In this short video, understand the concept of simple continuous tenses, especially from the perspective of the GMAT sentence correction questions.
Simple Continuous Tenses on GMAT
Simple Continuous Tenses on GMAT
Tenses are a highly nuanced and complicated part of grammar that often poses a challenge to GMAT aspirants. In order to perform well in the sentence correction portion of the GMAT, a very high scoring section of the exam, developing a proper understanding of tenses is vital. In this short article, we will cover a particular type of tense, the simple continuous tense, from the perspective of the GMAT. We will cover the form, nature, and usage of the Simple Continuous Past Tense, Simple Continuous Present Tense, and Simple Continuous Future Tense.
Simple Continuous Tenses
The simple continuous tense is marked by the use of the "verb + ing" verb form. The purpose of this tense is to indicate actions that are ongoing, whether in the past, present, or future. To clarify, the simple continuous form indicates that an action takes place over a period of time, whether it took place in the past, is currently ongoing, or will take place over a period of time in the future. Now, let us take a closer look at each of the three forms of simple continuous tense.
Simple Present Continuous Tense
The purpose of the simple present continuous tense is to indicate actions that are currently ongoing, at the time the message is conveyed. Please consider the following example to understand this form better:
Example 1 -
Jack is studying at the Harvard Business School
Simple Past Continuous Tense
The purpose of the simple past continuous tense is to indicate actions that concluded by the time of the message's conveyance but took place over a period of time. Please consider the following example to understand this form better:
Example 2 -
Two years ago, Jack was studying at the Harvard Business School.
Simple Future Continuous Tense
The purpose of the simple past continuous tense is to indicate actions that have not taken place yet, but when they do so, they will occur over a period of time. Please consider the following example to understand this form better:
Example 3 -
Two years later, Jack will be joining his family business.
Understanding the simple continuous tense form is a fairly important part of GMAT sentence correction preparation; it can often seem confusing, as it refers to continuous actions in different time periods. This article has deliberately been kept brief; for a more elaborate explanation, please refer to Experts' Global's Stage One Sentence Correction videos.
