প্রিয় শিক্ষার্থী এবং পেশাজীবী বন্ধুরা, আশা করি সবাই ভালো আছেন।
Let’s play a game. Close your eyes for 10 seconds and think about your life.
What did you see? Perhaps you saw a memory from your childhood—playing ha-du-du (হা-ডু-ডু) in the field. That’s your Past.
Now, open your eyes. You are reading this article on a phone or laptop. This is your Present.
Now, think about where you want to be in 5 years. Maybe working in a software company, or studying abroad, or running your own business. That’s your Future.
Congratulations! You just visualized the three pillars of English grammar: Tense (কাল).
The problem with most grammar books is they make Tense feel like a list of 12 boring formulas to memorize. But today, we won’t do that. Today, we will draw a Tense Timeline of your life. We will use stories from a Bangladeshi boy named Karim—from his village in Sylhet to his dreams in Canada—and of course, we’ll use our national treasure: ভাত (Rice)! 🍚
১. The Great Tense Confusion: Why Do We Even Need It?
Imagine this conversation in a Dhaka office canteen:
Colleague 1: "Hey, where's Karim?"
Colleague 2: "He go to the bank."
Sounds odd, right? That’s because the action has a specific time. Did he go already (Past)? Is he going now (Present)? Or will he go later (Future)? Without the correct tense, the listener is confused.
Tense (কাল) is simply a verb’s way of telling us when an action happens. It’s the GPS for your sentences, showing the location of an event in time.
২. Drawing Your Tense Timeline: The Big Picture
Before diving into the 12 tenses, let's look at the master timeline. This is your secret weapon.
[PAST].........[PRESENT].........[FUTURE]
<---|-------------|---------------|--->
Yesterday Right Now TomorrowEvery single tense fits somewhere on this line. Now, let’s meet our guide for this journey.
Karim’s Life Timeline: A Bangladeshi Story
Past: Karim grew up in a village in Sylhet. He went to a small school, played in the paddy fields, and ate rice with his family.
Present: Karim is now a university student in Dhaka. He lives in a mess with friends and is studying Computer Science.
Future: Karim will apply for a Master’s degree in Canada. He dreams of a better job and a better life.
We will use Karim’s story for every tense.
৩. Present Tense (বর্তমান কাল) – জীবন যা এখনই ঘটছে
The Present Tense isn't just about what you are doing at this exact second. It has four shades of meaning.
3.1. Present Indefinite Tense (সাধারণ বর্তমান)
Bangla Structure: Subject + Verb (Present Form) + Object.
When to Use: Habits, routines, universal truths, and facts.
Signal Words: Every day, always, usually, often, sometimes, never.
The Rule of 's/es': He/She/It-এর সাথে verb-এর শেষে s বা es যোগ করতে হয়। এটা ভুলে গেলে বাক্য ভুল হয়ে যাবে!
Universal Truth (সার্বজনীন সত্য): The sun rises in the east. (সূর্য পূর্বে উঠে।)
Habit (অভ্যাস): Karim drinks tea every morning. (করিম প্রতিদিন সকালে চা খায়।)
Routine (রুটিন): He goes to university at 9 AM. (সে সকাল ৯টায় বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ে যায়।)
Fact (事实): She works at a bank. (সে একটি ব্যাংকে কাজ করে।)
📖 Karim’s Story (Present Indefinite):
"Karim’s life in Dhaka is busy. He attends classes regularly. His university starts at 10 AM. He always takes a rickshaw to get there. His mess members eat lunch together at 2 PM. They often discuss their dreams for the future."
😂 Funny Mistake Alert!
Incorrect: My father go to office every day.
Correct: My father goes to office every day. (He/She/It-এর সাথে goes)
3.2. Present Continuous Tense (চলমান বর্তমান)
Bangla Structure: Subject + am/is/are + Verb (ing) + Object.
When to Use: Actions happening right now or actions happening around now but not necessarily at this exact moment. Also for future plans.
Signal Words: Now, at the moment, currently, right now.
Right Now: Look! It is raining heavily outside. (দেখ! বাইরে এখন খুব বৃষ্টি হচ্ছে।)
Around Now (Temporary Action): Karim is studying for his final exams this month. (করিম এই মাসে তার ফাইনাল পরীক্ষার জন্য পড়াশোনা করছে।) – He is not studying at this very second, but the action is ongoing these days.
Future Plan (ভবিষ্যতের পরিকল্পনা): We are visiting Cox’s Bazar next week. (আমরা পরের সপ্তাহে কক্সবাজার যাচ্ছি।)
📖 Karim’s Story (Present Continuous):
"Right now, Karim is sitting in his room. He is not watching TV. He is concentrating on his coding assignment. His phone is ringing, but he is ignoring it. This week, he is working on a big project."
3.3. Present Perfect Tense (পুরাঘটিত বর্তমান) – The Mystery Tense!
This is the most confusing tense for Bangladeshis. Let's solve the mystery.
Bangla Structure: Subject + have/has + Verb (Past Participle/V3) + Object.
The Golden Rule: It connects the past to the present. The exact time in the past is not important. What's important is the present result or experience.
Think of it as: "My life now is different because of something that happened sometime before now."
When to Use:
Experience (অনুভব): Talking about life experiences without mentioning when.
I have visited Sundarbans. (আমি সুন্দরবন ভ্রমণ করেছি。) – It doesn't matter when. The important thing is that I have the experience.
Has she ever eaten fuchka? (সে কি কখনও ফুচকা খেয়েছে?) – We are asking about her life experience until now.
Recent Past with Present Result (সম্প্রতিক অতীত): An action finished recently, and you can see its effect now.
I have finished my homework. (So now I am free to watch TV).
Karim has lost his keys. (So now he cannot open the door).
Action Started in Past, Continues to Present (অতীত থেকে চলছে): Often used with "since" (একটি নির্দিষ্ট সময় থেকে) and "for" (একটি সময়ের period ধরে).
He has lived in Dhaka for 5 years. (He started living here 5 years ago and still lives here now).
She has worked here since 2020.
🍚 The Rice-Eating Test (Bangladeshi Context):
Question: "Have you eaten rice?" (আপনি ভাত খেয়েছেন?)
When do you ask this? You ask this today, maybe around lunch or dinner time. You don't care about the exact time they ate yesterday. You care about their present condition—are they hungry now?
Contrast with Past Simple: "Did you eat rice?" (আপনি ভাত খেয়েছিলেন কি?) This refers to a specific, finished time in the past, like yesterday's dinner.
📖 Karim’s Story (Present Perfect):
"Karim's life has changed. He has moved from his village to Dhaka. He has learned many new things. He has made new friends. He has lived in this mess for two years. He has not seen his family for six months, and he misses them."
3.4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense (পুরাঘটিত চলমান বর্তমান)
Bangla Structure: Subject + have been/has been + Verb (ing) + Object.
When to Use: To emphasize the duration of an action that started in the past and is either still continuing or has just stopped. The focus is on the activity itself, not the completion.
Signal Words: for, since, all day, all morning.
It has been raining since morning. (সকাল থেকে বৃষ্টি হতে থাকছে / হচ্ছে。) – The action started in the past and is still going on.
Karim has been studying for three hours. (করিম তিন ঘন্টা ধরে পড়াশোনা করছে / করে আসছে。) – He started 3 hours ago and is still studying (or he just stopped and looks tired).
📖 Karim’s Story (Present Perfect Continuous):
"Karim is tired. He has been coding since 8 PM. His eyes are red because he has been staring at the computer screen for too long. His mother calls and asks, 'What have you been doing?' Karim replies, 'I have been working on my project, Ma.'"
৪. Past Tense (অতীত কাল) – স্মৃতির আলবাম
Now, we travel back in time to Karim’s village life.
4.1. Past Indefinite Tense (সাধারণ অতীত)
Bangla Structure: Subject + Verb (Past Form/V2) + Object.
When to Use: A completed action at a specific time in the past. The time is either mentioned or clearly implied.
Signal Words: Yesterday, last night, ago, in 2010, when I was a child.
Karim played cricket yesterday.
I went to school when I was a child.
He ate rice for dinner last night.
📖 Karim’s Story (Past Indefinite):
"In his village, Karim woke up early every morning. He helped his father in the field. He climbed mango trees with his friends. He passed his HSC exam in 2020. Then, he decided to move to Dhaka for higher studies."
4.2. Past Continuous Tense (চলমান অতীত)
Bangla Structure: Subject + was/were + Verb (ing) + Object.
When to Use:
An action that was in progress at a specific time in the past.
At 9 PM last night, I was watching a movie.
When a longer action (Past Continuous) is interrupted by a shorter action (Past Simple). Very common in storytelling.
While I was walking to the market, I met an old friend. (হাটতে যাওয়া লম্বা কাজ, দেখা হওয়া ছোট কাজ)
Two ongoing actions in the past at the same time.
While I was cooking, my brother was cleaning the room.
📖 Karim’s Story (Past Continuous):
"One evening, Karim was walking back from the market. The sun was setting, and birds were singing. Suddenly, his phone rang. It was his university acceptance letter! While he was reading the email, his heart was beating very fast."
4.3. Past Perfect Tense (পুরাঘটিত অতীত) – The "Earlier Past"
Bangla Structure: Subject + had + Verb (Past Participle/V3) + Object.
When to Use: When we are talking about two actions in the past. The Past Perfect shows the action that happened first (the earlier past).
Formula: [Past Perfect (First Action)] + [Past Simple (Second Action)]
When I reached the station, the train had left. (প্রথমে ট্রেন ছেড়ে যায়, তারপর আমি স্টেশনে পৌঁছাই।)
Karim had finished his assignment before his friend called.
📖 Karim’s Story (Past Perfect):
"Karim was nervous on his first day in Dhaka. He had never seen such a big city before. By the time he found his mess, he had already asked for directions from ten people. His new roommates were friendly; they had prepared a meal for him."
4.4. Past Perfect Continuous Tense (পুরাঘটিত চলমান অতীত)
Bangla Structure: Subject + had been + Verb (ing) + Object.
When to Use: To emphasize the duration of an action that was ongoing before another action interrupted it in the past. Similar to Present Perfect Continuous, but entirely in the past.
Signal Words: for, since.
Karim was tired because he had been traveling for 12 hours.
They had been waiting for the bus for an hour when it finally arrived.
📖 Karim’s Story (Past Perfect Continuous):
"On the night before his first exam, Karim was well-prepared. He had been studying for weeks. When his friend called to wish him luck, Karim felt confident because he had been revising all the chapters."
৫. Future Tense (ভবিষ্যত কাল) – স্বপ্ন এবং পরিকল্পনা
We now look at Karim’s dreams.
5.1. Future Indefinite Tense (সাধারণ ভবিষ্যত)
Bangla Structure: Subject + will/shall + Verb (Base Form) + Object.
When to Use: For predictions, spontaneous decisions, promises, and future facts.
Note: "Shall" is traditionally used with "I" and "We", but in modern English, "will" is used for all.
Prediction (ভবিষ্যদ্বাণী): I think it will rain tomorrow.
Spontaneous Decision (তাৎক্ষণিক সিদ্ধান্ত): The phone is ringing. I will get it.
Promise (প্রতিশ্রুতি): I will call you later.
📖 Karim’s Story (Future Indefinite):
"Karim dreams big. He believes he will get a good job after graduation. He will save money. One day, he will build a new house for his parents in the village. He promises himself, 'I will make them proud.'"
5.2. Future Continuous Tense (চলমান ভবিষ্যত)
Bangla Structure: Subject + will be + Verb (ing) + Object.
When to Use: To describe an action that will be in progress at a specific time in the future. It paints a picture of a future moment.
This time next year, I will be studying in Canada.
Don’t call me at 8 PM; I will be watching my favorite drama.
📖 Karim’s Story (Future Continuous):
"Karim imagines his life abroad. At this time next year, he will be sitting in a lecture hall at a Canadian university. He will be sharing an apartment with students from all over the world. While his family in Sylhet will be sleeping, he will be starting his day."
5.3. Future Perfect Tense (পুরাঘটিত ভবিষ্যত)
Bangla Structure: Subject + will have + Verb (Past Participle/V3) + Object.
When to Use: For an action that will be completed before a specific time in the future.
By 2030, I will have started my own business.
By the time you arrive, I will have finished cooking.
📖 Karim’s Story (Future Perfect):
"Karim has a five-year plan. By 2028, he will have completed his Master's degree. He will have gained two years of work experience in Canada. Most importantly, he will have repaid all his education loans."
5.4. Future Perfect Continuous Tense (পুরাঘটিত চলমান ভবিষ্যত)
Bangla Structure: Subject + will have been + Verb (ing) + Object.
When to Use: To emphasize the duration of an action up to a specific point in the future. This tense is rare but good to know.
In December, I will have been working here for five years.
When he turns 30, he will have been living in Dhaka for over a decade.
📖 Karim’s Story (Future Perfect Continuous):
"Karim knows success requires patience. By the time he achieves his dream job, he will have been working tirelessly for many years. He will have been sacrificing his comfort zone for a long time, but it will be worth it."
৬. The Grand Finale: Karim’s Complete Tense Timeline
Let's write a short paragraph using all 12 tenses to tell Karim's story. This is the ultimate test!
Karim’s Life in Tenses:
"Karim grew up (Past Indefinite) in a peaceful village. One day, while he was helping (Past Continuous) his father, he had been thinking (Past Perfect Continuous) about his future for a long time. He had always dreamed (Past Perfect) of becoming an engineer. Now, he lives (Present Indefinite) in Dhaka. He has been studying (Present Perfect Continuous) Computer Science for three years and has become (Present Perfect) a skilled programmer. Currently, he is working (Present Continuous) on a fantastic project. Soon, he will graduate (Future Indefinite). This time next year, he will be flying (Future Continuous) to Canada. By 2027, he will have completed (Future Perfect) his MS. By then, he will have been living (Future Perfect Continuous) abroad for two years. His family is sure he will have made (Future Perfect) them proud."
৭. Quick Reference Cheat Sheet (বাংলা অর্থ সহ)
| Tense Name | Structure (Formula) | Bangla Meaning | Example (with Bangla) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present Indefinite | Sub + V1(s/es) | সাধারণ বর্তমান | He eats rice. (সে ভাত খায়。) |
| Present Continuous | Sub + am/is/are + V+ing | চলমান বর্তমান | He is eating rice. (সে ভাত খাচ্ছে。) |
| Present Perfect | Sub + have/has + V3 | পুরাঘটিত বর্তমান | He has eaten rice. (সে ভাত খেয়েছে。) |
| Present Perf. Cont. | Sub + have been/has been + V+ing | পুরাঘটিত চলমান বর্তমান | He has been eating rice for 10 minutes. (সে ১০ মিনিট ধরে ভাত খাচ্ছে。) |
| Past Indefinite | Sub + V2 | সাধারণ অতীত | He ate rice. (সে ভাত খেয়েছিল。) |
| Past Continuous | Sub + was/were + V+ing | চলমান অতীত | He was eating rice. (সে ভাত খাচ্ছিল。) |
| Past Perfect | Sub + had + V3 | পুরাঘটিত অতীত | He had eaten rice before I came. (আমার আসার আগেই সে ভাত খেয়ে ফেলেছিল。) |
| Past Perf. Cont. | Sub + had been + V+ing | পুরাঘটিত চলমান অতীত | He had been eating rice for 10 minutes when I came. (আমি যখন এলাম, সে ১০ মিনিট ধরে ভাত খাচ্ছিল。) |
| Future Indefinite | Sub + will/shall + V1 | সাধারণ ভবিষ্যত | He will eat rice. (সে ভাত খাবে。) |
| Future Continuous | Sub + will be + V+ing | চলমান ভবিষ্যত | He will be eating rice at 8 PM. (সে রাত ৮টায় ভাত খাচ্ছিল হবে。) |
| Future Perfect | Sub + will have + V3 | পুরাঘটিত ভবিষ্যত | He will have eaten rice by 8 PM. (রাত ৮টার মধ্যে সে ভাত খেয়ে ফেলবে / শেষ করবে。) |
| Future Perf. Cont. | Sub + will have been + V+ing | পুরাঘটিত চলমান ভবিষ্যত | By 8 PM, he will have been eating rice for 30 minutes. (রাত ৮টা নাগাদ সে আধা ঘন্টা ধরে ভাত খেতে থাকবে。) |
৮. Your Turn! Interactive Homework
Draw Your Timeline: Take a paper and literally draw your own Tense Timeline. Mark key events from your past, present, and future dreams.
Write Your Story: Write a short paragraph about your life using at least 6 different tenses. Share it in the comments below!
The Rice Challenge: Write 12 sentences about "eating rice" using all 12 tenses. Example: "I eat rice every day." (Present Indefinite).
Next Module Teaser: Stuck choosing between "in", "on", and "at"? In Module 5, we will conquer Prepositions with a fun map of Dhaka City! It will be another game-changer.
Did you find this Tense Timeline helpful? Was Karim’s story relatable? Please share your thoughts and your homework in the comments section below! Let’s learn together.
: MODULE 4: TENSE TIMELINE: Visualizing Your Life’s Story in English Part4){kind=link}
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