Understanding the Past, Present, and Future with A Christmas Carol

In A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. Each spirit guides him through different moments in time, allowing him to reflect on his past actions, his current state, and the consequences of his future choices. Just as Scrooge experiences these different time periods, we use verb tenses in English to describe actions that occur in the past, present, and future. The story is filled with instances of Simple Past, Present, and Future tenses, making it an ideal tool for practicing these forms. In this article, we’ll not only look at examples from the text but also discuss the different cases in which these tenses can be applied.

Present Simple Tense

The Present Simple is used to describe habitual actions, general truths, or facts that are always true. It is formed using the base form of the verb for all subjects, except for the third-person singular (he, she, it), where an “s” or “es” is added to the verb. For example, “He plays football every weekend.” This tense can also describe scheduled events in the near future, especially for fixed plans like timetables: “The train leaves at 9 a.m.” Additionally, it is used to express feelings, thoughts, and opinions in the present. In A Christmas Carol, Dickens uses this tense to reflect Scrooge’s ongoing behavior and routines before his transformation.

Examples from the text:

“You fear the world too much,” she answered gently.

Use case: This sentence states the fact about Scrooge's character.

“I am the Ghost of Christmas Present.”

Use case: Stating facts - the Ghost introduces himself, expressing his identity.

“He has the power to render us happy or unhappy.”

Use case: General truth - a statement about the employer’s influence.

“You don’t believe in me,” observed the Ghost.

Use case: The ghost is stating a general truth about Scrooge that he observes.

“It’s Christmas Day!”

Use case: Stating a fact about the current day is given by the boy.

Uses of the Present Simple:

• Habits or routines (e.g., “Scrooge always works late.“)
• Universal truths or facts (e.g., “Christmas is a time for joy.“)
• Scheduled or planned events (e.g., “The spirit comes at midnight.“)

“It isn’t that, Spirit. He has the power to render us happy or unhappy; to make our service light or burdensome; a pleasure or a toil. Say that his power lies in words and looks; in things so slight and insignificant that it is impossible to add and count ‘em up: what then? The happiness he gives is quite as great as if it cost a fortune.”

A Christmas Carol, Charles DickensOpen book

Past Simple Tense

The Past Simple describes actions that happened and were completed at a specific time in the past. It is formed by adding “-ed” to regular verbs (e.g., “walk” becomes “walked”), while irregular verbs take different forms (e.g., “go” becomes “went”). This tense is often used with time expressions like “yesterday,” “last week,” or “in 2020,” which indicate when the action took place. For example, “She visited her grandmother last summer.” The Past Simple is frequently used in storytelling to narrate events in chronological order. In A Christmas Carol, the Past Simple is heavily used to narrate the main events.

Examples from the text:

“Marley was dead, to begin with.”

Use case: Past fact - this is a statement of fact regarding Marley’s death, which occurred before the story begins.

“He wished to challenge the Spirit on the moment of its appearance, and did not wish to be taken by surprise and made nervous.”

Use case: This sentence refers to past desires and actions. Scrooge “wished” and “did not wish” to respond in a specific way to the Spirit's presence, both actions in the past.

“The Ghost of Christmas Present rose.”

Use case: Completed action - describes the action of the Ghost standing up, signaling the start of the scene.

“She was very pretty; exceedingly pretty.”

Use case: This sentence describes someone's appearance at a particular point in the past. The use of “was” indicates that this description refers to an earlier time.

“The clock struck nine.”

Use case: Reporting past events - this sentence describes the time as it passed, setting up the anticipation in the scene.

Uses of the Past Simple:

• Narrating stories or events (e.g., “Scrooge visited his childhood home.“)
• Describing completed actions (e.g., “The ghost left when Scrooge apologized.“)
• Setting up historical facts (e.g., “In 19th century, London became a global political, financial, and trading capital. But London was also a city of poverty.“)

Marley’s face. It was not in impenetrable shadow, as the other objects in the yard were, but had a dismal light about it, like a bad lobster in a dark cellar. It was not angry or ferocious, but looked at Scrooge as Marley used to look: with ghostly spectacles turned up on its ghostly forehead. The hair was curiously stirred, as if by breath of hot air; and, though the eyes were wide open, they were perfectly motionless. That, and its livid colour, made it horrible;

A Christmas Carol, Charles DickensOpen book

Future Simple Tense

The Future Simple is used to describe actions that will happen at a later time. It is formed by using “will” followed by the base form of the verb (e.g., “I will study tomorrow”). This tense is commonly used to make predictions, express spontaneous decisions, or describe future facts: “The weather will be sunny next week.” Additionally, it can be used to offer help or make promises, such as “I will help you with your homework.” Future Simple is a straightforward way to talk about things that are expected to happen. In A Christmas Carol, Scrooge’s resolutions and promises for change are often described in the Future Simple tense.

Examples from the text:

“I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future!”

Use case: Future intention - Scrooge declares his resolution for future behavior.

“I will honour Christmas in my heart.”

Use case: Future promise - Scrooge makes a promise about how he will behave going forward.

“You will be haunted,” resumed the Ghost, “by Three Spirits.”

Use case: Prediction - Marley informs Scrooge of the supernatural events that will occur in the future.

“and you shall be upheld in more than this!”

Use case: Promise or assurance - the Ghost promises Scrooge that he will continue to witness important scenes.

“I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.”

Use case: Future intention - Scrooge’s resolution to learn from the spirits.

Uses of the Future Simple:

• Promises or commitments (e.g., “I will change my ways.“)
• Predictions (e.g., “Tomorrow will be a better day.“)
• Spontaneous decisions (e.g., “I will visit Bob Cratchit right away.“)
• Intentions or plans (e.g., “I will help Tiny Tim.“)

“I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach. Oh, tell me I may sponge away the writing on this stone!”

A Christmas Carol, Charles DickensOpen book

Conclusion

By looking at examples from A Christmas Carol, learners can better understand how Simple Past, Present, and Future tenses are used in different contexts. Whether you're narrating a past event, describing a current routine, or making a promise for the future, A Christmas Carol provides a wide range of examples to illustrate these tenses in action.

Through Scrooge's transformation, you can see the shift in time through Dickens' mastery of verb tenses, making it an excellent resource for mastering the basics of English grammar.