Tense, voice and agreement

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शिक्षकों के लिए: Tense, voice and agreement (KS3 English, Grammar & Vocabulary) के लिए इस्तेमाल के लिए तैयार लेसन स्लाइड्स, रिवीज़न नोट्स — इन्हें अपने लेसन में इस्तेमाल करें, या टॉपिक को एक इंटरैक्टिव क्लास एक्टिविटी की तरह चलाएं जिसे आपके शिक्षार्थी लाइव गेम की तरह खेलें।

लेसन नोट्स

What Tense Is

Tense is a grammatical category that expresses time reference.
Tenses are usually shown by specific verb forms and their conjugation patterns.
Tenses generally place an action or state at a time relative to the moment of speaking.
Absolute tense relates time directly to the moment of speaking; relative tense relates it to another point in the past or future.
The pluperfect is a relative tense meaning 'past-in-the-past'.
'Future-in-the-past' is another relative tense construction.

The Main Tenses

The main tenses found in many languages are past, present and future.
Some languages have only two distinct tenses, such as past and nonpast, or future and nonfuture.
Some languages make finer distinctions, such as remote vs recent past, or near vs remote future.
Some languages are tenseless, like most of the Chinese languages, but they still refer to time in other ways.
Dyirbal is an example of a tenseless language.
Arabic, Japanese and English are described as having past and nonpast tenses, where the nonpast covers both present and future times.

Tense and Aspect

Aspect expresses how a state or action relates to time — for example, whether it is seen as a complete event or an ongoing or repeated situation.
Perfective aspect denotes complete events; imperfective aspect denotes ongoing or repeated situations.
A perfect tense may be used for perfective aspect, but the relationship between aspect and tense is not always simple.
Some traditional 'tenses' express time reference together with aspectual information.
In Latin and French, the imperfect denotes past time with imperfective aspect.
The Latin perfect and the French passé composé or passé simple are used for past time reference with perfective aspect.

Tense and Mood

Mood is used to express modality, which includes uncertainty, evidentiality and obligation.
Common moods include the indicative, subjunctive and conditional.
Mood can be bound up with tense, aspect, or both in particular verb forms.
Some languages are analysed as having a single tense–aspect–mood (TAM) system, without separate manifestation of the three categories.
In English, many verb forms and constructions combine time reference with continuous and/or perfect aspect, and with indicative, subjunctive or conditional mood.

Tense Forms and Meaning

A particular tense form need not always carry its basic time-referential meaning.
The historical present is a use of the present tense to refer to past events.
Fake tense is common across languages as a means of marking counterfactuality in conditionals and wishes.

Tense Distinctions Across Languages

Some languages have four or more tenses, making finer distinctions in the past or future.
Kalaw Lagaw Ya of Australia has six tenses: remote past, recent past, today past, present, today/near future and remote future.
Cubeo, an Amazonian language, has a historical past tense, used for events perceived as historical.
Hodiernal tenses refer specifically to 'today'; they can be past or future.
Pre-hodiernal refers to the past before today; post-hodiernal refers to the future after today.
A crastinal tense is a future tense referring specifically to tomorrow; a hesternal tense is a past tense referring specifically to yesterday.
A tense for after tomorrow is called post-crastinal; one for before yesterday is called pre-hesternal.

The Word 'Tense'

The noun tense comes from Old French tens ('time'), from Latin tempus, 'time'.
It is not related to the adjective tense, which comes from Latin tensus, the perfect passive participle of tendere, 'stretch'.

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प्रैक्टिस सवाल

फ्री प्रीव्यू — 53 में से 8 सवाल। सभी देखने के लिए साइन अप करें।

1.Which sentence is written in the future tense?
Easy
- AI will visit my grandmother tomorrow.
- BI visited my grandmother yesterday.
- CI am visiting my grandmother now.
- DI have visited my grandmother many times.
2.Which sentence is in the passive voice?
Easy
- AThe chef cooked the meal.
- BThe meal was cooked by the chef.
- CThe chef is cooking the meal.
- DThe chef has cooked the meal.
3.Choose the correct verb to complete the sentence in Standard English: 'We ___ going to the park later.'
Medium
- Awas
- Bwere
- Cis
- Dam
4.Which sentence uses the subjunctive mood correctly?
Medium
- AI suggest that he goes to the doctor.
- BI suggest that he go to the doctor.
- CI suggest that he went to the doctor.
- DI suggest that he is going to the doctor.
5.Which of the following sentences contain a subject-verb agreement error? (Select all that apply.)
Medium
- AThe list of items is on the desk.
- BThe list of items are on the desk.
- CEach of the students have a book.
- DEach of the students has a book.
- EThe team is playing well.
6.The past perfect tense is used to describe an action that happened before another past action.
Easy
True or false?
7.Match each term with its correct definition.
Medium
- Active voice
- Passive voice
- Subjunctive mood
- The subject performs the action.
- The subject receives the action.
- Used for wishes, suggestions, or hypothetical situations.
8.Arrange these verb forms in chronological order from past to future: 'will eat', 'ate', 'eats', 'had eaten'.
Medium
- had eaten
- ate
- eats
- will eat

और सवाल

9.Is this sentence in active or passive voice?
Medium
- AActive
- BPassive
- CNeither
- DBoth
10.Which of the following sentences keep tense consistent? (Select all that apply.)
Medium
- AShe walked into the room and sat down.
- BHe runs to the shop and bought a paper.
- CThey were singing while the band played.
- DI will finish my homework and watched television.
- EWe had eaten before the guests arrived.
11.Which of the following sentences contain a subject–verb agreement error? (Select all that apply.)
Medium
- AThe box of chocolates were on the table.
- BEach of the players has a water bottle.
- CNeither of the answers are correct.
- DThe news are depressing today.
- EMy trousers is too tight.
12.Match each tense or voice term with the correct example sentence.
Medium
- Past progressive
- Present perfect
- Future perfect
- Passive voice
- I was reading when the phone rang.
- She has finished her essay.
- They will have left by noon.
- The window was broken by the storm.
13.Arrange these verb forms in chronological order from earliest to latest time reference.
Medium
- had eaten
- ate
- eats
- will eat
14.Arrange these steps to change 'The dog chased the cat' into the passive voice.
Medium
- Identify the object of the active sentence: 'the cat'.
- Make the object the subject of the passive sentence.
- Add the correct form of 'be' plus the past participle of the main verb: 'was chased'.
- Add 'by' + the original subject if needed: 'by the dog'.
15.In Standard English, 'we was' is an acceptable past tense form of 'be'.
Easy
True or false?
16.The passive voice always makes writing clearer and more direct than the active voice.
Easy
True or false?
17.Which sentence is written in the passive voice?
Medium
- AThe chef cooked a delicious meal.
- BA delicious meal was cooked by the chef.
- CThe chef was cooking a delicious meal.
- DThe chef has cooked a delicious meal.
18.Choose the correct verb to complete the sentence in Standard English: 'We ___ waiting for the bus when it started to rain.'
Medium
- Awas
- Bwere
- Cis
- Dbe
19.Which sentence correctly uses the present perfect tense?
Medium
- AShe has finished her homework.
- BShe finished her homework yesterday.
- CShe is finishing her homework.
- DShe will finish her homework.
20.Which sentence correctly uses the subjunctive mood?
Medium
- AI wish I was taller.
- BI wish I were taller.
- CI wish I am taller.
- DI wish I be taller.
21.Read this short extract: 'By the time the fire crew arrived, the whole barn had collapsed.' Which statement best describes the time relationship between the two events?
Medium
- AThe barn collapsed before the fire crew arrived.
- BThe barn collapsed after the fire crew arrived.
- CThe barn was still collapsing as the fire crew arrived.
- DThe barn will collapse after the fire crew arrives.
22.Read this short extract: 'The experiment was repeated three times by the students.' What is the effect of using the passive voice here?
Medium
- AIt emphasises the students as the most important agents.
- BIt shifts attention onto the experiment and the fact that it was repeated.
- CIt shows that the repeating happened in the future.
- DIt makes the sentence informal and conversational.
23.Read this short extract: 'The river runs through the valley.' Which tense is the verb 'runs' in?
Medium
- APast
- BPresent
- CFuture
- DPast perfect
24.Read this short extract: 'If I were the headteacher, I would cancel the tests.' Why is 'were' used rather than 'was'?
Hard
- ABecause 'were' is the past tense of 'are'.
- BBecause the sentence is in the passive voice.
- CBecause the subjunctive mood is used to express an unreal or hypothetical condition.
- DBecause 'I' always takes 'were' in Standard English.
25.Read this short extract: 'The choir sings beautifully.' Is the sentence in the active or passive voice?
Medium
- AActive
- BPassive
- CNeither
- DBoth
26.Read this short extract: 'She had finished her homework before she went out to play.' Which of the following statements are true? (Select all that apply.)
Medium
- AThe sentence contains a past perfect verb form.
- BThe sentence contains a future tense verb form.
- CThe sentence is in the passive voice.
- DThe action of finishing happened before the action of going out.
- EThe sentence contains a present tense verb form.
27.In the sentence 'They was late for the meeting', the verb 'was' agrees with the subject 'They'.
Easy
True or false?
28.Match each short extract with the grammatical feature it illustrates.
Medium
- The cake was eaten by the children.
- She had already left when I arrived.
- If I were you, I would apologise.
- Passive voice
- Past perfect tense
- Subjunctive mood
29.Arrange these steps in the correct order to change the active sentence 'The dog chased the cat' into the passive voice.
Medium
- Identify the object of the active sentence: 'the cat'.
- Make the object the subject of the passive sentence.
- Change the verb to its past participle form: 'chased'.
- Add the correct form of 'to be' before the past participle: 'was chased'.
- Add 'by' + the original subject if needed: 'by the dog'.
30.Which word class does the word 'quickly' belong to?
Easy
- Aadverb
- Badjective
- Cnoun
- Dverb
31.In the sentence 'The old bridge collapsed suddenly', which word is the verb?
Easy
- Acollapsed
- Bold
- Cbridge
- Dsuddenly
32.Which sentence is written in the present progressive tense?
Medium
- AShe is reading a book.
- BShe reads a book.
- CShe read a book.
- DShe has read a book.
33.Which sentence correctly uses the past progressive tense?
Medium
- AThey were playing football when it started to rain.
- BThey played football when it started to rain.
- CThey have played football when it started to rain.
- DThey play football when it started to rain.
34.Which sentence contains a subject–verb agreement error?
Medium
- AThe list of items are on the desk.
- BThe list of items is on the desk.
- CThe items on the list are on the desk.
- DThe item on the list is on the desk.
35.Which sentence keeps tense consistent?
Medium
- AShe walked to the shop and bought some milk.
- BShe walks to the shop and bought some milk.
- CShe walked to the shop and buys some milk.
- DShe will walk to the shop and bought some milk.
36.Read this short extract: 'By the time the fire crew arrived, the whole barn had collapsed.' Which statement best describes the time relationship between the two actions?
Hard
- AThe barn collapsed before the fire crew arrived.
- BThe barn collapsed after the fire crew arrived.
- CThe barn collapsed at the same time as the fire crew arrived.
- DThe barn collapsed while the fire crew was arriving.
37.Match each grammatical term with the correct definition.
Medium
- Tense
- Aspect
- Mood
- Pluperfect
- A category expressing time reference
- How a state or action relates to time, e.g. complete or ongoing
- A category expressing modality such as uncertainty or obligation
- A relative tense meaning 'past-in-the-past'
38.Which of the following statements about tense are correct? (Select all that apply.)
Medium
- ATense is a grammatical category that expresses time reference.
- BAll languages have exactly three tenses: past, present and future.
- CSome languages have only two tenses, such as past and nonpast.
- DTense is always shown by adding '-ed' to a verb.
- EThe historical present is a use of the present tense to refer to past events.
39.Arrange these stages of a tense–aspect–mood system from the broadest category to the most specific example.
Medium
- The tense–aspect–mood system as a whole
- The category of tense
- The past tense
- The pluperfect (past-in-the-past)
40.Which sentence correctly uses the past perfect tense?
Medium
- AShe had finished her homework before she went out to play.
- BShe has finished her homework before she went out to play.
- CShe finished her homework before she had gone out to play.
- DShe was finishing her homework before she went out to play.
41.What is the term for the grammatical category that expresses time reference?
Easy
42.Complete the sentence with the correct form of the verb in brackets. Use the present perfect tense.
Medium
She ____ (finish) her homework already.
43.Complete the sentence with the correct form of the verb in brackets. Use the past perfect tense.
Medium
By the time we arrived, the film ____ already ____. (start)
44.Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in brackets. Use the present perfect tense.
Easy
She ____ (finish) her homework. They ____ (live) here for ten years.
45.Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in brackets. Use the past perfect tense.
Medium
By the time we arrived, the film ____ (start). He ____ (not eat) before the meeting.
46.What is the term for the past-in-the-past tense, used to describe an action that happened before another past action?
Medium
47.Read this short extract: 'The keys have been lost.' What is the term for the grammatical voice used in this sentence?
Easy
48.Read this short extract: 'The team ___ (to play) well yesterday, but today they ___ (to play) badly.' Complete the sentence with the correct form of the verb in brackets to keep the tenses consistent with the time words.
Medium
The team ____ well yesterday, but today they ____ badly.
49.Explain why a writer might choose to use the passive voice instead of the active voice. Give a reason.
Hard
50.Rewrite the sentence in the passive voice. Write only the rewritten sentence.
Medium
51.Explain why a writer might choose the passive voice instead of the active voice. Give one reason.
Medium
52.Explain the difference between the active and passive voice, using an example to illustrate each.
Hard
53.Read this short extract: 'The window was broken by the storm.' Explain why a writer might choose the passive voice in this sentence rather than the active voice. Give one reason.
Hard

रिवीज़न नोट्स

## Tense, Voice and Agreement — KS3 Revision ### Tense **Tense** is a category that expresses **time reference**. Tenses are usually shown by specific verb forms, especially conjugation patterns. The main tenses are **past, present and future**. Tenses generally express time relative to the moment of speaking. - **Progressive** forms show an ongoing action: *she was reading*. - **Perfect** forms link times: *I have finished* (present perfect); *they had left* (past perfect, the "past-in-the-past"). - **Relative tense** places an action relative to a point in the past or future set up in the discourse, not to the moment of speaking. - **Historical present**: the present tense used to refer to past events. - **Fake tense** marks counterfactuality in conditionals and wishes. **Keep tense consistent** within a passage unless there is a clear reason to shift. ### Voice - **Active voice**: the subject performs the action — *The dog chased the cat*. - **Passive voice**: the subject receives the action — *The cat was chased by the dog*. Writers choose the passive to focus on the receiver of the action, when the doer is unknown or unimportant, or for a formal, impersonal tone. Choose the active for directness and clarity. ### Subject–verb agreement A verb must agree with its subject in number and person. - Singular subject → singular verb: *she writes*. - Plural subject → plural verb: *they write*. ### Standard English verb forms Use Standard English in formal writing: - **we were**, not *we was* - **they were**, not *they was* - **I did**, not *I done* - **I have seen**, not *I seen* ### The subjunctive Use the **subjunctive** in formal writing for wishes, demands and hypothetical situations: - *I wish I **were** taller.* - *If I **were** you…* - *The teacher insisted that he **be** on time.* ### Key exam reminders - Match verb to subject every time. - Keep tense consistent. - Choose active or passive deliberately. - Use Standard English forms. - Use the subjunctive in formal contexts.

Tense: A category that expresses time reference, usually shown by specific verb forms, particularly conjugation patterns.
Progressive: A verb form showing an ongoing action, e.g. she was reading.
Perfect: A verb form linking times, e.g. I have finished (present perfect); they had left (past perfect).
Relative tense: Tense whose meaning is relativized to a point in the past or future established in the discourse, rather than to the moment of speaking.
Pluperfect: The 'past-in-the-past' tense, e.g. they had left.
Historical present: The use of the present tense to refer to past events.
Fake tense: A phenomenon common crosslinguistically as a means of marking counterfactuality in conditionals and wishes.
Active voice: The subject performs the action, e.g. The dog chased the cat.
Passive voice: The subject receives the action, e.g. The cat was chased by the dog.
Subject–verb agreement: The verb must match its subject in number and person.
Standard English: The accepted formal form of English, e.g. we were (not we was).
Subjunctive: A mood used in formal writing for wishes, demands and hypothetical situations, e.g. I wish I were taller.

फ्लैशकार्ड

What does grammatical tense express?

Tense expresses time reference, generally placing a state or action at a time relative to the moment of speaking.

Name the three main tenses found in many languages.

Past, present and future.

What is relative tense?

Tense whose meaning is fixed relative to a point in the past or future established in the discourse, rather than to the moment of speaking.

Give two examples of relative tense constructions.

The pluperfect ('past-in-the-past') and the 'future-in-the-past'.

What is the pluperfect sometimes called, and what does it show?

The 'past-in-the-past'; it shows an action that happened before another past point in the discourse.

What does the category of aspect express?

How a state or action relates to time — whether it is seen as a complete event, or an ongoing or repeated situation.

Contrast perfective and imperfective aspect.

Perfective aspect denotes complete events; imperfective aspect denotes ongoing or repeated situations.

What does the category of mood express?

Modality, which includes properties such as uncertainty, evidentiality and obligation.

Name three commonly encountered moods.

The indicative, the subjunctive and the conditional.

What is a tense–aspect–mood (TAM) system?

A system in which tense, aspect and mood are not manifested separately but are bound up together in particular verb forms.

What is the historical present?

A use of the present tense to refer to past events.

What is 'fake tense'?

A crosslinguistically common phenomenon in which tense forms mark counterfactuality in conditionals and wishes rather than basic time reference.

What is a tenseless language, and give an example?

A language with no grammatical tense category; Dyirbal is one, and most Chinese languages are also tenseless.

Which two tenses do languages such as Arabic, Japanese and English have?

Past and nonpast — the nonpast covers both present and future times.

Which two tenses do languages such as Greenlandic, Quechua and Nivkh have?

Future and nonfuture.

What are hodiernal tenses?

Tenses that refer specifically to 'today'; they can be either past or future.

What is a crastinal tense, and what is a hesternal tense?

A crastinal tense is a future tense referring specifically to tomorrow; a hesternal tense is a past tense referring specifically to yesterday.

Where does the noun 'tense' come from?

From Old French tens 'time', from Latin tempus 'time'. It is not related to the adjective 'tense', which comes from Latin tensus, 'stretched'.

Why is the term 'tense' sometimes used loosely in less formal contexts?

Because it is often applied to any combination of tense proper, aspect and mood, not just time reference.

In Latin and French, what does the imperfect denote?

Past time combined with imperfective aspect.

Which Latin and French forms are used for past time with perfective aspect?

The Latin perfect, and the French passé composé or passé simple.

What is a historical past tense, and which language has one?

A tense used for events perceived as historical; the Amazonian Cubeo language has one.

Which language has six tenses, and what are they?

Kalaw Lagaw Ya of Australia: remote past, recent past, today past, present, today/near future and remote future.

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