English for Teachers: Language Content · Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Tenses, Subject-Verb Agreement, Degrees of Comparison and If-Conditionals

What to remember

A tense shows the time of an action and the way it is done (simple, continuous, perfect, perfect continuous). Twelve tense forms are used in everyday English.
The verb must agree with its true subject in number and person. Words that come between the subject and the verb do not change the subject.
Comparison needs the right degree (positive, comparative, superlative) and the right pattern; conditionals follow fixed tense pairs (zero, first, second, third).

1. Tenses

A tense has two parts: time (present, past, future) and aspect (simple, continuous, perfect, perfect continuous). The verb has five forms: base (go), past (went), past participle (gone), present participle (going) and the -s form (goes).

Tense	Structure	Example
Simple present	V1 / V1+s	She teaches English.
Present continuous	is/am/are + V-ing	She is teaching now.
Present perfect	has/have + V3	She has taught for years.
Present perfect continuous	has/have been + V-ing	She has been teaching since morning.
Simple past	V2	She taught yesterday.
Past continuous	was/were + V-ing	She was teaching when I came.
Past perfect	had + V3	She had taught before the bell rang.
Past perfect continuous	had been + V-ing	She had been teaching for an hour.
Simple future	will/shall + V1	She will teach tomorrow.
Future continuous	will be + V-ing	She will be teaching at ten.
Future perfect	will have + V3	She will have taught the lesson by noon.
Future perfect continuous	will have been + V-ing	She will have been teaching for two hours.

Main uses

Simple present: habits, general truths, fixed timetables, scientific facts. "The sun rises in the east."
Present continuous: action happening now or a planned near-future action. "We are leaving tonight."
Present perfect: a past action with a link to the present; used with just, already, yet, ever, never, so far, since, for. It is not used with a finished-time word such as "yesterday".
Simple past: finished action at a stated past time.
Past perfect: the earlier of two past actions. "The train had left before we reached."
Present perfect continuous and past perfect continuous stress the length of an activity.
"Since" is used with a point of time (since 2010, since Monday). "For" is used with a period (for two years).
Verbs of state (know, like, love, want, belong, see, hear, own) are normally not used in continuous forms. Say "I know the answer", not "I am knowing".
After "if", "when", "before", "after", "as soon as" and "until", the present tense is used for the future. "I will call you when she arrives."
Reported time words like "ago" go with the simple past: "He left two years ago."

Sequence of tenses. If the main verb is in the past, the subordinate verb is usually in a past form too: "He said that he was tired." A universal truth stays in the present: "The teacher said that water boils at 100 degrees Celsius."

2. Subject-Verb Agreement

A singular subject takes a singular verb and a plural subject takes a plural verb.

Words between subject and verb are ignored. "The box of pencils is on the desk." "The teacher, along with her students, was present."
Either...or / neither...nor: the verb agrees with the nearer subject. "Neither the principal nor the teachers were present."
Subjects joined by "and" take a plural verb: "Rama and Sita are friends." If the two nouns name one person or one idea, the verb is singular: "Bread and butter is my breakfast."
Subjects joined by "as well as", "with", "together with", "along with", "in addition to" follow the first subject.
Each, every, either, neither, one, anyone, everyone, someone, nobody, everybody take a singular verb.
Collective nouns (class, team, committee, jury, family) take a singular verb when seen as one unit and a plural verb when members act separately.
Nouns plural in form but singular in meaning take a singular verb: news, mathematics, physics, economics, politics, measles, summons.
Nouns that are always plural take a plural verb: scissors, trousers, spectacles, police, cattle, people.
A number of + plural noun takes a plural verb; the number of + plural noun takes a singular verb.
Amounts of money, time, distance, weight treated as one unit take a singular verb: "Ten kilometres is a long walk."
"One of the + plural noun" takes a singular verb: "One of the students is absent."
"The" + adjective (the poor, the rich, the young) takes a plural verb.
Fractions and "all", "some", "most", "half" follow the noun after "of": "Half of the cake is gone. Half of the students are absent."
Title of a book or a single work takes a singular verb: "Gulliver's Travels is an interesting book."
Relative pronoun (who, which, that) takes the number and person of its antecedent: "She is one of those teachers who work hard."

3. Degrees of Comparison

Adjectives and adverbs have three degrees: positive (tall), comparative (taller), superlative (tallest).

Word type	Comparative	Superlative
One-syllable word	add -er	add -est
Words ending in -y	change y to i, add -er	change y to i, add -est
Words of two or more syllables	more + word	most + word
Irregular: good/well	better	best
Irregular: bad/ill	worse	worst
Irregular: far	farther/further	farthest/furthest
Irregular: little	less	least
Irregular: many/much	more	most

Patterns

Positive: as ... as; not so/as ... as. "She is as tall as her sister."
Comparative: adjective-er + than. "Delhi is larger than Vijayawada."
Superlative: the + adjective-est + of/in. "He is the tallest boy in the class."
Three forms with the same meaning: "Gold is the most precious metal." = "Gold is more precious than any other metal." = "No other metal is as precious as gold."
Never use a double comparative or superlative: not "more better", not "most cleverest".
Some adjectives have no degrees (unique, perfect, complete, round, universal).
Latin comparatives (senior, junior, superior, inferior, prior, preferable) take "to", not "than": "He is senior to me." "I prefer tea to coffee."
Use "than any other + singular noun" and not "than any" alone when the thing compared belongs to the same group.
Use "elder/eldest" for family members, and "older/oldest" for age in general.
"Later/latest" refer to time; "latter/last" refer to order.
"Farther" is for distance; "further" means additional.

4. If-Conditionals

A conditional sentence has an "if" clause (condition) and a main clause (result).

Type	Use	If-clause	Main clause	Example
Zero	general truths	simple present	simple present	If you heat ice, it melts.
First	real or likely future	simple present	will + V1	If it rains, we will stay home.
Second	unreal or unlikely present/future	simple past	would + V1	If I were a bird, I would fly.
Third	unreal past	past perfect	would have + V3	If he had studied, he would have passed.

In the second conditional, "were" is used for all persons in formal English: "If I were you...".
"Unless" means "if not": "Unless you work hard, you will fail." The verb after "unless" is positive.
Never use "would" in the if-clause: not "If I would know...".
"Wish" and "if only" take the past for present wishes and past perfect for past regrets: "I wish I knew." "I wish I had come."
"Had he come, I would have met him" is the third conditional with "if" dropped and the subject and "had" inverted.
Mixed conditional: "If he had worked hard, he would be rich now."

Classroom angle. Tenses are best taught through timelines drawn on the board and short personal sentences. Conditionals work well as chain games ("If I win, I will...").

Exam traps

1. "Since" with a period and "for" with a point of time are both wrong; learn the pair correctly.
2. "I am knowing" and "she is having a car" are wrong; state verbs avoid continuous forms.
3. "Neither of the boys are" is wrong; "neither" takes a singular verb.
4. "A number of students is" is wrong; it takes a plural verb.
5. "More better" and "most beautifullest" are wrong double degrees.
6. "Senior than" is wrong; use "senior to".
7. "If I would have known" is wrong; the if-clause takes the past perfect.
8. A past action with "yesterday" cannot be in the present perfect.

One-liners

1. Twelve tense forms exist in English.
2. The simple present states habits and general truths.
3. The past perfect shows the earlier of two past actions.
4. "Since" goes with a point of time and "for" with a period.
5. "Each" and "every" take a singular verb.
6. "News" and "mathematics" are singular nouns.
7. "Scissors" and "trousers" are plural nouns.
8. With "either...or", the verb agrees with the nearer subject.
9. The comparative of "good" is "better".
10. "Junior", "senior" and "prefer" are followed by "to".
11. The third conditional uses "had + V3" and "would have + V3".
12. "Unless" means "if not".

Practice questions

She ___ in Vijayawada since 2015.
1. has lived
2. lived
3. will live
4. lives
Answer
A. has lived
'Since' with a point of time takes the present perfect.
Neither of the girls ___ present.
1. are
2. have been
3. were
4. was
Answer
D. was
'Neither' takes a singular verb.
What is the comparative form of 'good'?
1. better
2. more good
3. best
4. gooder
Answer
A. better
'Good' is irregular: good, better, best.
If it rains, we ___ stay at home.
1. shall have
2. will
3. would
4. had
Answer
B. will
First conditional: simple present in the if-clause, will + V1 in the main clause.
The news ___ shocking.
1. is
2. were
3. are
4. have been
Answer
A. is
'News' looks plural but is singular.
If he had worked hard, he ___ passed.
1. had
2. would
3. would have
4. will have
Answer
C. would have
Third conditional: had + V3 in the if-clause, would have + V3 in the main clause.
He is senior ___ me.
1. than
2. from
3. over
4. to
Answer
D. to
Latin comparatives such as senior and junior take 'to'.
The number of students ___ increasing.
1. were
2. are
3. is
4. have been
Answer
C. is
'The number of' takes a singular verb.
Choose the correct sentence.
1. She is most intelligentest girl in the class.
2. She is the intelligent than all girls in the class.
3. She is more intelligent girl in the class.
4. She is the most intelligent girl in the class.
Answer
D. She is the most intelligent girl in the class.
The superlative uses the + most + adjective + in.
The train ___ before we reached the station.
1. was leaving
2. had left
3. has left
4. leaves
Answer
B. had left
The earlier of two past actions takes the past perfect.
Which sentence has the same meaning as 'Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world'?
1. No other mountain in the world is as high as Mount Everest.
2. Every other mountain is higher than Mount Everest.
3. Mount Everest is as high as any other mountain.
4. Mount Everest is not so high as the other mountains are.
Answer
A. No other mountain in the world is as high as Mount Everest.
Superlative can be changed to 'no other ... as ... as' keeping the meaning.
Which sentence means the same as 'If you do not hurry, you will miss the bus'?
1. Unless you will hurry, you miss the bus.
2. Unless you do not hurry, you will miss the bus.
3. Unless you hurry, you will not miss the bus.
4. Unless you hurry, you will miss the bus.
Answer
D. Unless you hurry, you will miss the bus.
'Unless' means 'if not', so the verb after it stays positive.
Fifty rupees ___ enough for the book.
1. are
2. have been
3. is
4. were
Answer
C. is
An amount of money seen as one sum takes a singular verb.
Either the manager or his assistants ___ responsible.
1. are
2. is
3. has
4. was
Answer
A. are
With either...or, the verb agrees with the nearer subject, 'assistants'.
I wish I ___ a bird.
1. would be
2. were
3. was being
4. am
Answer
B. were
'Wish' for an unreal present takes the past form; 'were' is used for all persons.
They ___ for two hours.
1. had waited
2. have been waiting
3. are waiting
4. wait
Answer
B. have been waiting
The present perfect continuous shows an activity that began in the past and continues now.
Water ___ at 100 degrees Celsius.
1. is boiling
2. boiled
3. has boiled
4. boils
Answer
D. boils
A scientific fact takes the simple present.
Which of these adjectives is not normally compared?
1. Unique
2. Clever
3. Heavy
4. Tall
Answer
A. Unique
'Unique' means one of its kind, so it has no degrees.
She is one of those teachers who ___ hard.
1. works
2. is working
3. work
4. has worked
Answer
C. work
The relative pronoun 'who' refers to the plural 'teachers'.
I prefer tea ___ coffee.
1. over
2. to
3. than
4. from
Answer
B. to
'Prefer' is followed by 'to'.
When I reached the cinema, the film ___ already.
1. had started
2. has started
3. starts
4. was start
Answer
A. had started
The film started earlier than the reaching, so the past perfect is used.
As soon as he ___, I will call you.
1. arrived
2. would arrive
3. arrives
4. will arrive
Answer
C. arrives
After 'as soon as', the present tense replaces the future.
What is the superlative form of 'little'?
1. lesser
2. littlest
3. less
4. least
Answer
D. least
Little, less, least is the irregular series.
The police ___ searching for the thief.
1. is
2. are
3. has been
4. was
Answer
B. are
'Police' is always plural.
If I ___ you, I would apologise.
1. were
2. am
3. would be
4. be
Answer
A. were
The second conditional uses 'were' in the if-clause.
'He said that he was tired.' Which rule does this sentence show?
1. Past main verb, future subordinate verb
2. Present main verb, future subordinate verb
3. Past main verb, past subordinate verb
4. Universal truth in the past
Answer
C. Past main verb, past subordinate verb
After a past main verb the subordinate verb is usually in the past.
Which sentence is correct?
1. If I knew, I would have told you.
2. If I would have known, I would have told you.
3. If I had known, I would tell you yesterday.
4. If I had known, I would have told you.
Answer
D. If I had known, I would have told you.
The if-clause of the third conditional takes the past perfect, never 'would have'.
She ___ the lesson by noon tomorrow.
1. has taught
2. will have taught
3. is teaching
4. will teach
Answer
B. will have taught
An action completed before a future time takes the future perfect.
Which pair is correctly matched?
1. Mathematics - singular
2. Cattle - singular
3. Spectacles - singular
4. Scissors - singular
Answer
A. Mathematics - singular
Mathematics is singular; scissors, cattle and spectacles are plural.
Which of the following is a double comparative error?
1. He is as tall as his brother.
2. He is taller than his brother.
3. He is more taller than his brother.
4. He is the tallest boy.
Answer
C. He is more taller than his brother.
'More taller' uses two comparative markers.
Consider the statements. 1. 'Each' takes a singular verb. 2. 'A number of' takes a singular verb.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
A. 1 only
'A number of' takes a plural verb; only statement 1 is correct.
Consider the statements. 1. 'Since' is used with a period of time. 2. 'For' is used with a point of time.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
D. Neither 1 nor 2
'Since' goes with a point of time and 'for' with a period, so both are wrong.
Consider the statements. 1. The simple present is used for habits. 2. The simple past is used for finished actions at a stated past time.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
C. Both 1 and 2
Both statements describe correct uses.
Consider the statements. 1. 'Prefer' is followed by 'than'. 2. 'Junior' is followed by 'to'.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
B. 2 only
'Prefer' takes 'to'; 'junior' takes 'to'. Only statement 2 is correct.
Consider the statements. 1. In 'if' clauses of the first conditional, the simple present is used. 2. 'Would' is used in the if-clause of the second conditional.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
A. 1 only
The if-clause of the second conditional takes the simple past; only statement 1 is correct.
Consider the statements. 1. 'Elder' is used for members of a family. 2. 'Farther' is used for additional.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
A. 1 only
'Farther' refers to distance, 'further' means additional; only statement 1 is correct.
Consider the statements. 1. 'Unless' means 'if not'. 2. A positive verb follows 'unless'.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
C. Both 1 and 2
'Unless' already carries a negative meaning, so the verb is positive.
Consider the statements. 1. 'The poor' takes a plural verb. 2. The title of a single book takes a plural verb.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
A. 1 only
A single title takes a singular verb; only statement 1 is correct.
Consider the statements. 1. The past perfect continuous is formed with 'had been + V-ing'. 2. The future perfect is formed with 'will have + V3'.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
C. Both 1 and 2
Both structures are correct.
Consider the statements. 1. 'Wish' with a past regret takes the past perfect. 2. 'Wish' with an unreal present takes the past.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
C. Both 1 and 2
'I wish I had come' and 'I wish I knew' show both uses.
Consider the statements. 1. 'Latter' refers to order. 2. 'Later' refers to time.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
C. Both 1 and 2
Both distinctions are standard.
Consider the statements. 1. The verb in 'either...or' agrees with the nearer subject. 2. The verb with 'as well as' agrees with the second noun.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
A. 1 only
With 'as well as' the verb follows the first subject; only statement 1 is correct.
Match the tense with its structure. 1. Present perfect - a. had + V3 2. Past perfect - b. has/have + V3
1. 1-a, 2-b
2. 1-b, 2-b
3. 1-a, 2-a
4. 1-b, 2-a
Answer
D. 1-b, 2-a
Present perfect is has/have + V3 and past perfect is had + V3.

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1.Select the option with correct subject-verb agreement: The news about the layoffs _____ everyone in the office.
2.Fill in the blank so the subject and verb agree: A large number of students _____ in the hall for the seminar.
3.Fill in the blank so the subject and verb agree: The jury _____ a unanimous decision in this case.
4.Fill in the blank so the subject and verb agree: Everyone of the players _____ after the match.
5.Select the option with correct subject-verb agreement: Each of the boys _____ a prize for their performance.
6.Select the option with correct subject-verb agreement: The jury _____ a unanimous decision in this case.
7.Fill in the blank so the subject and verb agree: The police _____ the suspect last night.
8.Choose the correct verb form to complete the sentence: One of the reasons _____ the project was delayed.
9.Choose the correct verb form to complete the sentence: Neither of the two candidates _____ for the post this year.
10.Fill in the blank so the subject and verb agree: She plays the piano and _____

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