TENSE : ORIGIN & MEANING OF THE WORD: ETYMOLOGY OF TENSE
TENSE: ORIGIN & MEANING OF THE WORD
Origin of the word Tense
The word ‘ TENSE’ was initially derived from the Latin word ‘ TENDERE ‘ . The meaning of which was ‘ TIME’. With the passage of the time , the form of the word had been changed and came into the use of the word ‘ TENSUS ‘ . Then again it was transformed into ‘ TENS’ when the French Language adopted it. It also means TIME . Finally, Middle English adopted the same and gave it a present form as ‘ TENSE ‘ -representing time.
THUS
Latin-Tendere -Tensus- Time
French- Tens- Time
Middle English- Tense- Time
Definition of Tense-
“Tense is that form of a verb which not only shows the time of
an action but also the state of any action.”
Classification of Tense-
- Present Tense
- Past Tense
- Future Tense
Each Tense has 4 types-
- Indefinite
- Continuous
- Perfect
- Perfect Continuous
Root Process of Learning Tenses-
- Structure
- Form of the verb,
- Person
For the proper formation of this structure , we need to understand its each component separately:-
Root Structure of a Tense-
Affirmative:- Subject+(to be)Verb + object/Complementary
Negative:- Subject + Auxiliary verb + Verb( if any) + Object
Interrogative:- Auxiliary verb + Subject+ Verb + Object/ Complementary
Three basic components of the structure of the Tenses:-
SUBJECT
VERB
OBJECT
What is a subject ?
Subject is also called ( a Doer)
If we say in a simple language “Any person, place, thing, or feeling around whom/ which the whole sentence, revolves is called subject.”
Or
“Any person, place, thing, or feeling which whom we are talking or indicating about in our sentence is called Subject.”
Or
“Any person, place, thing, or feeling which whom we are talking about in our sentence is called Subject.”
Example-
- Akash flies a kite
- The kite is soaring in the sky
What is a Verb?
“A verb is not only the action but also a state occurrence or a mental condition that is shown or done by our subject.”
Example-
- Akash flies a kite . ( Action)
- The kite is flying in the sky. (state)
Kite can’t perform any action by itself. So the state of the kite has been shown here.
- He became a doctor last year. ( occurrence )
- You look happy today. / She seems upset today . ( Mental State )
What is an object?
An object is a word upon which either the action is performed by our subject or it gets affected by the subject of the sentence anyhow.
Example-
- Akash flies a kite
- Akriti seems very happy today.