THE TENSES
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
TENSES
PRESENT TENSE
PRESENT INDEFINITE TENSE
PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE
PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
PRESENT PERFECT COTINUOUS TENSE
PAST TENSE
PAST INDEFINITE TENSE
PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE
PAST PERFECT TENSE
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE
FUTURE TENSE
FUTURE INDEFINITE TENSE
FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE
FUTURE PERFECT TENSE
FUTURE PEREECT CONTINUOUS TENSE
INTRODUCTION
TENSE
The term 'Tense' is the form of a verb which shows the
time at which an action happened. So, the Tense shows
two things :-
(i) the time of the action.
(ii) state expressed by the verb
The Tenses can be categorised into time frames
that are:-
Present tense
Past tense
Future tense
PRESENT TENSE
Present Tense expresses an unchanging, repeated or
reoccurring action or situation that exists only now. It
can also represent a widespread truth.
PRESENT
TENSE
Present Present Present Present
Indefinite Continuous Perfect Perfect
Tense Tense Tense Continuous
Tense
PRESENT INDEFINITE TENSE
The Present Indefinite tense does not indicate whether
the action is completed or not. It expresses a general
truth or an action that is occurring now regularly or
habitually.
EXAMPLES
He sings different kinds of songs. (Affirmative Sentence)
He doesn’t sings different kinds of songs. (Negative Sentence)
Does he sing different kinds of songs? (Interrogative Sentence)
What does he sing? ( Double Interrogative Sentence)
PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE
The Present Continuous Tense is used to express an
action which is happening at a particular time in the
present or extending over a period of time.
EXAMPLES
He is preparing for his exams.(Affirmative Sentence)
Your brother is not calling you for playing. (Negative Sentence)
Is he talking about you? (Interrogative Sentence)
Why is he not talking to me?( Double Interrogative Sentence)
PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
The Present Perfect Tense expresses an action that was
started in past and just has been completed.
EXAMPLES
He has eaten the food. (Affirmative Sentence)
I haven’t studied yet. (Negative Sentence)
Have you done your assignments? (Interrogative Sentence)
Why has he sold the horse? ( Double Interrogative Sentence)
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE
The Present Perfect Continuous Tense expresses an
action which is started in past and still continuing in
present.
EXAMPLES
I have been waiting for you since morning. (Affirmative Sentence)
Your son has not been coming to school for the past 3 days. (Negative
Sentence)
Has he been working for an hour?(Interrogative Sentence)
Why has he been watching the movie since morning. (Double Interrogative
Sentence)
PRESENT TENSE
Perfect
Indefinite Continuous Perfect
Continuous
Sub + Have/has
Sub + Is/am/are +
Sub + 1 form +
st
Sub + Have/has + been + 1st
Affirmative 1st form + ing +
s/es + obj + 3rd form + obj form + ing +
obj
since/for + time
Sub + has/have
Sub + Do/does + Sub + is/am/are + Sub + have/has
+ not + been +
Negative not +1st form + not + 1st form + + not + 3rd form
1st form + ing +
obj ing + obj + obj
obj + since/for
Has/have + sub
Is/am/are + sub +
Do/does + sub + Has/have + sub + been + 1st
Interrogative 1st form + ing +
1st form + obj + 3rd form + obj form + ing + obj
obj
+ since/for
Wh family + Wh family + Has
Wh family + Wh family +
Double is/am/are + sub + /have + sub +
do/does + sub + has/have + sub
Interrogative 1st form + ing + been + 1st form
1st form + obj + 3rd form + obj
obj + obj + since/for
PAST TENSE
Past Tense expresses an action or situation that as
started and finished in the past.
PAST
TENSE
Past Past Past Past
Indefinite Continuous Perfect Perfect
Tense Tense Tense Continuous
Tense
PAST INDEFINITE TENSE
The Past Indefinite Tense is used for an action which
happened at a particular time in past.
EXAMPLES
We met him while playing.(Affirmative Sentence)
Mr. Starck didn’t teach us.(Negative Sentence)
Does he play with you all? (Interrogative Sentence)
Where did you play with your friends? (Double
Interrogative Sentence)
PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE
The Past Continuous Tense is used to express an action
which was happening at a particular time in the Past.
EXAMPLES
I was watching a program. (Affirmative Sentence)
He wasn’t with me.(Negative Sentence)
Was he studying? (Interrogative Sentence)
Why were they not studying? (Double Interrogative Sentence)
PAST PERFECT TENSE
The Past Perfect Tense is used to express an action that
was completed before another action started in the past.
It is used before the 2nd action.
EXAMPLES
Rajesh had eaten his food.(Affirmative Sentence)
Kamla hadn’t done her homework(Negative Sentence)
Had they broken his arm?(Interrogative Sentence)
Why had they said a lie? (Double Interrogative Sentence)
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE
The Past Perfect Continuous tense is used to express an
action that began before a certain time in the past and
continued up to it.
EXAMPLES
He had been living here since 2007.(Affirmative Sentence)
She had not been playing since morning. (Negative Sentence)
Had he been losing since morning? (Interrogative Sentence)
Why had she been crying for an hour? ( Double Interrogative
Sentence)
PAST TENSE
Perfect
Indefinite Continuous Perfect
Continuous
Sub +had +
Sub + was/were +
Sub + 2nd form + Sub + Had + 3rd been + 1st form
Affirmative 1st form + ing +
obj form + obj + ing + since/for
obj
+ time
Sub +had + not
Sub + was/were +
Sub + did + not Sub + had+ not + been + 1st
Negative not + 1st form +
+1st form + obj + 3rd form + obj form + ing +
ing + obj
obj + since/for
Had + sub +
Was/were + sub +
Did + sub + 1 st
Had + sub + 3 rd
been + 1st form
Interrogative 1st form + ing +
form + obj form + obj + ing + obj +
obj
since/for
Wh family + Wh family +
Wh family + did Wh family +
Double was/were + sub + Had + sub +
+ sub + 1st form Had+ sub + 3rd
Interrogative 1st form + ing + been + 1st form
+ obj form + obj
obj + obj + since/for
FUTURE TENSE
Future Tense expresses an action or situation that will
occur in the future.
FUTURE
TENSE
Future Future Future Future
Indefinite Continuous Perfect Perfect
Tense Tense Tense Continuous
Tense
FUTURE INDEFINITE TENSE
The future Indefinite Tense is used to express an action
that will take place in future at a particular time.
EXAMPLES
He will come tomorrow. (Affirmative Sentence)
She will not play with me.(Negative Sentence)
Shall they recognise me?(Interrogative Sentence)
Why will they beat you? (Double Interrogative Sentence)
FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE
Future Continuous Tense is expresses an action which
will be in progress in the future at a particular time.
EXAMPLES
I shall be playing cricket. (Affirmative Sentence)
He shall not be studying.(Negative Sentence)
Will he meet me? (Interrogative Sentence)
How will you go for your camping? ( Double Interrogative
Sentence)
FUTURE PERFECT TENSE
Future Perfect Tense is used to express the completion of
an action in the future at a particular time.
EXAMPLES
He will have eaten my food. (Affirmative Sentence)
You will have done your homework.(Negative Sentence)
Will you play with me? (Interrogative Sentence)
Why will he make the tea? ( Double Interrogative
Sentence)
FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE
Future Perfect Continuous Tense is used to express an
action which is continued to a particular time in future.
EXAMPLES
He will have been visiting her since morning (Affirmative
Sentence)
He will not have been eating since morning to evening. (Negative
Sentence)
Will he have been sleeping since evening? (Interrogative Sentence)
Why will I have been sleeping for 7 hours? (Double Interrogative
Sentence)
FUTURE TENSE
Perfect
Indefinite Continuous Perfect
Continuous
Sub + will/shall
Sub + shall/will Sub + will/shall
Sub + will/shall + have been +
Affirmative +be +1st form + + have + 3rd
+ 1st form + obj 1st form + ing +
ing + obj form + obj
since/for + time
Sub +will/shall +
Sub + will/shall Sub + shall/will+ Sub + will/shall
not + have been
Negative + not +1st form + not + 1st form + + not+ have +
+ 1st form + ing
obj ing + obj 3rd form + obj
+ obj + since/for
Will/shall+ sub
Shall/will + sub + Will/shall + sub
Will/shall+ sub + +have been + 1st
Interrogative be + 1 st
form + ing +have + 3 rd
form
1st form + obj form + ing + obj
+ obj + obj
+ since/for
Wh family +
Wh family + Will/shall+ sub
Wh family + Wh family +
Double will/shall + sub + +have been + 1st
will/shall + sub + will/shall + sub
Interrogative be + 1st form + ing form + ing + obj
1 form + obj
st
+ 3rd form + obj
+ obj + since/for