Tenses are verb forms that indicate time and can be divided into three main categories: present, past, and future. Each tense has four aspects - indefinite, continuous, perfect, and perfect continuous - that provide additional information about the completeness or continuity of the action. The document then proceeds to define each tense form through examples of affirmative, negative, and interrogative sentences.

2. Tensesare the form taken byaverb toshow the
timeof an action or the stateof an event.
 There are three tenses:
The PresentTense
The Past Tense
The FutureTense.

3.  Each of the three tenses has four forms or sub-
divisions toshowcontinuityorcompletenessof
theaction and time. Theseare :
1. Indefinite
2. Continuous orImperfect
3. Perfect
4. Perfect Continuous

4. Tense
Present
Indefinite Continuo
us
Perfect Perfect
Continuo
us
Play (s) Is / Am /Are
Playing
Has /
Have
Played
Has / Have
been Playing
Past Played Was / Were
Playing
Had
Played
Had been
Playing
Future Will / Shall
Play
Will / Shall
be Playing
Will /
Shall
Have
Played
Will / Shall
have been
Playing
Of English
Table
Tenses

5. o The Indefinite Tense does not indicate
whetherthe action is complete or not.
o The Continuous (Imperfect) Tense that the
action is still going on.
o The PerfectTense indicates that the
action is complete , finished or
perfect.
o The Perfect Continuous Tense indicates
thatthe action began in the pastand is
still continuing.

6. Subject + Verb 1 + Object
Expresses a general truthoran action that is
occurring now
Eg : The sun rises from theeast.(rise plural
verb –rises singular verb)
Expresses an action thatoccurs regularlyor
habitually
Eg : Shegoes to the school regularly.

7. Affirmative Sentences :
 They (plural) play (plural verb).
 She plays. (singularverb)
Negative Sentences :
 Theydo not play.
 She does not play
Interrogative Sentences :
 Do they play?
 Does she play?
Negative Interrogative Sentences :
• Do they not play ?
• Does she not play?

8. Subject + Is/Am/Are + V1 + ing +
Object.
The present continuous tense is
used toexpress an action which is
happening at a particular time in
the present or extending over a
period of present time.

9.  Affirmative Sentences :
 You areplaying.(you + all plural subjects)
 I am playing.
 She is playing. (all singular subjects)
 Negative Sentences :
 You are notplaying.
 I am not playing.
 She is not playing.
 Interrogative Sentences :
 Are you playing?
 Am I playing?
 Is she playing?
 Negative Interrogative Sentences :
 Are you not playing ?
 Am I not playing?
 Is she not playing?

10. Subject + has/have + Verb 3 + Object.
Has-> Singular ,
Have -> Plural, I and You
The present perfect tense denotes an
action thatwas started in the past
and has just been completed.

11. Affirmative Sentences :
 I haveplayed basketball.
 You have played basketball.
 She/He has played basketball.
Negative Sentences :
 I have notplayed basketball.
 You have not played basketball.
 She/He has not played basketball.
Interrogative Sentences :
 Have I playedbasketball?
 Have you played basketball ?
 Has she/he played basketball ?
Negative Interrogative Sentences :
 Have Inot played basketball ?
 Have you not played basketball?
 Has she/he not played basketball?

12.  Subject + has/have + been + V1 + ing +Object
 The present perfect tense is used when an
action that started in the past is still
continuing.

13.  Affirmative Sentences :
 Wehave beenplaying.
 She has been playing.
 I have been playing.
 Negative Sentences :
 Wehave not beenplaying.
 She has not been playing.
 I have not been playing.
 Interrogative Sentences :
 Have we beenplaying?
 Has she been playing?
 Have I been playing?
 Negative Interrogative Sentences :
 Have we not been playing ?
 has she not been playing ?
 Have I not been playing ?

14.  Subject + had + V3 + Object.
 The past perfect tense is used to express an
action that was completed before another
action started in the past. It is used with the
earlierof the twoactions. The simple past tense
is used with theotheraction.

15.  Affirmative Sentences : Sheila hadplayed.
 Negative Sentences : Sheila had notplayed.
 Interrogative Sentences : Had Sheilaplayed?
 Negative Interrogative Sentences : Had Sheila
not played ?

16.  Subject + had + been + V1 +ing+ Object.
 The past perfectcontinuous tense is used foran
action that began before a certain point in the
pastand continued up to thatpoint.

17.  Affirmative Sentences : Ria had beenplaying.
 Negative Sentences : Ria had not beenplaying.
 Interrogative Sentences : Had Ria beenplaying?
 Negative Interrogative Sentences : Had Ria notbeen
playing ?

18.  Subject + will/shall + V1 + Object.
 The simple future tense is used foran action
that will take place at particular time in the
future.

19.  Affirmative Sentences : Ravi willplay.
 Negative Sentences : Ravi will notplay.
 Interrogative Sentences : Will Ravi play?
 Negative Interrogative Sentences : Will Ravinot
play ?

20.  Subject + will/shall + be +V1 + ing +Object
 The futurecontinuous tense is used toexpress
an action which will be in progress at a
particular time in thefuture.

21.  Affirmative sentences : I will beplaying.
 Negative sentences : I will not beplaying.
 Interrogative sentences : Shall I beplaying?
 Negative Interrogative Sentences : Shall I not
be playing?

22.  Subject + shall/will + have + V3 +Object.
 Future perfect tense is used to indicate the
completionof an action byacertain period of
time in thefuture.

23.  Affirmative Sentences : She will haveplayed.
 Negative Sentences : Shewill not have played.
 Interrogative Sentences : Will she haveplayed?
 Negative Interrogative Sentences : Will shenot
have played?

24.  Subject + shall/will +have been + V1 + ing+
Object.
 The future perfect tense is used when an action
is to continue up to a certain point of time in
the future.

25.  Affirmative Sentences : Raj will havebeen
playing.
 Negative Sentences : Raj will not havebeen
playing.
 Interrogative Sentences : Will Raj havebeen
playing ?
 Negative Interrogative Sentences : Will Rajnot
have been playing ?