English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (GAB)
TENSE: This is the linguistic concept for handling time. The major forms of tense in English will be discussed.
1. Present tense: The present tense performs seven functions:
1. It talks about ongoing actions: I am hungry.
2. It talks about habitual actions: I read daily
3. It expresses eternal truth: Honey is sweet.
4. It expresses fixed future actions: Arsenal plays Man City tomorrow by 4pm
5. It is used for sport commentaries: Ronaldo dribbles Kaka and passes the ball to Benzema
6. It is used for literary analysis: Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna
7. It is used for news headlines: Mandela dies at 92.
Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (GAB)
Academic Advisor, Distance Learning Centre, University of Ibadan;
&
Doctoral Student of English,
University of Ibadan.
