Tenses

In Grammar, we use 'Tenses' to define the time of occurring of the action. Tenses tell us when
something happens, the time of an action (verb). Verb comes in three tenses;

Present Tense: The present tense is used to describe things that are happening right now or
things that are continuous. For example:

• He is eating Pasta. (Presently he is doing this act of eating)

Past Tense: The past is used to describe things that have already happened (e.g., earlier in
the day, yesterday, last week, ten years ago).

• He ate Pasta (He has already done the action of eating)

Future Tense: The actions which we are going to do/will do/planning to do are termed as
'Future tense' sentences.

• He will eat Pasta (He is going to do the action of eating)

The tenses are further sub categorized as:

• Simple tenses show moments in time, timeless states, and habitual or repetitive
actions. E.g. Ravi usually walks to school; Yesterday Ravi went by car.
• Continuous tenses show duration or continuity. E.g. It is raining hard this evening.
• The present perfect tense shows that an action is completed but that it still has some
importance in the present time. E.g. She has missed the flight.

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Perfect continuous tenses show duration, completion, and importance in the present time.
E.g. I have been working hard in the garden all day.

This results in a total of 12 types of Tenses, which are described as following:

Present Tense
1) Simple Present Tense:

Structure: Subject + Base Verb (V1)

3rd person singular takes s/es with the verb.

This tense is used when we want to describe an action that is happening at present. But this
tense does not indicate when that action is expected to end. Simple present tense is used
when:

• an action happens every day/every time/every week/every month/every year

• To indicate universal truth
• To talk about fixed actions
• To give commands and directions

Simple Present Tense

Affirmative Sentence Negative Sentence Interrogative Sentence
For Singular Subject: This
This train does not leave at Does this train leave at eight
train leaves at eight in the
eight in the morning. in the morning?
morning.
For Plural Subject: These
These girls do not go Do these girls go to
girls go to dancing class every
to dancing class every day. dancing class every day?
day

Catchwords for Simple Present Tense: usually, often, sometimes, seldom, always, rarely,
never, every day, every week, every time, on Mondays, etc.

2) Present Continuous Tense:

Structure: S+am/ is/are + V4 + O

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If an action that is going on at the time of speaking means if an action is in continuation or
progression at present then we use Present Continuous Tense. This is also known as
present progressive tense.

Present continuous tense is used when:

• An action that is happening while we speak

• When an action or plan is fixed
• Any action in continuation not necessarily while we speak
• With "always, forever and constantly"

Present Continuous Tense

Affirmative Sentence Negative Sentence Interrogative Sentence
For Singular Subject: She is She is not doing Is she doing
doing her homework now. her homework now. her homework now?
For Plural Subject: They are They are not doing Are they doing
doing their homework now. their homework now. their homework now?

Catchwords for Present continuous tense: now, right now, this quarter, etc.

Exceptions:

There are some important exceptions in verbs when it comes to using them as continuous
tenses. These verbs are called stative verbs and fall into a few categories:

Verbs of perception: e.g., see, hear, smell, recognize, taste etc.

Verbs of emotion: e.g., love, hate, hope, refuse, prefer etc.

Verbs of Mental state: e.g., think, suppose, believe, agree, consider, trust etc.

3) Present Perfect Tense:

Structure: S + have/has + V3 +O

• To indicate completed activities in the past.

• To express past action without a definite time reference.
• To express past action when we think more of their effects in the present than of the
action itself.
• To denote an action beginning at some point in the past and continuing up to the
present moment (often with since and for phrases)

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 Present Perfect Tense
Affirmative Sentence Negative Sentence Interrogative Sentence
For Singular Subject: He
He has not completed his Has he completed his
has completed his graduation
graduation in 2014. graduation in 2014?
in 2014.
For Plural Subject: They
They have not completed Have they completed their
have completed their
their graduation in 2014. graduation in 2014?
graduation in 2014.

Catchwords for Present Perfect Tense: just, ever, never, already, yet,

4) Present Perfect Continuous Tense:

Structure: S + have/has + been +V4 +O

Present Perfect Continuous Tense is used for a situation that has occurred in the past and is
still continuing

Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Affirmative Sentence Negative Sentence Interrogative Sentence
For Singular Subject: Riya
Riya has not been going to Has Riya been going to
has been going to dance class
dance class since March. dance class since March?
since March.
For Plural Subject: I have I have not been reading this Have I been reading this
been reading this awesome awesome novel for two awesome novel for two
novel for two months. months. months?

Catchwords for Present Perfect Continuous tense: for, since, lately

Past Tense
5) Simple Past Tense:

Structure: S+ V2 +O

• To describe an action of the past, we use Simple past tense. In this tense, the regular
verb ends with an '-ed'. Also, some verbs end differently, for example for 'eat', we use
'Ate' in the simple past tense (irregular verbs)
• Also used for indicating past habits

Simple Past Tense

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 Affirmative Sentence Negative Sentence Interrogative Sentence
For
Raman did not go for the Did Raman go for the movie
Singular Subject: Raman
movie yesterday. yesterday?
went for the movie yesterday.
For Plural Subject:
They did not go to the movie Did they go to the movie
They went to the movie
yesterday. yesterday?
yesterday.

Catchwords for Simple Past Tense: yesterday, last week, last month, this morning (when
meaning is past), etc., but sometimes this tense is also used without an adverb of time also.
(E.g., I learnt Urdu in Kashmir.)

6) Past Continuous Tense:

Structure: S + was/were +V4 +O

Past continuous tense is used in those sentences in which the actions have already happened
in the past and have been completed before the time of mention. These sentences are formed
with the help of an auxiliary verb and giving the main verb an 'ing' ending.

Past Continuous Tense

Affirmative Sentence Negative Sentence Interrogative Sentence
For Singular Subject: She
She was not watching TV Was she watching TV when
was watching TV when he
when he called her. he called her?
called her
For Plural Subject: They
They were not watching the Were they watching the
were watching the match
match together. match together?
together.

Catchwords for Past Continuous Tense: while

7) Past Perfect Tense:

Structure: S + had + V3 +O

This tense refers to a noncontinuous action that was already completed in the past. Such
sentences are formed by using the Simple Past form of the auxiliary verb 'to have', followed
by the past participle form of the verb.

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 Past Perfect Tense
Affirmative Sentence Negative Sentence Interrogative Sentence
For Singular Subject: He
He had not read this book. Had he read this book?
had read this book.
For Plural Subject: They They had not done their Had they done their work?
had done their work. work.

Catchwords for Past Perfect Tense: already, before. by the time

8) Past Perfect Continuous Tense:

Structure: S +had been + V4 + O

A continuous action that was completed sometime in the past falls under Past Perfect
Continuous tense. Such sentences are framed by using ‘had' + 'been' + the present participle of
the verb.

Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Affirmative Sentence Negative Sentence Interrogative Sentence
For Singular Subject: He
He had not been playing Had he been playing chess
had been playing chess all
chess all morning. all morning?
morning.
For Plural Subject: They
They had not been surfing the Had they been surfing the net
had been surfing the net all
net all night. all night?
night.

Catchwords for Past Perfect Continuous Tense: for, since

Future Tense
9) Simple Future Tense:

Structure: S + will + V1 + O

This tense is used for those sentences which refer to the actions which will occur later, in
future.

Simple Future Tense

Affirmative Sentence Negative Sentence Interrogative Sentence

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 For
Singular Subject: She will She will not cook tomorrow. Will she cook tomorrow?
cook tomorrow.
For Plural Subject: All the
All the girls will not take part Will All the girls take part in
girls will take part in cooking
in cooking classes tomorrow. cooking classes tomorrow?
classes tomorrow.

10) Future Continuous Tense:

Structure: S + will+ be+V4+O

This tense defines those acts which will be continued at a future point in time. In order to
form a future continuous tense sentence, a future auxiliary verb is required followed by the
main verb that ends with -'ing.'

Future Continuous Tense

Affirmative Sentence Negative Sentence Interrogative Sentence
For Singular Subject: He
He will not be going to Will he be going to Shimla
will be going to Shimla next
Shimla next week. next week?
week.
For Plural Subject: They They will not be celebrating
Will they be celebrating her
will be celebrating her her birthday on coming
birthday on coming Monday?
birthday on coming Monday. Monday.

11) Future Perfect Tense:

Structure: S + will +have + V3 +O

This tense is used to express an action that is predicted to be finished within a certain span of
time in the future. Such sentences are formed by 'will' + 'have' + 'past participle of the verb'.

Future Perfect Tense

Affirmative Sentence Negative Sentence Interrogative Sentence
For Singular Subject: She
She will not have gone by the Will she have gone by the
will have gone by the time
time you reach her home. time you reach her home?
you reach her home.

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 For Plural Subject: They
They will not have gone by Will they have gone by the
will have gone by the time
the time you reach their time you reach their home?
you reach their home.
home.

Catchwords for Future Perfect Tense: when, by the time

12) Future Perfect Continuous Tense:

Structure: S + will +have been + V4 +O

This tense form indicates an action that is continuous and, at some point in the future, it will
be completed. It is formed using the modal 'will' + 'have' + 'been' + 'the present participle of
the verb'.

Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Affirmative Sentence Negative Sentence Interrogative Sentence
For Singular Subject:
Riya will not have been Will Riya have been
Riya will have been
studying English for two studying English for two
studying English for two
hours by the time you arrive hours by the time you arrive
hours by the time you arrive
here. here?
here.
For Plural
Subject: Students will have Students will not have been Will students have been
been playing cricket since playing cricket since morning playing cricket since morning
morning at this time at this time tomorrow. at this time tomorrow?
tomorrow.

Catchwords for Future Perfect Continuous Tense: for, by the time

Important Rules of Tenses:

Below mentioned are some important rules and the most common errors of Tenses in English
Grammar:

1) Do not get confused between the use of Present continuous tense and Present perfect
continuous Tense. To indicate an action which started in the past has gone on till the present
and is still continuing, we use the present perfect continuous tense. Using 'Present continuous
tense in such sentences is incorrect. For example:

• Incorrect: It is raining for two days.

• Correct: It has been raining for two days.

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 • Incorrect: The baby is sleeping for three hours now.
• Correct: The baby has been sleeping for three hours now.

2) Do not get confused between present perfect tense/the past perfect tense and simple past
tense. In a sentence, with adverbs of past time like, 'last week', 'last Monday', 'yesterday', 'last
night' etc., always use the simple past tense. Using Present perfect tense is incorrect in these
sentences. The present perfect tense is to denote an action that continued in present too. The
past perfect tense is only used to talk about the earlier of two past actions. For example:

• Incorrect: I have seen him yesterday.

• Incorrect: I had seen him yesterday.
• Correct: I saw him yesterday.

• Incorrect: He has returned from Paris last week.

• Incorrect: He had returned from Paris last week.
• Correct: He returned from Paris last week.

3) When in a sentence, the verb in the main clause is in the future tense, then the verb in the
subordinate clause must be in the present tense and not in the future tense.

• Incorrect: I will call you when the dinner will be ready.

• Correct: I will call you when the dinner is ready.

• Incorrect: He will help if you will ask him.

• Correct: He will help if you ask him.

4) If something has happened some time ago, then always use 'Simple Past tense' to indicate
such activity. Often students use past perfect tense in such cases, which is incorrect. For
example:

• Incorrect: I had been to New York recently.

• Correct: I went to New York recently.

• Incorrect: I had written to him last week.

• Correct: I wrote to him last week.

• Incorrect: We had gone to the pictures last night.

• Correct: We went to the pictures last night.

5) The sentences which indicate that something started in the past and continued up until
another time in the past, always use Past perfect continuous tense. Many students often use
past continuous or Simple past in such sentences, which is incorrect to use. For example:

• Incorrect: He said that he was suffering from fever for three days.
• Correct: He said that he had been suffering from fever for three days.

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 • Incorrect: The man complained that his watch was stolen.
• Correct: The man complained that his watch had been stolen.

• Incorrect: The doctor concluded that the man died twelve hours ago.
• Correct: The doctor concluded that the man had died twelve hours ago.

I hope that you might have got some clarity about tenses which will help you in scoring good
marks in upcoming examination.

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