2. CONTENTS
• Introduction
• Classification based on Time Frame
• Classification based on Aspect
• Block diagram of Tenses
• List of Rules
• Present Tense
• Past Tense
• Future Tense
• List of Examples
3. INTRODUCTION
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.
4. Based on Time Frame
The verb tenses may be
categorized according to the time
frame:
• Present Tense
• Past Tense
• Future Tense
5. Present Tense :---
Present tense expresses an unchanging,
repeated, or reoccurring action or situation 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.
Future Tense :---
Future tense expresses an action or situation
that will occur in the future.
6. Based on Aspect
Verb tenses may also be
categorized according to aspect.
“Aspect refers to the nature of the action
described by the verb.”
There are Four aspects:
• Indefinite or Simple
• Continuous or Progressive
• Perfect or Complete
• Perfect Continuous
7. Indefinite Tense
The three indefinite tenses, or
simple tenses, describe an action but do not state
whether the action is finished.
Continuous Tense
The three continuous tenses,
incomplete tenses, or progressive tenses,
describe an unfinished action.
Perfect Tense
The three complete tenses, or
perfect tenses, describe a finished action.
Perfect Continuous Tense
To combine the complete tenses and the
incomplete tenses, to describe an action which was in
progress and then finished.
8. There are twelve possible verb
tenses.
Verb Tenses
Present Past Future
Present Indefinite
Present Continuous
Present Perfect
Present Perfect Cont.
Past Indefinite
Past Continuous
Past Perfect
Past Perfect Cont.
Future Indefinite
Future Continuous
Future Perfect
Future Perfect Cont.
9. Simple
Forms
Progressive
Forms
Perfect
Forms
Perfect
Progressive
Forms
Present Ist Form +
s / es
am/is/are +
Ist form +
ing
have/has +
3rd
form
have/has
been + Ist
form + ing
Past 2nd
form was/were +
Ist form +
ing
had + 3rd
form
had been +
Ist form +
ing
Future will/shall +
Ist form
Will be + Ist
form + ing
will have +
3rd
form
will have
been + Ist
form + ing
11. 1. Present Indefinite Tense
The simple present is
used to describe an action, an event,
or condition that is occurring in the
present, at the moment of speaking
or writing.
For Example—
I play.
He / She plays.
12. Affirmative or Positive Sentences
Use:
“First form of verb”
Note:
With the third person singular
pronouns (he, she, it) or their equivalents,
add “s” or “es” to the verb.
13. To write a sentence in the
present simple tense, we follow this rule:
Rule:
Subject + V1 + Object.
I play Cricket.
He takes exercise daily.
The sun rises in the east.
14. Negative Sentences
Use:
do / does not
Use “do not” or “does not” to
make sentence negative.
• We do not drive a car.
• He does not play cricket.
• I do not work.
15. Interrogative Sentences
Use:
• Do / Does at the start.
• At the end question mark (?).
e.g.
Does he tell a lie?
Do we win the match?
Do I not speak the truth?
16. 2. Present Continuous Tense
The present continuous
emphasizes the continuing nature of an
act, event, or condition.
For Example—
I am playing.
He / She is playing.
They are playing.
17. Affirmative or Positive Sentences
Use:
“First form of verb” + “ing”
Is / am /are
Note:
Use
I am
He / She / It is
We / You / They are
18. Rule:
Sub. + is/am/are +V1 + ing+ Obj.
I am playing Cricket.
He is taking exercise.
You are working.
19. Negative Sentences
Use:
is / am / are not
.
• We are not driving a car.
• He is not playing cricket.
• I am not working.
20. Interrogative Sentences
Use:
• Is / Am / Are at the start.
• At the end question mark (?).
e.g.
Are you telling a lie?
Is the farmer ploughing?
is it not raining?
21. 3. Present Perfect Tense
The present perfect tense
is used to describe action that began in
the past and continuous into the
present or has just been completed.
For Example—
I have played.
He / She has played.
22. Affirmative or Positive Sentences
Use:
“Third form of the verb”
Has / Have
Note:
Use
He / She / It has
I / We / You / They have
23. Rule:
Subject + has/have + V3 + Object.
I have played Cricket.
He has taken exercise.
You have bought the tickets.
24. Negative Sentences
Use:
has / have not
.
• We have not played cricket.
• He has not sold his house.
• They have not finished their work.
25. Interrogative Sentences
Use:
• Has / Have at the start.
• At the end question mark (?).
e.g.
Have you bought the tickets?
Has the farmer finished his work?
Have you got prize?
26. 4. Present Perfect Cont.
Tense
The present perfect
continuous is used to describe an
action, event, or condition that has
begun in the past and continuous into the
present.
For Example—
I / You have been playing.
He / She has been playing.
27. Affirmative or Positive Sentences
Use:
Has / Have been
“First form of the verb” + “ing”
“Since” and “For” are used.
Note:
Use
He / She / It has been
I / We / You / They have been
28. “Since”:
For point of time.
“For”:
For period of time.
Rule:
Sub. + has/have +been+ V1 + ing +Obj.
I have been studying since morning.
He has been taking exercise for two hours.
It has been raining for two days.
29. Negative Sentences
Use:
has / have not been
.
• We have not been playing cricket since
morning.
• He has not been selling his house for one
month.
• They have not been finishing their work
30. Interrogative Sentences
Use:
• Has / Have at the start.
• At the end question mark (?).
e.g.
Have you been reading this book since
morning?
Has the farmer been finishing his work
for two hours ?
32. 1. Past Indefinite Tense
The simple past is used to
describe an action, an event, or
condition that occurred in the past.
For Example—
I played.
He / She played.
33. Affirmative or Positive Sentences
Use:
“Second form of verb”
Rule:
Subject + V2 + Object.
I played Cricket.
He walked.
She sang a song.
34. Negative Sentences
Use:
did not
Use “did not” to make
sentence negative.
• We did not drive a car.
• He did not play cricket.
• I did not work.
35. Interrogative Sentences
Use:
• Did at the start.
• At the end question mark (?).
e.g.
Did he tell a lie?
Did we win the match?
Did I not speak the truth?
Note:
Always use First form of verb after
Did.
36. 2. Past Continuous Tense
The past continuous
tense is used to describe actions ongoing
in the past.
For Example—
I was playing.
He / She was playing.
You were playing.
37. Affirmative or Positive Sentences
Use:
“First form of verb” + “ing”
Was / Were
Note:
Use
He / She / It / I was
We / You / They were
38. Rule:
Sub. + was/were +V1 + ing+ Obj.
I was playing Cricket.
He was taking exercise.
You were working.
39. Negative Sentences
Use:
was / were not
.
• We were not driving a car.
• He was not playing cricket.
• I was not working.
40. Interrogative Sentences
Use:
• Was / Were at the start.
• At the end question mark (?).
e.g.
Were you telling a lie?
Was the farmer ploughing?
Was it not raining?
41. 3. Past Perfect Tense
The past perfect tense is
used to refer to actions that took place
and were completed in the past.
For Example—
I had played.
He / She had played.
42. Affirmative or Positive Sentences
Use:
Had
“Third form of the verb”
Rule:
Subject + had + V3 + Object.
I had played Cricket.
He had taken exercise.
You had bought the tickets.
44. Interrogative Sentences
Use:
• Had at the start.
• At the end question mark (?).
e.g.
Had you bought the tickets?
Had the farmer finished his work?
Had you got prize?
45. 4. Past Perfect Cont. Tense
The past perfect
continuous is used to indicate that a
continuing action in the past began
before another past action began or
interrupted the first action.
For Example—
I had been playing.
He / She had been playing.
46. Affirmative or Positive Sentences
Use:
Had been
“First form of the verb” + “ing”
“Since” and “For” are used.
Note:
Use
He / She / It had been
I/ We / You /They had been
47. Rule:
Sub. + had +been+ V1 + ing +Obj.
I had been studying since morning.
He had been taking exercise for two
hours.
It had been raining for two days.
48. Negative Sentences
Use:
had not been
.
• We had not been playing cricket since
morning.
• He had not been selling his house for one
month.
• They had not been finishing their work
since noon.
49. Interrogative Sentences
Use:
• Had at the start.
• At the end question mark (?).
e.g.
Had you been reading this book since
morning?
Had the farmer been finishing his work
for two hours ?
51. 1. Future Indefinite Tense
The simple future
is used to refer to actions that will take
place after the act of speaking or
writing.
For Example—
I shall play.
He / She will play.
52. Affirmative or Positive Sentences
Use:
“Will / Shall”
“First form of verb”
Note:
I / We shall
You/They/He/She/It will
53. Rule:
Subject + will / shall + V1 + Object.
I shall play Cricket.
He will take exercise.
Ayesha will pass the exams.
54. Negative Sentences
Use:
will / shall not
Use “will not” or “shall not” to
make sentence negative.
• We shall not drive a car.
• He will not play cricket.
• I shall not work.
55. Interrogative Sentences
Use:
• Will / Shall at the start.
• At the end question mark (?).
e.g.
Will he tell a lie?
Shall we win the match?
Shall I not speak the truth?
56. 2. Future Continuous Tense
The future continuous
tense is used to describe actions
ongoing in the future. The future
progressive is used to refer to continuing
action that will occur in the future.
For Example—
I shall be playing.
He / She will be playing.
They will be playing.
57. Affirmative or Positive Sentences
Use:
“First form of verb” + “ing”
Will be / Shall be
Note:
Use
We / I shall
He/She/It /You /They will
58. Rule:
Sub. + will/shall + be +V1 + ing+ Obj.
I shall be playing Cricket.
He will be taking exercise.
You will be working.
59. Negative Sentences
Use:
shall / will not be
• We shall not be driving a car.
• He will not be playing cricket.
• I shall not be working.
60. Interrogative Sentences
Use:
• Will / Shall at the start.
• At the end question mark (?).
e.g.
Will you be telling a lie?
Will the farmer be ploughing?
Will it be raining?
61. 3. Future Perfect Tense
The future perfect
is used to refer to an action that will be
completed sometime in the future before
another action takes place.
For Example—
I shall have played.
He / She will have played.
62. Affirmative or Positive Sentences
Use:
“Third form of the verb”
Will have / Shall have
Note:
Use
He /She/You /They will have
I / We shall have
63. Rule:
Subject + will/shall have + V3 + Object.
I shall have played Cricket.
He will have taken exercise.
You will have bought the tickets.
64. Negative Sentences
Use:
Will / Shall have not
.
• We shall have not played cricket.
• He will have not sold his house.
• They will have not finished their work.
65. Interrogative Sentences
Use:
• Will / shall have at the start.
• At the end question mark (?).
e.g.
Will you have bought the tickets?
Will the farmer have finished his work?
Will you have got prize?
66. 4. Future Perfect Cont. Tense
The future perfect
continuous tense is used to indicate a
continuing action that will be completed
at some specified time in the future.
For Example—
I shall have been playing.
He / She will have been playing.
67. Affirmative or Positive Sentences
Use:
Will/ Shall Have been
“First form of the verb” + “ing”
“Since” and “For” are used.
68. Rule:
Sub. + will/shall +have +been+ V1 + ing
+Obj.
I shall have been studying since
morning.
He will have been taking exercise for two
hours.
It will have been raining for two days.
69. Negative Sentences
Use:
Will / Shall have not been
.
• We shall not have been playing cricket
since morning.
• He will not have been selling his house
for one month.
• They will not have been finishing their
work since noon.
70. Interrogative Sentences
Use:
• will/shall at the start.
• At the end question mark (?).
e.g.
Will you been reading this book since
morning?
Will the farmer been finishing his work
for two hours ?
