🌟 1.
TENSES – Notes with Examples
🔹 Definition:
Tense shows the time of an action or event. There are three main tenses,
each with 4 forms:
📘 I. Present Tense
Tense Structure Example
Simple Present V1 / V1 + s/es He plays football.
Present Continuous am/is/are + V1 + ing She is studying now.
Present Perfect has/have + V3 I have finished my work.
Present Perfect has/have been + V1 They have been working since
Continuous + ing morning.
📙 II. Past Tense
Tense Structure Example
Simple Past V2 He played cricket.
was/were + V1 +
Past Continuous She was sleeping.
ing
Past Perfect had + V3 They had gone home.
Past Perfect I had been reading for 2
had been + V1 + ing
Continuous hours.
📗 III. Future Tense
Tense Structure Example
Simple Future will/shall + V1 I will call you.
Future Continuous will be + V1 + ing He will be waiting for you.
She will have completed the
Future Perfect will have + V3
task.
Future Perfect will have been + V1 They will have been living here
Continuous + ing for 5 years.
⚠️Key Tips:
Use “since” with a point of time (e.g., since 2020).
Use “for” with a period of time (e.g., for 2 years).
Continuous forms use “-ing” verbs.
Perfect tenses use V3 (past participle).
🗣️2. REPORTED SPEECH (Statements)
🔹 Definition:
Reported Speech tells what someone said without quoting their exact
words.
✅ Basic Rule:
Remove quotation marks.
Change pronouns, time words, and tense (if reporting verb is in
past).
📌 Tense Change Table (Direct → Indirect)
Direct Speech Reported Speech
Simple Present → Simple Past
Present Continuous → Past Continuous
Present Perfect → Past Perfect
Simple Past → Past Perfect
Will/Shall → Would/Should
Can/May → Could/Might
Pronoun Change Example:
Direct: He said, “I am tired.”
Indirect: He said that he was tired.
🕓 Time Change Words:
Direct Indirect
today that day
yesterday the previous day
tomorrow the next day
now then
this that
these those
ago before
here there
✏️Examples:
1. Direct: She said, “I like tea.”
Indirect: She said that she liked tea.
2. Direct: They said, “We are going to the park.”
Indirect: They said that they were going to the park.
3. Direct: John said, “I have finished my homework.”
Indirect: John said that he had finished his homework.
4. Direct: He said, “I went to London.”
Indirect: He said that he had gone to London.
5. Direct: She said, “I am learning French.”
Indirect: She said that she was learning French.
6. Direct: He said, “I have lost my keys.”
Indirect: He said that he had lost his keys.
7. Direct: They said, “We will visit grandma tomorrow.”
Indirect: They said that they would visit grandma the next day.
8. Direct: Ravi said, “I cleaned my room.”
Indirect: Ravi said that he had cleaned his room.
9. Direct: She said, “I cannot attend the meeting.”
Indirect: She said that she could not attend the meeting.
10. Direct: He said, “I am watching a movie now.”
Indirect: He said that he was watching a movie then.
11. Direct: They said, “We finished the project yesterday.”
Indirect: They said that they had finished the project the previous
day.
12. Direct: I said, “She is cooking dinner.”
Indirect: I said that she was cooking dinner.
13. Direct: He said, “I had already eaten.”
Indirect: He said that he had already eaten.
14. Direct: She said, “I will call you later.”
Indirect: She said that she would call me later.
15. Direct: Arjun said, “I may go to the party.”
Indirect: Arjun said that he might go to the party.
16. Direct: He said, “I must finish this today.”
Indirect: He said that he had to finish that that day.
🚫 No Tense Change When:
Reporting verb is in present/future:
She says, “I am happy.” → She says that she is happy.
The statement is a universal truth:
He said, “The sun rises in the east.” → He said that the sun rises in
the east.
