The past, present, and future are the three tenses on which all verbs operate. Let us examine how the verb “discuss” is used in the aforementioned tenses.
“Discuss” as a verb means to ‘talk about a certain topic be it a thing, person, situation, idea or even an account of events’. The past tense form of discuss is “discussed” and the future tense form of discuss is “will discuss”. Modifications can be made to these forms depending on the kind of conjugation needed in that particular context
To better comprehend both the word’s meaning as well as its various tense forms, let us now conjugate the verb “discuss” in more depth.
Discuss in present tense
As previously established, the verb “discuss” has forms in all of the tenses used in English grammar. Let us look at the present tense for a moment.
“Discuss” is used in present tense when a writer or speaker intends to showcase the action of talking about a certain topic, whether it is a thing, person, situation, idea or even an account of events, in present time.
When can “discuss” be used in present tense?
| Different Forms of Present Tense | When can “discuss” be used in respective present tense forms? |
| 1. Simple Present Tense | “Discuss” can be used in simple present tense when the action of talking about a certain topic, thing, person, situation, idea or even an account of events is showcased to be taken place in the present. |
| 2. Present Continuous Tense | “Discuss” can be used in present continuous tense the action of talking about a certain topic, thing, person, situation, idea or even an account of events is in the process of being taken place in the present. |
| 3. Present Perfect Tense | “Discuss” can be used in present perfect tense when the action of talking about a certain topic, thing, person, situation, idea or even an account of events has completely taken place in the present. |
| 4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense | “Discuss” can be used in present perfect continuous tense when the action of talking about a certain topic, thing, person, situation, idea or even an account of events has begun to take place in the past and continues to take place in the present. |
Formula for sentence formation using “discuss” in different forms of present tense.
| Types of Present Tense | Formula for “discuss” to be used in different present tense forms |
| 1. Simple Present Tense | Subject + Discuss/Discusses + Object |
| 2. Present Continuous Tense | Subject + am/is/are + Discussing + Object |
| 3. Present Perfect Tense | Subject + Have/Has + Discussed (Past Participle Form) + Object |
| 4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense | Subject + Have/Has + Been + Discussing + Object |
Examples of “discuss” being used in different present tense forms.
| Types of Present Tense | Example Sentences | Explanations |
| 1. Simple Present Tense | We discuss our weekly goals during the meeting so that all the employees are up to date. | To identify its form as the simple present tense, the root word “discuss” has been added before the object and after the subject. |
| 2. Present Continuous Tense | We are discussing our weekly goals during the meeting so that all the employees are up to date. | In order to exhibit the present continuous tense form, the phrase “are discussing” has been placed before the object and after the subject. |
| 3. Present Perfect Tense | We have discussed our weekly goals during the meeting so that all the employees are up to date. | To highlight the present perfect tense form, the past participle “discussed” is used after the verb “have” and after the subject and before object. |
| 4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense | We have been discussing our weekly goals during the meeting so that all the employees are up to date. | The full phrase “have been discussing” follows the subject of the sentence and comes before the sentence’s object, serving as a perfect example of the present perfect continuous tense. |
Discuss in past tense
The verb “discuss” is also used in the past tense with the help of modulation made to the verb form. Let us investigate.
“Discuss” is used in past tense when a speaker or writer intends to showcase the action of talking about a certain topic, whether it is a thing, person, situation, idea or even an account of events, during a certain time in the past.
When can “discuss” be used in past tense?
| Different Forms of Past Tense | When can “discuss” be used in respective past tense forms? |
| 1. Simple Past Tense | “Discuss” can be used in simple past tense when the action of talking about a certain topic, thing, person, situation, idea or even an account of events has taken place in the past. |
| 2. Past Continuous Tense | “Discuss” can be used in past continuous tense when the action of talking about a certain topic, thing, person, situation, idea or even an account of events was in the process of being taken place in the past. |
| 3. Past Perfect Tense | “Discuss” can be used in past perfect tense when the action of talking about a certain topic, thing, person, situation, idea or even an account of events has completely taken place in the past. |
| 4. Past Perfect Continuous Tense | “Discuss” can be used in past perfect continuous tense when the action of talking about a certain topic, thing, person, situation, idea or even an account of events has begun to take place in the past and continued to take place in the past. |
Formula for sentence formation using “discuss” in different forms of past tense.
| Types of Past Tense | Formula for “discuss” to be used in different past tense forms |
| 1. Simple Past Tense | Subject + Discuss/Discussed + Object |
| 2. Past Continuous Tense | Subject + was/were + Discussing + Object |
| 3. Past Perfect Tense | Subject + Had + Discussed (Past Participle Form) + Object |
| 4. Past Perfect Continuous Tense | Subject + Had + Been + Discussing + Object |
Examples of “discuss” being used in different past tense forms.
| Types of Past Tense | Example Sentences | Explanations |
| 1. Simple Past Tense | The group discussed yesterday’s episode in much detail as the excitement for the show has been growing amongst young-adults. | To identify its form as the simple past tense, the root word “discussed” has been added before the object and after the subject. |
| 2. Past Continuous Tense | The group was discussing yesterday’s episode in much detail as the excitement for the show has been growing amongst young-adults. | In order to exhibit the past continuous tense form, the phrase “was discussing” has been placed before the object and after the subject. |
| 3. Past Perfect Tense | The group had discussed yesterday’s episode in much detail as the excitement for the show has been growing amongst young-adults. | To highlight the past perfect tense form, the past participle “discussed” is used after the verb “had” and after the subject and before object. |
| 4. Past Perfect Continuous Tense | The group had been discussing yesterday’s episode in much detail as the excitement for the show has been growing amongst young-adults. | The full phrase “had been discussing” follows the subject of the sentence and comes before the sentence’s object, serving as a perfect example of the past perfect continuous tense. |
Discuss in future tense
Naturally, “discuss” has a future tense version in addition to its many other forms. Let us investigate this further.
“Discuss” is used in future tense when a speaker or writer intends to showcase the action of talking about a certain topic, whether it is a thing, person, situation, idea or even an account of events, in a particular time in the future.
When can “discuss” be used in future tense?
| Different Forms of Future Tense | When can “discuss” be used in respective future tense forms? |
| 1. Simple Future Tense | “Discuss” can be used in simple future tense when the action of talking about a certain topic, thing, person, situation, idea or even an account of events will take place in the future. |
| 2. Future Continuous Tense | “Discuss” can be used in future continuous tense when the action of talking about a certain topic, thing, person, situation, idea or even an account of events will be in the process of taking place in the future. |
| 3. Future Perfect Tense | “Discuss” can be used in future perfect tense when the action of talking about a certain topic, thing, person, situation, idea or even an account of events will completely take place in the future. |
| 4. Future Perfect Continuous Tense | “Discuss” can be used in future perfect continuous tense when the action of talking about a certain topic, thing, person, situation, idea or even an account of events will have begun to take place in the future and continue to take place in the future itself. |
Formula for sentence formation using “discuss” in different forms of future tense.
| Types of Future Tense | Formula for “discuss” to be used in different future tense forms |
| 1. Simple Future Tense | Subject + shall/will + Discuss (Present Participle Form + Object |
| 2. Future Continuous Tense | Subject + shall/will + be + Discussing (Present Participle Form) + Object |
| 3. Future Perfect Tense | Subject + shall/will + have + Discussed (Past Participle Form) + Object |
| 4. Future Perfect Continuous Tense | Subject + will + have + been + Discussing (Present Participle) + Object |
Examples of “discuss” being used in different future tense forms.
| Types of Future Tense | Example Sentences | Explanations |
| 1. Simple Future Tense | Priya will discuss her finances with her advisor in an hour so that she may make sound decisions for her future. | To identify its form as the simple future tense, the root word “will discuss” has been added before the object and after the subject. The primary verb in the simple future tense is often in its present participle form. |
| 2. Future Continuous Tense | Priya will be discussing her finances with her advisor in an hour so that she may make sound decisions for her future. | In order to exhibit the future continuous tense form, the phrase “will be discussing” has been placed before the object and after the subject. The primary verb in the future continuous tense is often in its present participle form. |
| 3. Future Perfect Tense | Priya will have discussed her finances with her advisor in an hour so that she may make sound decisions for her future. | To highlight the future perfect tense form, the past participle “discussed” is used after the verb “will have” and after the subject and before object. The primary verb in the future perfect tense is often in its past participle form. |
| 4. Future Perfect Continuous Tense | Priya will have been discussing her finances with her advisor in an hour so that she may make sound decisions for her future. | The full phrase “will have been discussing” follows the subject of the sentence and comes before the sentence’s object, serving as a perfect example of the future perfect continuous tense. The primary verb in the future perfect continuous tense is often in its present participle form. |
Conclusion
As a result, it can be shown that the word “Discuss” may indeed be conjugated as a verb in the English language relatively easily if one carefully studies the basic principles that underlie it.
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