The term “dance” comes under the category of “verb” in English parts of speech. Let us look over facts and explanations regarding the verb “dance” in various time frames.
The term “dance” can perform its verb role in four ways. The term “dances” refers to the third person singular number, while the root form “dance” goes with all other types of persons. The terms “danced” and “dancing” can be designated as the past participle and present participle forms of the verb “dance.”
Here are evidences and justifications regarding the application of the verb “dance” in various tense forms.
“Dance” in present tense –
The verb “dance” sometimes plays the role of a noun as well to refer to any particular type of dance. Let us look over the application of the verb “dance” in the present tense.
The term “s” is to be added to “dance” to refer to a third-person singular number; otherwise, the term “dance” goes with all types of persons. The term “dancing” takes on the role of a present participle. The term “danced” plays the role of both the past form and past participle form of the word “dance.”
When we can use “dance” in the present tense?
| Type of Present Tense Form | Usage of “dance” in various present tense forms |
| 1. Simple Present Tense | The base term “dance” must be used to denote that someone used to move their body to maintain the rhythm of the music in the present. |
| 2. Present Continuous Tense / Present Progressive Tense | The progressive term “dancing” must be used to dictate that the dancing of any person is in active or functional mode in the present time. |
| 3. Present Perfect Tense | The present perfect mode with the verb form “have/has danced” must be used to denote that the whirling and twirling of the body was done for a specific time frame that was started in the past and is still having ramifications. |
| 4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense | The present-perfect “dancing” on continuous mode “have been dancing/ has been dancing” must be used to dictate that the swaying of the body is in running or operating mode for a specific time period in present time. |
Structures of sentences with “dance” in the present tense –
| Type of Tense | Structures of sentences with “dance” |
| 1. Simple Present Tense | Subject + dance/dances + remaining parts of the sentence |
| 2. Present Continuous Tense / Present Progressive Tense | Subject + am/is/are + dancing (in the Present Participle Form) + remaining parts of the sentence |
| 3. Present Perfect Tense | Subject + have/has + danced (Past Participle Form) + remaining parts if the sentence |
| 4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense | Subject + have/has + been + dancing (Present Participle Form) + remaining parts of the sentence |
Examples with “dance” in the present tense –
| Type of Tense | Examples with “dance” | Explanation |
| 1. Simple Present Tense | Mina loves to dance to classical South Indian instrumental music. | The term “dance” is in use to show that the subject ‘Mina’ loves to move her body to the rhythm of music in present time. |
| 2. Present Continuous Tense | Mina is dancing to classical South Indian instrumental music. | The present progressive form of “dancing” is in use to dictate that Mina’s body parts are in functional mode to move on the beat of the music. |
| 3. Present Perfect Tense | Mina has danced to classical South Indian instrumental music since last year. | The term “has danced” is in use to show that Mina has started learning music in the past and is still in operational mode. |
| 4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense | Mina has been dancing to classical South Indian instrumental music since she was eight years old. | The term “has been dancing” is in use to show that the subject ‘Mina’ is dancing from a specific time frame in the past to the present. |
“Dance” in past tense –
The term “dance” mainly refers to the movement of the body to keep rhythm with the played music. Let us look over the application of the verb “dance” in the past tense.
In bygone days, “dance” used to mean that any singular or plural noun was or was moving their body or limbs to maintain the rhythm of the music. Terms like “had danced” and “had been danced” must be added to the sentence according to the time period requirement.
When we can use “dance” in the past tense?
| Type of Past Tense Form | Usage of “dance” in various past tense forms |
| 1. Simple Past Tense | The term “danced” can be designated as the past form as it is used to denote that someone was in active body movement or was in the mood to spin according to the beat of the music in the time which has already passed. |
| 2. Past Continuous Tense | The term “dancing” is used to denote the fact that someone was in a whirling, spinning, or rocking mood according to the beat of the music in the time which has already passed. |
| 3. Past Perfect Tense | In bygone days, the term “had danced” was used to denote the sequence of two events among which one was whirling, twirling, spinning, or rocking before another event or after another event. |
| 4. Past Perfect Continuous Tense | The term “had been dancing” is used to denote the fact that some living being was in a whirling, twirling, spinning, or rocking condition according to the beat of the music for a specific time period in the days that have already passed. |
Structures of sentences with “dance” in the past tense –
| Type of Tense | Structures of sentences with “dance” |
| 1. Simple Past Tense | Subject + danced ( past form ) + remaining parts of the sentence |
| 2. Past Continuous Tense | Subject + was/were + dancing ( present participle form ) + of the sentence |
| 3. Past Perfect Tense | Subject + had + danced ( past participle form ) + remaining parts of the sentence |
| 4. Past Perfect Continuous Tense | Subject + had + been + dancing ( present participle form ) + remaining parts of the sentence |
Examples with “dance” in the past tense –
| Type of Tense | Examples | Explanation |
| 1. Simple Past Tense | I danced a lot to funny songs from Bollywood movies when I was in primary school. | The term “danced” is the past form, which states that the speaker used to whirl and twirl a lot in bygone days. |
| 2. Past Continuous Tense | I was dancing a lot when our primary school teacher played a rhyme song in my primary school. | The term “dancing” is in the past continuous mode, which states that the speaker was whirling and twirling at a time period in bygone days. |
| 3. Past Perfect Tense | I had danced a lot to funny songs from Bollywood movies before my father brought my teacher to the birthday party. | The term “had danced” is in use to show the sequence of the two events, which are the dancing of the speaker and the coming of the speaker’s teacher to the birthday party. |
| 4. Past Perfect Continuous Tense | I had been dancing a lot, from my primary school days to my high school days, to funny songs from Bollywood movies. | The term “had been dancing” is used to denote that the speaker was swaying on a specific time frame in bygone days. |
“Dance” in future tense –
Sometimes we use the verb “dance” to refer to the movement of any non-living object in an ironic manner. Let us look over the application of the verb “dance” in the future tense.
We use terms like “will dance,” “will be dancing,” etc. to state that any singular or plural living noun is or is going to perform on certain music or songs by rhythmic bodily movement in the days ahead.
When we can use “dance” in the future tense?
| Type of Future Tense Form | Usage of “dance” in various future tense forms |
| 1. Simple Future Tense | The use of the verb root “will dance/dances” is all about referencing the whirling, swaying, rocking, or spinning of body parts according to the beat of the music in the time to come. |
| 2. Future Continuous Tense | The term “will be dancing” mainly refers to the operational condition of acts that include whirling, swaying, rocking, or spinning of body parts according to the beat of the music in the days that are going to come. |
| 3. Future Perfect Tense | The use of term “shall/will have danced” is all about acts that include whirling, swaying, rocking, or spinning of body parts according to the beat of the music in the days to come. |
| 4. Future Perfect Continuous Tense | The use of the term “will have been dancing” regards the whirling, swaying, rocking, or spinning of body parts according to the beat of the music that is in operational mode in the days ahead. |
Structures of sentences with “dance” in the future tense –
| Type of Tense | Structures of sentences with “dance” |
| 1. Simple Future Tense | Subject + shall/will + dance + remaining parts |
| 2. Future Continuous Tense | Subject + will + be + dancing ( present participle form) + remaining parts |
| 3. Future Perfect Tense | Subject + will + have + danced ( past participle form ) + remaining parts |
| 4. Future Perfect Continuous Tense | Subject + will + have + been + dancing ( present participle) + remaining parts |
Examples with “dance” in the future tense –
| Type of Tense | Example | Explanation |
| 1. Simple Future Tense | I will dance to some peppy numbers at my coming intercollege spring festival. | The term “will dance” is in use to show that the speaker is going to whirl and sway to some peppy music in the near future. |
| 2. Future Continuous Tense | I will be dancing to some peppy numbers at my coming intercollege spring festival. | The term “will be dancing” is in use to show that the speaker is whirling and swaying on the dance songs in the festival that is going to be organised in the time ahead. |
| 3. Future Perfect Tense | I will have danced a lot in the intercollege festival of next year at my university. | The term “will have danced” is in use to show that the dancing of the speaker is going to be finished or completed before the next year. |
| 4. Future Perfect Continuous Tense | I will have been dancing a lot from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on 9th December at my intercollege spring festival. | The term “will have been dancing” is in use to dictate that the speaker is in whirling and swaying mode during a specific time period in the day ahead. |
Conclusion:
The term “dance” is not always used to show the movement of the body to enjoy the rhythm. The verb “dance” can also be used in a mocking tone to mention that someone is overly excited or enthusiastic about any activity, topic, function, etc.
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.