TENSES

The tense in a sentence tells the time of the action mentioned in

the sentence. Broadly speaking, the tense in a sentence can be
present tense, future tense or past tense. The sentence can be
affirmative/positive, negative and/or interrogative.
PRESENT TENSE
Look at the following sentences.
1. I am playing (Affirmative)
2. We aren't playing (Negative)
3. Are they playing? (Interrogative)
4. How are they playing? (Interrogative)
All these sentences are in the present tense.
The present tense comprises simple present tense, present
continuous tense, present perfect tense, and present perfect
continuous tense.
A stative verb is a verb that describes a state
or condition, rather than an action.
• Senses and perceptions: Appear, feel, hear,
look, see, smell, taste
• Possession and measurement: Belong,
have, measure, own, possess, weigh
• Thoughts and emotions: Believe, feel,
know, love, think
We use the Simple Present Tense to talk about things in general. We
do not use it only to refer actions happening now but also actions
that happen all the time or repeatedly or things that are universally
true.
For example:
1. I have breakfast every day.
2. We go to school.
We use the Present Continuous Tense to talk about an action that is
happening at or around the time of speaking. The action has not
finished.
In such sentences, is/am/are + -ing form of the verb are used to show
the continuation.
For example:
1 Girls are playing.
2. I am watching TV.
We use the Present Perfect Tense to talk about an action that has
recently been completed. It is also used to talk about a past
action that has a result now.
In such sentences, have/has + 3rd form of the verb is used.
For example:
1. Tom has lost his key.
2. I have forgotten your name.
We use the Present Perfect Continuous Tense to indicate an
activity that continues from the past, until now, repeatedly, or an
activity that has recently stopped.
In such sentences, have/has + been + -ing form of the verb are
used.
For example:
1.John looks sunburnt. He has been working in the sun since
morning.
2. Your clothes are very dirty. What have you been doing?
Now, look at the following sentences.
1. She visited the temple regularly.
2. Last year, we attended a summer camp together.
We use the Simple Past Tense for actions completed in the past,
actions which happened at a specific point of time, and past habits
and actions.
Next, look at the following sentences.
1. The children went on a long drive last Saturday.
2. The coach was always helping the weaker student.
These sentences are in the past continuous tense.
We use the Past Continuous Tense for an action that was in progress
at a stated time in the past, a past action which was a habit in the
past and two or more actions which were happening at the same
time.
Look at the following sentences.
1. Rohit had already left when we arrived at the party.
2. He had broken his leg.
These sentences are in the past perfect tense We use the Past
Perfect Tense to talk about an action which finished before
another action in the past.
In such sentences, had + past participle form of the verb is
used.
We use certain time expressions with the past perfect tense,
like before, already, after, just when, and never.
The future tense comprises simple future tense, future
continuous tense, future perfect tense, and future perfect
continuous tense.
1. It will rain soon.
2. I will carry an umbrella to school.
3. The road will become slippery.
Simple future is used to talk about an action that will happen in
the future or an action we intend to do in the future, a general
statement about the future, an action we decide to do right at
the time of speaking. It is also used to express a view, an offer
to do something or a request that is made to someone to do.
In such sentences, will/shall + base form of the verb is used.
Next, look at the following sentences.
1.The boys will be attending college from next session.
2. The flight will be landing at the international airport at New
Delhi.
These sentences are in the future continuous tense.
We use the Future Continuous Tense to refer an action that will be
going on in the future, a pre- scheduled future plan, and a longer
on-going action interrupted by another shorter future action.
In such sentences, will be + -ing form of the verb is used.
Look at the following sentences.
1. I shall have gone shopping before you return from coaching.
2. He will have perfected his bowling before you join cricket
coaching.
These sentences are in the future perfect tense. We use the future
perfect tense to refer to an action which would have completed
before another action in the future.
In such sentences, will/shall have + past participle form of the verb
is used.
Now, look at the following sentences.
1. The children will be ready for their performance an hour before
the chief guest's arrival.
2. 2. Soon after the programme ends, the parents will be collecting
their wards from their classrooms.
These sentences are in the future perfect continuous tense. We use
the Future Perfect Continuous Tense to refer to a long action before
a particular time in the future or an action that will begin at a point
of time in the future and continue after that.
In such sentences, will have been + ing form of the verb is used.