen
Come Came Come
Do Did Done
Drink Drank Drunk
Eat Ate Eaten
Flee Fled Fled
Fly Flew Flown
Freeze Froze Frozen
Give Gave Given
Hang (thing) Hung Hung
Hang (person) Hanged Hanged
Know Knew Known
Lie (rest) Lay Lain
Lie (tell stories) Lied Lied
Put Put Put
Rise Rose Risen
Shake Shook Shaken
Sing Sang Sung
Speak Spoke Spoken
Spring Sprang Sprung
Swim Swam Swum
Take Took Taken
Tear Tore Torn
Wake Woke/Waken Waked/Woken
Write Wrote written

Tenses

Contents
1. TENSE SEQUENCE
2. THE CONDITIONAL TENSE
3. VERBS THAT CONFUSE (IRREGULAR VERBS)
Tense Errors
________________________________________

Tense indicates the time wherein
a verb is located. A change
in the tense brings about a change
in the verb form. A tense also
indicates the “state” of the verb
in a particular sentence.
ACTIVE VOICE
TENSE PRESENT PAST FUTURE
Simple I watch I watched I shall watch
Continuous/Progressive I am watching I was watching I shall be watching
Perfect I have watched I had watched I shall have watched
Perfect Continuous/Progressive I have been watching I had been watching I shall have been watching
PASSIVE VOICE
TENSE PRESENT PAST FUTURE
Simple I am watched I was watched I shall be watched
Continuous/Progressive I am being watched I was being watched N/A
Perfect I have been watched I had been watched I shall have been watched
Perfect Continuous/Progressive N/A N/A N/A






1. TENSE SEQUENCE
The tense sequence refers to the
structure of a sentence where
the tense of a verb in a
dependent clause goes along
with a verb in the main clause.
1. If the main clause is
stated in the past tense, the
following subordinate clause also
assumes a past tense.
Examples:
• Incorrect: Mary said that
she wishes to leave.
Correct: Mary said that she
wished to leave.
• Incorrect: The doctor
said that my mother is weak.
Correct: The doctor said that
my mother was weak.
Exceptions:
Even if the main clause is
stated in a past tense,
the subordinate clause need
not assume a past tense in
the following cases.
1. If the subordinate
clause states a universal
truth, it assumes a present tense.
Examples:
• Incorrect: My teacher
said that innumerable objects
floated in space.
Correct: My teacher said that
innumerable objects float in space.
• Incorrect: Brad told
me that Lord Shiva was
the name of a Hindu deity.
Correct: Brad told me
that Lord Shiva is
the name of a Hindu deity.
• Incorrect: Tina
understood that the
pen was mightier than the sword.
Correct: Tina understood
that the pen is mightier
than the sword.
2. In case “than” introduces
the subordinate clause, the
subordinate clause assumes
any tense called for by the
sense of the clause/sentence.
Examples:
• She loved you more
than she loves her sister.
• Suzy cooked better
than she usually cooks.
• Ravi was richer then,
than he is at present.
2. When the main clause
is stated in a present tense
or a future tense, the
subordinate clause assumes
any tense called for by
the sense of the clause/sentence.
Examples:
• Mary thinks that Ravi
likes her. (Present)
• Mary thinks that Ravi
liked her. (Past)
• Mary thinks that Ravi
will like her. (Future)
• Smita will think that
Sam lies to her/lied to her/
will lie to her.
Exception:
In a sentence where the
subordinate clause indicates
purpose, if the main clause
is stated in present or
future tense, the subordinate
clause assumes a present tense.
Examples:
I work so that I may earn money.
I will adopt this child so
that he may have his own house.

4th feb

Criteria’ is a plural form of ‘criterion’ which assumes a singular verb “is”.
The correct sentence is ‘The criterion for the contest is not specified / The criteria for the contest are not specified.’


As the pronoun is the object of the verb, we have to use “whom”. “Who” is used when the pronoun is the subject of the verb.
The correct sentence is - I am not sure whom you hate.

Mrs. Simons said that only 29 percent of the earth consisted of land.


If the subordinate clause states a universal truth, it assumes a present tense. ‘Consisted’ is past tense.
The correct sentence is, ‘ Mrs. Simon said that only 29 percent of the earth consists of land’.



The soldiers said that they will be ready for the attack.

If the main clause is stated in the past tense, the following subordinate clause assumes a conditional past tense. ‘Will be’ is future tense which has to be turned into a conditional ‘would be’.
The correct sentence is ‘The soldiers said that they would be ready for the attack’.




I study hard so that I scored good grades.


A sentence wherein the subordinate clause indicates purpose, if the main clause is stated in present or future tense, the subordinate clause assumes a present tense. Here, the purpose is to score good grades.
Hence the correct sentence is, ‘I study hard so that I may score good grades’.


The teacher said that she is happy with Sam’s results.


If the main clause is stated in the past tense, the following subordinate clause also assumes a past tense. ‘Is’ is simple present tense which has to be turned into past tense ‘was’.
The correct sentence is, ‘The teacher said that she was happy with Sam’s results’.

Noun Pronoun

I am not sure who you hate.

As the pronoun is the object of the verb, we have to use “whom”. “Who” is used when the pronoun is the subject of the verb.
The correct sentence is - I am not sure whom you hate.


The criteria for the contest is not specified.


‘Criteria’ is a plural form of ‘criterion’ which assumes a singular verb “is”.
The correct sentence is ‘The criterion for the contest is not specified / The criteria for the contest are not specified.’

8 oct

Sensous vs sensual

“Sensuous” implies ‘gratification of the senses for the sake of aesthetic pleasure’; the sensuous delights of great music.
“Sensual” tends to imply ‘the gratification of the senses or the indulgence of the physical appetites as ends in themselves’.

Luxurious vs voluptous

“ Luxurious” suggests the ‘providing of or indulgence of sensuous pleasure inducing bodily ease and languor’; a luxurious hotel.
“Voluptuous” implies ‘more strongly abandonment especially to sensual pleasure’; a voluptuous feast.

Veracious vs voracious

“Veracious” is ‘truthful, honest or accurate’.
“Voracious” means ‘ravenous or having a huge appetite’ and is the correct word in this context.

Tertiary vs ternary

‘Ternary’ is ‘based on the number three’.

‘Tertiary’ means ‘third in place, order, degree, or rank’. Here, we want to express a number system based on the number three.

Premier vs Premiere

“Premier” (adj) means ‘first in rank’

“Premiere” as a noun means ‘first performance’.

8 oct

punitive


Presently / Currently
comprises (A) / consists (B)
confidant (A) / confident (B)
Despite (A) / In spite (B)
dinning (A) / dining (B)



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demure and demur. The difference of the final “silent” E is critical not only to the pronunciation but to the meanings of these two words. Demure is pronounced [de-myure] while demur is pronounced [duh-murr]. Big difference there.

Demure, of course, is an adjective meaning, roughly, “coyly shy”. If someone asks you whether you know something about a topic on which you happen to be an expert, a demure reply is appropriate: “Do you know anything about words?” “A little,” would be a demure reply from a lexicographer or lexicologist.

The verb means to show reluctance in doing something, to hold back or hesitate in an open-ended fashion. You would (I hope) demur from sharing the password to your online bank account with anyone.

I exemplified the disparity between this word and demur with a comment about one of my favorite co-diners, Cherry Pitt: “Cherry Pitt demurred from the offer of a second dessert, waiting until asked a second time, at which point she demurely accepted.”

It just occurred to me that the difference between a lexicographer and a lexicologist might make an interesting note. I won’t devote a whole essay to the topic but just say here that a lexicographer is someone who compiles dictionaries while a lexicologist is someone who scientifically (linguistically) studies the nature of words in the mental lexicon.


How to use Affect

Affect is commonly used as a verb. Unless your topic is psychology, you will rarely need to use affect as a noun.
Typically, when people want to say that one thing has had an impact on another, they will use the verb affect.

For example:

* It’s hard to say how the price of gasoline will affect the economy in the long run.
* Growing up with three older sisters affected me greatly as a person.
* When someone affects you strongly, you may develop affection for them. (Notice in this example that the root of affection is affect.)

How to use Effect

Effect is almost always used as a noun. Typically, when people talk about causes, they also talk about effects. An effect is what is created by some cause. Here are some examples of effect being used as a noun that means “the result of a cause”:

* It’s hard to say what effect the rising price of gasoline will have on the world economy.
* One undesirable effect of not wearing shoes is getting really dirty feet.
* The hurricane caused many tragedies, and the victims are still feeling its effects.
* However, it can also be used as a verb, meaning to bring about, as in her actions effected a change in the situation.


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