Tenses

                                 TENSES

Present Tense: 

Simple Present tense

Present continuous tense

Present Perfect tense

Present Perfect Continuous tense

Past Tense:

Simple Past tense

Past continuous tense

Past perfect tense

Past Perfect continuous tense

Future Tense:

Simple future tense

Future continuous tense

Future perfect tense

Future perfect continuous tense

SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE:

It is formed  with the base form (V1) of the verb. If the subjects are in third person singular (He, She, It & Names) it takes 's' or 'es'

 Structure:

[V1] Third person singular

(He, She, It & Names) -V1+ S/es

Examples: 

He goes to school everyday

She usually sits in the first row

The sun rises in the east.

He drinks coffe every morning.

PRESENT CONTINUES TENSE:

It is formed with am/ is/ are + "ing" form of the verb.

It is used to represent an action that is going on at the present time.

Identifying words: now, present, today, look, listen, see, don't disturb, don't make noise are used.

Structure: am/ is/ are + V1.ing

Verb:

 I            :  am+v1.ing

Singular:   is +V1.ing

Plural    :  are+ V1.ing

Examples: 

It is raining

She is singing

The child is playing

She is writing a letter

PRESENT PERFECT TENSE: 

It is formed with have/has/ +v3 form of the verb.

It is used to indicate an action has completed a short time ago. It is also used to indicate a past action with result in the present time.

Identifying words:

Just, yet, ever, never and used.

Verb:     Have/Has+V3

             I, Plural    :    Have+V3

             Singular  :    Has+V3

Examples:

I have just finished the work

He has just gone out.

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINOUS TENSE:

It is formed with have been/has been +V1.ing form of the verb.

It shows that an action began in the past and is still going on.

Identifying words: Since/for + time, how long...?

                   Have been/Has been + V1.ing

Verb:          I, Plural     : have been+V1.ing

                  Singular     : has been+ V1.ing

Example:

It has been raining since 8 O' clock.

We have been playing chess for two hours

She has been practicing the violin all day

How long have you been waiting here?

SIMPLE PAST TENSE:

It is formed with V2 form of the verb.

It is used for an action completed at some time in the past. The time is mentioned or understood. It is also used to describe an action occurring habitually in the past.

 Identifying words: ago, yesterday, last

  Verb:   [V2 (for all the persons)]

Example:

I met him yesterday

I went to the college yesterday

She wrote a story last week

She left the school last Sunday

PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE:

It is formed with was/were + V1.ing

It is used for an incomplete action in the past. It describes an action as continuing at some past time. It is used in combination with past. If an action was going on for some time and a new action happened. The past Continuous tense is used for former and simple past for latter.

Identifying words: While, When 

                                 

                    was/were+V1.ing

Verb:           I, singular   : was+V1.ing

                    Plural         : were+V1.ing

Examples:

They were eating in the restaurant a few minutes ago.

The children were playing in the street

When I saw him he was playing chess

While  I was going to college I saw an accident

PAST PERFECT TENSE:

It is formed with had+V3 form of the verb

It is often used for an action, which happened earlier than another.

The simple past is used for the latter action. It is also used for an action completed before a certain point in the past.

Identifying words: Before, After

Verb: had+V3 (for all persons)

Examples:

He had already left when we arrived.

I thanked him for what he had done.

I had seen him last 5 years before.

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE:

It is formed with had been + V1.ing form of the verb.

It is used for an action that continued upto a time in the past.

Verb: Had been + V1.ing (for all persons)

Examples:

When I met him last, he had been learning Hindi for 6 months

She had been driving a car for week when she had an accident.

I knew that he had been riding a horse for many days.

SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE:

It is formed with "will" +V1 form of the verb. In formal style "shall" instead of will is used with  "I and We"

It is used for an action that has still to happen.

Identifying words: tomorrow, next

 

                       will/shall +V1

Verb:               First person(I, We): shall+V1

                        For all person: will + V1

Examples:

I think it will rain this evening.

They will sell this car.

I will/shall see him on Sunday

Note: It expresses pure or colorless future i.e. future which is not influenced by willingness, intention etc. When the future is colored with intention "be going to +v1" form is used.

Examples:

He is going to buy a car.

He is going to marry her.

FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE:

It is formed with will/shall +be + V1.ing form of the verb.

It is used to refer to an action as continuing at sometime in the future. It is also to indicate future events that are planned.

                Will/Shall + be +V1.ing

Verb:        I, We: Shall be+ V1.ing

                 For all persons: will be + V1.ing

Examples:

We will/shall be playing tennis at that time.

My sister will be sleeping when I reach home.

I shall/will be reading the paper then.

FUTURE PERFECT TENSE

It is formed with will have/shall have + V3 form of the verb.

It is used for an action that will be completed at a time in the future.

                   shall have/will have +V3

Verb:     I, We                : shall have + V3

              For all persons:  will have + V3

Examples: 

By the end of the next month we will have lived here for five years.

I shall have written my exercise by that time.

We shall have completed the syllabus before Christmas.

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE:

It is formed with will have been+shall have been+V1.ing 

It indicates an action represented as being in progress over a period of time that will end in future.

Examples: 

By the next July we shall have been living in Hyderabad for five years.

By next August he will have been completing 20 years of service.