CBSE Class 8 English Class 8 Chapter 5 The Present Tense
Simple Present
1. Remember the rules you have learnt in the earlier classes.
Form of Simple Present
2. When do we use the Simple Present?
- To express custom or habit; as,
I play badminton every evening.
He plays the guitar for his school orchestra.
Does she take lessons in English? - To express what is actually happening at the present moment; as
See, how it rains!
How sweetly Mary sings! - To express general truths; as
Man is mortal.
The earth moves round the sun.
Exercise -1
Raman copied some notes about Rameshwaram
Rameshwaram – belief—built on the spot where Lord Rama placed his feet.
Centre of Pilgrimage — during annual Shri Sita-Rama Kalyanam Ceremony.
Pilgrims ferried across the sea—between Rameshwaram and Dhanushkodi.
Dhanushkodi — 20 kilometres away in the sea.
Lord Rama — bathed here – sanctified the place.
Boulders between Dhanushkodi and Sri Lanka — remnants of the bridge used by Lord Rama.
Lanka — Kingdom of Ravana – Epic Ramayana.
Write the account in complete sentences in Simple Present Tense.
Begin: People believe that Rameshwaram is built on the spot where Lord Rama placed his feet.
Answer:
People believe that Rameshwaram is built on the spot where Lord Rama placed his feet.
It serves as a centre of pilgrimage during the annual Shri Sita-Rama kalyanam ceremony.
Pilgrims ferry across the sea between Rameswaram and dhanushkodi.
Dhanushkodi lies 20 kilometers aways in the sea.
Lord Rama baths here and sanctifies the place.
Boulders between dhanushkodi and sri lanka are considered remnants of the bridge used by lord rama.
Sri Lanka is known as the kingdom of Ravana in the epic ramayana.
Exercise -2
Rewrite the passage using the Simple Present Tense of the words given in the brackets :—
At the New Delhi railway station, the Kalam family_______(attract) the attention of a large number of curious onlookers and the media. Dr. Kalam _________ (remain) untouched by the excitement of the masses. The day of the ceremony________ (start) off like any other day with the regular 5 km walk at the Asiad Village. He_____(take) a shower and ______(eat) a light South Indian breakfast consisting of idli, sambar butter milk. He and ______ (dress) immaculately in a suit and ___________ (step) out to acknowledge the greetings of the crowd. There______(be) hordes of cameramen and T.V. crew who________ (focus) on him as he ________ (drive) to the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
At the New Delhi railway station, the Kalam family ‘attracts’ the attention of a large number of curious onlookers and the media. Dr. Kalam ‘remains’ untouched by the excitement of the masses. The day of the ceremony ‘starts’ off like any other day with the regular 5 km walk at the Asiad Village. He’take’ a shower and ‘eats’ a light South Indian breakfast consisting of idli, sambar butter milk. He and dresses immaculately in a suit and ‘steps ‘ out to acknowledge the greetings of the crowd. There’are hordes of cameramen and T.V. crew who ‘focus’ on him as he ‘drives to the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
Exercise-3
Write five sentences about the things you like andfive about things you do not like. (Keep to Simple Present Tense.)
Answer:
Five Things I Like ( simple Present Tense )
- I like ‘reading books’ in my free time.
- I like ‘listening to music’ while working.
- I like ‘playing football’ with my friends.
- I like ‘watching movies’ on weekends.
- I like ‘eating chocolate ice cream’.
Five Things I Dislike ( Simple Present Tense )
- I dislike ‘ waking up early ‘ on holidays
- I dislike ‘ loud noises’ when I’m studying.
- I dislike ‘rainy days’ because they makes me lazy.
- I dislike ‘spicy food’ as it upsets my stomach.
- I dislike ‘ waiting in long queues’.
Present Continuous Tense
Use of Present Continuous Tense
To show that the action is still continuing — that is, the action is incomplete or continuous.
The girls are singing and dancing on the stage.
The audience is clapping loudly
Exercise – 4
Circle the correct words in the boxes to complete the sentences:—
Question 1. It _________ right now [is raining/rains/are raining]
Answer: is raining
Question 2. but the sky______ [tums/are tuming/is turning]
Answer: is turning
Question 3. dark and a cool breeze _________[blows/is blowing/are blowing]
Answer: is blowing
Question 4. All________ [carries/carry/are carrying] umbrellas as the rain__________ [is increasing/increases/are increasing] every minute.
Answer: carry, is increasing
Exercise- 5
Complete the sentences given below with Present Continuous form of the verb :—
Question 1. It_______ (rain) heavily now.
Answer: is raining
Question 2. Normally people speak in English in the Parliament but the new M.P. _________(speak) in Tamil.
Answer: is speaking
Question 3. He___________ (take) a long time to finish his breakfast.
Answer: is taking
Question 4. The Principal________ (announce) the annual result and the students_______ (cheer) the prize winners.
Answer:
is announcing, are cheering
Question 5. The dog____ (chase) the cat, who ______(mew) loudly in fright.
Answer:
is chasing, is mewing
Present Perfect Tense
Answer:
Use of the Present Perfect Tense
1. We use the Present Perfect Tense to talk about completed action.
Examples: 1. He has sung in many countries.
2. I have won praise for my research work.
We use since and for to refer to an action that began in the past and is still going on at the point of speaking.
Examples:
1. I have been a member of this club for ten years. (Means: I am still a member.) [mentions time in general]
2. I have studied in this institution since 1988 (means : I joined in 1988 and I am still here.) [mentions specific time]
We use already and just with Present Perfect Tense to show completed actions. We use yet to show that an action is expected to happen but has not taken place at the time of speaking.
Examples: 1. They have already completed the assignment.
2. They have left just now. We use never and ever with the Present Perfect Tense to a time frame that began in past and continues in the present.
Examples: 1. I have never gone to the aquarium.
2. Have you ever been to a dance performance?
Note: The above words already, just, ever, never are not used with Simple Past Tense.
Exercise -6
Answer the following questions using already/just/yet/along with verbs given in brackets. One is done for you
Question 1. Where is he?
Answer: He has just come back (come back, just) from the market.
Question 2. Have you visited Bengaluru?
No, I________(not visit/yet) it.
Answer:
No, I’have not visited’ it ‘yet’.
Question 3. Do you know this town?
I________(live/already) in this town for more than 30 years.
Answer:
I ‘have already lived’ in this town for more than 30 years.
Question 4. We_____(mailed/already) our Diwali Greetings to our friends in India.
Answer:
we have already mailed our diwali greetings to our friends in india.
Question 5. How is Sania?
I ______(not meet) her _________(since) we left the college a year ago.
Answer:
I ‘have not met’ her since we left the college a year ago.
Exercise -7
Correct the following sentences:-
Question 1. I waited for a bus since 3 o’clock but haven’t caught one.
Answer:
I have been waiting for a bus since 3 O’clock but haven’t caught one.
Question 2. I forgot the exact time of the meeting; let me ask my secretary.
Answer:
I have forgotten the exact time of the meeting; let me ask my secretary.
Question 3. Ramesh already seen this movie so he know story.
Answer:
Ramesh has already seen this movie, so he knows the story.
Question 4. We never won a prize in this competition.
Answer:
We have never won a prize in its competion
Question 5. We didn’t go to the museum yet; we will go next week
Answer:
We haven’t gone to the museum yet ; we will go next week.
Exercise -8
Fill in the blanks with Simple Present / Present Continuous or Present Perfectforms of the Verb given in brackets
Question 1. The rain ________and the sun_________ now. (stop/shine)
Answer: has been stopped; is shining
Question 2. We ________already_________ them that we______donationsfrom business magnates. (tell/accept)
Answer: have; told; accept
Question 3. My sister__________the dinner and her son_______. (cook/play)
Answer: is cooking; is playing
Question 4. I will go out______when ________ my work, (finish/only)
Answer: only; I finish
Question 5. Why__________the child________ ? (be/cry)
Answer: is; crying
Question 6. I asked her where she __________. She____________ me that she_________ to the central market. (be/tells/go)
Answer: was; tells;has gone
Question 7. He____________ in this institution for twenty years, (work)
Answer: has worked
Question 8. I ____________ the table for dinner, can I serve food now? (lay)
Answer: has laid
Question 9. We___________ a very enjoyable holiday in Kashmir, (has)
Answer: have had
Question 10. Why are you_ _______(hide) from me? Have you__________ (do) something wrong?
Answer: hiding; done
Present Perfect Continuous
This form is used to indicate that the action has been going on continuously over a period of time starting in the past and continuing up to the present.
Example:
1. I have been writing letters since 10 o’clock today.
2. It has been raining for the last fifteen minutes.
Exercise – 9
Fill in the blanks in the following sentences with the Present Perfect Continuous Tense of the Verbs given in the brackets:—
Question 1. India’s population _________(steadily, increase) every year.
Answer: has been steadily increasing
Question 2. He__________ (practice) for the match since last week.
Answer: has been practicing
Question 3. You________(disturb) this class for the last one hour, please stop it at once.
Answer: has been distrubing
Question 4. The old man_________ (stand) patiently in the sun for a bus to arrive.
Answer: has been standing
Question 5. The child_______ (cry) for his mother but she has disappeared.
Answer: has been crying
Question 6. I________(watch) the parliament debate on the no-confidence vote with great interest.
Answer: has been watching
Exercise – 10
Use Present Perfect Tense to write a sentence on the following situations
Question 1. You are watching a cricket match. You have never seen before.
Answer: This is the first time I’ve seen a cricket match.
Question 2. You have lost your bank card. It has happened once before.
Answer: This Is The second time I’ve lost my bank card.
Question 3. You have missed the School Bus. This is 4th time in one month.
Answer: This Is the fourth time I’ve missed the school bus this month.
Question 4. You are staying in a hotel for the first time in your life.
Answer: This is the first time I’ve stayed in a hotel.