3 Facts On Use Of Pull In Tense(Present, Past And Future)

A verb is a part of speech which shows action by telling the time of occurrence of the act using the tense. In this article, we shall understand how “pull” is used in all tenses.

The verb “pull” means to move something or someone using force, to remove something which is fixed, to pluck, to retrieve, to perform, to attract the interest of someone, to cancel and to succeed in tricking. “Pull” has inflections in their simple, continuous, perfect continuous, and perfect forms that show all tenses.

In order to refer to the time period in which the above activities take place, we will check the usage of the verb “pull” in all tenses and their forms.

“Pull” in present tense

Any action that began before but continues now or happens regularly or at the current moment is in the present tense. We will learn how “pull” is used in all present tense forms.

The verb “pull” in the present tense has different forms, such as “pull,” ‘pulls,’ ‘is/am/are pulling,’ ‘has/have been pulling,’ and ‘has/have pulled’ in the simple present, present continuous, present perfect continuous and present perfect forms respectively.

When is “pull” used in the present tense?

The verb “pull” in the present tense is used to show the actions of moving something or someone using force, plucking, retrieving, removing something which is fixed, performing, cancelling, attracting the interest of someone, or succeeding in tricking that is happening right at this moment or happens frequently.

Examples of “pull” in the present tense

ExamplesExplanations
a. By mistake, I/ we always pull this door instead of pushing.
 
b. By mistake, you always pull this door instead of pushing.
 
c. By mistake, Srikanth always pulls this door instead of pushing.
 
d. By mistake, most of the children always pull this door instead of pushing.
The verb “pull” is used in these sentences in both of its simple present tense forms, “pull” and ‘pulls’ (an inflected version of the basic word generated by adding an ‘s’). Simple present tense verb forms “pull” and ‘pulls’ are used in these example sentences to indicate that the subject repeatedly, regularly or always moves the door towards him, them, or her with force by mistake instead of pushing (moving it away from the subject) it.
a. I am pulling the big carton boxes from the kitchen to the store room alone without anybody’s help.
 
b. We are pulling the big carton boxes from the kitchen to the store room alone without anybody’s help.
 
c. You are pulling the big carton boxes from the kitchen to the store room alone without anybody’s help.
 
d. Rohini is pulling the big carton boxes from the kitchen to the store room alone without anybody’s help.
 
e. The small boys are pulling the big carton boxes from the kitchen to the store room alone without anybody’s help.
In these cases, the present continuous tense is expressed using the verb “pull,” as in ‘am/is/are pulling’ by adding the suffix ‘-ing’ to the source verb. The verb “pull” takes on the present continuous form ‘pulling,’ which indicates that the subject is at the moment (currently happening right at that moment) moving with force the big carton boxed from the kitchen to the store room alone without anyone’s help.
a. I/we have pulled a leg muscle, so I/we will not be able to join the practice for a few days.
 
b. You have pulled a leg muscle, so you will not be able to join the practice for a few days.
 
c. Virat has pulled a leg muscle, so he will not be able to join the practice for a few days.
   
d. Sam and Tushar have pulled a leg muscle, so they will not be able to join the practice for a few days.
In these instances, the verb tenses ‘has pulled’ and ‘have pulled’ are in the present perfect tense. The present perfect tense, which is created using the past participle of the fundamental verb “pull,” ‘pulled,’ shows the subject’s state of having a damaged leg muscle due to too much force applied to it has been caused some time back in the past but has its effect in the present as the subject will not be able to join the practice for a few days.
a. From the time Sneha came, I/we have been pulling her leg about what happened at the office the previous day.
 
b. From the time Sneha came, you have been pulling her leg about what happened at the office the previous day.
 
c. From the time Sneha came, Varsha has been pulling her leg about what happened at the office the previous day.
 
d. From the time Sneha came, they have been pulling her leg about what happened at the office the previous day.
The action verb “pull” is used in these sentences in the present perfect continuous tense, such as ‘has/have been pulling.’ In these instances, the subject has been continuously trying to prank, tease or make fun of Sneha from the time she came, according to the existing ideal continuous form. The act of teasing Sneha about what happened at the office yesterday began the time she came, and it has lasted ever since.
Usage Of “Pull” In The Present Tense Forms

“Pull” in past tense

Any action that had commenced and concluded in the past – a time before now or the current moment is in the past tense. Here, we will learn the usage of “pull” in past tense forms.

The verb “pull” in the past tense takes up several variants (forms) like, ‘pulled,’ ‘was/were pulling,’ ‘had been pulling,’ and ‘had pulled’ in the simple past, past continuous, past perfect continuous, and past perfect forms respectively.

When is “pull” used in the past tense?

The verb “pull” in the past tense is utilized to denote the previously completed, over, or finished activities of removing something which is fixed, attracting the interest of someone, moving something or someone using force, plucking, retrieving, performing, succeeding in tricking, or cancelling.

Examples of “pull” in the past tense

ExamplesExplanations
a. I/we pulled the chair closer and sat when Rihana started to narrate a horror story.
 
b. You pulled the chair closer and sat when Rihana started to narrate a horror story.
 
c. She/they pulled the chair closer and sat when Rihana started to narrate a horror story.
In these situations, the suffix ‘-ed’ transforms the verb “pull” into ‘pulled.’ The simple past tense is used here to suggest that the subject moved the chair closer and sat when Rihana started to narrate a horror story (which happened sometime before).
a. I was pulling the apples from the trees yesterday afternoon when I got her call.
 
b. We were pulling the apples from the trees yesterday afternoon when we got her call.
 
c. You were pulling the apples from the trees yesterday afternoon when you got her call.
 
d. Sudha was pulling the apples from the trees yesterday afternoon when she got her call.
 
e. The girls were pulling the apples from the trees yesterday afternoon when they got her call.
The action word (verb) “pull” in these lines is altered by the suffix ‘-ing.’ The root verb “pull” has the form ‘was/were pulling’ in the past continuous. Here, the past continuous form is used to show that the subject was plucking the apples from the trees yesterday afternoon (past – previous day afternoon) when the subject got her call.
a. I/We/You/She/ They had pulled the press conference at the last moment due to some major problem.    The past perfect tense is constructed by adding the supporting verb ‘had’ to the basic verb’s participle ‘pulled.’ The past perfect tense used in this sentence, ‘had pulled,’ implies that the subject had cancelled or called off the press conference ( which transpired sometime in the past) at the last moment due to some major problem.
a. I/We/You/She/They had been pulling the same trick on Suresh even when I/we/you/she/they saw him at yesterday’s party.   In this sentence, the verb form ‘had been pulling’ is in the past perfect continuous tense. The subject was playing the same trick on Suresh, according to the past perfect continuous form employed in this example sentence, even when the subject saw him at yesterday’s party.
Usage Of “Pull” In The Past Tense Forms

“Pull” in future tense

Any action that will commence and conclude in the future – a time after now or the present moment is in the future tense. We will discuss the usage of “pull” in future tense forms.

The verb “pull” in the future tense has a number of forms like ‘will pull,’ ‘will be pulling,’ ‘will have been pulling,’ and ‘will have pulled’ in the simple future, future continuous, future perfect continuous, and future perfect forms respectively.

When is “pull” used in the future tense?

The verb “pull” in the future tense is utilized to indicate the not yet occurred but yet to occur acts of removing something which is fixed, performing, attracting the interest of someone, retrieving, moving something or someone using force, succeeding in tricking, plucking, or cancelling.

Examples of “pull” in the future tense

ExamplesExplanations
a. I/We/You/he/They will pull the curtains down during the summers.       In order to generate the future tense, the basic verb “pull” in this line is presented as ‘will pull’ by adding the modal auxiliary ‘will.’ The subject has not yet engaged in the act of closing the curtains down but will engage in the summer (which is yet to come) according to the simple future tense form ‘will pull.’
a. I/we/you/he/they will be pulling Rakhi to take me/us/you/him/them somewhere outside when she comes to visit me/us/you/him/them.     The verb “pull,” which is used in this example in the future continuous tense form ‘will be pulling,’ conveys that the action is yet to occur because the subject will be moving Rakhi. The future continuous tense in this sentence makes it obvious that the subject moving Rakhi to take him/her/them outside will occur when she comes to visit him/her/them (might happen anytime in future).
a. I/We/You//he/They will have pulled all the stickers from the wall by the time the inspection team reaches my/our/your/his/their classroom.The future perfect tense substitutes the verb ‘will have pulled’ for the basic action word (verb) “pull.” This example uses it to convey that the subject will have removed (not happened till now) all the stickers from the wall by the time (a time in the future) the inspection team reaches his, her, or their classroom.
a. I/we/you/he/they will have been pulling weeds very soon when I/we/you/he/they realize that the weeds are disrupting the growth of the crops.    Will have been pulling’ is the future perfect continuous form of “pull.” According to the usage of the future perfect continuous tense, the act of removing the weeds will have been taking place very soon (sometime in the near future) when the subject realizes (an event that will happen very soon) that the weeds are disrupting the growth of the crops.
Usage Of “Pull” In The Future Tense Forms

Conclusion

This article examines how to display the action word (verb) “pull” across all forms (simple, continuous, perfect continuous and perfect) of the three tenses – past, present, and future – in order to express distinct meanings in a variety of contexts.