The term “contain” takes part in the English language as a “verb.” Here are facts and explanations regarding the use of the verb “contain” in various time periods.
The verb “contain” can be used in its basic form while framing simple present sentences. The terms “containing” and “contained” are the present participle and the past participle forms of the verb “contain”. The addition of “ed” to “contain” is a must to frame the past form “contained”.
Here are facts and explanations related to the usage of the verb “contain” in various tense forms.
“Contain” in present tense –
The term “contain” becomes “contains” to regard a third-person singular number, male or female. Let us undergo facts regarding the verb “contain” in the present period.
The first form of the verb “contain” is the root form, and the second form is “contains.” The third form is the present participle form, which is “containing,” while the term “contained” can be used as both the past form and past participle form of the word “contain.”
When we can use “contain” in the present tense?
Type of Present Tense Form | Usage of “contain” in various present tense forms |
1. Simple Present Tense | The base form “to contain” is used while framing sentences in simple present mode to refer to an act that includes general containment of objects, limitation on volume, control over someone or something, prevention of spreading, etc. |
2. Present Continuous Tense / Present Progressive Tense | The progressive form “containing” is must while framing sentences in present continuous mode to refer to an act that includes general comprise of objects, limitation on volume, control over someone or something, prevention of spreading, etc. that is under working or running mode. |
3. Present Perfect Tense | The past participle term “contained” is a must when framing sentences in present perfect mode to refer to an act that has already started and is still having ramifications, which includes the general comprise of objects, limitation on volume, control over someone or something, prevention of spreading, etc. |
4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense | The present participle term “containing” is a must when framing sentences in present perfect continuous mode to refer to an act that has already started and is still in operating mode, which includes general comprises of objects, limitation on volume, control over someone or something, prevention of spreading, etc. |
Structures of sentences with “contain” in the present tense –
Type of Tense | Structures of sentences with “contain” |
1. Simple Present Tense | Subject + contain/contains + remaining parts |
2. Present Continuous Tense / Present Progressive Tense | Subject + am/is/are + containing (in the Present Participle Form) + remaining parts |
3. Present Perfect Tense | Subject + have/has + contained ( Past Participle Form ) + remaining parts |
4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense | Subject + have/has + been + containing ( Present Participle Form ) + remaining parts |
Examples with “contain” in the present tense –
Type of Tense | Examples with “contain” | Explanation |
1. Simple Present Tense | My study room contains not only literature books but also some famous scientific and fictional stories in the English language. | The base form “contains” refers to the fact that the study room of the speaker has lots of pictures of famous cricketers and footballers. |
2. Present Continuous Tense | My study room is containing pictures of not only some famous cricketers but also some famous footballers of all time. | The progressive term “containing” refers to the fact that the filling of the study room with pictures of famous players is in active mode. |
3. Present Perfect Tense | My study room has contained not only literature books but also some famous science fiction stories in the English language since last year. | The term “has contained” refers to the fact that the filling of the study room of the speaker has been started for a time in the past and is still in its ramification. |
4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense | My study room has been containing pictures of not only some famous cricketers but also some famous footballers of all time since the time I joined the sports academy in the year 2020. | The term “has been containing” refers to the fact that the speaker is in continuous mode to fill his or her study room with pictures of some cricket and football players. |
“Contain” in past tense –
The term “contain” becomes “contained” when we use it to frame any sentences in simple past mode. Let us check how we can use “contain” in the past tense.
The past form “contained” depicts the act of keeping something under control, to limit, accommodate, hold in, etc. in the days that have passed. We can use the past participle form “contained” to convey the same meaning.
When we can use “contain” in the past tense?
Type of Past Tense Form | Usage of “contain” in various past tense forms |
1. Simple Past Tense | The past form “contained” must be used to frame simple past tense sentences to refer to acts that include general containment of objects, limitation on volume, control over someone or something, prevention of spreading, etc. that we are going to generally accept or inspect in the time that has already passed. |
2. Past Continuous Tense | The progressive form “containing” must be used to frame past continuous tense sentences to refer to acts that include general containment of objects, limitation on volume, control over someone or something, prevention of spreading, etc. in the past days. |
3. Past Perfect Tense | The past perfect mode with the past participle form “contained” must be used to show the sequence of acts that included general containment of objects, limitation on volume, and control over someone or something, prevention of spreading, etc. in bygone days. |
4. Past Perfect Continuous Tense | The term “had been” along with the progressive form “containing” must be used to refer to acts that include general containment of objects, limitation on volume, control over someone or something, prevention of spreading, etc. that were in operational mode in a pre-discussed time period in the days that have already gone. |
Structures of sentences with “contain” in the past tense –
Type of Tense | Structures of sentences with “contain” |
1. Simple Past Tense | Subject + contained ( past form ) + remaining parts |
2. Past Continuous Tense | Subject + was/were + containing ( present participle form ) + Object |
3. Past Perfect Tense | Subject + had + contained ( past participle form ) + remaining parts |
4. Past Perfect Continuous Tense | Subject + had + been + containing ( present participle form ) + remaining parts |
Examples with “contain” in the past tense –
Type of Tense | Examples | Explanation |
1. Simple Past Tense | My new house contained not only our own library but also a gym and a personal movie theatre. | The past term “contained” refers to the fact that the speaker had maintained a library, gym, and personal movie theatre in his or her house. |
2. Past Continuous Tense | The book was containing some amazing fictional characters that are truly inspirational to the children. | The term “was containing” refers to the fact that a particular book had some nice literary characters in its content in bygone days. |
3. Past Perfect Tense | Our house had contained a new, well-furnished kitchen before my mother came here as a new bride. | The term “had contained” refers to the fact that the house was furnished with a kitchen at a specific time in bygone days. |
4. Past Perfect Continuous Tense | Our ancestors had been containing their own pond with lots of fish in it from the year 1888 to the year 2012. | The term “had been containing” refers to the fact that the house was furnished with a pond for a specific time period in bygone days. |
“Contain” in future tense –
Let go, release, exclude, etc. are the words that convey the completely opposite meaning of the verb “contain.” Let us examine the facts of the verb “contain” in the time ahead.
The verb form “contain,” along with “will” or “shall,” can be used in the future tense to depict an action that involves taking action, like suppress, accommodate, bottle up, restrain, etc., which have not been done yet but there is the possibility of occurrence in the future.
When we can use “contain” in the future tense?
Type of Future Tense Form | Usage of “contain” in various future tense forms |
1. Simple Future Tense | The use of the verb root “contains” is all about referencing acts that include general containment of objects, limitation on volume, and control over someone or something, prevention of spreading, etc. in the time ahead. |
2. Future Continuous Tense | The term “containing” mainly regards the operational condition of acts that include general containment of objects, limitation on volume, and control over someone or something, prevention of spreading, etc. in the days that are going to come. |
3. Future Perfect Tense | The use of the term “shall/will have contained” is all about acts that include general containment of objects, limitation on volume, control over someone or something, prevention of spreading, etc |
4. Future Perfect Continuous Tense | The use of the term “will/shall have been containing” regards acts that include general containment of objects, limitation on volume, control over someone or something, prevention of spreading, etc. that are in working mode in the days to come. |
Structures of sentences with “contain” in the future tense –
Type of Tense | Structures of sentences with “contain” |
1. Simple Future Tense | Subject + shall/will + contain + remaining parts |
2. Future Continuous Tense | Subject + will + be + containing ( present participle form) + remaining parts |
3. Future Perfect Tense | Subject + will + have + contained ( past participle form ) + remaining parts |
4. Future Perfect Continuous Tense | Subject + will + have + been + containing ( present participle) + remaining parts |
Examples with “contain” in the future tense –
Type of Tense | Example | Explanation |
1. Simple Future Tense | I will contain my life with some adventure and melodrama instead of boring, monotonous family life. | The term “will contain” is in use to refer to the fact that the speaker is going to have an adventurous and melodramatic life in the coming days. |
2. Future Continuous Tense | I will be containing my life with some adventure and melodrama instead of boring, monotonous family life. | The progressive term “containing” along with “will be” shows that the speaker will be having a life full of adventure and melodrama in the coming days. |
3. Future Perfect Tense | I will have contained my life with some adventure and melodrama instead of boring, monotonous family life for the next ten days. | The term “will have contained” indicates the probability of an adventurous and melodramatic life for the speaker in the coming days. |
4. Future Perfect Continuous Tense | I will have been containing my life with some adventure and melodrama instead of boring, monotonous family life in October of the next year, 2020. | The term “will have been containing” regards life, which is going to be full of fun during the specific time period in the days to come. |
Conclusion:
We need to have an account of the word groups which share the same meaning with the term “contain”. “Have capacity for,” “have room for,” “put half a Nelson on,” “keep a tight rein on,” “put the lid on,” and “have space for” are the words’ meanings that are similar to “contain.”
Hey! I am Arpita Bose Roy. My qualifications are M.A. in English with B. Ed. in both general education and special education. I have 2 years of experience as a “language analyst” at IIT Kharagpur and 4 years of experience as an “Academic Content Developer” at IIT Kharagpur. Currently, I am working as an academic writer at Lambdageeks.
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