There are three tenses - past, present, and future. Within each tense, there are three types of verbs: simple, continuous, and perfect. The document provides examples and explanations of how to use each tense and verb type combination. For example, the simple past tense indicates a one-time action in the past like "I played," while the present perfect continuous tense stresses the ongoing nature of an action, as in "I have been playing for two hours." In total, there are 12 tense combinations that express the time and nature of actions.

2. An action expressed in the verb can take
place in three different times-
past, present, future-and ‘in each time’ it
(the action) can be of three different types-
simple, continuous, perfect. Three times
with their types are called tenses.

3. Past Present Future
Simple I played I play I shall play
Continuous I was playing I am playing I shall be
playing
Perfect I had played for
two hours by
that time. I had
been playing for
two hours when
ravi came
I have played.
He has played
for ten hours.*
I have been
playing for ten
hours.**
I shall have
played if you
reach late.***
* We use this form for the present perfect tense for
laying stress on the time or duration of the action.

4. ** We use this form for the present perfect
tense for laying stress on the continuity of
the action. This tense is called the present
perfect continuous tense also.
*** ‘If you reach late’. We do not use the
future perfect tense for the dependent
clauses of time or condition.
 ‘TIME’ AND ‘TYPE’ OF AN ACTION=TENSE

5. Examples of Continuous type
•Radha was cooking food.
•Ravi is reading.
Example of simple type
•I passed my B.A. examination
in 1995.
•Raja will play hockey.
Examples of Perfect type
•Ravi has been writing for two
hours.
•Ravi has written for two
hours.
Simple: simple type is expressed directly.
Continuous: Continuous type is that which
is incomplete.
Perfect: Perfect type is that which is
rounded off or complete.

6.  ‘Do’ is brought from
outside for making
questions & negative
sentences of positive
assertive sentences in
the simple present
and the simplest past
tenses
 The auxiliary ‘do’
makes special
emphatic tenses in
the simple present
and the past
 I play hockey
 Do you play hockey?
 Ravi does not play
hockey.
 I do see.
 I did see.

7. There is one more tense. It is called ‘the
Future in the past tense’. This tense marks
an action as future from a past point of
view. It is used.
1. In simple sentences and in the main
clauses of complex sentences.
2. In subordinate clauses.
When summer came, they
‘would begin’ to make
preparations to mobilize the
army from Delhi to Shimla.
I knew that you
‘would come’.
I ‘should
like’(should have
liked) to tell you.

8. PAST EXAMPLES
 simple past tense: it is used to
indicate ‘direct action’ which
happened once, or which
happened at regular intervals
in some past time:
 past continuous tense: it is
used for indicating an action
that was incomplete at some
past time.
 past perfect tense: it is used
for an act in the past, which
took place prior to some
intermediate time of that past
time. Three types of past
perfect tense are
1. The time of the action.
2. Some intermediate time.
3. The time of writing or
speaking.
•Raj killed a snake yesterday.
•Did you get your car?
•Shah Rukh Khan studied in St.
Columba’s School, New Delhi.
•He ‘was reading’ his book when I
met him in the morning.
•By the year 233 B.C. Alexander
the Great had already come to
India.
1. The time of the arrival of
Alexander
2. One intermediate time(233
B.C.)
3. The time of writing.

9. PRESENT EXAMPLES
 Simple present tense
1. Indicate action happens
once or regular interval.
2. Present state of feeling,
opinion or relation
3. Indicate permanent facts
4. Actions of books, plays,
and films.
5. It is used in the dependent
clause of time or condition.
 The leaves of this tree fall
once only.
 These boys play hockey.
 I do painting on Sundays.
 He loves his mother.
 Raj goes to his school at
7.00 am
 This pen belongs to my
sister.
 Who knows Ravi's house?

10. PRESENT EXAMPLES
 Present continuous tense:
1. Indicating an action
incomplete in present time.
2. Indicate an action take
place in immediate future.
3. Used for talking about
something or decided to
do.
4. When a ‘serious of actions’
is there for a limited time.
 Boys are playing outside.
 I am visiting Mumbai today
evening.
 Ravi is coming to Mumbai
next week.
 They are always giving
parties.
 Our teacher is always giving
us tests.
 They love their mother.

11. PRESENT EXAMPLES
 Present perfect tense: this
tense indicates an action,
completed or rounded off in
the present time, whose
effect remains till the time of
speaking or writing. It tells
us about the present status
of the act.
 Ravi has come.
 I have not received my
salary this month.

12. FUTURE EXAMPLES
 Simple future tense: it is
used for ‘direct action’ of
future.
 Future continuous tense: it
is used to indicate an action
that will be continuing some
future time.
 Future perfect tense: it is
used to indicate the
completion or rounding off of
an action in some future
time.
 Ravi will play cricked today.
 We shall visit Mumbai next
month.
 I am leaving for my office
just now.
 I shall be playing with my
brother when you come to
my house tomorrow.
 I ‘shall have paid’ it to Ravi if
you come after 10.00 am.