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Indefinite Tense
Phonetics:
ɪnˈdefɪnət
tens
Pronunciation:
Indefinite Tense Demystified
Comprehensive Definition, Description, Examples & Rules
Definition of the Present Indefinite Tense
The act that is carried out in the present but without a specific deadline is referred to as present indefinite tense or present tense. Actual occurrences, upcoming routines, the environment, etc. could be formed using the present indefinite tense.
Present indefinite tense examples:
- Choco cake is my favourite.
- Every day, she eats an apple.
The following actions are merely mentioned in the Present Indefinite Tense without any indication of their completion or incompleteness.
The simple present tense has the following Present indefinite tense examples of uses:
- When referring to events or occurrences that have occurred in “general time,” use the simple present tense.
- The fact that the action takes place while you speak is irrelevant.
- The situation is permanent or a widespread truth.
- Describe a sequence of acts that are repeated regularly (habitual).
- Scheduled events can be mentioned in the simple present tense.
Formation of the Present Indefinite Tense
The majority of regular verbs utilise the root form in the simple present, except the third-person singular (which ends in s).
- I write – first person singular.
- You write – second person singular.
- It writes – third person singular
# Negative sentence:
A simple present verb can be made negative using the formula do/does not + [root form of verb]. The contraction “don’t” or “doesn’t” can be used in place of do not or does not.
Example:
- Salman doesn’t like to leave.
- Mohan does not want to drink water.
- I don’t want to eat anything.
The formula is [to be] + not to make the verb to be negative.
Example:
- You are not ready to go.
- She is not leaving now.
# Affirmative sentence:
When the topic is plural, use the following structure:
Subject + V1 + optional item/modifier
When the subject is singular, use the following format:
Subject + V1 + s/es + optional object/modifier
Examples:
- They choose me.
- My parents are really smart.
- She gives me a daily call.
# Interrogative sentence:
When the topic is plural, use the following structure:
Do + subject + V1 + optional object/modifier +?
When the subject is singular, use the following format:
Does + subject + V1 + object/modifier (optional) +?
Examples:
- Do you cherish me?
- How hard do they work?
- Does she give you daily calls?
Usage of the Present Indefinite Tense
To Represent Habitual Actions, the Present Indefinite Tense Is Used:
To describe a recurring action, use the present indefinite tense. A behaviour that someone has long practised and will continue to practise in the future. For instance:
- He wakes up early in the morning
- She drinks coffee every day.
To Represent General Truths In The Present Indefinite Tense:
There are also “General Truths” that no one can dispute, which are expressed in the present imperfect tense. These behaviours have been there for a while and could continue indefinitely. For instance:
- East is where the sun rises.
- Honey tastes good.
The Present Indefinite Tense Is Used To Describe Present-Day Actions:
The actions taking place in the Present Period are likewise shown in the Present Indefinite Tense. For instance:
- The bus is here!
- She’s off now!
To Represent a Detailed Narrative, the Present Indefinite Tense Is Used:
A vivid narrative can also be shown using the present indefinite tense. For instance:
- Sohrab now charges forward and strikes Rustam hard.
- The Sultan immediately makes his way to his capital.
The Present Indefinite Tense Is Used To define or change a noun’s name:
This is one of the most frequent uses of the Present Simple tense, if not the most frequent. Here, we characterise or rename the subject of a phrase using the verb’s ‘to be’ form (is, am, are).
- Jacob creates art.
- Subject: Jacob
- Linking verb: is
- Subject complement (noun): an artist
Future events of a fixed time are represented using the present imperfect tense:
The future planned occurrences are introduced using the present indefinite tense rather than the future tense. For instance:
- The next train is at 8:00 tomorrow morning.
- The movie begins at 8 O’clock.
Activities in Progress Are Defined By The Present Indefinite Tense:
Present Indefinite Tense is frequently used instead of Present Continuous Tense to describe ongoing activities or acts. For instance:
- I will hold off till you’ve finished your meal.
- We will become soaked if it rains.
Differences Between Present Indefinite Tense and Other Tenses
Both the present simple and present perfect verb tenses are used to talk about things that are happening right now or have just happened, but there are some essential distinctions between both of them that you need to be informed of.
When describing activities or states that are true either right now or generally, we employ the simple present tense. For instance:
- Every morning I have breakfast. (This generalisation is always accurate.)
- She plays tennis on the weekend. (This is a current occurrence that occurs frequently.)
On the other hand, the present perfect tense is used to talk about things that have just happened or things that started in the past and are still happening now. It is created by combining the past tense of the primary verb with the auxiliary word “have” or “has”. For instance:
- I’ve already had breakfast. (This process began in the past and is now finished.)
- She has spent the last five years residing in New York. (This condition began in the past and is still in effect today.)
When an activity started recently and is currently going on, it is said to be in the present perfect continuous tense.
- This project has been my focus for the past week.
Both the present and the future are discussed using the present tense.
The present tense has four different forms:
- Simple present: I’m at work
- Present perfect: I have worked
- Present continuous: I am working
- present perfect continuous: I have been working
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Key Takeaways
- The act that is carried out in the present but without a specific deadline is referred to as present indefinite tense or present tense.
- Actual occurrences, upcoming routines, the environment, etc. could be formed using the present indefinite tense.
- When referring to events or occurrences that have occurred in “general time,” use the simple present tense.
- The actions taking place in the Present Period are likewise shown in the Present Indefinite Tense.
Quiz
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Reo sings very well.
- Mannu and Nora are on the way to the ground.
- Does Ram walk?
- Naveen is studying for the annual exam.
- Ramya has kept this gift for so many years.
- It has been sunny for quite some time now.
We apply the simple present tense when anything is occurring currently, regularly, or continually (thus why it’s called the present indefinite). Based on an individual, either the fundamental form or a “s” or an “es” are added to the end to create the simple present tense.
Whichever tense you must employ is indicated by these phrases. These are recurrence adverbs for the Simple Present:
- always
- often
- usually
- sometimes
- seldom
- never
All verbs (past, present, and future) in the indeterminate tenses are collectively referred to as the indefinite tense. Keep in mind that a verb’s element depends on whether it communicates a fact, a continuing action, or a finished activity. Facts are expressed using verbs in the indefinite tense.
Statement of something to be true or acceptable is known as the affirmative.
A response rejecting something is a negative statement.
The query is posed through the interrogative.
- She is reading.
- She is not reading.
- Is she reading?
With the third person singular present simple, we generally employ the “s” structure:
- A healthy diet depends on your sleep.
The present simple is not used to describe actions that are now taking place. We employ the continuous present:
- She’s drinking!
For facts and ongoing occurrences, we don’t apply the present continuous. We employ the simple past:
- Two plus two makes four.
- Simple: Represents routine or recurring behaviours, universal truths, and with specific indicator phrases like “before” and “after,” can relate to activities in the future.
- Continuous: Describes acts that have not yet been completed but are currently taking place.
- Perfect: Makes reference to acts carried out before another time point.
- Perfect-Continuous: A past action that has lasted up until a specific time.
