TENSE - Sequence of Tense Lesson -2 for University Admission Test, Job Application Test, BCS Exam and Any Competitive Examination

SEQUENCE OF TENSES

Primary Discussion

Sequence of Tense (কাল এর ধারাবাহিকতা) বলতে Principal Clause-এর Tense অনুযায়ী Subordinate Clause-এর Tense পরিবর্তনের নিয়মকে বোঝায়। একটি Complex Sentence-এ Principal Clause-এর verb যে Tense-এ থাকে, তার ওপর ভিত্তি করে Subordinate Clause-এর verb নির্ধারিত হয়।

General Principle:

1. Principal Clause-টি যদি Present বা Future Tense হয়, তবে Subordinate Clause-টি যে কোনো Tense হতে পারে (অর্থ অনুযায়ী)।

2. Principal Clause-টি যদি Past Tense হয়, তবে Subordinate Clause-টি অবশ্যই Past Tense হবে।

Important Rules with Examples

Rule-01: Principal Clause in Present/Future Tense

যদি Principal Clause-এর verb Present বা Future Tense-এ থাকে, তবে Subordinate Clause-এর verb অর্থ অনুযায়ী যে কোনো Tense হতে পারে।

• Ex: He says that he is ill. (Present)

• Ex: He says that he was ill. (Past)

• Ex: He will say that he writes a letter.

Rule-02: Principal Clause in Past Tense

যদি Principal Clause-এর verb Past Tense-এ থাকে, তবে Subordinate Clause-এর verb-ও Past Tense-এ পরিবর্তিত হবে।

• Ex (Incorrect): He said that he is busy.

• Ex (Correct): He said that he was busy.

• Ex (Incorrect): I knew that he will come.

• Ex (Correct): I knew that he would come. (Will -> Would)

Rule-03: Exception (Universal Truth)

Principal Clause-টি Past Tense হওয়া সত্ত্বেও যদি Subordinate Clause দ্বারা চিরন্তন সত্য (Universal Truth) বা অভ্যাসগত কর্ম (Habitual Fact) বোঝায়, তবে Subordinate Clause-টি Present Indefinite Tense-ই থাকে।

• Ex: The teacher said that the earth moves round the sun. (Not 'moved')

• Ex: He said that honesty is the best policy.

Rule-04: As if / As though / Wish

• Present Tense + as if/as though + Past Indefinite.

• Past Tense + as if/as though + Past Perfect.

• Ex: He talks as if he knew everything.

• Ex: He talked as if he had known everything.

• Ex: I wish I were a king. (Unreal past)

Rule-05: It is high time / It is time

বাক্যে It is time বা It is high time থাকলে এবং এরপর Subject থাকলে পরবর্তী verb-টি Past Indefinite হয়।

• Ex: It is high time we changed our bad habits.

Rule-06: Lest

Subordinate Clause-টি যদি Lest দ্বারা শুরু হয়, তবে Subject-এর পরে should বা might বসে।

• Ex: He ran fast lest he should miss the train.

Rule-07: Since

• Present Indefinite/Perfect + Since + Past Indefinite.

• Past Indefinite + Since + Past Perfect.

• Ex: It is many years since we met.

• Ex: It was long since I had seen her.

Previous Questions

DU Questions & Answers

01. Jerry said that he ______ for the axe. [DU-B: 15-16]

• (A) will pay

• (B) paid

• (C) would pay

• (D) can pay

Ans: (C) Explanation: Principal clause (Jerry said) Past tense, তাই Subordinate clause-এ will পরিবর্তিত হয়ে would হয়েছে।

02. It was long since I ______ her last. [DU-B: 09-10]

• (A) had seen

• (B) have seen

• (C) saw

• (D) see

Ans: (A) Explanation: Since-এর প্রথম অংশ Past Indefinite হলে পরের অংশ Past Perfect হয়।

03. He talks as if he ______ everything. [DU-D: 10-11]

• (A) has known

• (B) had known

• (C) known

• (D) knew

Ans: (D) Explanation: প্রথম অংশ Present Tense (talks), তাই পরের অংশ Past Indefinite (knew).

BCS & Other Exams

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

• (A) will

• (B) shall

• (C) should

• (D) would

Ans: (D) Explanation: Reporting verb 'said' Past Tense, তাই Future indicater 'will' -> 'would' হবে।

02. Tell me who ______ you. [30th BCS]

• (A) tell

• (B) tells

• (C) told

• (D) telling

Ans: (C) Explanation: Principal clause 'Tell me' (Present Imperative), তাই Subordinate clause context অনুযায়ী Past হতে পারে। তবে এখানে নির্দিষ্ট কোনো নিয়ম নেই, অর্থের ভিত্তিতে 'told' সঠিক।

03. "The teacher said that the earth moves round the sun." This sentence is correct because—

• (A) The earth moves is a past event.

• (B) It is a universal truth.

• (C) The principal clause is in present tense.

• (D) None.

Ans: (B)

04. I wish I ______ a bird.

• (A) am

• (B) was

• (C) were

• (D) be

Ans: (C) Explanation: অসম্ভব ইচ্ছা বা কল্পনা বোঝাতে subject-এর পর 'were' বসে।

TEST

01. He said that he ______ the work.

• (A) has done

• (B) had done

• (C) does

• (D) will do

Ans: (B) (Principal clause Past, তাই Subordinate clause Past Perfect)।

02. It is high time you ______ the place.

• (A) leave

• (B) left

• (C) will leave

• (D) have left

Ans: (B) (It is high time + sub + V2)।

03. He proceeded as though I ______ not speak.

• (A) did

• (B) do

• (C) had

• (D) would

Ans: (A) (Past + as though + Past Perfect হওয়ার কথা, কিন্তু এখানে speak verb আছে। সঠিক গঠন: He proceeded as though I had not spoken. অপশন অনুযায়ী এবং 'did' বসালে Past Indefinite হয় যা 'proceeded' (Past) এর সাথে পুরোপুরি মিলে না নিয়ম অনুযায়ী। তবে যদি প্রথম অংশ Present হতো (proceeds) তবে 'did' হতো। প্রশ্নে 'proceeded' থাকলে উত্তরে 'had not spoken' হওয়া উচিত। প্রদত্ত অপশনের মধ্যে 'did' সবচেয়ে গ্রহণযোগ্য যদি 'proceeds' ধরা হয় বা কথ্য রীতিতে। Correct Rule: As though he had not spoken.) Note: If options are strict, context implies Past Subjunctive.

04. Five years have passed since I ______ you.

• (A) see

• (B) saw

• (C) had seen

• (D) have seen

Ans: (B) (Present Perfect + Since + Past Indefinite)।

05. He told me that he ______ ill.

• (A) is

• (B) was

• (C) has been

• (D) will be

Ans: (B) (Reporting verb 'told' Past Tense)।

06. We read so that we ______ learn.

• (A) can

• (B) could

• (C) may

• (D) might

Ans: (C) (So that-এর আগে Present Tense থাকলে পরে may/can বসে)।

07. He worked hard so that he ______ succeed.

• (A) may

• (B) might

• (C) can

• (D) will

Ans: (B) (So that-এর আগে Past Tense থাকলে পরে might/could বসে)।

08. Walk fast lest you ______ miss the bus.

• (A) should

• (B) will

• (C) can

• (D) might

Ans: (A) (Lest... should)।

09. He asked me what my name ______.

• (A) is

• (B) was

• (C) will be

• (D) has been

Ans: (B)

10. I know that he ______ come tomorrow.

• (A) will

• (B) would

• (C) shall

• (D) can

Ans: (A) (Principal clause 'know' Present Tense, তাই Future 'will' অপরিবর্তিত থাকবে)।

Exercise

1. He said that he — be unable to come. [29th BCS, JU (C) 15-16, পিটিআই এর শিক্ষক-১৯] He said that he — be faithful to his promise. (সে প্রতিজ্ঞা করল যে সে তার প্রতিজ্ঞা রক্ষা করবে) [JnU 09-10]

A. will

B. may

C. would

D. wants

Ans: C Explanation: Reporting verb 'said' is past, so 'will' becomes 'would'.

2. As the sun — , I decided to go out. [24th BCS, BSMRSTU E 16-17, দুর্যোগ ব্যবস্থাপনা মন্ত্রণালয়ে অডিটর-১৯]

A. has shone

B. shine

C. shines

D. was shining

Ans: D Explanation: Two actions in the past, one continuing (was shining) when another happened (decided).

3. He promised that he — come next Monday. [পাসপোর্ট ও ইমিগ্রেশন দপ্তরের জুনিয়র পরিসংখ্যান অফিসার-১৬]

A. will

B. should

C. can

D. would

Ans: D

4. Nobody knew that he — face a crisis. [NBR এর সহকারী রাজস্ব কর্মকর্তা-১৫]

A. can

B. may

C. will

D. would

Ans: D

5. He said that he (go) home the next day. (সে বলল যে সে পরের দিন বাড়ি যাবে) [RU B 19-20]

A. will go

B. goes

C. has go

D. would go

Ans: D

6. He said that —. [সে বলল যে সে পাঁচটায় আসতে পারবে না] [RU (C1) 18-19]

A. he will not come at five

B. he may not come at five

C. he could not come at five

D. he cannot come at five

Ans: C

7. I could not even imagine — The missing clause is: [RU (A1) 17-18]

A. that you deceive me

B. that you will deceive me

C. that you would deceive me

D. that I will deceive you

Ans: C

8. We hoped that she — able to return in time. [CU (D3) 16-17]

A. will be

B. would be

C. can be

D. likely to be

Ans: B

9. Father told me that he — (বাবা বললেন যে তিনি আমাকে সাহায্য করবেন) [CU (G) 15-16]

A. will help me

B. would be help me

C. will be helping me

D. would help me

E. had help me

Ans: D

10. Choose the correct sentence. [RU (ব্যবস্থাপনা) 09-10, রাজশাহী কৃষি উন্নয়ন ব্যাংক (সুপারভাইজার)-১৫]

A. He thought that it is raining.

B. He thought that it will be raining.

C. He thought that it will rain.

D. He thought that it would rain.

Ans: D

11. I never thought I — you again. (আমি কখনো ভাবিনি তোমার সাথে আবার দেখা হবে) [IU (C) 15-16]

A. will see

B. may see

C. would see

D. might see

Ans: C

12. We prayed that she — able to return in time. [CU (B7) 14-15]

A. will be

B. may be

C. would be

D. being

Ans: C

13. Did you buy any fruit when you — shopping? [CU (B7) 14-15]

A. go

B. gone

C. were going

D. went

Ans: D

14. I thought that the grass — cutting. (আমি ভেবেছিলাম ঘাসগুলোর ছাঁটাই দরকার) [JnU (C) 12-13]

A. needed

B. needs

C. need

D. had need

Ans: A

15. We knew he — be angry if we did not finish the work. [NSTU (A) 09-10]

A. would

B. can

C. will

D. ought to

Ans: A

16. We thought that she — the job. (আমরা ভেবেছিলাম সে চাকরিটা পাবে) [PSTU (BSc) 12-13]

A. gets

B. is getting

C. will get

D. would get

Ans: D

17. As we walked, he — the meaning of the book. [CU (B) 07-08]

A. explaining

B. explain

C. explained

D. explanation

Ans: C

18. I asked her if she — before she started to school. [CU (B-1) 09-10]

A. could read

B. reads

C. can read

D. is reading

E. reading

Ans: A

19. He said that he — . (সে বলল যে সে যাচ্ছে) [RU 09-10]

A. is going

B. has gone

C. was going

D. has been going

Ans: C

20. When I saw her leaving in a hurry, I — her where she was going. [DU (D) 95-96]

A. have asked

B. was asking

C. asked

D. had asked

Ans: C

21. Those (be) costly items, she bought. (সে যা কিনলো সেগুলো দামি সামগ্রী ছিল) [RU (সমাজবিজ্ঞান) 05-06] They — expensive combs, she knew. (সে জানত সেগুলো দামি চিরুনি) [নির্বাচন কমিশন সচিবালয়ে কর্মকর্তা-০৪] I knew that they — horribly expensive. [JU (গাণিতিক ও পদার্থ বিষয়ক অনুষদ) 11-12]

A. were

B. are

C. have been

D. had been

Ans: A Explanation: 'Those/They' is plural and the context (bought, knew) is past.

22. Choose the correct sentence. (আমি জানতাম না সে এখানে আসবে) [IU (C) 10-11]

A. I did not know that he will come here.

B. I did not know that he would come here.

C. I did not know that he will be coming here.

D. I did not know that he is supposed to come here.

Ans: B

23. Which one of the following is correct? [RU (Law) 11-12, COU (A) 16-17]

A. I thought he loves me.

B. I thought he loved me. (আমি ভেবেছিলাম সে আমাকে ভালোবাসে)

C. I thought he will love me.

D. I thought he may love me.

Ans: B

24. It seemed that — (মনে হল দিনটি কখনোই শেষ হবে না) [মাধ্যমিক স্কুল সহকারী শিক্ষক-০৩]

A. the day will never end

B. the day never ends

C. the day would never end

D. the day never ended

Ans: C

25. He did not know that the earth (move) around the sun. [JU (H) 14-15]

A. is move

B. moves

C. moved

D. has moved

Ans: B Explanation: Universal truth 'earth moves' remains in present tense even if reporting verb is past.

26. Which one is the correct sentence? [জনসংখ্যা ও পরিবার কল্যাণ কর্মকর্তা-০৯]

A. He said that the earth goes round the sun.

B. He said that the earth went round the sun.

C. He said that the earth had gone round the sun.

D. He had said that the earth had been going round the sun.

Ans: A Explanation: Universal truth.

27. Galileo taught that the earth — around the sun. [DU (B) 96-97]

A. revolves

B. revolved

C. will be revolving

D. have been revolving

Ans: A

28. Galileo discovered that the earth — the sun. [IU (C) 17-18]

A. moved round

B. moves round

C. had moved round

D. would move round

Ans: B