TENSES

Tenses are verbs that are used to show time of an action in any
statement. There are many tenses in English language but basically we
have three main tenses in English language.

Three main tenses are as follow :

Present tense
Past tense
Future tense

The above are the main categories of tenses we have in English

language. It is also important to note that each one of them has its
certain branches which will be vividly discussed below.

1)PRESENT TENSE
There are four kinds of present tense :
a) Simple present tense
b) Present continuous/progressive tense
c) Present perfect tense
d) Present perfect continuous/progressive tense
These tenses are generally used to convey the message about present
actions. Any spoken or written expression should have a kind of
relationship with the present moment before it is called a present
action.

* SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE:- this tense shows the following actions:

1) Habitual action
2)Universal fact
3)Present action
4)Repeated action
5)Future action
6) Commentary in sport

For us to be able to give as many examples as possible, let us

understand what we call persons in English language. There three
types of person in English language which are:first person singular and
plural (I,WE), second person singular and plural(You) and third person
singular and plural(He she, it, they and any name).

The purpose for bringing the above explanation about persons in

English language is to enable the learners of simple present tense to
know how to construct the examples. There is a rule in English language
that says "if the subject of the sentence is singular the verb also must
be singular and it is similar to plural subject which should go with
plural subject). The singular form of verb is formed when we add 's',
or 'es' to the basic form. Example, the word GO is in plural form but
when we add 'es' it changes singular that is GOES. the word COOK is
also plural but adding 's' makes it singular.
So, now let us break down the above mentioned ways of using simple
present tense.

Affirmative sentences: Plural Subject+ V1 + object+compliment.

Affirmative sentences: singular Subject + s/es in the first form of the
Verb + object +compliment.
Negative sentences: Subject+do/does not + V1 + object+compliment.
Interrogative sentences: Do/Does+Subject + V1 + object+compliment?

Note:understanding present simple tense will give you a chance to

understand the remaining tenses very easy. Therefore, spend
adequate time on simple present tense because it is the key to all.
1)Habitual action:- this one shows a habit of someone. Examples
1)He eats too much.
2)Abdul greets his elders.

2) Universal fact:-this is used to express something known to be true in

everywhere. Examples
1)Women make up.
2)The sun rises from the east.
3) Present action:- it is used to show present actions. Examples
1) I have a book.
2)You are my student.

4) repeated action:- this one shows an action that takes place

repeatedly. Examples
1)I go to school everyday.
2)We play football every evening.

5)Future action:- it is accepted grammatically to use simple present

tense to express future actions as examples will be given below:
1)Bhupesh leaves for Delhi tomorrow.
2)The teacher comes to teach you next week.

6) Commentary in sport:- this one is used by the commentators

especially in sport. Examples
1)Messi catches the ball.
2) He passes it to the striker.
* PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE:- this is generally used to express
action that is taking at the present moment.
Formula to be used in order to make sentences under present
continuous tense is:
Affirmative sentences:Subject+is/am/ are+ ing in V1 +
object+compliment.
Examples
1)I am learning English language.
Negative sentences:Subject+is/am/ are+not+ ing in V1 +
object+compliment.
2) They are not dancing in the club.

Interrogative sentences: Is/am/ are+ Subject+ ing in V1 +

object+compliment?
Are they dancing in the club?

Sometimes, it is used to show future action. Examples

1)I am going to explain this tomorrow.
2)He is not coming to see next week.
3) She is coming to visit me the day after tomorrow.
* PRESENT PERFECT TENSE:- this is a tense that is used to show that the
past action has some connections with the present one, In other words
it can be said that, it is used to express an action that has just been
completed.
Formula to be considered when making such examples is:
Affirmative sentences:Subject+has or have+third form of the verb+
object+compliment
Examples
1)She has gone to school.
Negative sentences:Subject+has or have+ not+third form of the verb+
object+compliment.
2) Vishal has not met me therefore it is difficult for him to recognize
me.
Interrogative sentences:has or have + subject +third form of the verb+
object+compliment?
3)Have they gone to school?

* PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE:it is used to show an action

that started in the past but still taking place at the present time.
Formula to be used is:
Affirmative sentences:Subject+has or have +been+ing in V1 +
object+compliment+ since/for + time.
She has been crying for two hours.
Negative sentences:Subject+has or have+not +been+ing in V1 +
object+compliment+ since/for + time.
I have not been waiting for him since morning. Interrogative
sentences:has or have Subject+been+ing in V1 + object+compliment+
since/for + time?

Has the teacher been teaching them for thirty minutes?

Here we have come to the end of present tenses, now we are

proceeding to the next which is Past tenses.

*PAST TENSES
We have also four kinds of past tense. Let me itemize them below :
1)Simple past tense
2)Past continuous tense
3)Past perfect tense
4)Past perfect continuous tense
these tenses are used to express only actions that took place in the past
and they have no any relationship with the present time.

*SIMPLE PAST TENSE :- this is used to express an action that was

completely done in the past.
Formula to be used is:
Affirmative sentences :Subject+ V2 + object+compliment
I did my work yesterday.
Negative sentences: Subject+did not + V1 + object+compliment
She did not cook food in the morning.
Interrogative sentences: Did+ Subject + V1 + object+compliment?
Did they play football last week?

* PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE:- it is used to show a particular action was

on going when another action interrupted. One action was taking in the
past then another came in and left the on going one unfinished.
Formula to be considered is:
Affirmative sentences :Sub+was or were + ing in V1+ object+
compliment..
Examples
1)She was eating food when her mother went to the office.
Negative sentences :Sub+was or were+not + ing in V1+ object+
compliment..
2)Ali was not going to school when I saw him.
Interrogative sentences :was or were +sub+ ing in V1+ object+
compliment?
3) Was Vishal not going to school yesterday?
*It can also be used to express two actions were taking simultaneously
in the past(at the same time). Examples
1)The car was moving while he was trying to jump down.
2)I was reading while my sister was sweeping.

*PAST PERFECT TENSE :- it is used to show two actions were completely

done in the past but one of the two actions preceded the other one.
That means, it happened before the next one.
Formula to be used is:
Affirmative sentences :Sub+had+V3 + object+compliment
+before+simple past tense.
Eexamples
They had come before I came.
Negative sentences :Sub+had not+V3 + object+compliment
+before+simple past tense.
She had not come before I came.
Interrogative sentences :had+Sub+V3 + object+compliment
+before+simple past tense?
Had she slept before her mother returned?
*PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE:- it is used to express an action
that had been taking place in the past until a specific time or a
particular occurred but all in the past.
Formula to be considered is:
Affirmative sentences :Sub+had+been+verb+Ing+simple past tense
(sometimes ).
The baby had been crying until her mother came back.
Affirmative sentences :Subject had +been+ing in V1 +
object+compliment+ since/for + time.
Aisha had been sleeping for five hours.
Negative sentences :Sub+had not+been+verb+Ing+simple past tense
(sometimes ).
The baby had not been crying until her mother came back.
Negative sentences :Subject had+not +been+ing in V1 +
object+compliment+ since/for + time.
Aisha had not been sleeping for five hours
Interrogative sentences :Had+ subject+been+verb+Ing+simple past
tense (sometimes )?
Had the baby been crying until her mother came back?
Interrogative sentences :Had +subject+been+ing in V1 +
object+compliment+ since/for + time?
Had Aisha been sleeping for five hours?
* FUTURE TENSES
Similar to the above tenses we also have four categories under future
tenses.
1) Simple future tense
2) Future continuous tense
3) Future perfect tense
4) Future perfect continuous tense
Future tenses are used to express future actions.

* SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE:- this tense is used to express action that is

not yet happen but it will happen.
Formula to be considered is:
Affirmative sentences: Sub+will or shall + V1+ object+compliment
Examples
I shall come to school.
Negative sentences: Sub+will or shall +not+ V1+ object+compliment
Examples
I shall not come to school.
Interrogative sentences: will or shall + Subject+V1+
object+compliment?
Examples
shall I come to school?
2) FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE:- this is used to express an action that
will be taking place in the future.
Formula to be considered is:
Affirmative sentences:Sub+will or shall +be+Ing in V1+
object+compliment
Examples
I shall be teaching them next week.
Negative sentences:Sub+will or shall +not +be+Ing in V1+
object+compliment
Examples
I shall not be teaching them next week.
Interrogative sentences: will or shall +subject+be+Ing in V1+
object+compliment?
Examples
Shall I be teaching them next week?
*FUTURE PERFECT TENSE:- this one is used to express an action that
will have been completed at, before or after a particular time.
Formula to be considered is:
Affirmative sentences: Subject+ will/shall +have+ V3 +
object+compliment
I shall have killed that snake next week. Affirmative sentences: Sub+
will/shall + have +V3 + object+compliment +simple present
(sometimes)
Examples
We shall have gone to school if they come.
Negative sentences: Subject+ will/shall +not+have+ V3 +
object+compliment
I not have killed that snake next week. Negative sentences: Sub+
will/shall +not+ have +V3 + object+compliment +simple present
(sometimes)
Examples
We shall not have gone to school if they come.
Interrogative sentences: Will/shall +Subject+have+ V3 +
object+compliment ?
Shall I have killed that snake next week? Interrogative sentences:
Will/shall + subject+have +V3 + object+compliment +simple present
(sometimes)?
Examples
Shall we have gone to school if they come?
* FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS :- it is used to express an action that
will be taking place in the future and completed in a certain time.
Formula to be considered is:
Affirmative sentences: Sub+will or shall + have + been + Ing in V1
+object+ compliment+ for + time.
Examples
1)I shall have been attending the yoga class for ten years.
2)They will have been discussing for two days.
Negative sentences: Sub+will or shall +not+ have + been + Ing in V1
+object+ compliment+ for + time.
Examples
I shall not have been attending the yoga class for ten years.
Interrogative sentences: Will or shall +Subject+ have + been + Ing in
V1 +object+ compliment+ for + time?
Examples
Shall I have been attending the yoga class for ten years?

Thank you