Mixed tenses are used when we want to describe actions or events that occur at different times. They involve using two or more tenses in the same sentence to convey a specific meaning. The use of mixed tenses can be tricky, but with practice, you can master them.

Example

When I was walking home yesterday, I saw a bird fly into a window and heard a loud noise.

In this sentence, the speaker uses the past continuous tense (“was walking”), the simple past tense (“saw”), and the simple past tense with the present tense verb (“fly”) to describe what happened in the past.

examples of narrative tenses

Sure, here are some examples of narrative tenses being used in English:

Simple past tense “He walked down the street and saw a strange man lurking in the shadows.”

Past continuous tense “She was studying for her exam when the power went out.”

Past perfect tense: “By the time she arrived at the party, everyone had already left.”

Past perfect continuous tense: “They had been working on the project for hours when the boss finally came to check on their progress.”

Simple present tense (for the historical present): “The king walks into the throne room and addresses his subjects.”

Present continuous tense (for future events): “I am leaving for vacation next week and I am already packing my bags.”

These are just a few examples, but narrative tenses can be used in a variety of ways to convey the appropriate time frame and mood for a story.

Conditional Tenses

Conditional tenses are used to describe events or actions that are dependent on certain conditions. There are four types of conditional tenses in English grammar.

Zero Conditional:

The zero conditional tenses is used to describe general truths and things that always happen when certain conditions are met. It is formed by using the present tense for both the condition and the result.

Example: If you heat water to 100 degrees, it boils.

First Conditional:

The first conditional tense is used to describe events or actions that are likely to happen in the future if a certain condition is met. It is formed by using the present tense for the condition and the future tense for the result.

Example: If it rains tomorrow, I will stay inside.

Second Conditional:

The second conditional tense is used to describe events or actions that are unlikely to happen in the future if a certain condition is met. It is formed by using the past tense for the condition and the present conditional tense for the result.

Example: If I won the lottery, I would travel the world.

Third Conditional:

The third conditional tense is used to describe events or actions that did not happen in the past because a certain condition was not met. It is formed by using the past perfect tense for the condition and the past conditional tense for the result.

Example: If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam.

Conditional tenses

Conditional tenses in English grammar are used to express hypothetical or imagined situations. There are four types of conditional tenses: zero, first, second, and third.

Zero Conditional: This conditional tense is used to talk about general truths and facts that are always true. The verb tense used is present simple in both the if-clause and the main clause.

Example: If it rains, the ground gets wet. (This is always true)

First Conditional: This conditional tense is used to talk about a possible future condition and its probable result. The verb tense used is present simple in the if-clause and future simple (will + base form of verb) in the main clause.

Example: If I study hard, I will pass the exam. (The possibility of passing the exam depends on studying hard)

Second Conditional: This conditional tense is used to talk about an unlikely or impossible condition and its imaginary result. The verb tense used is past simple in the if-clause and would + base form of verb in the main clause.

Example: If I had a million dollars, I would travel the world. (The condition is unlikely, but if it were true, the speaker would travel the world)

Third Conditional: This conditional tense is used to talk about a hypothetical past condition and its imagined result. The verb tense used is past perfect in the if-clause and would have + past participle in the main clause.

Example: If she had studied harder, she would have passed the test. (The condition is in the past and cannot be changed, but if it had been different, the result would also have been different)

Overall, conditional tenses allow speakers and writers to express ideas about possibilities, probabilities, and hypothetical situations.

Imperative tenses

Imperative tenses in English grammar are used to give commands or make requests. Unlike other tenses, imperatives do not use a subject, and the verb form used is the base form (infinitive) without “to”.

The affirmative imperative is used to give a direct command or order.

Example: “Close the door.”

The negative imperative is used to forbid or prohibit an action. It is formed by adding “do not” or “don’t” before the base form of the verb.

Example: “Don’t touch that!”

Imperatives can also be used to make requests or give advice in a more polite way. This is known as the polite imperative, and it is formed by using “please” before the verb.

Example: “Please pass the salt.”

Another form of the imperative is the let’s-imperative, which is used to make a suggestion or give an invitation. It is formed by using “let’s” followed by the base form of the verb.

Example: “Let’s go to the beach.”

Overall, imperative tenses are an important aspect of communication as they allow speakers and writers to give commands, make requests, and provide suggestions or invitations in a concise and direct way.

Sequence of Tenses

The sequence of tenses is the order in which tenses are used in a sentence when reporting what someone else said. The sequence of tenses is important because it impacts verb agreement.

Example: She said, “I am going to the store.”

When reporting this statement, we would say: She said she was going to the store.

In this sentence, “am” changes to “was” because it is being reported in the past tense. This is an example of proper sequence of tenses.

The sequence of Tenses:

The sequence of tenses is the order in which tenses are used in a sentence when reporting what someone else said. The sequence of tenses is important because it impacts verb agreement.

Example: She said, “I am going to the store.”

When reporting this statement, we would say: She said she was going to the store.

In this sentence, “am” changes to “was” because it is being reported in the past tense. This is an example of proper sequence of tenses.

In conclusion, understanding mixed tenses, conditional tenses, and the sequence of tenses is crucial for effective communication in English. By mastering these concepts, you can communicate your thoughts and ideas accurately and clearly.

Subjunctive tenses.

Subjunctive tenses are used to express hypothetical situations, wishes, suggestions, and doubts. In English, the subjunctive mood is mainly used in formal writing and speech, as well as in certain fixed expressions and phrases.

The present subjunctive is formed by using the base form of the verb, without “s” or “es” for the third person singular. It is commonly used to express hypothetical situations, wishes, and suggestions.

Example: “I suggest that he arrive early.”

The past subjunctive is also known as the “were” subjunctive because it uses “were” instead of “was” in all persons. It is mainly used to express hypothetical or contrary-to-fact situations in the past.

Example: “If I were you, I would have told the truth.”

The subjunctive is also used in certain expressions, such as “God bless you,” “long live the queen,” and “be that as it may.”

In addition, the subjunctive can be used to express doubts, wishes, and emotions.

Example: “I wish I could speak French fluently.”

Overall, subjunctive tenses add a level of complexity and nuance to communication by allowing speakers and writers to express hypothetical situations, doubts, and wishes in a more subtle and sophisticated way.

Irregular Verbs:

Irregular verbs in English do not follow the typical pattern of adding -ed to form the past tense. Instead, they have unique forms that must be memorized. Examples of irregular verbs include “go” (went), “eat” (ate), and “run” (ran).

Irregular verbs are used in the same way as regular verbs in different tenses, but their forms change. For example:

• Present tense: I go to the gym every day.
• Past tense: I went to the gym yesterday.

Tense Agreement:

Tense agreement in English grammar refers to the relationship between the subject and the verb in a sentence. The verb must agree in tense with the subject. For example, if the subject is in the present tense, the verb should also be in the present tense.

Examples:

• She is eating breakfast. (present tense subject and verb agreement)
• They were walking in the park. (past tense subject and verb agreement)

Common Errors in Tense Agreement and How to Avoid Them:

One common error in tense agreement is mixing different tenses within the same sentence. This can create confusion and make the sentence difficult to understand. To avoid this, ensure that the subject and verb are in the same tense.

Example of incorrect tense agreement: She is eating breakfast, and then she will go for a walk.

Example of correct tense agreement: She is eating breakfast, and then she goes for a walk.

Another common error is using the wrong form of the verb for irregular verbs. Irregular verbs have unique past and past participle forms, which can be easily confused with each other. To avoid this, memorize the different forms of irregular verbs and use them correctly in the appropriate tense.

Example of incorrect tense agreement: Yesterday, he run 10 miles.

Example of correct tense agreement: Yesterday, he ran 10 miles.

In conclusion, understanding irregular verbs and tense agreement is crucial for effective communication in English. By avoiding common errors in tense agreement and using the correct forms of irregular verbs, we can ensure clear and accurate communication in our speaking and writing.

Understanding Tenses for Different Functions

Narrative tenses

Narrative tenses are used to tell stories and describe past events. There are four main narrative tenses in English grammar – the past simple, past continuous, past perfect, and past perfect continuous. The past simple is used to describe completed actions in the past, the past continuous is used to describe actions that were in progress at a specific point in the past, the past perfect is used to describe an action that happened before another action in the past, and the past perfect continuous is used to describe an action that was ongoing before another action in the past.

Simple past tense: “He walked down the street and saw a strange man lurking in the shadows.”

Past continuous tense: “She was studying for her exam when the power went out.”

Past perfect tense: “By the time she arrived at the party, everyone had already left.”

Past perfect continuous tense: “They had been working on the project for hours when the boss finally came to check on their progress.”

Simple present tense (for historical present): “The king walks into the throne room and addresses his subjects.”

Present continuous tense (for future events): “I am leaving for vacation next week and I am already packing my bags.”

These are just a few examples, but narrative tenses can be used in a variety of ways to convey the appropriate time frame and mood for a story.

Conditional tenses

Conditional Tenses: Conditional tenses are used to talk about hypothetical or imaginary situations and their consequences. There are four main conditional tenses in English grammar – the zero conditional, first conditional, second conditional, and third conditional. The zero conditional is used to describe real or factual situations, the first conditional is used to talk about possible or likely situations in the future, the second conditional is used to talk about imaginary or unlikely situations in the present or future, and the third conditional is used to talk about past hypothetical situations and their consequences.

Conditional tenses in English grammar are used to express hypothetical or imagined situations. There are four types of conditional tenses: zero, first, second, and third.

Zero Conditional: This conditional tense is used to talk about general truths and facts that are always true. The verb tense used is present simple in both the if-clause and the main clause.

Example: If it rains, the ground gets wet. (This is always true)

First Conditional: This conditional tense is used to talk about a possible future condition and its probable result. The verb tense used is present simple in the if-clause and future simple (will + base form of verb) in the main clause.

Example: If I study hard, I will pass the exam. (The possibility of passing the exam depends on studying hard)

Second Conditional: This conditional tense is used to talk about an unlikely or impossible condition and its imaginary result. The verb tense used is past simple in the if-clause and would + base form of verb in the main clause.

Example: If I had a million dollars, I would travel the world. (The condition is unlikely, but if it were true, the speaker would travel the world)

Third Conditional: This conditional tense is used to talk about a hypothetical past condition and its imagined result. The verb tense used is past perfect in the if-clause and would have + past participle in the main clause.

Example: If she had studied harder, she would have passed the test. (The condition is in the past and cannot be changed, but if it had been different, the result would also have been different)

Overall, conditional tenses allow speakers and writers to express ideas about possibilities, probabilities, and hypothetical situations.

Imperative tenses

Imperative Tenses: Imperative tenses are used to give commands, instructions or make requests. The imperative form of a verb is used to express a strong suggestion or command. The imperative tense is used in both the present and the past, although the past form is used less frequently. The imperative form in the present is simply the base form of the verb without the subject, whereas in the past tense, the auxiliary verb ‘did’ is used to form the negative and the question form.

Imperative tenses in English grammar are used to give commands or make requests. Unlike other tenses, imperatives do not use a subject, and the verb form used is the base form (infinitive) without “to”.

The affirmative imperative is used to give a direct command or order.

Example: “Close the door.”

The negative imperative is used to forbid or prohibit an action. It is formed by adding “do not” or “don’t” before the base form of the verb.

Example: “Don’t touch that!”

Imperatives can also be used to make requests or give advice in a more polite way. This is known as the polite imperative, and it is formed by using “please” before the verb.

Example: “Please pass the salt.”

Another form of the imperative is the let’s-imperative, which is used to make a suggestion or give an invitation. It is formed by using “let’s” followed by the base form of the verb.

Example: “Let’s go to the beach.”

Overall, imperative tenses are an important aspect of communication as they allow speakers and writers to give commands, make requests, and provide suggestions or invitations in a concise and direct way.