Forms Of The Tenses

The forms of a tense may be expressed in different ways. There are three forms of tenses, the common, the progressive, and the emphatic.

Common Form:

1. The earth moves.

2. The boy studied.

The common form of tenses is expressed in the above sentences.

Progressive Form:

1. I am writing.

2. I was reading when you came in.

The progressive form of tenses is expressed in the above sentences, and represents an act or state as continuing at the time referred to.

Emphatic Form:

1. I do work.

2. I did read an entire hour.

The emphatic form of tenses is expressed by the above sentences, and expresses an act or state with positiveness. Do or did help to make the emphatic forms of tenses.

1. I did not see you yesterday.

2. He did not arrive as we expected.

Do and did do not render negative propositions emphatic, but simply make them more exact by inclosing the negative adverb within the parts of the verb.

1. Did you receive the book that I sent?

2. Know you the people?

3. Have you spoken with the gentleman?

We see from the above sentences that a sentence may be made interrogative by placing the verb or some part of it before the subject.

Give the tenses of the verbs in the following sentences:

1. The governor is in town to-day, but he will leave to-night at eight o'clock.

2. You are now where you stood fifty years ago this very hour, with your brothers, and your neighbors, shoulder to shoulder, in the strife for your country.

3. Those who survived that day, and whose lives have been prolonged to the present hour, are now around you.

4. Some of them you have known in the trying scenes of war.

5. And when you shall here have exchanged your embraces, when you shall have once more pressed the hands which have been so often extended to give succor in adversity, then look abroad upon this lovely land which your young valor defended.

6. He had now entered the outskirts of the village.

7. There were rows of houses which he had never seen before, and those which had been his familiar haunts had disappeared.

8. Then all the people looked and saw that what the deep-sighted poet said was true.

9. I hope you will enjoy your vacation.

10. We are reading Emerson's "Behavior," and find that it will be all or more than we can master.

11. I do believe you, my boy; for you have always shown an honest, manly spirit.

12. Have the times so changed, that merit cannot win without influence?