Tense Lesson -1 for University Admission Test, Job Application Test, BCS Exam and Any Competitive Examination

TOPIC: TENSE

Part 1: Primary Discussion

Tense (কাল): Tense বা কাল বলতে কোনো কাজ ঘটার নির্দিষ্ট সময়কে বোঝায়। Verb-এর কাজ কখন সম্পন্ন হচ্ছে (বর্তমানের, অতীতের, নাকি ভবিষ্যতের), তা নির্দেশ করার জন্য verb-এর যে রূপের পরিবর্তন হয়, তাকে Tense বলে।

Classification of Tense: Tense প্রধানত তিন প্রকার:

1. Present Tense (বর্তমান কাল)

2. Past Tense (অতীত কাল)

3. Future Tense (ভবিষ্যৎ কাল)

এই তিন প্রকার Tense-এর প্রত্যেকটিকে আবার চার ভাগে ভাগ করা হয়েছে। মোট ১২ প্রকার Tense:

• Indefinite (Simple)

• Continuous (Progressive)

• Perfect

• Perfect Continuous

Part 2: Important Rules with Previous Questions

1. PRESENT TENSE (বর্তমান কাল)

A. Present Indefinite Tense

কোনো কাজ বর্তমানে হয়, অভ্যাসগত কাজ (habitual fact), বা চিরন্তন সত্য (universal truth) বোঝালে Present Indefinite Tense হয়।

• Structure: Subject + V1 (Main Verb) + Object/Extension.

  • Note: Subject যদি Third person singular number (He, She, It, Any Name) হয়, তবে verb-এর শেষে s/es যুক্ত হয়।

• Keywords: Always, often, sometimes, usually, generally, daily, everyday, regularly, occasionally, normally.

• Ex: He goes to school everyday.

• Ex: The sun rises in the east. (Universal Truth)

• Ex: Ice floats on water. (Scientific Truth)

Ex: 'Honesty is the best policy.' The tense of this sentence is — [32nd BCS]

• (A) Present Indefinite

• (B) Present Continuous

• (C) Past Indefinite

• (D) Past Perfect

Ans: (A)

Ex: He usually ______ up at 6 am.

• (A) get

• (B) gets

• (C) getting

• (D) got

Ans: (B)

B. Present Continuous Tense

বর্তমানে কোনো কাজ চলছে বা হচ্ছে বোঝালে Present Continuous Tense হয়। নিকটবর্তী ভবিষ্যৎ (Near future) বোঝাতেও এটি ব্যবহৃত হয়।

• Structure: Subject + am/is/are + V1 + ing + Object.

• Keywords: Now, at this moment, at present, day by day, rapidly, increasingly.

• Ex: I am reading a book now.

• Ex: The population of Bangladesh is increasing day by day.

Ex: The baby ______ because it is hungry now. [DU-A: 12-13]

• (A) crying

• (B) is crying

• (C) cries

• (D) cried

Ans: (B) ('Now' indicates ongoing action)

C. Present Perfect Tense

কোনো কাজ এইমাত্র শেষ হয়েছে কিন্তু তার ফল এখনও বিদ্যমান আছে, এমন বোঝালে Present Perfect Tense হয়।

• Structure: Subject + have/has + V3 (Past Participle) + Object.

• Keywords: Just, just now, already, yet, ever, lately, recently.

• Ex: I have done my homework.

• Ex: He has eaten rice.

• Ex: Have you ever been to Cox's Bazar?

Ex: He ______ out just now. [RU-C: 15-16]

• (A) has gone

• (B) had gone

• (C) went

• (D) goes

Ans: (A)

D. Present Perfect Continuous Tense

কোনো কাজ পূর্বে শুরু হয়ে এখনও চলছে বোঝালে Present Perfect Continuous Tense হয়। এতে সাধারণত সময়ের উল্লেখ থাকে (since নির্দিষ্ট সময়ের জন্য, for সময়ের ব্যাপ্তির জন্য)।

• Structure: Subject + have been/has been + V1 + ing + Object + Since/For + Time.

• Ex: It has been raining since morning. (সকাল থেকে - Point of time)

• Ex: They have been playing for two hours. (দুই ঘণ্টা ধরে - Period of time)

Ex: I ______ here for five years. [DU-B: 15-16]

• (A) have been living

• (B) am living

• (C) live

• (D) lived

Ans: (A)

2. PAST TENSE (অতীত কাল)

A. Past Indefinite Tense

অতীতকালে কোনো কাজ সম্পন্ন হয়েছিল বোঝালে Past Indefinite Tense হয়।

• Structure: Subject + V2 (Past Form) + Object.

• Keywords: Yesterday, ago, long since, last night/week/year, once upon a time, in 1990 (any past year).

• Ex: I went to school yesterday.

• Ex: He came home last night.

Ex: I ______ him yesterday. [DU-B: 14-15]

• (A) see

• (B) saw

• (C) have seen

• (D) had seen

Ans: (B)

B. Past Continuous Tense

অতীতকালে কোনো কাজ কিছুক্ষণ ধরে চলছিল বোঝালে Past Continuous Tense হয়।

• Structure: Subject + was/were + V1 + ing + Object.

• Keywords: While, at that moment, then.

• Ex: I was reading when he came.

• Ex: While I was walking in the garden, a snake bit me.

Ex: He ______ a book when I saw him. [DU-D: 10-11]

• (A) read

• (B) reads

• (C) was reading

• (D) is reading

Ans: (C)

C. Past Perfect Tense

অতীতকালে দুটি কাজ সম্পন্ন হয়ে থাকলে, যেটি আগে ঘটেছিল সেটি Past Perfect Tense এবং যেটি পরে ঘটেছিল সেটি Past Indefinite Tense হয়।

• Structure:

  • 1st Action: Subject + had + V3 + Object.

  • 2nd Action: Subject + V2 + Object.

• Rule: Before-এর আগে Past Perfect এবং After-এর পরে Past Perfect বসে।

• Ex: The patient had died before the doctor came.

• Ex: The doctor came after the patient had died.

Ex: The train ______ before we reached the station. [JU-A: 19-20]

• (A) left

• (B) has left

• (C) had left

• (D) was leaving

Ans: (C)

D. Past Perfect Continuous Tense

অতীতকালে কোনো কাজ দীর্ঘ সময় ধরে চলছিল বোঝালে Past Perfect Continuous Tense হয়। (খুব কম ব্যবহৃত হয়)।

• Structure: Subject + had been + V1 + ing + Object + Since/For + Time.

• Ex: He had been reading for two hours before I came.

  
  

3. FUTURE TENSE (ভবিষ্যৎ কাল)

A. Future Indefinite Tense

ভবিষ্যতে কোনো কাজ ঘটবে বোঝালে Future Indefinite Tense হয়।

• Structure: Subject + shall/will + V1 + Object.

• Keywords: Tomorrow, next day/week/month, soon, coming.

• Ex: I will go to Dhaka tomorrow.

• Ex: He will come soon.

B. Future Continuous Tense

ভবিষ্যতে কোনো কাজ চলতে থাকবে বোঝালে Future Continuous Tense হয়।

• Structure: Subject + shall be/will be + V1 + ing + Object.

• Ex: I shall be reading a book at this time tomorrow.

C. Future Perfect Tense

ভবিষ্যতে নির্দিষ্ট সময়ের মধ্যে কোনো কাজ হয়ে থাকবে বোঝালে Future Perfect Tense হয়।

• Structure: Subject + shall have/will have + V3 + Object.

• Keywords: By this time, by next week/year.

• Ex: I shall have finished the work by 5 PM.

• Ex: He will have reached home by this time next week.

D. Future Perfect Continuous Tense

ভবিষ্যতে কোনো কাজ দীর্ঘ সময় ধরে চলতে থাকবে বোঝালে Future Perfect Continuous Tense হয়।

• Structure: Subject + shall have been/will have been + V1 + ing + Object + for/since.

• Ex: I shall have been reading for two hours.

Previous Questions

DU Questions & Answers

01. Choose the correct sentence. [DU-B: 15-16]

• (A) I have been living here since five years.

• (B) I have been living here for five years.

• (C) I am living here for five years.

• (D) I live here for five years.

Ans: (B) ('Five years' হলো সময়ের ব্যাপ্তি, তাই 'for' এবং Tense হবে Present Perfect Continuous)।

02. My friend ______ before I came. [DU-C: 11-12]

• (A) left

• (B) had left

• (C) have left

• (D) was leaving

Ans: (B) (অতীতের দুটি কাজের মধ্যে যেটি আগে হয়েছে সেটি Past Perfect)।

03. Look! The girls ______ football. [DU-A: 13-14]

• (A) play

• (B) have played

• (C) are playing

• (D) played

Ans: (C) ('Look!' দ্বারা বোঝা যাচ্ছে কাজটি বর্তমানে চোখের সামনে চলছে)।

JU Questions & Answers

01. It is high time we ______ home. [JU-B: 11-12]

• (A) return

• (B) returned

• (C) had returned

• (D) returning

Ans: (B) (It is high time + subject থাকলে verb-এর Past form হয়।)

02. The price of rice is ______. [JU-C: 18-19]

• (A) raising

• (B) risen

• (C) rising

• (D) rose

Ans: (C) (Continuous process বোঝাচ্ছে)।

RU Questions & Answers

01. I ______ my lunch before you came. [RU-E: 14-15]

• (A) had had

• (B) have had

• (C) had

• (D) have

Ans: (A) (Past Perfect Tense: প্রথম 'had' হলো Auxiliary এবং দ্বিতীয় 'had' হলো Main verb 'have' (খাওয়া) এর Past Participle)।

BCS & Other Exams

01. 'I have been living in Dhaka ______ 2000'. [35th BCS]

• (A) since

• (B) from

• (C) after

• (D) till

Ans: (A) (নির্দিষ্ট সাল বা Point of time বোঝালে 'since' বসে)।

02. Which is the correct sentence? [38th BCS]

• (A) He insisted on seeing her.

• (B) He insisted to see her.

• (C) He insisted for seeing her.

• (D) He insisted in seeing her.

Ans: (A) (Insist on + V-ing)।

03. He said that he ______ be unable to come. [29th BCS]

• (A) will

• (B) shall

• (C) should

• (D) would

Ans: (D) (Sequence of Tense: Reporting verb 'said' Past Tense-এ থাকায় 'will' পরিবর্তিত হয়ে 'would' হয়েছে)।

TEST

01. I ______ for you for two hours.

• (A) wait

• (B) am waiting

• (C) have been waiting

• (D) waited

Ans: (C)

02. The train ______ left before I reached the station.

• (A) has

• (B) had

• (C) was

• (D) is

Ans: (B)

03. He usually ______ up at 6 am.

• (A) get

• (B) gets

• (C) getting

• (D) got

Ans: (B)

04. I saw him ______ in the garden.

• (A) walk

• (B) walked

• (C) walking

• (D) to walk

Ans: (C) (See verb এর পর object থাকলে পরবর্তী verb-এর সাথে ing হয় বা bare infinitive বসে, এখানে continuous action বোঝাচ্ছে)।

05. By this time next year, I ______ my course.

• (A) will complete

• (B) will be completing

• (C) will have completed

• (D) completed

Ans: (C) (Future Perfect Tense)।

06. She ______ to school yesterday.

• (A) go

• (B) goes

• (C) went

• (D) gone

Ans: (C)

07. While I ______ in the garden, a snake bit me.

• (A) walk

• (B) walked

• (C) was walking

• (D) am walking

Ans: (C)

08. He talks as if he ______ everything.

• (A) knows

• (B) knew

• (C) known

• (D) has known

Ans: (B) (Present Indefinite + as if + Past Indefinite)।

09. We ______ our dinner before father came.

• (A) have taken

• (B) took

• (C) had taken

• (D) take

Ans: (C)

10. Tomorrow I ______ to the zoo.

• (A) went

• (B) have gone

• (C) shall go

• (D) go

Ans: (C)

QUESTIONS

BCS Questions

01. As the sun ……… , I decided to go out. [24th BCS] A. has shone B. shine C. shines D. was shining

02. He promised that he ………. come next Monday. / He said that he ……… be unable to come. He said that he ……… be faithful to his promise. / Nobody knew that he ……… face of crisis. / We knew he ……… be angry if we did not finish the work. [29th BCS] A. will B. may C. would D. wants

Primary Questions

01. Which one is present perfect tense? [Primary Assistant Teacher 2019] A. I have had the news B. I have the news C. I had the news D. I shall have the news

02. 'Would you mind having a cup of tea' is a sentence in - / Could you please help me? Here 'could' is used as - [DPE AT: 11] A. present tense B. past tense C. present continuous D. past continuous tense

03. I could not even imagine - [DPE AT: 17] A. that you deceive me B. that I will deceive you C. that you would deceive me D. that you will deceive me

04. It seemed that - [DSHE AT: 03] A. the day will never end B. the day never ends C. the day would never end D. the day never ended

PSC & Other Exam Questions

01. Tense means -[JUST: 15-16] A. action B. speed C. time D. verb

02. The tense of a verb is mainly related to - [Passport AD: 14] A. time B. person C. place D. degree

03. The 'Present Indefinite Tense' denotes - [BR SAE: 18] A. an action is continued for a time in present B. an action in the present time, habitual or eternal C. an action has already been finished at present D. none of them

04. Habitual fact is expressed only in - [BJ Jail Super: 05] A. present perfect tense B. present indefinite tense C. past perfect tense D. past indefinite tense

05. Which of the following is an example of active and present indefinite tense? [Dental: 09-10] A. He is writing a letter B. I have invited them C. He has done the work D. Floods destroy crops

06. Which one is present continuous tense? [DFP AFPO: 12] A. I read B. I am reading C. I have read D. I had read

07. Which one is present continuous tense? [DFP AFPO: 12] A. I am reading B. I have read C. I read D. I have been reading

08. Find out the tense of the sentence 'it is interesting'. [MoD CSO: 16] A. present indefinite B. present continuous C. present perfect D. none of them

09. Which of the sentence is future, even the verb is not future tense? [SUST: 09-10] A. Maria is banana B. She has gone for some shopping C. He is probably watching TV D. John is flying for Germany next week

10. Which one is present perfect tense? [NBR ARO: 15] A. I am walking B. I have been walking C. I was walking D. I have walked

11. Which one is present perfect tense? [ABAK Field Assistant: 18] A. I am reading B. I have read C. I read D. I have been reading

12. It’s the first time I ……. sea-food in my life? [EC Computer Operator: 23] A. eat B. eaten C. have eaten D. had eaten

13. Change the following sentence into present perfect 'I do the sum'. [DPE ATEO: 12] A. I have done the sum B. I did the sum C. I was doing the sum D. Th sum was done by me

14. Which one is the example of present perfect continuous tense? [MoFA Superintendent: 19] A. It is raining since last night B. It has been rained since last night C. It was raining since last night D. It has been raining since last night

15. It has been raining hard all day. Identity the tense. / He has been studying in the same class for two years. Identify the tense. / Find out the tense of the following sentence 'it has been raining since 5 p.m'. / Find out the tense of the sentence 'She has been reading the book since morning'. [BR SAE: 18] A. present perfect B. Past perfect C. Present continuous D. Present perfect continuous

16. 'Past indefinite tense' means - [Various Ministries PO: 18] A. to express an action just finished B. a single act in the past C. an action was being done in the past D. an action completed before another past action

17. Which sentence is in past indefinite tense? [BCC PA: 19] A. It has rained B. Salam had a house C. Boys were playing D. Tomal has played football

18. Which sentence is in past indefinite tense? [JBL SO: 18] A. It has been raining B. It was raining C. Shohail had car D. Raihan was sleeping

19. I read an interesting book few days ago. Identity the tense. [DoL AD: 09] A. present indefinite B. present perfect C. past indefinite D. past perfect

20. 'Past continuous tense' means - [Various Ministries PO: 18] A. an action just finished B. a single act in the past C. an action was being done in the past D. action has been going on for something

21. 'I was reading a novel' is an example of - / 'They were disturbing us' is an example of - [DFP FPI: 11] A. past continuous B. present continuous C. future continuous D. past perfect

22. The construction of past perfect follows - [BTCL AD: 04] A. I have spoken B. He has eaten C. I have gone D. He had spoken the truth

23. 'The patient had died before the doctor came' is an example of - / 'The patient had died'? Which form of tense does the sentence represent. [IBBL PO: 06] A. past and present B. present perfect C. past perfect D. past perfect continuous

24. Past perfect Continuous 'I eat' is - [BJMC ACO: 13] A. I have eaten B. I am eating C. I had been eating D. I shall be eating

25. The boys had been playing before the teacher came. Choose the form of tense. [IU: 08-09] A. present B. past perfect C. past indefinite D. past perfect continuous

26. 'I shall be eating' is an example of …….. tense. [NSI Field Officer: 17] A. future perfect B. future continuous C. future indefinite D. none of these

27. Choose the future perfect continuous tense of the verb 'do'? [DNM Midwife: 20] A. They will have done B. They will be doing C. They will have been doing D. They will have to be doing

28. As we walked, he ………. the meaning of the book. [CoU: 07-08] A. explaining B. explain C. explained D. explanation

29. Ancient people believed that ……. With a sun and a moon rotating around it. [JU: 19-20] A. the center of the universe is earth B. the earth is the center of the universe C. the universe has earth at the center D. the earth was the center of the universe

30. Did you buy any fruit when you ………. shopping? [DMLC Junior Teacher: 18] A. go B. gone C. were going D. went

31. Father told me that he - [IF AD: 16] A. will help me B. would be help me C. will be helping me D. would help me

32. He said that he (go) home the next day. [RU: 19-20] A. will go B. goes C. has go D. would go

33. I never though I ………. you again? [BBS JSO: 16] A. will see B. may see C. would see D. might see

34. I asked her if she ………... before she started to school. [NBR ARO: 15] A. could read B. reads C. can read D. is reading

35. Those (be) costly items, she bought. [SPCBL Cashier: 21] A. were B. are C. have been D. had been

36. We prayed that she ……….. able to return in time. [DMLC Junior Teacher: 18] A. will be B. may be C. would be D. being

37. When I saw her leaving in a hurry, I ………... her where she was going. [DU: 95-96] A. have asked B. was asking C. asked D. had asked

38. Which one of the following is correct? [RU: 11-12] A. I thought he loves me B. I thought he loved me C. I thought he will love me D. I thought he may love me

39. He did not know that the earth (move) around the sun. [ABAK FA: 15] A. is move B. moves C. moved D. has moved

40. Which one is the correct sentence? [DoL AD: 09] A. He said that the earth goes round the sun B. He had said that the earth had been going round the sun C. He said that the earth had gone round the sun D. He said that the earth went round the sun

ANSWERS & EXPLANATIONS

BCS Answers

01. Ans: D Explanation: The sentence uses "As" to indicate two simultaneous actions in the past. "As the sun was shining, I decided to go out." (Past Continuous + Past Indefinite).

02. Ans: C Explanation: Indirect speech rules apply. "He promised that he would come..." (Future in the past). "He said that he would be unable...", "He said that he would be faithful...". 'Would' is the past form of 'will'.

Primary Questions

01. Ans: A Explanation: Present Perfect Tense structure: Subject + have/has + V3. "I have had" fits this structure (have = auxiliary, had = V3 of main verb 'have').

02. Ans: B Explanation: 'Would you mind' is a polite request form, but structurally implies a conditional or hypothetical situation often treated as past form of will. However, 'Could' is the past form of 'Can'. The question asks about 'Could'. 'Could' is past tense form of 'Can', but used for polite requests in present time. Grammatically, it's Past Tense form.

03. Ans: C Explanation: Sequence of tenses. "I could not even imagine that you would deceive me." (Past in main clause -> Past modal in subordinate clause).

04. Ans: C Explanation: Sequence of tenses. "It seemed (past) that the day would (past form of will) never end."

PSC & Other Exam Answers

01. Ans: C Explanation: Tense refers to time.

02. Ans: A Explanation: Tense is related to time.

03. Ans: B Explanation: Present Indefinite Tense denotes habitual or eternal actions in the present time.

04. Ans: B Explanation: Habitual facts are expressed in Present Indefinite Tense.

05. Ans: D Explanation: "Floods destroy crops" is in Active Voice and Present Indefinite Tense.

06. Ans: B Explanation: "I am reading" is Present Continuous (Subject + am/is/are + verb+ing).

07. Ans: A Explanation: "I am reading" is Present Continuous.

08. Ans: A Explanation: "It is interesting." (Subject + is + Adjective). This is Present Indefinite Tense.

09. Ans: D Explanation: "John is flying for Germany next week." Present Continuous form used for Future arrangement.

10. Ans: D Explanation: "I have walked" is Present Perfect (Subject + have + V3).

11. Ans: B Explanation: "I have read" is Present Perfect.

12. Ans: C Explanation: "It’s the first time I have eaten..." (Present Perfect is used with 'It is the first time...').

13. Ans: A Explanation: Present Perfect of "I do" is "I have done".

14. Ans: D Explanation: "It has been raining since last night." (Present Perfect Continuous).

15. Ans: D Explanation: "Has been raining", "Has been studying", "Has been reading" are examples of Present Perfect Continuous Tense.

16. Ans: B Explanation: Past Indefinite Tense expresses a single act in the past.

17. Ans: B Explanation: "Salam had a house" is Past Indefinite (Subject + V2). 'Had' is the main verb here. (A is Present Perfect, C is Past Continuous, D is Present Perfect).

18. Ans: C Explanation: "Shohail had car" is Past Indefinite. (A, B, D are continuous forms).

19. Ans: C Explanation: "I read (pronounced red) ... ago" indicates Past Indefinite.

20. Ans: C Explanation: Past Continuous Tense means an action was being done (continuing) in the past.

21. Ans: A Explanation: "I was reading" and "They were disturbing" are Past Continuous.

22. Ans: D Explanation: "He had spoken" fits Past Perfect structure (Subject + had + V3).

23. Ans: C Explanation: "The patient had died" is Past Perfect Tense.

24. Ans: C Explanation: Past Perfect Continuous of "I eat" is "I had been eating".

25. Ans: D Explanation: "Had been playing" is Past Perfect Continuous.

26. Ans: B Explanation: "I shall be eating" is Future Continuous Tense.

27. Ans: C Explanation: Future Perfect Continuous: "They will have been doing".

28. Ans: C Explanation: Sequence of tenses. "As we walked (past), he explained (past)...".

29. Ans: D Explanation: Sequence of tenses. "Ancient people believed (past) that the earth was (past) the center...".

30. Ans: D Explanation: "When you went shopping?" (Past simple for completed action in question).

31. Ans: D Explanation: Indirect speech. "Father told me that he would help me."

32. Ans: D Explanation: Indirect speech. "He said that he would go home the next day."

33. Ans: C Explanation: Sequence of tenses. "I never thought (past) I would see (future in past) you again."

34. Ans: A Explanation: Sequence of tenses. "I asked her if she could read (past ability)...".

35. Ans: A Explanation: "Those were costly items, she bought." (Past tense agreement with 'bought').

36. Ans: C Explanation: Sequence of tenses. "We prayed (past) that she would be...".

37. Ans: C Explanation: Sequence of tenses. "When I saw (past)... I asked (past)...".

38. Ans: B Explanation: Sequence of tenses. "I thought (past) he loved (past) me."

39. Ans: B Explanation: Universal truth in subordinate clause remains in Present Indefinite even if main verb is past. "He did not know that the earth moves around the sun."

40. Ans: A Explanation: Indirect speech with universal truth. "He said that the earth goes round the sun."