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.