tense

Everyday

1. Nervous, worried and unable to relax (I felt tense before the test). tree →
2. Stretched tight; not relaxed (tense muscles). tree →
3. Making people feel nervous or full of suspense (a tense moment in the film). tree →
4. To make your muscles tight (tense your arms). tree →
5. (grammar) Tense: the form of a verb that shows time — past, present or future (I walked, I walk, I will walk). tree →

In the lessons

In English grammar lessons, tenses are key: past tense (walked, ran), present tense (walk, run), future (will walk); stories are usually in the past tense and should not jump between tenses. In feelings and health lessons, relaxing tense muscles and breathing slowly helps calm worry. In stories, tense scenes build suspense. Phrases: past tense, present tense, future tense, tense up, a tense moment.

Examples

• I always feel tense before a spelling test. tree →
• Breathe slowly and let your tense shoulders relax. tree →
• «Ran» is the past tense of «run». tree →
• Write your story in the past tense. tree →
• The last minute of the match was very tense. tree →
• Tense your muscles, then let them go floppy. tree →
• The cat tensed, ready to jump. tree →
• The watcher stood beside, staring with his tense face and unwinking, lidless eye. tree →

Note

Two different words in one spelling: tense (nervous/tight) and tense (verb time in grammar). Noun of the feeling: tension. Irregular past tenses must be learned: go → went, eat → ate, see → saw.