Clarify and demonstrate are the words that describe the meaning of the word “explain.” Let us look over facts and explanations concerning the verb “explain” in various time frames.
The term “explain” needs to change to “explains” to refer to the third person’s singular number. The term “explaining” refers to the change of form to be suitable for the present participle mode. The term “explained” can be designated as the past simple and past participle forms of the word “explained.”
Here are facts and related justifications for applying the word “explain” in various time frames.
“Explain” in present tense –
The term “explain” comes under the category of the verb in parts of speech. Let us look over the present-day approach to the verb.
The term “explains” goes with the third-person singular number, while the root form “explain” goes with the rest. The addition of “ed” is mandatory when framing both the past and past participle forms of “explained,” while the addition of “ing” is certain to frame the present participle form of “explaining.”
When we can use “explain” in the present tense?
| Type of Present Tense Form | Usage of “explain” in various present tense forms |
| 1. Simple Present Tense | The base term “explain” must be used to state that someone used it to analyse a situation, topic, matter, point, etc. at hand. |
| 2. Present Continuous Tense / Present Progressive Tense | The progressive term “explaining” must be used to state that someone is demonstrating any topic, point, matter, or learning at hand. |
| 3. Present Perfect Tense | The present perfect mode with the verb form “have explained” must be used to denote that someone started his or her elaboration of a topic, matter, point, etc. in the past and is still having ramifications. |
| 4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense | On continuous mode, the present-perfect form “explaining” (“have been dancing/has been explaining”) must be used to state that someone is still in an active state of dictating, analysing, describing, etc. |
Structures of sentences with “explain” in the present tense –
| Type of Tense | Structures of sentences with “explain” |
| 1. Simple Present Tense | Subject + explain/explains + remaining parts of the sentence |
| 2. Present Continuous Tense / Present Progressive Tense | Subject + am/is/are + explaining (Present Participle Form/ Present Progressive Form) + remaining parts of the sentence |
| 3. Present Perfect Tense | Subject + have/has + explained ( Past Participle Form ) + remaining parts if the sentence |
| 4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense | Subject + have/has + been + explaining ( Present Participle Form ) + remaining parts of the sentence |
Examples with “explain” in the present tense –
| Type of Tense | Examples with “explain” | Explanation |
| 1.Simple Present Tense | I explain my wish to fulfill my career as a photographer to my parents, and they are happy with it. | The root form “explain” is in use to dictate that the speaker elucidate his or her choice of profession to the parents. |
| 2.Present Continuous Tense / Present Progressive Form | I am explaining my wish to fulfill my career as a photographer to my parents, and they are happy with it. | The progressive form of “explaining” is in use to dictate that the speaker is rationalizing his or her choice of job to the parents at that particular moment in the present. |
| 3.Present Perfect Tense | I have explained my wish to fulfil my career as a photographer to my parents for the last two months, and they are happy with it. | The term “have explained” is in use to dictate that the speaker has demonstrated his or her wish to the parents from some time in the past to now. |
| 4.Present Perfect Continuous Tense | I have been explaining my wish to fulfil my career as a photographer to my parents since the year 2020, when I will have completed my graduation, but they still do not agree with it. | The term “have been explaining” is in use to dictate that the speaker is throwing light upon the choice of profession for a specific time frame in an active mode. |
“Explain” in past tense –
The term “explain” conjugates itself to match the time frame by adding “ed” and “ing.” Let us look over the approach of the verb “explain” in past times.
The verb “explain” can be used in the past tense when we want to mean that someone was analyzing or demonstrating any topic, matter, or learning in the time that has already passed. We can also use the term “explain” when we want to clarify our point of view.
When we can use “explain” in the past tense?
| Type of Past Tense Form | Usage of “explain” in various past tense forms |
| 1. Simple Past Tense | The past form “explained” can be designated to frame sentences in simple past mode to refer that someone used it to analyze a situation, topic, matter, point, etc. in the days that have already gone by. |
| 2. Past Continuous Tense | The term “was or were explaining” can be designated to frame sentences in past continuous mode to refer that someone was analyzing or demonstrating a situation, topic, matter, point, etc. in the days that have already gone by. |
| 3. Past Perfect Tense | The term “had explained” is used to denote the sequence of events among which one shows that someone was analyzing a situation, topic, matter, point, etc. at a specific time in the days that has already gone by. |
| 4. Past Perfect Continuous Tense | The term “had been explaining” is used to state that someone was analyzing or demonstrating a situation, topic, matter, point, etc. at a specific pre-decided time frame in the days that have already gone by. |
Structures of sentences with “explain” in the past tense –
| Type of Tense | Structures of sentences with “explain” |
| 1. Simple Past Tense | Subject + explained ( past form ) + remaining parts of the sentence |
| 2. Past Continuous Tense | Subject + was/were + explaining ( present participle form / present progressive form ) + remaining parts of the sentence |
| 3. Past Perfect Tense | Subject + had + explained ( past participle form ) + remaining parts of the sentence |
| 4. Past Perfect Continuous Tense | Subject + had + been + explaining ( present participle form ) + remaining parts of the sentence |
Examples with “explain” in the past tense –
| Type of Tense | Examples | Explanation |
| 1. Simple Past Tense | Robin explained his family crisis to his supervisor so he could get some relaxation during his office hour. | The verb “explained” is in use to show that the subject demonstrated his family hitch to the senior in bygone days. |
| 2. Past Continuous Tense | Robin was explaining his family crisis to his supervisor so he could get some relaxation during his office hour. | The term “was explaining” is in use to show that the subject was in functional mode to rationalize his family problem to his senior in the days that had already passed. |
| 3. Past Perfect Tense | Robin had explained his family crisis to his senior before his senior made any type of query regarding his lateness to the office. | The term “had explained” is in use to show the sequence of two events: Robin’s demonstration about his family hitch and the senior’s query about Robin’s lateness to work. |
| 4. Past Perfect Continuous Tense | Robin had been explaining his family crisis to his senior today and asking for some relaxation during his office hour from 1 o’clock to 3 o’clock. | The term “had been explaining” is in use to show that the subject was clarifying his point to his senior at a specific time period in the past. |
“Explain” in future tense –
Various forms of the verb “explain” remain the same when applied in the future tense. Let us look over the approach of the verb “explain” in future times.
We can use terms like “will explain” or “will be explaining” in the future tense when we want to mean that any person or noun is going to analyze or describe any point of discussion in the days that are ahead.
When we can use “explain” in the future tense?
| Type of Future Tense Form | Usage of “explain” in various future tense forms |
| 1. Simple Future Tense | The base form “explain” can be used in the future tense if we want to state that someone will analyse or scrutinise a situation, topic, matter, point, etc. in the days that are ahead. |
| 2. Future Continuous Tense | The progressive term “will be explaining” can be used in the future tense if we want to state that someone is analysing or scrutinising a situation, matter, point, topic, etc. in a future day. |
| 3. Future Perfect Tense | The future perfect mode “shall/will have explained” can be used to state that someone will analyse or scrutinise a situation, topic, matter, point, etc. at a specific time in the days ahead. |
| 4. Future Perfect Continuous Tense | The term “will have been explaining” can be used to state that someone is analyzing or demonstrating a situation, topic, matter, point, etc. at a specific time period in the days that are ahead. |
Structures of sentences with “explain” in the future tense –
| Type of Tense | Structures of sentences with “explain” |
| Simple Future Tense | Subject + shall/will + explain + remaining parts |
| Future Continuous Tense | Subject + will + be + explaining ( present participle form) + remaining parts |
| Future Perfect Tense | Subject + will + have + explained ( past participle form ) + remaining parts |
| Future Perfect Continuous Tense | Subject + will + have + been + explaining ( present participle) + remaining parts |
Examples with “explain” in the future tense –
| Type of Tense | Example | Explanation |
| 1. Simple Future Tense | The teacher will explain the novel “David Copperfield” to the students in the English major. | The term “will explain” is in use to demonstrate that someone is going to explain the concept of a particular novel in the days to come. |
| 2. Future Continuous Tense | The teacher will be explaining the novel “David Copperfield” to the students in the English major. | The term “will be explaining” is in use to demonstrate that someone will be explaining the concept of a particular novel in the days to come. |
| 3. Future Perfect Tense | The teacher will have explained the novel “David Copperfield” to the students in the next class of English majors. | The term “have explained” is in use to show that someone is going to complete analyzing the meaning of the novel at a specific time in the days to come. |
| 4. Future Perfect Continuous Tense | The teacher will have been explaining the novel “David Copperfield” to the students in the next class of English majors on January 3 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. | The term “will have been explaining” is in use to show that someone will be analyzing the gist of the mentioned novel in a specific, predefined time frame in the days to come. |
Conclusion:
Now we are going to see some word groups that are identical to the verb form “explain.” Go into detail, throw light upon, make plain, and put across are examples of such word groups. Distort, make complex and mystify are the words that demonstrate the complete opposite meaning of the verb form “explain.”
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.