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TENSES
Grammar tenses are the forms of a verb that show the time of an action. They answer our
questions like; Is the task finished? For how long has it been going? Is the action a habit? and
many more. We study three tenses in English grammar; they are:
1. Present tense – The present tense mainly describes a current event or state of being.
2. Past tense - The past tense mainly used to describe a completed activity that happened in
the past.
3. Future tense – The future tense marks the event described by the verb as not having
happened yet, but expected to happen in the future.
PRESENT TENSE
The present tense is used in English grammar to tell us about an event that is going on in the
present or is relevant at any time. The present tense has further four types. We will see them
one by one.
1. Present Indefinite or Simple Present
The sentence structure for simple present tense is:
Subject ( I, You, We, They ) + V1 ( First Form of Verb ) + Object
We use simple present tense in the following ways:
a) It is used to show a habit.
e.g. He goes to the park every morning at 7.
She usually takes two chappatis at dinner.
b) Simple present tense is used to express general truths.
e.g. A magnet attracts iron.
Water boils at 100 degree celcius.
c) Simple present tense is used in exclamatory sentences starting with here and there.
e.g. Here goes the train!
There he comes! Let’s welcome him for coming late to the class.
d) Simple present tense is generally used with fixed timetables and fixed programmes.
e.g. The cricket match, for which you all are excited, starts at 7 pm.
My train to Bhopal is at 8 am.
e) During a sporting event we use simple present tense in broadcast commentaries.
2. Present Continuous tense
The sentence structure for present continuous tense is:
Subject ( I/ You/ We/ They ) + auxillary verb (is/am/are) + Verb+ing + Object
We use present continuous tense in the following ways:
a) It is used to show that an action is going on in that given time.
e.g. Look! Those boys are playing in the damp area of the park.
b) We also use present continuous tense to show a future action that has already been
planned.
e.g. I am going to Manali this month with my family.
c) Though simple present tense is used to show a habit, we also use present continuous
tense to indicate a repeated action despite several warnings.
e.g. My sister is silly. She is making the same mistake again and again.
d) We do not use the following words in present continuous form when used in their usual
meaning. We use simple present tense to use these words in a sentence.
See, hear, smell, notice, recognize, appear, look, seem, want, wish, desire, feel, like,
love, hate, hope, refuse, prefer, think, suppose, agree, consider, trust, remember,
forget, know, understand, imagine, mean, mind, have (=to possess), own, belong
to, consist of, etc.
e.g. This fruit is tasting very bitter. (This is a wrong sentence.)
This fruit tastes bitter. (This is a right sentence.)
3. Present Perfect Tense
The sentence structure for present prefect tense is:

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Subject ( I/ You/ We/ They ) + has/have + V3 (third form of verb) + Object

The present perfect tense is used in the following ways:

a) This tense is used to show that an action is completed in the immediate past. It is used
with the word just.
e.g. She has just left with her friends.
b) This tense is used with the actions of the past whose time is ambiguous or is not
mentioned in the text.
e.g. Have you read The Mahabharata?
I have never seen him in a bad mood.
c) This tense is used when we emphasize more on the outcome (that we experience in
the present) than on the action (that has already happened in the past).
e.g. Rohit has cut his finger accidentally. (and it is bleeding now.)
Himanshu has eaten all the sweets. (and there are not any left for us.)
d) We use present perfect tense to show that an action started in the past is going upto
this moment in the present.
e.g. The couple has lived here for 20 years now.
Robin has been ill since last week.
e) With adverbs or adverb phrases like never, ever, so far, till now, yet, already,
today, this week, this month, etc. we use present perfect tense.
e.g. Silky has never done any adventurous task.
Yash hasn’t taken any leave so far.
4. Present perfect continuous tense
The sentence structure for the present perfect continuous tense is:
Subject ( I/ You/ We/ They ) + has/have + been + Verb+ing + Object
The present perfect continuous tense is used in the following ways:
a) We use this tense to show that an action started in the past is continuing in the present
too.
e.g. Neha has been sleeping on the couch for an hour.
b) This tense is used to show an already finished action. We use this tense to answer the
after-result of that action.
e.g. You are drenched in sweat from head to toe. What were you doing? I have been running
PAST TENSE
Past tense is used to show an action or condition that has happened in the past. This tense
has four aspects that talk about to what extent an action has been completed. Past tense
has the following types:
1. Simple past tense
The sentence structure for the simple past tense is:
Subject ( I/ You/ We/ They ) + V2 (second form of verb) + Object
a. This tense is used to point out that an action completed in the past. We use adverbs
of past like yesterday, ago, last week, etc. in such sentences.
e.g. She received the letter of appreciation yesterday only.
b. It is used to depict the old habits.
e.g. Rahul always carried a hat.
2. Past continuous tense
The sentence structure for the past continuous tense is:
Subject ( I/ You/ We/ They ) + was/were + Verb+ing + Object
a. This tense is used to show that an action was going on in the past.
e.g. She was reading novels during her autumn break.
NOTE: When I saw Reena, she was sleeping peacefully on her bed.
The clause used with the conjunction ‘when’ is in simple past. The sentence of simple past
depicts the action happened later/most recent.

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b. This tense is used to show the old persistent habits.

e.g. Shravan was always complaining
3. Past perfect tense
The sentence structure for the past perfect tense is:
Subject ( I/ You/ We/ They ) + had + V3 (past participle) + Object
a. This tense is used to describe an action that had been completed way before a
particular moment in the past.
e.g. They met Zoravar in Himachal in 2015. They had seen him last four years before.
b. Past perfect tense is used along with simple past tense to show the action happened
first in the series.
e.g. When Virat reached the stadium, the match had already begun.
4. Past perfect continuous tense
The sentence structure for the past perfect continuous tense is:
Subject ( I/ You/ We/ They ) + had + been + Verb+ing + Object
This tense is used to indicate that an action started in the past and continued up to a point in
the past.
e.g. When Sheela joined the dance practice, Angelina had been dancing there for 5 years.
FUTURE TENSE
Future tense is used when an action is supposed to occur at a specific time in future. There
are 4 types in future tense:
1. Simple future tense
The sentence structure for the simple future tense is:
Subject ( I/ You/ We/ They ) + will + V1 (first form of verb) + Object
a. This tense is used to indicate the obvious events/things that will happen in the future.
e.g. She is 18 years old. She will be 19 next year.
b. We use this tense to predict what will happen in future.
e.g. I think she will win this time.
Note: We use words/phrases like probably, I think, I believe, I am sure in such sentences.
c. We also use this tense to show an action that we have decided to do in that instant.
e.g. It is raining cats and dogs outside. I will take an umbrella with me.
2. Future Continuous tense
The sentence structure for the future continuous tense is:
Subject ( I/ You/ We/ They ) + will + be + Verb+ing + Object
a. We use this tense to indicate that an action will be in progress in the future. The action
will continue to exist in that point of time.
e.g. At this time tomorrow Latika will be attending the concert.

b. This tense is used to show that an event is planned and is expected to happen in
future.
e.g. My sister will be visiting me during her summer holidays.
3. Future Perfect tense
The sentence structure for the future perfect tense is:
Subject ( I/ You/ We/ They ) + will + have + V3 (past participle) + Object
We use this tense to show that an action will be completed by that certain point of time in the
future.
e.g. By next month I will have shifted to my new place in Bandra
4. Future perfect continuous tense
Though it is not a common tense to use, we use it to show the events which have been
ongoing from a prolonged period but will end in the future.
e.g. Moin will have been working in this office for two years next December.
NOTE:
Going to

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• We use this phrase to indicate that the decision has already been made before the
completion of that action.
e.g. Are you free this Sunday? No, I am going to a party.
(We use simple future tense when it is an instant decision.)
• We also use this phrase to predict the outcome of something based on the current
situation.
e.g. It is raining heavily outside. The river is going to overflow.
Be about to
• This phrase is used to predict the immediate future.
e.g. Let’s get under the shade. It’s about to rain.
Be + to
• We use this phrase when we talk about an official plan and arrangements or meetings.
e.g. She is to meet the president of the Security Council today.