TENSES
Tenses denote the moment of action in sentences. They help in showcasing whether the
action is happening in the past, present, or future. In English, there are three primary tenses:
past, present, and future.
1. Present Tense
a)Present Indefinite Tense
The present indefinite tense is used to describe actions that happen regularly, repeatedly or
are generally true.
For example:
● Professor Mathur teaches advanced quantum physics to his graduate students twice a
week.
● The talented artist creates mesmerising paintings that captivate the audience and earn
her acclaim in international art exhibitions.
Structure:
● Affirmative - S+v1+s/es+obj.
● Negative -
● Interrogative -
● Interrogative Negative-
b)Present Continuous Tense
The present continuous tense is used to talk about actions that are happening right now or are
currently in progress. It's formed by using the base form of the verb and adding "-ing" to it.
For example:
→Artists from diverse backgrounds are collaborating on a multimedia exhibition.
→The orchestra is rehearsing for the upcoming symphony concert.
Structure:
● Affirmative - S+is/am/are+v1+ing+obj.
● Negative -
● Interrogative -
● Interrogative Negative-
c)Present Perfect Tense
The present perfect tense is used to show an action that started in the past and is still relevant
in the present. It is formed by using the base form of the verb "have" (have/has) and the past
participle of the main verb.
For example:
→Saba has gained a deep appreciation for diverse cultures and customs.
→The renowned architect has designed iconic structures.
Structure:
● Affirmative - S+has/have+v3+obj.
● Negative -
● Interrogative -
● Interrogative Negative-
d)Present Perfect Continuous Tense
The present perfect continuous tense is used to talk about actions or events that started in the
past and continue up to the present or have just finished. It emphasises the duration or
ongoing nature of the action.
For example:
→ She has been studying French for three years.
→ Scientists have been researching the effects of climate change on biodiversity.
Structure:
● Affirmative - S+has/have+been+v1+ing+obj.
● Negative -
● Interrogative -
● Interrogative Negative-
2)Past Tense
a)Past Indefinite Tense
A past tense is used to describe actions, events, or states that have already happened in the
past.
For example:
→[Link] unearthed a rare manuscript in the dusty archives of the ancient library.
→We watched a movie last Friday night.
Structure:
● Affirmative - S+v2+obj.
● Negative -
● Interrogative -
● Interrogative Negative-
b)Past Continuous Tense
The past continuous tense is used to describe actions that were happening in the past over
some time. It is formed by using "was" or "were" with the base form of the verb, and it often
includes a time reference.
For Example:
→ I was working on my project.
→The politician was presenting his arguments.
Structure:
● Affirmative - S+was/were+v1+ing+obj.
● Negative -
● Interrogative -
● Interrogative Negative-
c)Past Perfect Tense
The past perfect tense is used to talk about an action that happened before another action in
the past. It helps to show the order of events.
For example:
→I had done my work .
→Anuja had gone to the temple.
Structure:
● Affirmative - S+had+v3+obj.
● Negative -
● Interrogative -
● Interrogative Negative-
d)Past Perfect Continuous Tense
The past perfect continuous tense is used to show an action that started in the past and
continued for some time before another action took place.
For example:
→Tanishka had been working there for a year.
→They had been painting the bedroom.
Structure:
● Affirmative - S+had+been+v1+ing+obj.
● Negative -
● Interrogative -
● Interrogative Negative-
3)Future Tense
a)Future Indefinite Tense
The simple future tense is used to talk about things that will happen in the future. It is formed
using the modal verb "will" followed by the base form of the main verb.
For example:
→She will go to the market.
→Ramya will sing on the stage.
Structure:
● Affirmative - S+will/shall+v1+obj.
● Negative -
● Interrogative -
● Interrogative Negative-
c) Future Continuous Tense
The future continuous tense is used to describe actions that will be happening at a specific
time in the future.
For Example:
→ We will be dancing to the latest tunes.
→ I will be studying for my final exams.
Structure:
● Affirmative - S+will/shall+be+v1+ing+obj.
● Negative -
● Interrogative -
● Interrogative Negative-
c) Future Perfect Tense
The future perfect tense is used to talk about an action that will be completed in the future
before another action takes place.
For example:
→Maria will have completed her science project by end of the day.
→The astronauts will have contributed valuable data to scientific research.
Structure:
● Affirmative - S+will/shall+have+v3+obj.
● Negative -
● Interrogative -
● Interrogative Negative-
d)Future Perfect Continuous Tense
The future perfect continuous tense is used to describe actions or events that will be ongoing
(happening continuously) at a specific point in the future.
For example:
→The construction workers will have been working for nearly a decade.
→Jatin will have been attending the prestigious university for six years.
Structure:
● Affirmative - S+will/shall+have+been+v1+ing+obj.
● Negative -
● Interrogative -
● Interrogative Negative-
Usage for For/Since:
For:
The word for is used when we want to specify the duration of an action or event. It is not tied
to a specific start time but tells us how long something has been happening. For can be used
with all tenses and typically answers the question of 'how long?’
for + period: a "period" is a duration of time - five minutes, two weeks, six
years. For means "from the beginning of the period to the end of the
period".
Note : For can be used with all tenses.
For example:
● They study for two hours every day.
● They are studying for three hours today.
● He has lived in Bangkok for a long time.
● He has been living in Paris for three months.
● I worked at that bank for five years.
● Will the universe continue for ever?
We do not use for with "all day", "all the time":
● I was there all day. (not for all day)
Since:
The word since is specifically used to reference the start point of an action or event that
continues into the present. It often follows a perfect or perfect continuous tense verb and is
typically used when the focus is on the continuation from a certain time rather than the
duration.
since + point: a "point" is a precise moment in time - 9 o'clock, 1st January,
Monday. Since means "from a point in the past until now".
Note :Since is normally used with perfect tenses:
For Example:
● He has been here since 9am.
● He has been working since he arrived.
● I had lived in New York since my childhood.
We also use since in the structure "It is [period] since":
● It was a year since I had seen her.
● How long is it since you got married?