TENSE

TENSE is a FORM of VERB that denotes the TIME and the STATE of an action.

TIME: Present, Past, Future

STATES: Indefinite, Continuous, Perfect, Perfect Continuous

VERB

MAIN VERB:

Present Tense Form (I Form) Past Tense Form (II Form) Past Participle (III Form)
write wrote written
sing sang sung
eat ate eaten
play played played
think thought thought
come came come
cut cut cut

We can have the Present Participle Form of Verb by adding an “ing” to the First Form:
writing, singing, eating, reading etc.

HELPING VERBS:

BE: is/am/are/was/were/been/being

Do/did

has/have/had

will/shall

A FORM OF VERB is the combination of the Helping Verb and the Main Verb according to the Time and
the State of an action.

SUBJECT CHART

First Person Second Person Third Person

Singular Number I YOU He, She, It, Any singular
Noun- Ram, Sita etc.
Plural Number WE YOU They. Any plural Nouns-
Teachers, Brothers etc.

TENSES

PRESENT INDEFINITE TENSE: (Universal Facts/Actions occurring at regular intervals of

time/Habitual Actions)

POSITIVE STATEMENTS: (Use First Form of the Verb. Add an‘s’ or ‘es’ to the First Form of Verb when
the Subject in a sentence is Singular Number Third Person.)
 1. The Earth revolves round the Sun.
2. The Sun rises in the East.
3. Ram goes to school every day.
4. They play a football match every Sunday.
5. Sita writes very fast.
6. We drink a cup of tea in the morning.

NEGATIVE STATEMENTS: (‘does’ for Singular Number Third Person Subject and ‘do’ for all other
Subjects. Use pure First Form of the Main Verb.)

1. Ram does not go to school every day.

2. They do not play a football match every Sunday.
3. Sita does not write very fast.
4. We do not drink a cup of tea in the morning.

INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES: (Helping Verb comes before the Subject.)

1. (When/Why/How) Does Ram go to school every day?

2. (Where/Why/How) Do they play a football match every Sunday?
3. (When/Why/How) Does Sita write very fast?
4. (When/Why/How) Do you drink a cup of tea in the morning?

PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE: (Actions in progress at present. To express Continuity of an Action

/Actions taking place in near future with Future Time Adverbials)

POSITIVE STATEMENTS: ( is / am / are + Present Participle i.e. ing- form of the Main Verb)

1. We are learning English Grammar.

2. Sita is dancing on the floor.
3. My father is working in the kitchen.
4. They are playing a football match.
5. You are leaving for Delhi tonight.
6. He is visiting his doctor this evening.

NEGATIVE STATEMENTS:

1. We are not learning English Grammar.

2. Sita is not dancing on the floor.
3. My father is not working in the kitchen.
4. They are not playing a football match
5. You are not leaving for Delhi tonight.
6. He is not visiting his doctor this evening.

INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES:

1. (Why/How) Are we learning English Grammar?

2. (Why/How) Is Sita dancing on the floor?
3. (Why/How) Is my father working in the kitchen?
4. (Why/How) Are they playing a football match?
5. (Why/How) Are you leaving for Delhi tonight?
6. (Why/How) Is he visiting his doctor this evening?
PRESENT PERFECT TENSE: (to express Actions completed in the Past but still have an influence on
Present. Never use Time Adverbial of Past in Present Perfect Tense.)

(‘has’ or ‘have’ + Third Form of the Main Verb. ‘has’ with Singular Number Third Person Subjects and
‘have’ with all other Subjects.)

POSITIVE STATEMENTS:

1. Ram has completed his home work.

2. They have seen the Taj Mahel.
3. My mother has cooked the evening meal already.
4. His grandfather has left for his heavenly abode.
5. We have returned the library books already.

NEGATIVE STATEMENTS:

1. Ram has not completed his home work.

2. They have not seen the Taj Mahel.
3. My mother has not cooked the evening meal already.
4. His grandfather has not left for his heavenly abode.
5. We have not returned the library books already.

INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES:

1. (Why/How) Has Ram completed his home work?

2. (Why/How) Have they seen the Taj Mahel?
3. (Why/How) Has your mother cooked the evening meal already?
4. (Why/How) Has his grandfather left for his heavenly abode?
5. (Why/How) Have you returned the library books already?

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE: (To express Continuity of an Action along with their
Starting Point or Duration.)

(Singular Number Third Person Subject- ‘has been + ‘ing’ Form of the Main Verb.)

(All other Subjects- ‘have been + ‘ing’ Form of the Main Verb.)

(‘For’ : for Duration and ‘Since’ for Point of Time.)

POSITIVE STATEMENTS:

1. Sita has been dancing on the floor for two hours.

2. They have been living in Kota since July 2010.
3. I have been teaching English for the last twenty five years.
4. Ram has been studying Maths since morning.
5. We have been trying to solve this problem for more than a year.

NEGATIVE STATEMENTS:

1. Sita has not been dancing on the floor for two hours.
2. They have not been living in Kota since July 2010.
3. I have not been teaching English for the last twenty five years.
4. Ram has not been studying Maths since morning.
5. We have not been trying to solve this problem for more than a year.
INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES:

1. (How long) Has Sita been dancing on the floor for two hours?
2. (Since when) Have they been living in Kota since July 2010?
3. (How long) Have you been teaching English fir twenty five years?
4. (Since when) Has Ram been studying Maths since morning?
5. (How long) Have you been trying to solve this problem for more than a year?

(When you add ‘How long’ or ‘Since when’ you must remove the time adverbial from the question
because that is the answer.)

PAST INDEFINITE TENSE: (Historical Facts/Actions occurring at a given time in the past/Actions
occurring at regular intervals of time/Habitual Actions) (Time Adverbial of the past is compulsory)

POSITIVE STATEMENTS: (Use the Second Form of the Verb.)

1. Alexander invaded India in 326 B.C.

2. He visited his doctor last week.
3. They played football when they were in college.
(They used to play football when they were in college.)
4. I went for a walk every day when I was at school.
(I used to go for a walk every day when I was at school.)
5. They saw the Taj Mahal last year.
6. She had her lunch half an hour ago.

NEGATIVE STATEMENTS: (Use ‘did’ as a Helping Verb and pure First Form of the Main Verb.)

1. He did not visit his doctor last week.

2. They did not play football when they were in college.
3. I did not go for a walk every day when I was at school.
4. They did not see the Taj Mahal last year.
5. She did not have her lunch half an hour ago.

INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES: (Helping Verb comes before the Subject.)

1. (When/Why/How) Did he visit his doctor last week?

2. (When/Why/How) Did they play football when they were in college?
3. (When/Why/How) Did you go for a walk every day when you were at school?
4. (When/Why/How) Did they see the Taj Mahal last year?
5. (When/Why/How) Did she have her lunch half an hour ago?

PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE: (To express Continuity of an Action at a given time in the past. /As a time
adverbial for Past Indefinite.)

POSITIVE STATEMENTS: (was / were + Present Participle i.e. ing- form of the Main Verb)

1. We were learning English Grammar at seven o’clock in the morning.

2. Sita was dancing on the floor when she fell down.
3. My father was working in the kitchen when my mother returned from the market.
4. They were playing a football match this afternoon.
5. She was leaving for Delhi tonight when she received the mail.
6. He was visiting his doctor this evening when it started raining.
 Sita fell down when she was dancing on the floor.
My mother returned from the market when my father was working in the kitchen.
She received the mail when she was leaving for Delhi tonight.
It started raining when he was visiting his doctor this evening.

NEGATIVE STATEMENTS:

1. We were not learning English Grammar at seven o’clock in the morning.

2. Sita was not dancing on the floor when she fell down.
3. My father was not working in the kitchen when my mother returned from the market.
4. They were not playing a football match this afternoon.
5. She was not leaving for Delhi tonight when she received the mail.
6. He was not visiting his doctor this evening when it started raining.

INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES:

1. (When/Why/How) Were you learning English Grammar at seven o’clock in the morning?
2. (When/Why/How) Was Sita dancing on the floor when she fell down?
3. (When/Why/How) Was your father working in the kitchen when your mother returned from the
market?
4. (When/Why/How) Were they playing a football match this afternoon?
5. (When/Why/How) Was she leaving for Delhi tonight when she received the mail?
6. (When/Why/How) Was he visiting his doctor this evening when it started raining?

PAST PERFECT TENSE: (to express Two or more than two action taking place in the Past, use had +
Third Form of the Verb for action taking place first and Second Form for subsequent actions.)

POSITIVE STATEMENTS:

1. Ram had completed his home work before he went out to play cricket.
2. They had seen the Taj Mahel before they left for Delhi.
3. My mother had cooked the evening meal already before she started watching a movie.
4. The patient had died before the doctor came.
5. The train had left before I reached the station.

NEGATIVE STATEMENTS:

1. Ram had not completed his home work before he went out to play cricket.
2. They had not seen the Taj Mahel before they left for Delhi.
3. My mother had not cooked the evening meal already before she started watching a movie.
4. The patient had not died before the doctor came.
5. The train had not left before I reached the station.

INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES:

1. (Why/How) Had Ram completed his home work before he went out to play cricket?
2. (Why/How) Had they seen the Taj Mahel before they left for Delhi?
3. (Why/How) Had your mother had cooked the evening meal already before she started watching a
movie?
4. (Why/How) Had the patient had died before the doctor came?
5. (Why/How) Had the train had left before I reached the station?
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE: (To express that an Action Continued for a Given Duration of
Time in the Past when Another Action Took Place.)

(‘had been + ‘ing’ Form of the Main Verb + Second Form of the Verb)

POSITIVE STATEMENTS:

1. Sita had been dancing on the floor for two hours when she fell down.
2. They had been living in Kota for ten years when they shifted to Delhi.
3. I had been teaching English for twenty five years when I switched to editing magazines.
4. Ram had been studying Maths for six months when he finally cracked JEE Advance.
5. We had been trying to solve this problem for more than a year when finally my friend helped me
out of this situation.

NEGATIVE STATEMENTS:

1. Sita had not been dancing on the floor for two hours when she fell down.
2. They had not been living in Kota for ten years when they shifted to Delhi.
3. I had not been teaching English for twenty five years when I switched to editing magazines.
4. Ram had not been studying Maths for six months when he finally cracked JEE Advance.
5. We had not been trying to solve this problem for more than a year when finally my friend helped
me out of this situation.

INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES:

1. (How long) Had Sita been dancing on the floor for two hours when she fell down?
2. (How long) Had they been living in Kota for ten years when they shifted to Delhi?
3. (How long) Had you been teaching English for twenty five years when you switched to editing
magazines?
4. (How long) Had Ram been studying Maths for six months when he finally cracked JEE
Advance?
5. (How long) Had you been trying to solve this problem for more than a year when finally your
friend helped you out of this situation?

FUTURE INDEFINITE TENSE: (Actions occurring at a given time in future)

POSITIVE STATEMENTS:

(Use ‘will / shall + First Form of the Verb)

(Usually ‘shall’ is used with First Person Subject i.e. I and We, and ‘will’ is used with all other Subject.)

1. She will participate in the debate competition next week.

2. We shall organize a friendly cricket match next month.
3. Ram will deliver a speech in the morning assembly tomorrow.
4. I shall visit my doctor the day after.
5. They will start preparing for recitation competition from Monday.

NEGATIVE STATEMENTS:

1. She will not participate in the debate competition next week.

2. We shall not organize a friendly cricket match next month.
3. Ram will not deliver a speech in the morning assembly tomorrow.
 4. I shall not visit my doctor the day after.
5. They will not start preparing for recitation competition from Monday.

INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES:

1. (When/Why/Where/How) Will she participate in the debate competition next week?

2. (When/Why/Where/How) Shall we organize a friendly cricket match next month?
3. (When/Why/Where/How) Will Ram deliver a speech in the morning assembly tomorrow?
4. (When/Why/Where/How) Will you visit your doctor the day after?
5. (When/Why/Where/How) Will they start preparing for recitation competition from Monday?

(When your begin your question with ‘When’, you must remove the time adverbial from your
question because that is the answer.)

FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE: (To express that an Action will be ‘continuing’ at a given time in
future)

POSITIVE STATEMENTS:

(Use ‘will / shall + Be + ‘ing’ Form of the Verb i.e. Present Participle)

1. I shall be leaving for Delhi tonight.

2. She will be participating in the debate competition next week.
3. We shall be organizing a friendly cricket match next month.
4. Ram will be delivering a speech in the morning assembly tomorrow.
5. I shall be visiting my doctor the day after.
6. They will be singing a song in the party this evening.

NEGATIVE STATEMENTS:

1. I shall not be leaving for Delhi tonight.

2. She will not be participating in the debate competition next week.
3. We shall not be organizing a friendly cricket match next month.
4. Ram will not be delivering a speech in the morning assembly tomorrow.
5. I shall not be visiting my doctor the day after.
6. They will not be singing a song in the party this evening.

INTERROGATIVE SETENCES:

1. (When/Why/Where/How) Will you be leaving for Delhi tonight?

2. (When/Why/Where/How) Will she be participating in the debate competition next week?
3. (When/Why/Where/How) Will you be organizing a friendly cricket match next month?
4. (When/Why/Where/How) Will Ram be delivering a speech in the morning assembly tomorrow?
5. (When/Why/Where/How) Will you be visiting your doctor the day after?
6. (When/Why/Where/How) Will they be singing a song in the party this evening?

(When your begin your question with ‘When’, you must remove the time adverbial from your
question because that is the answer.)

FUTURE PERFECT TENSE: (To express that an Action will be completed at or by a given time in future)

POSITIVE STATEMENTS: (Use ‘will / shall + Have + Third Form of the Verb)
 1. She will have completed her MBA by the end of this year.
2. We shall have returned all our library books by the end of this week.
3. Ram will have paid back all his borrowed money within six months.
4. The doctor will have checked all the patients by 9 o’clock.
5. They will have written all their assignments by next Monday.

NEGATIVE STATEMENTS:

1. She will not have completed her MBA by the end of this year.
2. We shall not have returned all our library books by the end of this week.
3. Ram will not have paid back all his borrowed money within six months.
4. The doctor will not have checked all the patients by 9 o’clock.
5. They will not have written all their assignments by next Monday.

INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES:

1. (When/Why/Where/How) Will she have completed her MBA by the end of this year?
2. (When/Why/Where/How) Will you have returned all your library books by the end of this week?
3. (When/Why/Where/How) Will Ram have paid back all his borrowed money within six months?
4. (When/Why/Where/How) Will the doctor have checked all the patients by 9 o’clock?
5. (When/Why/Where/How) Will they have written all their assignments by next Monday?

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE: (To express that an Action, continuing at present, will
complete a given duration of time by a given time in future.)

POSITIVE STATEMENTS:

(Use ‘will / shall + Have +Been + ‘ing’ Form of the Verb i.e. Present Participle)

1. By the end of this year, I shall have been teaching English for twenty five years.
2. By the end of this year, they will have been living in Kota for ten years.
3. By the end of this month, he will have been writing poems for five years.
4. By the end of this session, he will have been speaking for four hours.

NEGATIVE STATEMENTS:

1. By the end of this year, I shall not have been teaching English for twenty five years.
2. By the end of this year, they will not have been living in Kota for ten years.
3. By the end of this month, he will not have been writing poems for five years.
4. By the end of this session, he will not have been speaking for four hours.

INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES:

1. How long will you have been teaching English by the end of this year?
2. How long will they have been living in Kota by the end of this year?
3. By the end of this month, how long will he have been writing poems?
4. By the end of this session, how long will he have been speaking?