TENSES

PRESENT TENSE

PAST TENSE

FUTURE TENSE
PRESENT TENSE

• PRESENT SIMPLE / INDEFINITE TENSE

• PRESENT CONTINUOUS
• PRESENT PERFECT
• PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
PRESENT SIMPLE/ INDEFINITE TENSE
USES
1. For actions which take place regularly or intermittently or for
habitual acts.
Example – I go to church every Sunday
She takes the challenges very positively.
2. For universal truths.
examples – Two plus two makes four.
Plants make their food using photosynthesis.
3. For fixed timetables and schedules.
examples – The train leaves at 6:30.
Our school bell rings at 7:50 a.m.
Affirmative/positive sentences-
Subject + V 1st form +s/es ……….
(Note : s/es is added with the verb in case of singular subject)

Ex: They get up early and go for a walk.

He looks like his brother.
Negative sentences-
Subject +do/does+ not+ V 1st form ……….

DO – I, We, You ,They, Plural

Does – He, She, It, Name, Singular

Ex: I don’t want to shift to a new city.

The idea doesn’t sound very nice.
Interrogative sentences

(wh word )Do/Does+ subject+ V 1St Form +……..?

ex: Do you want to come with me?
Does she complete her homework on time?
Negative Interrogative sentences

(wh word ) Do/Does+ not + subject+ V 1St Form +……..?

ex: Don’t you want to come with me?
Why doesn’t she complete her homework on time?
2. PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE
USES
1. For actions which are taking place at the time of speaking.
Ex: We are listening carefully.
2. For actions which are continuing in present but not necessarily at
the time of speaking.
Ex: I am working on a new design nowadays.
Affirmative/positive sentences-
Subject +is/am/are + V 1st form +ing ……….
Are– We, You ,They, Plural
Is – He, She, It, Name, Singular
Am- I
Ex: They are getting late.
He is looking very stressed.
Negative sentences-
Subject +is/am/are + not+ V 1st form+ ing ……….

Ex: I am not going to call you this Sunday.

They are not trying to reach here .
 Interrogative sentences

(wh word)Is/am/are + subject+ V 1St Form +ing +……..?

ex: Are you coming to the party tonight?
Why is she booking the flight for Germany?
Negative Interrogative sentences

Is/am/are + not +subject+ V 1St Form +ing +……..?

ex: Are you not coming to the party tonight?
Is she not booking the flight for Germany?
PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
• USES
1. For those actions which have taken place or have finished recently
and their effect can be seen in the present too.
Examples : I have seen this show already.
My friend has given me the update.

(note – words like recently, just, yet, still are used in this tense.)
Affirmative/positive sentences-
Subject +has/have + V 3rd form +……….

Has – He , She, it, name, singular

Have – I, We, You, They, Plural

Ex: Dhruv has left his old job.

I have just received the letter.
Negative sentences-
Subject +has/have + not+ V 3rd form ……….

Ex: Meera has not yet replied the call.

Birds have not caught the virus yet.
Interrogative sentences-
(wh word ) Has/ Have + sub+ VIII + ………………… ?

Ex: Have you informed your mother for being late?

Has the govt. already declared the new policy?

Negative Interrogative sentences-

(wh word ) Has/ Have+ not + sub+ VIII + ………………… ?

Ex: Why have you not informed your mother for being late?
Has the govt. not yet declared the new policy?
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE
• USE
• When some action has been continuing for a period of time.
• Since /for may be used but not mandatorily.
• Since is used for exact time like – March, 1967, morning, evening, Tuesday
7 O’clock etc.
• For is used with duration of time like 3 days, four hours, 2 weeks, 6 months,
1 hour etc.
Affirmative sentence:-
Subject + has/have+ been + V I+ing………………………since/for+time.
Vandana has been trying to connect since Monday.
Negative Sentence :-
subject + has/have +not +been +VI +ing……… since/for +time.
Ex: We have not been making plans for three weeks.

Interrogative sentence :-
(Wh word)/has/have+ subject + been + V I + ing …………since/for+time?
Has the cat been trying to catch its prey for an hour ?
Negative Interrogative sentence :-
(Wh word)/has/have + not +subject +been +V I +ing …since/for +time ?
Hasn’t the cat been trying to catch its prey for an hour?
PAST TENSE

• PAST SIMPLE / INDEFINITE TENSE

• PAST CONTINUOUS
• PAST PERFECT
• PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
PAST SIMPLE TENSE
• USE:
• This tense is used for those actions which took place
in the past.
• Words like yesterday, ago, last are used in this tense.
 Affirmative sentences:
Subject +V 2nd…….
Note : ( helping verb is not used in past simple tense’s
affirmative sentence.)
ex: My father picked me from the airport.
Negative sentences:
Subject +did+not +V 1st…….
Did: used with all subjects.
Ex- she didn’t listen to my advice.
Interrogative sentences-
Did + sub+ V Ist + ………………… ?

Ex: Did the police find the guilty last week?

Negative Interrogative sentences-

Did + not + sub+ V 1st+ ………………… ?

Ex: Didn’t you complete your assignment yesterday?

PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE
• USES
This tense is used for those actions which continued in the past.
Ex: we were planning for a trip last year.

Affirmative sentences :-
Subject + was/were+ verb Ist +ing +………
Was – He , she, it, name, singular
Were I, We, You, They, Plural
Ex: she was looking out of the window.
Trees were shedding their leaves when I passed from there.
Negative sentences-
Subject +was/were+ not+ V 1st form+ ing +……….

Ex: They were not working sincerely so they got fired from the
job.

Interrogative sentences_
Was/were+ sub+v 1st +ing+…….?
Were the people looking restless there?

Negative Interrogative sentences_

Was/were+not + sub+v 1st +ing+…….?
Wasn’t your brother studying abroad last year?
PAST PERFECT TENSE
• USE
This tense is used for those actions which had completed in the past
when another action took place.
• Example: The train had left when I reached the station.

first action(past perfect). Second action (past simple)

 Affirmative sentences :-
subject + had+ VIII………………………. .
Ex: They had come out of the building before it collapsed.
Negative sentence:-
subject +had+ not+ VIII……………….. .
Ex:- Her performance had not started before I reached there.

Interrogative sentence:-
(wh word)/Had+ subject+ VIII…………….?
Had the chief guest delivered his speech before the conclusion of the
ceremony?
Negative Interrogative sentence:-
(wh word)/Had+ not + subject+ VIII…………….?
Had the chief guest not delivered his speech before the conclusion of the
ceremony?
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE
• USE
• When some action continued for a period of time in the past.
• Since /for may be used but not mandatorily.
• Since /for is used the same way as in present perfect continuous
tense.
Affirmative sentence:-
Subject + had been + V I+ing………………………
We had been living in that house for 10 years.
Negative Sentence :-
subject + had+not +been +VI +ing……… since/for+time.

Ex: We had not been living in that house since 2018.

Interrogative sentence :-
(Wh word)/had + subject + been + V I + ing ………..since/for+time?
Had your brother been studying abroad since January?
Negative Interrogative sentence :-
(Wh word)/had + not +subject + been + V I + ing ………………. since/for+time?
Hadn’t your brother been studying abroad since January?
FUTURE TENSE
FUTURE SIMPLE / INDEFINITE TENSE
FUTURE CONTINUOUS
FUTURE PERFECT
FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS
FUTURE SIMPLE TENSE:-
USE
*It is used for those actions which will take place in future and are beyond our
control.
Ex : I will be 15 (age)next month.
*This tense is used when we decide to do something (in future ) at the time of
speaking.
Its cloudy today. I will take an umbrella with me.
When we have already decided to do something in future , we generally use ‘going
to’ form which seems like present continuous but actually refers to future action.
I am going to shift to a new house soon.
(Representing future action)
Affirmative sentence :-
Subject +will/shall + VI
They will come to my house tomorrow.
Shall – I , We
Will – with other subjects
Negative sentence :-
Subject + will/shall +not +VI……….
Ex:- I shall not attend the party tonight.
Interrogative sentence :-
(Wh word)/Will/shall + subject + VI …………………. ?
When (wh word) will you call me ?
Negative Interrogative sentence :-
(Wh word)/Will/shall +not + subject + VI …………………. ?
When (wh word) will you call me ?
Won’t ( contracted form of will not)you join us today?
Future continuous tense
Use :
For those actions which will be continuing in future.
Affirmative sentences :-
Subject +will/shall +be + VI +ing………………. .
We shall be travelling by train tomorrow.
Negative sentences :-
Subject +will/shall + not +be + VI +ing………………. .
We shall not be travelling by train tomorrow.
Interrogative sentences :-
(wh word)+ will /shall + subject+ be+ V I+ing ……………….. ?
Ex:-
will you be staying at the same address next year?

Negative Interrogative sentences :-

(wh word)+ will /shall + not + subject+ be+ V I+ing ……………….. ?
Ex:-
will you not be staying at the same address next year?
Future Perfect Tense
Use
For those actions which will have finished in future .
Affirmative sentences :-
Subject + Will/shall + have + VIII +………………….. .
Ex:- We shall have prepared the surprise by the time he will enter.
(action completed,Future perfect) (second action , future simple)
Negative sentences :-
Subject + Will/shall +not + have + VIII +………………….. .
Ex:- We shall not have prepared the surprise by the time he will enter.
Interrogative sentences :-
(wh word)/ will/shall+ subject + have + VIII……………?
Ex : Will you have arrived before 3 PM tomorrow?

Negative Interrogative sentences :-

(wh word)/ will/shall+ subject+ not + have + VIII……………?
Ex : Will you not have arrived before 3 PM tomorrow?
Future perfect continuous
Use
* For those actions which will start at some point and will continue for a period of time in
future.
* Since /for may be used but not mandatorily.
* Since /for is used the same way as in present perfect continuous tense.

Affirmative sentence :-
Subject + will/shall + have been + V I +ing ……………………. since/for+time.

They will have been working on a special project for 2 years by next month.
Negative sentence :-
Subject + will/shall + not +have been + V I +ing ……………………. since/for+time .
They will not have been working on a special project for 2 years by next month.
Interrogative sentences :-
(wh word)+ will/shall + subject + have been + V I+ ing………….?
Will she has been practicing for this competition for three
months?

Negative Interrogative sentences :-

(wh word)+ will/shall + subject + not +have been + V I+ ing………….?
Will she not has been practicing for this competition for three months?
TENSE HELPING VERB VERB FORM

PRESENT SIMPLE DO/DOES FIRST FORM

PRESENT CONTINUOUS IS/AM/ARE FOURTH FORM (FIRST+ING)
PRESENT PERFECT HAS/HAVE THIRD FORM
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS HAS /HAVE + BEEN FOURTH FORM (FIRST+ING)

PAST SIMPLE DID SECOND AND FIRST FORM

PAST CONTINUOUS WAS/WERE FOURTH FORM (FIRST+ING)
PAST PERFECT HAD THIRD FORM
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS HAD+ BEEN FOURTH FORM (FIRST+ING)

FUTURE SIMPLE WILL/SHALL FIRST FORM

FUTURE CONTINUOUS WILL/SHALL +BE FOURTH FORM (FIRST+ING)
FUTURE PERFECT WILL/SHALL+ HAVE THIRD FORM
FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS WILL/SHALL+ HAVE BEEN FOURTH FORM (FIRST+ING)