The term “avoid’’ means set aside, get round, turn aside, expel, eliminate, or turn away. Now we will see the usage of “avoid’’ in the present, past, and future tense.
We can use the term “avoid’’ in the feelings of not doing something or wanting to escape from it.
Let us discuss more facts regarding the usage of “avoid’’ in the present, past, and future tenses along with the examples and their detailed explanations for learning well.
“Avoid’’ in the present tense.
We recognize the tense form as present tense which gives us the action of the present moment. Let us see the usage of “avoid’’ in the present tense.
We can definitely use the term “avoid’’ in the present tense to refer to an effort to escape from any responsibility entrusted to someone to execute. We apply it to show our wish to turn aside some work in the present moment.
When can we use “avoid’’ in the present tense?
| Type of present tense | When to use “avoid” in the present tense |
| 1. Simple present tense | The verb “avoid” is used in the simple present tense and mainly refers to not choosing any person, object, or idea in a general sense. |
| 2. Present continuous tense | We use the verb “avoid” in the present continuous tense to indicate our negligence to accept any person or thing that is taking place in the present moment. |
| 3. Present perfect tense | The verb “avoid’ is in the usage in the present perfect tense in order to escape from taking any person or object or idea that has already been completed. |
| 4. Present perfect continuous tense | The verb “avoid” is applied in the present perfect tense when we refuse to admit anybody or anything that has been going on for a period of time. |
Examples of “avoid” in the present tense-
| Forms of tense | Example | Explanation |
| 1. Simple present tense/ Present indefinite tense | The students always avoid the difficult sums to solve. | The action word “avoid’’ is in the usage here to show the function of the simple present tense. It shows that the students always try to turn aside the responsibility of solving difficult sums. |
| 2. Present progressive tense/ Present continuous tense | We are always avoiding any stranger coming to our house. | In the present example, the verb “avoid’’ has a usage in the present progressive tense. We find that we are every time is avoiding any unknown person to enter our house. |
| 3. Present perfect tense | I don’t know why he has avoided me. | Here an instance of the present perfect tense is found. The term “avoid’’ shows an action that has been done but its result still remains. |
| 4. Present perfect progressive tense/ Present perfect continuous tense | Wright has been avoiding doing the task for two months, | The verb “avoid’’ performs the action of a present perfect progressive tense. We find that Wright has been trying to avoid doing the task for a certain period of time. |
Sentence formation in the present tense with “avoid”-
| Type of tense | Sentence formation and structure with “avoid” |
| 1. Simple present tense | Subject+avoid/ avoids+ object |
| 2. Present continuous tense | Subject+ am/is/are+ avoiding (in the present participle form)+ object |
| 3. Present perfect tense | Subject+ has/have+ avoided (past participle form) + object |
| 4. Present perfect tense | Subject + has been/ have been + avoiding(present participle form) + object |
“Avoid’’ in the past tense.
The work that was finished earlier or was going to end is regarded as a past action. We will learn how “avoid’’ is used in the past tense.
The term “avoid’’ is certainly used in the past tense in the form “avoided” to show the unwillingness to do any work in the past. It mainly refers to our attempt to perform an action that was supposed to do earlier.
When can we apply “avoid’’ in the past tense?
| Type of past tense | When to use “avoid” in the past tense |
| 1. Past indefinite tense | We use the verb “avoided” in the simple past tense when we need to refer to refusing to accept any person, idea, or object that was completed in the past. |
| 2. Past continuous tense | The word “avoiding” is used in the past continuous tense when we wish to present anybody, any feeling, or any object that was in progress in the past. |
| 3. Past perfect tense | The verb “avoided” is used in the past perfect tense when we need to present our negligence to take any person, idea, or object that had done before another action in the past. |
| 4. Past perfect continuous tense | We apply the verb “avoiding” in the past progressive tense to present the refusal of any person, idea, or anything that had been going on in the past for some time. |
Sentence formation with “avoid” in the past tense-
| Type of past tense | Sentence formation and structure with “avoid” |
| 1. Past indefinite tense | Subject+avoided ( past form)+ object |
| 2. Past continuous tense | Subject+ was/ were+ avoiding (in the present participle form)+ object |
| 3. Past perfect tense | Subject+ had+ avoided (past participle form) + object |
| 4. Past perfect continuous tense | Subject + had been + avoiding(present participle form) + object |
Examples and their explanations on the usage of “avoid’’ in the past tense-
| Form of tense | Example | Explanation |
| 1. Past indefinite tense/ Simple past tense | The drivers avoided paying the fine by maintaining the traffic rules. | In this example, the term “avoid” is used to show the activity of the simple past tense. The past form of the verb “avoided’’ indicates an action i. e. the drivers tried to escape from giving a fine. |
| 2. Past progressive tense/ Past continuous tense | Why was Soumi avoiding her friends? | Here the question form shows that the verb “avoid’’ is acting in the past progressive tense. It provides a question of whether Soumi was avoiding her friends. |
| 3. Past perfect tense | Sourav had avoided doing the task before his teacher came to teach him. | The example shows an action of the past perfect tense where the verb “avoid’’ is used. It shows that Sourav had tried to escape from doing the task before his teacher arrived. |
| 4. Past perfect progressive tense/ Past perfect continuous tense | They had been avoiding the work in the field for an hour before the manager came. | The doing verb “avoid’’ is applied in the past perfect progressive tense. We come to know that they had been avoiding their responsibility for a certain time before the manager turned up. |
“Avoid’’ in the future tense.
The future tense refers to the grammatical form of tense where the actions shown will be done in the future. Let us see how “avoid’’ acts in the future tense.
The term “avoid’’ can be used in the future tense to show our endeavor to get off from any work in the future. Our wish of eliminating some liability is referred to by the term “avoid’’ in the future tense.
When is “avoid’’ used in the future tense?
| Form of future tense | When to use “avoid” in the future tense |
| 1. Simple future tense | We use the verb “avoid” in the simple future tense with shall/ will to present our unwillingness to accept anybody or anything that will happen in the future. |
| 2. Future continuous tense | The word “avoiding’ is used in the future continuous tense with shall be or will be to mark our negligence to admit any person, any object, or any idea that will be going on in the future. |
| 3. Future perfect tense | The verb “avoided” will be used with shall have/ will have to show the unwillingness to take any person, object, or idea that will have done before other action in the future. |
| 4. Future perfect continuous tense | The verb “avoiding” is used in the future perfect continuous tense to present our sense of not accepting any person, object, or feelings that will be happening for some time in the future. |
Examples of the usage of “avoid’’ in the future tense–
| Form of future tense | Example | Example |
| 1. Simple future tense/ Future indefinite tense | The girls will avoid unknown persons to enter their house at night. | The action word “avoid’’ shows its function in the simple future tense. The action mentioned here will be done in the future i. e. the girls will avoid those who are not known to them to enter their house. |
| 2. Future progressive tense/ Future continuous tense | The students will be avoiding the tough lessons. | The usage of the verb “avoid’’ shows that it is used in the future progressive tense or action that will be going on in the future. Here we see students’ desire to do the tough lessons. |
| 3. Future perfect tense | I shall have avoided you if you misbehave with me. | The verb “avoid’’ shows its usage in the future perfect tense or the function will be done before another action. |
| 4. Future perfect progressive tense/ Future perfect continuous tense | Dipika will not have been avoiding her friends for months before they apologize. | Here the verb “avoid’’ has been used in the future perfect progressive tense that shows an action will be continuing for a period of time before another action. |
Sentence formation with “avoid” in the future tense-
Let us see in the table how the term “avoid” is used in sentence formation in the future tense.
| Type of tense | Sentence formation structure |
| 1. Future indefinite tense | Subject + shall avoid/ will avoid +object |
| 2. Future continuous tense | Subject + shall be/will be + avoiding ( present participle)+ object |
| 3. Future perfect tense | Subject + shall have/ will have+ avoided (past participle) + object |
| 4. Future perfect continuous tense | Subject + shall have been/ will have been +avoiding (present participle)+object |
Conclusion
The article is on the usage of “avoid’’ in the present, past, and future tense. We can apply the term in its noun forms “avoidance’’ and “avoidability’’, adjective form “avoidable’’ in sentences as per our requirement. Our thorough and careful reading of the article will be much beneficial while constructing any sentence with this word.
Hi…. I am Goutam Datta. I have completed a double M. A. in English and B. Ed. I am a creative writer. Currently, I am a part of the LambdaGeeks.