Tenses

The word Tense is derived from latin

word "tempus" which means time.

A verb indicates the time of an action,

event or condition by changing its form.
We can say that any of the form of a verb that may
be used to indicate the time of the action or state is
known as Tense in English Grammar.
 Time And Tense
Difference:
Time Tense
 Not a grammatical term  Grammatical Term

 Universal Concept  Not a universal concept

 Not bound with any kind of  Tense is bound with the

Language. Language.
 It indicate : days, months,  It doesn’t indaicate:days,
years etc. months, years etc.
Tense tells us : at what time an action is happening.

On this basis time we can express tense in three parts:

1. Present Tense
2. Past Tense
3. Future Tense
Present tense :---
We use present tense to talk about something that is currently going
on, something that is habitually performed, or a state that generally or
currently exists.
Present tense expresses an unchanging, repeated, or reoccurring
action that exists only now. It can also represent a widespread truth.

Past Tense :---

Past tense expresses an action or situation that was started and finished in
the past & needs to include a time marker for when the event or action
took place.

Future Tense :---

Future tense expresses an action or situation that will occur in the future.
(The future tense is a verb tense used to describe an event or action that
has not yet happened and is expected to happen in the future.)
 There are twelve possible tenses.

Tenses

Present Past Future

Present Indefinite Past Indefinite Future Indefinite

Present Continuous Past Continuous Future Continuous
Present Perfect Past Perfect Future Perfect
Present Perfect Cont. Past Perfect Cont. Future Perfect Cont.
Indefinite Tense-- Describe an action but do not state
whether the action is finished.

Continuous Tense- describe an unfinished action.

Perfect Tense- describe a finished action..

Perfect Continuous Tense-- To combine the complete tense

and the incomplete tense, to
describe an action which was in progress and then finished.
Forms of Verb and Helping Verb in all three tenses:

Tense Helping verb Main verb

Present Indefinite do / does V1/V5
Present Continuous am/is/are V1+ing
Present Perfect has/have V3
Present Perfect has been/ have been V + ing
Continuous
Past Indefinite did V2
Past Continuous was/were V + ing
Past Perfect had V3
Past Perfect Continuous had been V + ing
Future Indefinite will/shall V1
Future Continuous will/shall+ be V + ing
Future Perfect will/shall + have V3
Future Perfect will/shall + have + been V + ing
Continuous
Person Singular Number Plural Number
Ist Person I,My We/Our

II nd Person You you

III rd Person He/She/It/ They/People/Birds/Trees
Mohan/Leela /Boys/Teachers

Subject Present Past Future

I Am/have/do Was/did/had Will/shall
You/we/our/they/ Are/have/do Were/did/had Will/shall
people/boys/
He/she/it/Mohan/ Is/has/does Was/did/had will
Leela
 Present Indefinite Tense:-

The simple present is used to describe an action, an

event, or condition that is occurring in the present.

Usage of Simple Present Tense

 To express Permanent /Routined Actions

Examples:
I live in Jaipur.
I run a institute.
I get up at 6 a.m.
My mother goes to office at 9 a.m.
I go to bed at 10 p.m every night.
  To express Habitual Actions:
To express Present habit we use Simple present tense

We use Adverb of frequency:-

always/daily/occasionally/often/seldom/sometimes/never/generally/regularly/frequen
-tly/usually/rarely/normally /once a week/ twice, a day/a month/a week/a year/ once
a week/ every morning /every day /every month/hardly/rarely/scarcely/habitually/on
Sundays/on Mondays…/ a and so on…

Examples:
• I take tea twice a day.
• Suman always reach the institute on time.
• My father goes to walk every morning.
• He rarely comes late.
• They seldom go there.
 To express Planned future Actions/Firm Decisions/fixed Programme

Adverbs of Time :

Tomorrow/next day/week/month/next year/next night/In January/in

February/ in June/ On Monday…..

Examples:
I leave for Delhi tomorrow.
My father returns next week.
He goes to Mumbai on 10th June.
 To express Universal / General truth/ Principle

Examples:
1. The sun rises in the east.
2. Milk is white.
3. Failures are the pillars of the success.
4.One plus one is two.
5. Rainbow consists of seven colours.

 To express Irregular Action:

Example:
1. One must take bath in a day.

 To make commentary of a game

 To express Possession/Ownership:

Examples:
1. I have a car.
2. He belongs to a well-to-do family.

 To express a Historical Event that doesn’t exist now

Examples:
1. Sikandar defeats Poras in war.
2. Then the Principal comes to the class
and punishes the notorious students.
3. India becomes free in 1947.
 To begin Imperative Sentences:
Examples:
1. Open the door.
2. Do not disturb me.
 To avoid the repetition of shall or will in a conditional
sentence.
Condition introduced by if, when, before, after, till, until,
unless, as soon as, as long as , in case
Examples:
1. If he helps me, I will finish it soon.
(Subordinate clause) (Principal clause)
(Simple Present Tense) (Simple Future Tense)
2. If you work hard, you will get success.
3. I shall stay here till you come back.
4. As soon as I reach Patna, I will inform you.
 To express Situation/Existence/Condition/Feelings/Position
in the Present
Structure : S + is/am/are + Noun/ Pronoun + adj. / adv.

Examples:
1. I feel tired.
2. She looks beautiful.
3. Lord Ram is an ideal personality.
4. Passengers are safe.
 To express News Headlines/Authors Statement

Examples:
1. Defence Ministry approves proposals to buy rafales, 3
scorpene submarines from France.
2. Shakespeare says,” the course of true love never runs
smooth.”
 In Exclamatory Sentences (Here/There):

Examples:
1. Here she comes!
2. There goes the bus!
Type of sentence Structure examples

Affirmative S + V1/V5+ O.W Vedansh learns English.

Negative S + do/does+not+V1+ O.W Vedansh does not learn English.

Interrogative

Type1 : Yes/No type Do/does + S +V1+ o.w+? Does Vedansh learn English?
question

Type2: ‘Wh’ word type ‘wh’word +do/does + S+ Why does Vedansh learn English?
question V1+o.w+?

Negative Interrogative

Type1 : Yes/No type Do/does + S +not +V1+ o.w+? Does Vedansh not learn English?
question

Type2: ‘Wh’ word type ‘wh’word +do/does + S+ not + Why does Vedansh not learn
question V1+ o.w+? English?
Note: There are some stative verbs, not used
to make continuous tense.
• Verbs of Perception (hear, notice,
see, smell, recognize, )
• Verbs of Appearing ( appear,
look, seem)
• Verbs of Emotion( desire, feel, hate,

Verbs hope, love, refuse, want, wish, like,

prefer)
• Verbs of Possession( belong,
contain, own, possess, consist of )
• Verbs of Thinking ( think, suppose,
understand, agree, believe,
consider, forget, know, mean,
imagine, mind, remember.)
 Present Continuous Tense

The Present Continuous Tense is used to describe the action

which is going on at the time of speaking.

Usage of Present Continuous:

 To express Nearest Future Plan ( Fixed Plan)
Adverb of Time( to show future time):
tomorrow/tonight/ next- day, moment, week, month, year/ this morning, this
evening/ 6 O’ clock, 6 a.m., 6 p.m

Ex.- My mother is coming tomorrow.

She is going home.

Ex.- I am leaving for Shimla next month.

 To express Temporary Action (not continue at the time of speaking)

Examples:
1. Nowadays,He is preparing for RAS.
2. He is reading the Mahabharata.
3. I am learning English these days.

Adverbs of time: Nowadays/ these days

To express an action which is going on at the time of speaking

Examples:
1. I am teaching Steno at present.
2. All kids are playing in the ground.
3. Manish is coming now.

Adverbs of Time: Now/ right now/ currently/at this point of time/at

the moment
To express likelihood/intention
Examples:
He is going to see my uncle.
She is going to buy a new bike.
 Non Continuous verbs

1.Feel
Feel Adjective Feel

eglwl djuk] Touch/Examine/find

lkspuk] fopkj Express – emotions,
something
djuk Indicates- physical,
mental condition

Simple Continuous
Present  Simple Tense
Continuous
Tense Present
Tense 
Tense
Continuous  
Tense
 2. See

ns[kuk feyuk

Simple Continuous
Tense Tense
 3. Hear

lquokbZ
lquuk djuk

Simple Continuous
Tense Tense
 4. Think

fopkj j[kuk fdlh pht ij fopkj djuk

Simple Continuous
Tense Tense
 5. Appear

izrhr gksuk izdV gksuk@mifLFkr

gksuk@izdkf’kr gksuk

Simple Continuous
Tense Tense
 6. Look

ns[kuk /;ku ls
ryk’k djuk
le>uk
{k.k Hkj ds
fy,
ns[kuk
Simple
Tense
Continuous
Tense

Look for/ look into / look on

 7. Taste

Lokn nsuk Lokn dh tk¡p

Simple Continuous
Tense Tense
Tick the correct sentence:
1. I am seeing they do not read.
I see they do not read.
2. He is feeling that he will get good marks.
He feels that he will get good marks.
3. I am thinking he has done well.
I think he has done well.
4. It is appearing to be true.
It appears to be true.
5. These questions are appearing to be difficult.
These question appear to be difficult.
6. I am believing it.
I believe it.
7. He Is having a computer.
He has a computer.
8. She is owning a building.
She owns a building.
9. I am supposing that it is correct.
I suppose that It is correct.
10. I am smelling something burning.
I smell something burning.
11. She is not understanding it.
she does not understand it.
 Present Perfect Tense
Singular Noun/Pronoun + Has + V3
Plural Noun / Pronoun + Have + V3

Usage of Present Perfect Tense

 To express Actions that have been completed

but whose effect continues

Examples:
I have lost my book.
He has not appeared at the examination
 To express Actions completed recently
I have just received the call letter.
We have already decided to do this work.
 To express Actions started in the past and continued up to
the present moment.

 Use Since/for to express the time

Examples:
I have worked in this institute for ten years.
He has not seen him since he left the college.
He has not seen him since last Monday.
He has not seen him since Monday last.
Monika has lived in this house for twenty years.
Note: Don’t use Past Time Adverbs of Time in Present Perfect Tense

Examples:
My brother has come yesterday.
My brother came yesterday.
Father has returned from Delhi last month.
  To express Actions completed in the past but whose
time of completion is not given.

Example:
She has been to Agra once.

Adverbial Phrases in Present Perfect Tense:

• Ever/never/always/occasionally/often/several times/already/ yet/just/ lately/
recently/ so far/ up to now/up to the present/ since /for/during the last few
weeks/during the few years /

• For a long time/ for a while/ for two months, years, decades, centuries/for
ever/for the last(past) four hours, days, seasons/

• All day (all + period of time)/ since four days ago (since +period of time+ago)

• Since Monday/since Diwali/since his birth/ since midnight last/since yesterday

 Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Singular Subject + Has been + MV4 +O/C

Plural Subject + Have been + MV4 + O/C

Examples:
He has been studying since morning.
They have been playing for three hours.

Usage of Present Perfect Continuous Tense

To express Actions started in the Past and still

going on and may extend into the Future.
Examples:
We have been living in Jaipur since 1986.
For how long have you been teaching here?
 Simple Past Tense

Subject + v2+ O/C.

Example:
We went there .
Aman completed her work.

Usage of Past Indefinite Tense:

Adverbs of Time : yesterday(morning, noon ,evening,

afternoon)/ the other day/the day before yesterday/ last
week /last month/last month/in June 2023/ ………

 To express Actions completed in the Past

Examples:
Indira Gandhi died in 1984.
Columbus discovered America.
  To express Past Habits:

Examples:
When I was a child I usually played with my friends.
My friend seldom helped the poor.

Note : ‘used to‘ and ‘would’ also show Past Habits.

Adverbs of Frequency:
usually/always/never/seldom/often/generally

Examples:
He would often come late.
We used to play.
  To express Past Situation/Position/Existence

Subject + was/were + N/P/ Adj/Adv.

Examples:
Nehru was a great statesman.
Farmers were at the point of starvation.

 To express Possession in the Past:

Examples:
I had a car earlier.
India had a great amount of gold.
 To express two actions taking place simultaneously:

Examples:
While she cooked, we played.
She taught her daughter as well as knitted the
sweater.

Use of ‘when ‘ or ‘while ‘

When my mother slept ,I played cricket.
When I went to bed, the light went out.
 To express two actions, where the first action leads instantly to
the second action:
Examples:
When I opened the door, the cat ran away.
When I closed the door, the phone rang.
Use of ‘till’/ ‘until’/’ as soon as ‘ /before in Simple Past
Tense:
Examples:
I waited for my friend till/until it got dark.
As soon as we finished our lunch, some guests arrived.

 Could/ would / Might - Past forms of can/ will/ may ,

 In Simple Past Tense , use to express the present time
request
Examples:
Could I use your pen?
Would you mind closing the window?
 To express Advice and suggestion using-

better

rather rather
Had would
sooner sooner
Examples:
He would sooner join a private company.
(it is better for him to join a private company.)
I would rather go.
(It is better for me to go. )
You had better consult a good doctor.
( It is better for you to consult a good doctor.)

 Conditional Sentences: ( if clause statement)

Examples:
If you got 90% marks, you would get a prize.
 Past indefinite Tense is used to express Present Time Unfulfilled
desire/wish/ condition & Past Perfect Tense shows Past time :
(If / if only / as if / I wish/ as though/It is time)

Examples:
1. It is time we went there.(It is time for us to go there.)
2. It is time they slept.( It is time for them to sleep)
3. I wish I were a king. (I wish to be a king)
4. I wish I knew him. (I do not know him.)
 Past Continuous Tense
Singular N/P + was + V4 + O/C
Plural N/P + were + V4 + O/C

Examples:
The car was running at full speed.
Dogs were barking all night.

Usage of Past Continuous Tense

 To express Temporary Actions in the Past ( the time of the actions may or
may not be mentioned)

Examples:
I was talking to my classmate.
The children were playing.
 To express the two Actions going on at the same time in the past.

Examples:
While I was doing my home-work, my sister was reading a novel.
While Sohit was watching a picture, Sonli was writing a book.

 To express Actions Repeated over a period of time in the past

Examples:
He was always troubling his parents.
The Principal was often requesting the students to pay their fees.

 To express Actions going on at the same time when another action takes
place.
 ( Former Action – Past Continuous Tense)
 (Latter Action - Past Indefinite Tense)

Examples:
My father was feeding the cow when I reached the home.
 Gradual increase or decrease using verbs-
grow/become/get

Examples:
 He was becoming taller and taller.
 It was getting darker and darker.
 Past Perfect Tense

Subject + Had + V3 + O/C

Usage of Past Perfect Tense:

 To express two Actions completed in the past.

(Former Actions – Past Perfect Tense)
( Latter Action – Past Indefinite Tense)

Examples:
After I had taken my lunch, I went to college.
The train had started before I reached the station.
When I reached there, the class had started.

Note : As the First Action complete immediately second action starts in

the past .( Use Simple Past Tense for both Actions)
Examples:
When the teacher entered the classroom, the student stood up.
He locked the door before he went out.
**I opened the almirah after I had shut the door.
(indicates complete action)
 To express Actions using Adverbs- still/before/ never /already/till/since

lkekU;r% Past Perfect Tense dk iz;ksx rc gksrk gS tc Hkwrdky esa ,d fØ;k leEiuu gksus ds
ckn nwljh fØ;k lEiUu gqbZ gks] ysfdu dHkh&dHkh ,sls sentences ls Hkh gekjk lkeuk gksrk gS
ftuds structure ls rks ugha ysfdu lanHkZ (context) ls ;g Li"V gksrk gS fd ,d dk;Z nwljs dk;Z
ds cgqr igys gh lekIr gks pqdk FkkA ,sls es nwlk dk;Z yqIr jgrk gSA ,sls sentences esa Hkh Past
perfect Tense dh fØ;k dk iz;ksx gksrk gSA

Examples:
Surbhi had already completed her home-work.
I had never been to Agra before.
My mother had not travelled by train till then.
She had not written to me since he went to abroad.
I had never seen such a terrible earthquake before.
 Unfulfilled Action (Past Perfect Tense)

Conditional Sentences Structures:

 If + S + Had + V3 +O.W + S + Would/Could/Might/Have + V3 +

O.W
 Had +S +V3+ O.W+ S + Would/Could/Might/Have + V3 + O.W

Examples:
 If I had requested him , he could have helped him.
 If she had worked hard , she could have secured 95% marks.
 Had you not been on the earth, I would not have got intention to survive.
 Had the driver been careful, the accident might have been averted.
 Unfulfilled Desire (Past Perfect Tense)

Sentences Structures:

 I wish +S + had +V3+ O.W

 If only +S had + V3 + O.W
 Would that + S + had +V3+ O.W
 O/Oh that + S + had +V3+ O.W

Examples:
 I wish I had become an I.A.S!
 If only I had become an I.A.S!
 Would that I had become an I.A.S!
 O/Oh that I had become an I.A.S!
 To express actions that did not come to expectation:

Verbs: hope / intend / expect/ mean/ suppose/ want / think/

assume( use these verbs in Past Perfect Tense)

Examples:
 I had hoped that she would come.(eSus lksp j[kk Fkk fd og vk,xh ij ugha
vkbZA)
 I had wanted to meet you but unfortunately I couldn’t.

 To express the action or event which has been completed before

some point of time.

Examples:
By evening she had completed her work.
By sunset , we had returned home.
At 10 a.m. all the teachers had come.
 Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Subject + Had been + V4 + O/C

 To express Actions which started in the past and continued for

sometime or going on for sometime before another action took place
in the past.

Examples:
 We had been standing in a queue for half an hour before the
train arrived.
 He had been working hard for one month.
 Simple Future Tense

Subject + will/ shall + V1 + O/C

To express :

Determination/
Natural/Habi Offer/ invitation/
Imagination Promise/Intention/Command/
-tual actions Suggestion
Instructiions/Orders

Examples:
 Spring will come again./Plants will grow into trees./Child will grow into
adult.
 Shall I help you?/ Shall I bring you a glass of water?
 He will be over forty./I think he will be the next President of India.
 I will help you at any cost. /I will take the exam next year./All the students
shall come in uniform.
 Usage of Simple future Tense

 We can express the Planned Activities for the near future by using
Present Indefinite Tense./Present Continuous Tense/ by using ‘going to’,
‘ be +to + verb’, ‘about to / by denoting the Principal clause of a
Conditional Sentence

Examples:
 The President leaves for India tomorrow morning.
 I am leaving for Jaipur next month.
 He is going to buy a scooter tomorrow.
 I am to start a new business next year.
 If you worked hard, you shall do better.
 Future Continuous Tense

Subject + will/shall be+ V4 +O/C

To express
Temporary
Actions/ Imagination
Future Plans

 I shall be waiting for you.  Monika will be dancing.

 I shall be watching am English  Let us stop watching the cinema,
movie at this time tomorrow. Papa will be coming.
 Future Perfect Tense

Subject + will/shall have+ V3+ O/C

Usage of Future Perfect Tense

 To express actions to be completed by a certain time in the

future.
Adverb Phrase: By the end of this month/year/ week/
Before evening/next week

Examples:
 I shall have revised the course by the end of this month.
 They will have left the house before evening.

 To express two actions:

Example:
 My mother will have packed my tiffin before I leave.
 Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Subject + will/shall + have been + V4 +O/C

Usage of Future Perfect Continuous Tense:

 To express Actions that will be continued for a certain period /specific

time.

To express the time use : by +time expression

Examples:
 By the end of this month they will have been working for two years.
 By next month they will have been working for this company for ten
years.