§ 10 Tense Inclusion Rules
This rule says that when we talk about the present tense, it also covers things that happened before and things that will happen later, and the future tense includes the present.
A teacher tells a student that saying "I am eating" can also mean "I ate earlier" or "I will eat later".
According to the rule, the words used for now (present tense) can also be understood to talk about past or future actions, and words for the future can be understood to talk about now.
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§ 10 Tense Inclusion Rules
Last verified: February 26, 2026