The term “fall” states that someone/something becomes low in position, grade, situation, etc. Let us discuss justifications against using the verb “fall” in various time periods.
The term “fall” belongs to the category of “verb” in parts of speech. The term “fall” can be regarded as the base or infinitive form, which goes with all types of nouns except third-person singular numbers. The addition of the term “s” makes it mandatory to use against the third-person singular number.
Here are examples and detailed explanations regarding the use of the verb “fall” in different periods of time.
“Fall” in present tense
Decline, dwindling, and downgrade are the three words that describe the meaning of the term “fall.” Let us look over the application of the verb “fall” in present-day English.
The term “falling” can be regarded as the present participle term of the verb “fall,” and the term “fallen” can be accepted as the past participle term of the verb form “fall.” We mainly use the terms “fall,” “falls,” “falling,” and “fallen” to frame sentences in various modes of the present tense.
When we can use “fall” in the present tense?
| Type of Present Tense Form | Usage of “fall” in various present tense forms |
| 1. Simple Present Tense | The present form “fall” is mainly used to frame sentences in the simple present tense to state that any living person or a non-living object is generally coming down, dropping, dwindling, or declining from any higher position, job, situation, idea, thought, etc. to any lower grade in present time. |
| 2. Present Continuous Tense / Present Progressive Tense | The present progressive form “falling” is mainly used to frame sentences in the present continuous mode of tense to state that any living person or a non-living object is in active mode to come down, drop down, dwindle, or decline from any higher position, job, situation, idea, thought, etc. to any lower grade in present time. |
| 3. Present Perfect Tense | The term “have fallen” is mainly used to frame sentences in the present perfect tense mode to state that any living person or a non-living object is generally coming down, dropping, dwindling, or declining from any higher position, job, situation, idea, thought, etc. to any lower grade from a certain time in the past and still has its effect in present time. |
| 4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense | The term “have fallen” is mainly used to frame sentences in the present perfect continuous mode to state that any living person or a non-living object is in active mode to come down, drop down, dwindle, or decline from any higher position, job, situation, idea, thought, etc. to any lower grade from a specific time period from the past days to now. |
Structures of sentences with “fall” in the present tense
| Type of Present Tense Form | Structures of sentences with “fall” in the present tense |
| 1. Simple Present Tense | Subject + fall/falls + remaining parts of the sentence |
| 2. Present Continuous Tense / Present Progressive Tense | Subject + am/is/are + falling (Present Participle Form/ Present Progressive Form) + remaining parts of the sentence |
| 3. Present Perfect Tense | Subject + have/has + fallen ( Past Participle Form ) + remaining parts if the sentence |
| 4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense | Subject + have/has + been + falling ( Present Participle Form ) + remaining parts of the sentence |
Examples with “fall” in the present tense
| Type of Tense | Examples with “fall” | Explanation |
| 1. Simple Present Tense | Sandip falls from his position of senior manager to that of a mere employee due to his own misconduct toward his colleagues. | The base form “falls” is in use to demonstrate that Sandip has dropped from his higher job position to a lower job position because of his own misbehaviour. |
| 2. Present Continuous Tense / Present Progressive Form | Sandip is falling from his position as a senior manager to that of a mere employee due to his own misconduct toward his colleagues. | The progressive form “falling” is in use to demonstrate that Sandip is in operational mode and will come down from his higher job position to a lower job position because of his own misbehaviour. |
| 3. Present Perfect Tense | Sandip has fallen from his position as a senior manager to that of a mere employee due to his own misconduct toward his colleagues over the past month. | The term “has fallen” is in use to demonstrate that Sandip has started to drop out of his job position since the last month and that its effect is still being felt now. |
| 4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense | Sandip has been falling from his position as a senior manager to that of a mere employee due to his own misconduct toward his colleagues for the past two months. | The term “has been falling” is in use to show that Sandip is in functional mode not for a specific time but for a specific, pre-defined time period at hand. |
“Fall” in past tense
If someone or something comes under any type of group, then we can also use “fall” to describe that. Let us look over the application of the verb “fall” in past-day English.
The term “fell” can be regarded as the past tense of the term “fall”. We use “fell” when we need to show that someone or something came down from any situation, place, position, situation, etc., or we can use the same to refer to the fact that any person or object belongs to a particular category or group.
When we can use “fall” in the past tense?
| Type of Past Tense Form | Usage of “fall” in various past tense forms |
| 1. Simple Past Tense | The past form “fell” is mainly used to frame sentences in the simple past mode of tense to state that any living person or a non-living object was or was coming down, dropping down, reducing or downgrading from any higher position, job, situation, idea, thought, etc. to any lower grade in the days which have already gone. |
| 2. Past Continuous Tense | The past continuous form “was or were falling” is mainly used to frame sentences in the past continuous mode of tense to state that any living person or a non-living object was or were in an active condition to come down, drop down, dwindle, or decline from any higher position, job, situation, idea, thought, etc. to any lower grade in the days which have already gone. |
| 3. Past Perfect Tense | The perfect past form “had fallen” is mainly used to frame sentences in the past perfect mode of tense to show sequence of incidents or matters, among which one used to state that any living person or a non-living object was or was dropped down, reduced, or downgraded from any higher position, job, situation, idea, thought, etc. to any lower grade in the days which have already gone. |
| 4. Past Perfect Continuous Tense | The perfect continuous form “had been falling” is mainly used to frame sentences in the past perfect continuous mode of tense to state that any living person or a non-living object was or were in an active condition to come down, drop down, dwindle, or decline from any higher position, job, situation, idea, thought, etc. to any lower grade in the specific time period during the days which have already gone. |
Structures of sentences with “fall” in the past tense
| Type of Past Tense Form | Structures of sentences with “fall” in the past tense |
| 1. Simple Past Tense | Subject + fell ( past form ) + remaining parts of the sentence |
| 2. Past Continuous Tense | Subject + was/were + falling ( present participle form / present progressive form ) + of the sentence |
| 3. Past Perfect Tense | Subject + had + fallen ( past participle form ) + remaining parts of the sentence |
| 4. Past Perfect Continuous Tense | Subject + had + been + falling ( present participle form ) + remaining parts of the sentence |
Examples with “fall” in the past tense
| Type of Tense | Examples | Explanation |
| 1. Simple Past Tense | Some raw guavas fell from the tree automatically on my farm, though I wanted them to ripen in the tree. | The verb “fell” is in use to convey that some fruits have dwindled from a higher position on the tree to the ground in the days that have already gone by. |
| 2. Past Continuous Tense | Some raw guavas were falling from the tree automatically on my farm, though I wanted them to ripen in the tree. | The term “were falling” is in use to convey that some fruits were in an active or functional mode to dwindle from a higher position on the tree to the ground in the days that had already gone by. |
| 3. Past Perfect Tense | Some raw guavas had fallen automatically from the tree in the last month on my farm before it became ripen in the tree. | The term “had fallen” is in use to convey the sequence of two events, of which one shows that some fruits were dwindling from a higher position on the tree to the ground in the days that had already passed. |
| 4. Past Perfect Continuous Tense | Some raw guavas had been falling automatically from the tree on my farm for the last three months until now. | The term “had been falling” is in use to show that some fruits were in active mode to dwindle from a higher position on the tree to the ground for specific time duration in the past days. |
“Fall” in future tense
The proposition that can replace the term “fall” is “belong to.” Let us look over the application of the verb “fall” in future-day English.
We do not use any new form of the term “fall” to frame sentences in the future tense. We need to add terms like “will/shall,” “will be,” “will have,” and “have been” to frame sentences according to the needs of various situations in the future tense.
When we can use “fall” in the future tense?
| Type of Future Tense Form | Usage of “fall” in various future tense forms |
| 1. Simple Future Tense | The base form “will fall” can be used to frame sentences in the simple future tense mode if we want to state that any living person or a non-living object is generally coming down, dropping, dwindling, or declining from any higher position, job, situation, idea, thought, etc. to any lower grade, situation, in the days that are ahead. |
| 2. Future Continuous Tense | The progressive term “will be falling” can be used to frame sentences in the future continuous tense mode if we want to state that any living person or a non-living object is in active mode to come down, drop down, dwindle, or decline from any higher position, job, situation, idea, thought, etc. to any lower grade in a future day. |
| 3. Future Perfect Tense | The future perfect mode “shall/will have fallen” can be used to state that any living person or a non-living object is generally coming down, dropping, dwindling, or declining from any higher position, job, situation, idea, thought, etc. to any lower position, job, situation, 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 any living person or a non-living object is in active mode to come down, drop down, dwindle, or decline from any higher position, job, situation, idea, thought, etc. to any lower grade at a specific time period in the days that are ahead. |
Structures of sentences with “fall” in the future tense
| Type of Future Tense Form | Structures of sentences with “fall” in future tense |
| 1. Simple Future Tense | Subject + shall/will + fall ( present form ) + remaining parts |
| 2. Future Continuous Tense | Subject + will + be + falling ( present participle form) + remaining parts |
| 3. Future Perfect Tense | Subject + will + have + fallen ( past participle form ) + remaining parts |
| 4. Future Perfect Continuous Tense | Subject + will + have + been + falling ( present participle) + remaining parts |
Examples with “fall” in the future tense
| Type of Tense | Example | Explanation |
| 1. Simple Future Tense | I never try to take a ride at a games park as I know I will fall from the ride. | The term “will fall” is in use to state that any living person or a non-living object is generally coming down or declining from any higher position, job, situation, etc. to any lower grade or situation in the days ahead. |
| 2. Future Continuous Tense | I am falling from the ride in the games park as I can not stand the fast movement of any ride. | The term “will be falling” is in use to state that any living person or a non-living object will be in active mode to come down or decline from any higher position, job, situation, etc. to any lower grade or situation in the days ahead. |
| 3. Future Perfect Tense | I will have fallen asleep in the games park for the last five seconds. | The term “will have fallen” is in use to show that any living person or a non-living object will complete coming down, or declining, from any higher position, job, situation, etc. to any lower grade, situation, in a specific time in the days ahead. |
| 4. Future Perfect Continuous Tense | My pet cat will have been falling from my almirah from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow, as this is the game that it plays on a daily basis. | The term “will have been falling” is in use to show that in active mode to come down, or decline, from any higher position, job, situation, etc. to any lower grade, situation, in a specific, predefined time frame in the days to come. |
Conclusion:
To conclude, the phrasal verb “fall down” is used to refer to someone or something coming down from any upright or higher position, situation, rank, idea, thought, etc. We can use the phrasal verb “fall over” when we want to state that someone has lost the stability of their body movement.
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.