Tenses of Perception Types, Examples, Exercises, Tips

by | Jan 18, 2025 | General | 0 comments

Tenses of Perception

English Grammar –  Tenses of Perception Types, Examples, Rules, Tips, Practice Exercises (Covering Uses of ‘see’, ‘hear’, ‘smell’, ‘feel’, ‘taste’)

 

 

What is Tenses of Perception – Introduction 

Our senses shape the way we perceive the world around us and interact with it. The verbs associated with perception- see, hear, smell, feel, and taste- are vital in expressing these experiences. Perception verbs like see, hear, smell, feel, and taste help us describe sensory experiences. Their versatile nature in language makes them important for expressing observations in different contexts and tenses. 

However, these verbs can also function differently in sentences depending on their stative (non-action) or dynamic (action-based) meanings. Understanding how these verbs function across present, past, and future tenses can significantly enhance your command of grammar. This article discusses the verbs of perception and how they can be used across different tenses, some examples to demonstrate this, tips, and practice questions to ace this topic. 

 

Tenses of Perception Types

Sense verbs can be divided into two types: stative (non-action) and dynamic (action). Their use depends on whether they describe an ongoing state or an intentional action.

1. Stative Uses of Sense Verbs 

These verbs describe how we passively experience things through our senses. Stative verbs are typically not used in -ing forms. Instead, they appear in the simple tenses.

For example, 

  • This perfume smells lovely. (Not is smelling)
  • The soup tastes delicious.

 

2. Dynamic Uses of Sense Verbs

These verbs describe active, deliberate actions using the senses. Dynamic verbs can be used in progressive forms like “is doing” or “are doing” when they refer to intentional actions.

For example, 

  • She is smelling the milk to check if it is fresh.
  • He is tasting the curry to see if it needs more salt.

 

Use of Tenses of Perception

Verbs of perception such as see, hear, feel, taste, and smell can be used in various tenses to describe actions or experiences of perceiving something. These tenses help indicate when the perception occurs- whether in the present, past, or future- and provide additional context about the timing of the action. 

1. Present Tense : When perception verbs are used in the present tense, they describe something happening right now or regularly.

  • Present Simple: This tense is used to express general truths or habitual actions. It’s commonly used for perceptions that are regular or occur frequently. For Example, “She feels the cold air as she steps outside.” (Describes a present, ongoing perception.)
  • Present Continuous: When using the continuous form, the focus is on something happening at the exact moment of speaking. For Example, “I’m hearing strange noises coming from the attic.” (The action is happening right now.)

2. Past Tense: In the past tense, these verbs describe an action of perception that occurred at a specific moment in the past. The past tense can help establish when the perception happened and how it fits into the sentence.

  • Past Simple: It is used when the action was completed in the past. For Example, “I saw her leave the house yesterday.” (The action of perceiving happened in the past and is now finished.)
  • Past Continuous: This form shows that the perception was happening over a period of time in the past. It is often used to describe actions that were in progress when another event occurred. For Example, “I was hearing strange noises throughout the night.” (The perception was continuous and happened over a period.)

3. Future Tense: Verbs of perception can also be used in the future tense to describe what will be perceived later on. This could refer to a single event or an ongoing situation.

  • Future Simple: This tense is used when you are referring to an event that will happen at some point in the future. For Example, “They will see the results of the study next month.” (Future event of perceiving.)
  • Future Continuous: When used with perception verbs, this tense shows the ongoing nature of the perception in the future. For Example, “They will be tasting the dishes at the food festival.” (Describes a future continuous event.)

 

Tenses of Perception Examples 

The following are some examples of the Tense of perception in sentences:

  1. See
  • I saw him walking down the street yesterday.
  • We see the sunrise every morning from our balcony.
  • She was seeing a lot of new places during her vacation last month.
  • Have you seen that movie yet?
  • I will see you at the meeting tomorrow.
  1. Hear
  • I heard someone knocking at the door earlier.
  • He is hearing strange noises coming from the basement.
  • Did you hear the news about the concert?
  • I have heard a lot about her before.
  • You will hear from me once I finish the report.
  1. Smell
  • I smelled freshly baked bread when I walked into the kitchen.
  • She smells the flowers every time she walks past them.
  • I was smelling something burning while cooking dinner.
  • He has smelled that perfume before.
  • The garden will smell wonderful in the spring.
  1. Feel
  • I felt the soft fabric of the blanket as I wrapped it around myself.
  • She feels the heat of the sun on her skin every afternoon.
  • They were feeling the cold breeze coming from the window during the meeting.
  • I have felt nervous before every exam.
  • You will feel much better after you rest.
  1. Taste
  • I tasted the soup, and it was delicious.
  • She tastes the cake to see if it needs more sugar.
  • We were tasting different wines at the event last night.
  • I have tasted several dishes from that restaurant.
  • By tomorrow, we will taste the freshly baked bread.

 

Tips on Solving Questions on Tenses of Perception

When solving questions related to tenses of perception (like ‘see,’ ‘hear,’ ‘smell,’ ‘feel,’ ‘taste’), there are several key points to keep in mind: 

1. Understand the Verb’s Meaning: The context of the verb is important. Are you describing a complete action or an ongoing one? For example, “I heard her sing” (completed action) vs. “I heard her singing” (action in progress). Some verbs like “hear” and “see” can describe actions as completed or in progress depending on the form used.

2. Focus on the Tense: Pay attention to the tense used in the sentence. Is it past, present, or future? Choose the appropriate form of the verb (e.g., “saw,” “hear,” “smell,” etc.) according to the tense of the sentence.

3. Identify the Structure: Determine whether the sentence uses the infinitive or -ing form after the verb of perception. 

  • Infinitive (e.g., “I saw him leave”) refers to a complete action.
  • -ing form (e.g., “I saw him leaving”) refers to an ongoing or in-progress action.

For example, after “see” or “hear,” the infinitive form shows you witnessed the whole action, while the -ing form suggests it was happening as you were perceiving it.

4. Passive Voice: Some perception verbs can also be used in a passive structure with the past participle (like, “I heard my name being called”). In these cases, the subject is the recipient of the action.

5. Context Is Important: Always look at the context surrounding the sentence. Is the action being completed, in progress, or repetitive? The surrounding words will help you choose between using an infinitive, -ing form, or past participle.

 

Practice Exercises on Tenses of Perception

Exercise- 1 

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in brackets (infinitive, -ing form, or past participle) based on the tense and context of the sentence.

  1. I __________ (hear) her sing a beautiful song yesterday.
  2. The flowers __________ (smell) lovely after the rain.
  3. I saw them __________ (leave) the house last night.
  4. You must __________ (feel) the fabric—it’s so smooth!
  5. She __________ (see) him play the piano every weekend.
  6. I can __________ (taste) the sweetness of the desert.
  7. He didn’t __________ (hear) the bell ring earlier.
  8. This yogurt __________ (taste) awful.
  9. I noticed him __________ (cry) during the movie.
  10. She __________ (feel) a chill when the wind blew.
  11. I __________ (see) you __________ (talk) to my friend earlier.
  12. They __________ (smell) the delicious aroma coming from the kitchen.
  13. The teacher __________ (hear) us __________ (laugh) during the class.
  14. I __________ (hear) a strange noise last night.
  15. She __________ (taste) the soup before adding salt.
  16. Did you __________ (see) her __________ (dance) at the party?
  17. He __________ (feel) something strange when he touched the object.
  18. I __________ (see) you __________ (run) in the park this morning.
  19. The children __________ (hear) their mother calling them.
  20. I __________ (taste) the soup and it was too salty.
  21. I __________ (hear) a dog barking outside.
  22. It __________ (feel) cold when you touch the metal.
  23. She __________ (see) them __________ (argue) about something.
  24. They __________ (feel) the fabric and immediately loved it.
  25. I __________ (taste) something sweet in my mouth after the meal.

 

Answers:

  1. heard
  2. smell/smelled 
  3. leave/leaving 
  4. feel
  5. sees/saw 
  6. taste
  7. hear
  8. tastes
  9. cry
  10. felt
  11. saw, talking
  12. Smelled, smell
  13. heard, laughing
  14. heard
  15. tasted
  16. see, dancing
  17. felt
  18. saw, running
  19. heard
  20. tasted
  21. Heard, hear, am hearing
  22. feels
  23. saw, arguing
  24. felt
  25. tasted

 

Exercise- 2 

Choose the correct form from the options provided to complete each sentence.

 

  1. I __________ (saw / seeing) her sing on stage yesterday.
  2. She was __________ (smelled / smelling) the flowers in the garden when I arrived.
  3. We __________ (hearing / heard) the children play in the yard earlier today.
  4. I __________ (saw / see) them leave the restaurant just now.
  5. The cake __________ (tastes / tasted) amazing when I ate it.
  6. He __________ (feels / felt) the texture of the cloth carefully before deciding to buy it.
  7. I __________ (saw / seeing) them argue in the hallway yesterday.
  8. They __________ (have heard / heard) their teacher’s voice from the next room.
  9. She __________ (felt / is feeling) a cold breeze on her face as she walked outside.
  10. We __________ (have seen / saw) the bird fly past us just now.
  11. I __________ (heard / hearing) her sing a song yesterday, and it was beautiful.
  12. He __________ (saw / has seen) his friend at the park every Sunday.
  13. I __________ (was feeling / felt) the warm water of the pool when the lights went out.
  14. She __________ (saw / has seen) the movie twice already.
  15. I __________ (taste / tasted) something bitter in the coffee earlier this morning.
  16. He __________ (saw / was seeing) them talking about their plans last week.
  17. I __________ (have smelled / smelled) something burning in the kitchen.
  18. They __________ (are feeling / felt) the cold wind on their skin while they were walking.
  19. We __________ (saw / seen) the animals at the zoo last weekend.
  20. I __________ (heard / have heard) her play the violin beautifully in the concert last year.
  21. She __________ (saw /had seen) her friend earlier today before going to work.
  22. I __________ (taste / tasted) the soup, and it was too spicy.
  23. I __________ (felt / feeling) nervous before the performance last night.
  24. He __________ (has heard / heard) them sing in the choir on Sunday.
  25. We __________ (saw / were seeing) him at the party last weekend.

 

Answers:

  1. saw
  2. smelling
  3. heard
  4. saw
  5. tasted
  6. felt
  7. saw
  8. heard
  9. felt
  10. have seen
  11. heard
  12. has seen
  13. was feeling
  14. has seen
  15. tasted
  16. saw
  17. have smelled
  18. felt
  19. saw
  20. have heard
  21. had seen
  22. tasted
  23. felt
  24. has heard
  25. saw

Multiple Choice Questions on Tenses of Perception

1. Use the correct past tense form
Oh my god, this place _________ exactly the same. They did not even move the furniture.
(A) feels
(B) smells
(C) looks
(D) tastes

2. Which verb is not a verb of perception?
(A) look
(B) feel
(C) taste
(D) eat

3. I ___________ Laura playing with the cats yesterday.
(A) looked
(B) smelled
(C) felt
(D) saw

4. Use the present tense form
Honey, I love you, but this food ________ horrible.
(A) tastes
(B) smells
(C) looks
(D) none of the above

5. I was in love with this new face mask. My skin ___________ amazing when I tried it.
(A) feels
(B) looked
(C) tasted
(D) none of the above

6. Your new song __________ amazing.
(A) feels
(B) looks
(C) sounds
(D) none of the above

7. Use only verbs of perception.
You have to _____________ this movie. It’s amazing.
(A) see
(B) watch
(C) buy
(D) none of the above

8. Your camera ___________ broken. You should get it fixed.
(A) feels
(B) looks
(C) tastes
(D) none of the above

9. Don’t ____________ my arm. It hurts.
(A) look
(B) feel
(C) touch
(D) none of the above

10. Use only verbs of perception.
Don’t _________ the food yet. It’s not ready!
(A) taste
(B) chew
(C) smell
(D) none of the above

11. Use the past simple tense form
I ___________ them dance last night.
(A) saw
(B) see
(C) was seeing
(D) have seen

12. Use the present continuous tense form
Right now, I ___________ the heat from the fire.
(A) feel
(B) am feeling
(C) felt
(D) was feeling

13. Use the past simple tense form
He ___________ the smell of flowers yesterday.
(A) smelt
(B) smells
(C) is smelling
(D) has smelled

14. We ___________ the fire alarm going off in the middle of the night.
(A) heard
(B) saw
(C) smelled
(D) felt

15. Use the past continuous tense form
They ___________ the soup when I walked into the kitchen.
(A) were tasting
(B) taste
(C) tasted
(D) are tasting

16. Use the present simple tense form
He ___________ a strong odor in the room.
(A) smells
(B) is smelling
(C) smelled
(D) smell

17. I ___________ her singing loudly in the shower this morning.
(A) saw
(B) heard
(C) felt
(D) tasted

18. The soup _________ a bit salty, but it was still delicious.
(A) smells
(B) tasted
(C) looks
(D) feels

19. Use the present simple tense form
This fabric ___________ soft.
(A) feel
(B) is feeling
(C) feels
(D) felt

20. Use the past simple tense form
I ___________ the flowers in her house yesterday.
(A) smelt
(B) smells
(C) is smelling
(D) has smelled

 

Answers: 

  1. (C) looks
  2. (D) eat
  3. (D) saw
  4. (A) tastes
  5. (B) looked
  6. (C) sounds
  7. (A) see
  8. (B) looks
  9. (C) touch
  10. (A) taste
  11. (A) saw
  12. (B) am feeling
  13. (A) smelt
  14. (A) heard
  15. (A) were tasting
  16. (A) smells
  17. (B) heard
  18. (B) tasted
  19. (C) feels
  20. (A) smelt

 

Conclusion

Understanding different tenses of perception is important for mastering both spoken and written communication.These tenses help in conveying the intricacies of how we perceive the world around us through our senses. By practicing the correct use of these tenses, such as in the exercises provided in the above article and understanding the concept behind tenses of perception, students can improve their ability to describe events, actions, and sensations accurately.

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