- 📌 What is a Tense? A Tense is a form of a verb that indicates the time of an action (past, present, future) and its state (simple, continuous, perfect, perfect continuous).
1. PRESENT TENSE
a) Simple Present Tense
Use: For habits, universal truths, daily routines, and fixed arrangements.
Formula: Subject + V1 (s/es) + Object
Examples:
- I eat an apple every day. (Habit)
- The sun rises in the east. (Universal Truth)
- She goes to the office by bus. (Routine)
b) Present Continuous Tense
Use: For actions happening right now or temporary actions.
Formula: Subject + is/am/are + V1 + ing + Object
Examples:
- I am reading a book at the moment.
- They are playing football in the ground.
- She is staying with her parents this week. (Temporary)
c) Present Perfect Tense
Use: For actions completed in the recent past, with a connection to the present, or experiences.
Formula: Subject + has/have + V3 + Object
Examples:
- I have finished my homework. (It is completed now)
- She has visited London. (Life experience)
- We have lived here for ten years. (Action started in past and continues)
d) Present Perfect Continuous Tense
Use: For actions that started in the past and are still continuing, emphasizing the duration.
Formula: Subject + has/have + been + V1 + ing + Object + for/since
Examples:
- I have been waiting for you for two hours.
- It has been raining since morning.
- She has been working here since 2015.
2. PAST TENSE
a) Simple Past Tense
Use: For actions completed at a specific time in the past.
Formula: Subject + V2 + Object
Examples:
- I finished my work yesterday.
- She went to the market an hour ago.
- They played a match last Sunday.
b) Past Continuous Tense
Use: For an action that was in progress at a specific time in the past or when one action was interrupted by another.
Formula: Subject + was/were + V1 + ing + Object
Examples:
- I was watching TV when he called.
- At 8 PM last night, they were studying.
- While she was cooking, the phone rang.
c) Past Perfect Tense
Use: For an action that was completed before another action took place in the past. (The “past of the past”)
Formula: Subject + had + V3 + Object
Examples:
- The patient had died before the doctor arrived.
- I had completed my assignment when the teacher asked for it.
- She had never seen a beach before she moved to Goa.
d) Past Perfect Continuous Tense
Use: For actions that were ongoing in the past up until another past action, emphasizing the duration.
Formula: Subject + had + been + V1 + ing + Object + for/since
Examples:
- He had been waiting for an hour when the bus finally arrived.
- They had been playing football for 30 minutes when it started to rain.
3. FUTURE TENSE
a) Simple Future Tense
Use: For actions that will happen in the future.
Formula: Subject + will/shall + V1 + Object
Examples:
- I will call you tomorrow.
- She will complete her project next week.
- We shall meet at the station.
b) Future Continuous Tense
Use: For actions that will be in progress at a specific time in the future.
Formula: Subject + will/shall + be + V1 + ing + Object
Examples:
- This time next week, I will be travelling to Paris.
- Don’t call at 9 PM; I will be watching the match.
c) Future Perfect Tense
Use: For actions that will be completed before a specific time or another action in the future.
Formula: Subject + will/shall + have + V3 + Object
Examples:
- By next year, I will have completed my graduation.
- They will have reached home by now. (Assumption)
d) Future Perfect Continuous Tense
Use: To emphasize the duration of an action up to a specific time in the future.
Formula: Subject + will/shall + have + been + V1 + ing + Object + for/since
Examples:
- By 2025, we will have been living in this city for ten years.
- In March, she will have been teaching for twenty years.
🚀 Quick Revision Table
| Tense | Formula | Key Word Clues |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Present | Subject + V1 | Every day, always, usually, never |
| Present Continuous | Subject + is/am/are + V1+ing | Now, at the moment, currently |
| Present Perfect | Subject + has/have + V3 | Just, already, yet, since, for |
| Present Perfect Cont. | Subject + has/have + been + V1+ing | For, since, all day |
| Simple Past | Subject + V2 | Yesterday, ago, last night |
| Past Continuous | Subject + was/were + V1+ing | While, when, at that time |
| Past Perfect | Subject + had + V3 | Before, after, by the time |
| Simple Future | Subject + will/shall + V1 | Tomorrow, next week, soon |
| Future Continuous | Subject + will/shall + be + V1+ing | At this time tomorrow |
| Future Perfect | Subject + will/shall + have + V3 | By, by the time, before |