Tenses

Tense is the most important part of English grammar. It is used to show different forms of verbs or action words.

Verbs are of two types

Main verb - denotes main action

Helping verbs - denotes the state of the action. It includes is, am, are ,was ,were ,has ,have ,had ,be ,been ,will, shall

So,

Tenses show the time when the action took place as well as the state of that action through different forms of verbs, with or without helping verbs.

For ex

  1. Sam plays guitar so nicely.

Here,

Main verb ‘play’ is in present or first form. It denotes the habitual action in present.

  1. Sam played guitar so nicely.

Here,

action word or verb ‘ played’  is in second form  or past tense

So, ‘played ‘is denoting that action took place in the past.

  1. Sam will play guitar.

Here,

 ‘will’ is a helping verb with the main verb ‘play’.  It denotes the future action.

  1. Sam had played guitar very nicely.

Here,

we have ‘had played’ 

Had denotes that action had been done completely

‘Played’ denotes action in past.

So, we get to know that action had been done in past completely.

  1. Sam had been playing guitar so nicely.

Here,

 we have ‘had been +play + ing’

‘Had been’ is a helping verb which shows that action started at a point of time in past and was still going on.

Thus,

Tenses are different forms of verbs with or without helping verbs which shows the time of the action as well as its state

Tenses are of three types with four forms each.

Present

Indefinite habitual action, universal truth and historical facts

 

Continuous   action is taking place at the time of speaking.

 Perfect   action is complete already.

Perfect continuous  action took place at a point in present and is still going on.

Present Indefinite

  1. Action is taking place at present moment.

Ex. I live in Delhi.

Here comes the hawker.

  1.  Universal fact

Ex. Honesty pays in long run

People tend to believe on pretenders easily.

  1. As a subordinate clause, when main action refers to future.
  • Ex. If we walk fast, we will be on time.
  • If you follow me, you will get rid of this problem.
  1. Express daily routine action or custom
  • Ex. I read newspaper in the morning.
  • Spring comes in April.

Rules     

Assertive

-sub + verb1+ s/es (if the subject is third person singular)+----.

He usually solves the sums very fast.

Negative –

sub + do/does+ v1+ ----.

He doesn’t solve the sum very fast.

Interrogative

  do/does + sub + v1 + ----.

Does he solve the sum very fast?

Present continuous

  1. Express action is going on at the time of speaking.

Ex. I am listening to the music now.

She is waiting for you at the moment.

  1. Express action of near future.

Ex school is organizing the fest next week

She is going to Delhi next month

Rules

 Assertive sub+ is/ am /are+ verb 1+ ing+--‐-----.

The riot is protesting against the government ‘s law.

Negative- sub + is / am / are + not+ verb1+ing ------.

The riot is not protesting against the government ‘s law.

Interrogative- is / am / are + sub + verb1+ing ------.

Is the riot not protesting against the government‘s law?

Present perfect

  1. Express action which has just been completed. ​​​​

Ex. I have fixed the problem so far.

She has passed the exam.

  1. To express an action having taken  in the past and going on in the present.

Ex. We have lived here for ten years.

They haven’t talked each other for two months.

Rules

 sub+ has/have + verb3+-----.

Sia has taken her breakfast.

sub+ has/have + not+ verb3+-----.

Sia has not taken her breakfast.

 has/have + sub+ verb3+-----.

Has Sia taken her breakfast?

Present perfect continuous

  1. To express action started in past and is still going on.

Ex. She has been suffering from fever for last month.

  1. To  express an action in a sentence beginning with ‘for how long’ or ‘since when'

I have been trying to call you since morning.

Rules

Sub+ has/have been + verb 1 +ing +since/for+-------.

I have been trying to fix the problem.

Sub+ has/have +not been + verb 1 + ing +since/for+-------.

I have not been trying to fix the problem.

has/have +sub +been + verb 1 + ing +since/for+-------.

Have I been trying to fix the problem?

Past

Indefinite - habitual action in past, past event

Continuous - action was in progress at some point in past

 Perfect - action was complete already in the past.

Perfect continuous  - action started at a point in past and was still going on.

Past indefinite

●Expresses a past action or event

Ex. Edison invented the gramophone.

●Express a habit or custom in past

Ex. Lord Buddha always preached non violence.

● Express an action going on at the time stated

Ex. The students were talking when the teacher came.

when pass showing time is given in the sentence I.e.  today ago, last

 Ex. I received the courier yesterday.

Rules

Assertive-sub + verb2-------.

My uncle contributed a lot in social reform.

Negative - sub + did+ v1+ ----.

My uncle did not contribute a lot in social reform.

interrogative - did+ sub + v1 + ----.

 Did my uncle contribute a lot in social reform?

Past Continuous Tense ●Express an activity which was in progress at some point of time in the past

Ex. An aeroplane was flying over the buildings.

 ●Often used together with simple past tense to show one activity was in progress while other took place

Ex. I was riding the bike while the accident occurred.

Rule

▪︎Assertive - sub+ were/was + verb 1+ ing+--‐-----.

The swarm of bees was chasing him.

▪︎Negative- sub + was/were + not+ verb1+ing ------.

The swarm of bees was not chasing him.

▪︎Interrogative- was/were + sub + verb1+ing ------.

Was the swarm of bees chasing him?

Past Perfect Tense

●Denotes an action which had been completed before another action had began.

Ex. He had gone when we reached there.

●Express an unfulfilled condition in the past

Ex. If I had studied, I would have good earnings

●Denote an action which contain words already, before, till, since.

Ex. He had already wished me.

●Used in adverbial clause of time to express that the action was complete before and other pass action event took place.

Ex. She had come back before her father arrived.

Rules

Assertive

▪︎sub+ had+ verb3+-----.

My friend had returned my book

Negative

▪︎sub+ had + not+ verb3+-----.

My friend had not returned my book.

Interrogative

▪Had+ sub+ verb3+-----.?

Had my friend returned my book?

Past Perfect Continuous ●Used to denote an action that had been going on for some time before an other action took place in the past

Ex. We had been waiting   for two hours when she called us.

Rules

Assertive

▪︎sub+ had been + verb 1 + ing +since/for+-------.

Maria had been preparing for exam for two months.

Negative

▪︎Sub+ had not been + verb 1 + ing +since/for+-------.

Maria had been preparing for exam for two months.

Interrogative

▪︎Had +sub +been + verb 1 + ing +since/for+-------?

Maria had been preparing for exam for two months.

Future

Indefinite - denotes future action

Continuous- action will be in progress at some point in future

 Perfect - action is expected to be complete by certain time in future.

Perfect continuous - action will have been going on at or before some point of    time in future

Future indefinite

●Expresses a future action or event

Ex. We shall accompany him within two weeks.

● denotes principal clause of a conditional sentence

 If he proposes us, we will accompany him.

Rules

Assertive-sub +will+ verb1------.

My uncle will contribute  a lot in social reform.

Negative - sub + will not + v1+ ----.

My uncle will not contribute a lot in social reform.

interrogative will+ sub + v1 + ----.

 Will my uncle contribute a lot in social reform?

Future Continuous Tense

●Express an activity which will be in progress at some point of time in future.

Ex. We shall be playing football from tomorrow onwards.

 Rule

▪︎Assertive - sub+ wiil be+ verb 1+ ing+--‐-----.

The swarm of bees will be chasing him.

▪︎Negative- sub + will+ not+ be+ verb1+ing ------.

The swarm of bees will  not be chasing him.

▪︎Interrogative- will+ sub +be + verb1+ing ------.

will the swarm of bees be chasing him?

Future Perfect Tense

●Denotes an action which is expected to be completed by a certain time in future

Ex. He will have gone before the teacher comes.

      He will have attempted the exam by the evening.

Rules

Assertive

▪︎sub+ will have + verb3+-----.

My friend will have  returned my book  tomorrow.

Negative

▪︎sub+ will have  + not+ verb3+-----.

My friend will have  not returned my book tomorrow

Interrogative

▪will + sub+ have +verb3+-----.?

Will  my friend have  returned my  tomorrow ?

 Past Perfect Continuous

●Used to denote an action that will have  been going on at or  some point of time in future.

Ex.He will have  been  waiting   for two hours before the result declares.

Rules

Assertive

▪︎sub+ will have been + verb 1 + ing +since/for+-------.

Maria will have  been preparing for exam for two months.

Negative

▪︎Sub+ will have not +been + verb 1 + ing +since/for+-------.

Maria will have not been preparing for exam for two months.

Interrogative

▪︎will +sub + have been + verb 1 + ing +since/for+-------?

Will Maria have  been preparing for exam for two months.