Definition Of Tense
The form of the verb which tells about the tense of action or happening is called tense. That variation of a verb is called tense, which indicates the time of its action and its complete or incomplete state of belief. In other words, tense means ‘time’.Example
1. Tina is studying.
2. Monica had drawn a good picture.
3. Mukul will go to Amritsar with friends.
In the given sentences, colored words indicate the action happening at different times. In the first sentence the action is happening at the same time. In the second sentence, the action has happened in the past time. In the third sentence, the work is being reported to be done in the coming time.
Types of Tense
- Present Tense
- Past Tense
- Future Tense
- Indefinite (Simple)
- Continuous
- Perfect
- Perfect Continuous
Tense | Sub Parts |
---|---|
Present Tense | 1. Present Indefinite 2. Present Continuous 3. Present Perfect 4. Present Perfect continuous |
Past Tense | 1. Past Indefinite. 2. Past Continuous. 3. Past Perfect. 4. Past Perfect continuous . |
Future Tense | 1. Future Indefinite 2. Future Continuous 3. Future Perfect 4. Future Perfect continuous |
Tense | Forms | Examples |
---|---|---|
1. Present Indefinite | He drinks a water | |
Present Tense | 2. Present Continuous | He is drinking a water |
3. Present Perfect | He has drunk a water | |
4. Present Perfect continuous | He has been drinking a water since morning |
1. Past Indefinite | He drank a water | |
Past Tense | 2. Past Continuous. | He was drinking a water |
3. Past Perfect. | He had drunk a water | |
4. Past Perfect continuous . | He had been drinking the water since 7 am |
1. Future Indefinite | He will drink a water | |
Future Tense | 2. Future Continuous | He will be drinking a water |
3. Future perfect | He will have drunk a water | |
4. Future perfect continuous | He will have been drinking the water at 6 am tomorrow |
Significance of Tense Chart
Present Tense | Farmula & Rules | Examples |
---|---|---|
Present Indefinite tense | Subject + Verb in the base form/third person plural form + the rest of the sentenc |
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Present continuous tense | Subject + Helping Verb(am/is/are) + Main verb + ing + the rest of the sentence |
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Present perfect tense | Subject + Helping Verb (have/has) + Past participle of the main verb + the rest of the sentence along with the time frame |
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Present perfect continuous | Subject + Has/Have +Been+ Main Verb + Ing +Sinse /For + The Rest Of The Sentence |
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Past tense | Rules | Examples |
---|---|---|
Past indefinite | Subject + Verb + ed / verb in the past tense + the rest of the sentence |
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Past Continuous | Subject + Helping Verb(was/were) + Main verb + ing + the rest of the sentence |
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Past Perfect | Subject + Helping Verb (had) + Past participle of the main verb + the rest of the sentence along with the time frame. |
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Past Perfect continuous | Subject + Had + Been + Verb + ing + the rest of the sentence |
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Future tense | Rules | Examples |
---|---|---|
Future indefinite | Subject + will/shall + V1 + Object |
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Future continuous | Subject + will be/shall be + V1 + ing + Object |
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Future perfect | Subject + will have/shall have + V3 + Object |
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Future perfect continuous | Subject + will have been + V1 + ing + Object |
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Present Tense
The form of the verb which shows that the action is happening now is called present tense. That is, the form of the verb which shows the time and the occurrence of the action in the present time is called present tense. This means that the action shown happened at the same time. Continuity of actions is called present tense.The present tense refers to the action or event that occurs or takes place in the present. It refers to the activity that is going on. it can also be defined as the form of the verb which expresses the action or state of action happening in the present time. Below is the tense chart of Present Tense.
Types of Present Tense
In English Grammar, there are four types of the present tense, these are:- Simple Present Tense
- Present Continuous Tense
- Present Perfect Tense
- Present Perfect Continuous Tense
General Formula for Simple Present Tense:
Subject + Verb In The Base Form/Third Person Plural Form + The Rest Of The Sentence
He She It One Name | s/es (with main verb) Does not |
I We You They Two more name | ❌( with main verb) Do not |
Simple sentence
Sub+verb¹+s/es+object+other word
Present indefinite simple sentence example
- He writes a letter.
- You write a letter
- She sings a song.
- We sing asong.
- I go to school .
- He goes to school.
Sub+Do/Does+Not+Verb¹+Object+Other Words
Present indefinite negative sentence example
- He does not write a letter.
- You do not write a letter
- She does not sing a song.
- We do not sing asong.
- I do not go to school .
- He does not go to school.
Do/Does+Sub+Verb¹+Object+Other Words +?
Present indefinite interrogative sentence example
- Does He write a letter?
- Do You write a letter ?
- Does She sing a song ?
- Do We sing asong ?
- Do I go to school ?
- Does He go to school ?
Do/Does+Sub+Not+Verb¹+Object+Other Words +?
Present indefinite interrogative negative sentence example
- Does He not write a letter?
- Do You not write a letter ?
- Does She not sing a song ?
- Do We not sing asong ?
- Do I not go to school ?
- Does He not go to school ?
Subject + Helping Verb(Am/Is/Are) + Main Verb + Ing + The Rest Of The Sentence
He She It One Name | Is |
I | Am |
We You They Two more name | Are |
Sub+is/am/are+verb¹+ing+object+other word
Present continuous tense example:
- He is writing a letter.
- You are writing a letter
- She is singing a song.
- We are singing a song.
- I am going to school .
- He is going to school.
Sub+Is/Am/Are+Not+Verb¹+Ing+Object+Other Word
Present continuous negative sentence example:
- He is not writing a letter.
- You are not writing a letter
- She isn not singing a song.
- We are not singing a song.
- I am not going to school .
- He is not going to school.
Is/am/are+sub+verb¹+ing+object+other word+?
Present continuous Interrogative sentences example:
- Is he writing a letter.
- Are you writing a letter
- is she singing a song.
- Are we singing a song.
- am I going to school .
- Is he going to school.
Sub+is/am/are+verb¹+ing+object+other word+?
Simple present Interrogative negative sentence example:
- Is he not writing a letter.
- Are you not writing a letter
- is she not singing a song.
- Are we not singing a song.
- am I not going to school .
- Is he not going to school.
Subject + Helping Verb (Have/Has) + Past Participle Of The Main Verb + Rest Of The Sentence
He She It One Name | Has |
I We You They Two more name | Have |
Sub+Has/Have+verb³+object+other word
Present perfect example :
- He has Written a letter.
- You have Written a letter
- She has sung a song.
- We has sung a song.
- I have gone to school .
- He has gone to school.
Sub+Has/Have+Not+Verb³+Object+Other Word
Present perfect negative sentence example :
- He has not Written a letter.
- You have not Written a letter
- She has not sung a song.
- We has not sung a song.
- I have not gone to school .
- He has not gone to school.
Has/Have+Sub+Verb³+Object+Other Word+?
Present perfect interrogative sentence example :
- Has he Written a letter.
- have you Written a letter
- Has she sung a song.
- Have we sung a song.
- Have I gone to school .
- Has he gone to school.
Has/Have+Sub+Not+Verb³+Object+Other Word+?
Present perfect Interrogative negative sentence example :
- Has he not Written a letter.
- have you not Written a letter
- Has she not sung a song.
- Have we not sung a song.
- Have I not gone to school .
- Has he not gone to school.
Subject + Has/Have +Been+ Main Verb + Ing +Sinse /For + The Rest Of The Sentence
He She It One Name | Has been |
I We You They Two more name | Have been |
Sub+has/have+ been+verb¹+ing+sinse/For+object+other word
Present perfect continuous Simple sentence example:
- He has been writing a letter for 3 hours.
- You have been writing a letter since morning.
- She has been singing a song for 4 days.
- We have been singing a song for 4 week.
- I have been going to school for 1 year.
- He has been going to school since last day.
Sub+has/have+not+been+verb¹+ing+sinse/For+object+other word
Present perfect continuous negative sentence example:
- He has not been writing a letter for 3 hours.
- You have not been writing a letter since morning.
- She has not been singing a song for 4 days.
- We have not been singing a song for 4 week.
- I have not been going to school for 1 year.
- He has not been going to school since last day.
has/have+Sub+been+verb¹+ing+sinse/For+object+other word
Present perfect continuous interrogative sentence example:
- Has He been writing a letter for 3 hours.
- have you been writing a letter since morning.
- Has she been singing a song for 4 days.
- Have we been singing a song for 4 week.
- have i been going to school for 1 year.
- Has he been going to school since last day.
has/have+Sub+not+been+verb¹+ing+sinse /For+object+other word
Present perfect continuous Interrogative negative sentence example:
- Has He not been writing a letter for 3 hours.
- have you not been writing a letter since morning.
- Has she not been singing a song for 4 days.
- Have we not been singing a song for 4 week.
- have i not been going to school for 1 year.
- Has he not been going to school since last day.
Types of Past Tense
- Simple Past Tense
- Past Continuous Tense
- Past Perfect Tense
- Past Perfect Continuous Tense
Subject + Verb + Ed / Verb In The Past Tense + The Rest Of The Sentence
He She It One Name | 2 form of main verb |
I We You They Two more name | 2 form of Main verb |
Simple sentence
Sub+verb²+object+other word
Past indefinite simple sentence example:
- We lived in London.
- He read comic books.
- She went to yoga class.
- I came here yesterday.
- You worked at the hospital
Sub+Did+Not+Verb¹+Object+Other Words
Past indefinite negative sentence example:
- We did not live in London.
- He did not read comic books.
- She did not go to yoga class.
- I did not come here yesterday.
- You did not work at the hospital
Did+Sub+Verb¹+Object+Other Words +?
Past indefinite interrogative sentence example:
- Did We live in London.
- Did He read comic books.
- Did She go to yoga class.
- Did I come here yesterday.
- Did You work at the hospital
Did+Sub+Not+Verb¹+Object+Other Words +?
Past indefinite interrogative negative sentence example:
- Did We not live in London.
- Did He not read comic books.
- Did She not go to yoga class.
- Did I not come here yesterday.
- Did You not work at the hospital
Subject + Helping Verb(Was/Were) + Main Verb + Ing + The Rest Of The Sentence
He She It One Name | was |
We You They Two more name | Were |
Simple sentence
Sub+was/were+verb¹+ing+object+other word
Past Continuous simple sentence example:
- We were living in London.
- He was reading comic books.
- She was going to yoga class.
- I were coming here .
- You were working at the hospital
Sub+Was/Were+Not+Verb¹+Ing+Object+Other Word
Past Continuous negative sentence example:
- We were not living in London.
- He was not reading comic books.
- She was not going to yoga class.
- I were not coming here .
- You were not working at the hospital.
Was/Were+Sub+Verb¹+Ing+Object+Other Word
Past Continuous interrogative sentence example:
- Were we living in London.
- Was he reading comic books.
- Was she going to yoga class.
- Were I coming here .
- were you working at the hospital.
Was/Were+Sub+Not+Verb¹+Ing+Object+Other Word
Past Continuous interrogative negative sentence example:
- Were we not living in London.
- Was he not reading comic books.
- Was she not going to yoga class.
- Were I not coming here .
- were you not working at the hospital.
Subject + Helping Verb (Had) + Past Participle Of The Main Verb + The Rest Of The Sentence Along With The Time Frame.
He She It One Name | Had |
I We You They Two more name | Had |
Sub+Had+verb³+object+other word
Past perfect simple sentence example:
- He had Written a letter.
- You had Written a letter
- She had sung a song.
- We had sung a song.
- I had gone to school .
- He had gone to school.
Sub+Had+Not+Verb³+Object+Other Word
Past perfect negative sentence example:
- He had not Written a letter.
- You had not Written a letter
- She had not sung a song.
- We had not sung a song.
- I had not gone to school .
- He had not gone to school.
Had+Sub+Verb³+Object+Other Word+?
Past perfect interrogative sentence example:
- had he Written a letter.
- had you Written a letter
- had she sung a song.
- had we sung a song.
- had I gone to school .
- had he gone to school.
Had+Sub+Not+Verb³+Object+Other Word+?
Past perfect interrogative negative sentence example:
- had he not Written a letter.
- had you not Written a letter
- had she not sung a song.
- had we not sung a song.
- had I not gone to school .
- had he not gone to school.
Subject + Had + Been + Verb + ing + sinse/for+the rest of the sentence
He She It One Name | Had been |
I We You They Two more name | Had been |
Sub+had+been+verb¹+ing+sinse/For+object+other word
Past perfect continuous simple sentence example:
- He Had been writing a letter for 3 hours.
- You Had been writing a letter since morning.
- She Had been singing a song for 4 days.
- We Had been singing a song for 4 week.
- I Had been going to school for 1 year.
- He Had been going to school since last day.
Sub+had+not+been+verb¹+ing+sinse/For+object+other word
Past perfect continuous negative sentence example:
- He Had not been writing a letter for 3 hours.
- You Had not been writing a letter since morning.
- She Had not been singing a song for 4 days.
- We Had not been singing a song for 4 week.
- I Had not been going to school for 1 year.
- He Had not been going to school since last day.
Had+Sub+been+verb¹+ing+sinse/For+object+other word+?
Past perfect continuous interrogative sentence example:
- Had He been writing a letter for 3 hours.
- Had you been writing a letter since morning.
- Had she been singing a song for 4 days.
- Had we been singing a song for 4 week.
- Had i been going to school for 1 year.
- Had he been going to school since last day.
Had+Sub+not+been+verb¹+ing+sinse /For+object+other word+?
Past perfect continuous interrogative negative sentence example:
- Had He not been writing a letter for 3 hours.
- Had you not been writing a letter since morning.
- Had she not been singing a song for 4 days.
- Had we not been singing a song for 4 week.
- Had i not been going to school for 1 year.
- Had he not been going to school since last day.
Future Tense
Types of Future Tense
- Simple Future Tense
- Future Continuous Tense
- Future Perfect Tense
- Future Perfect Continuous Tense
Subject + Will/Shall + V1 + Object
He She It One Name | will |
We You They Two more name | Shall |
Simple sentence
Subject + Will/Shall + V1 + Object
Future indefinite simple sentence example:
- We shall live in London.
- He will read comic books.
- She will go to a yoga class.
- I shall come here every day.
- You will work at the hospital.
Subject + Will/Shall +Not+ V1 + Object
Future indefinite negative sentence example:
- We shall not live in London.
- He will not read comic books.
- She will not go to a yoga class.
- I shall not come here every day.
- You will not work at the hospital.
Will/Shall+Subject + V1 + Object+?
Future indefinite interrogative sentence example:
- Shall we live in London.
- will he read comic books.
- will she go to a yoga class.
- Shall I come here every day.
- will you work at the hospital.
Will/Shall + Subject+Not + V1 + Object
Future indefinite interrogative negative sentence example:
- Shall we not live in London.
- will he not read comic books.
- will she not go to a yoga class.
- Shall I not come here every day.
- will you not work at the hospital.
Subject + Will Be/Shall Be + V1 + Ing + Object
He She It One Name | will be |
We You They Two more name | Shall be |
Simple sentence
Subject + Will Be/Shall Be+ not + V1 + Ing + Object
Future continuous simple sentence example:
- We Shall Be living in London.
- He Will Be reading comic books.
- She Will Be going to yoga class.
- I will Be coming here .
- You Shall Be working at the hospital
Will Be/Shall Be+ Not + V1 + Ing + Object
Future continuous negative sentence example:
- We Shall Be not living in London.
- He Will Be not reading comic books.
- She Will Be not going to yoga class.
- I will Be not coming here .
- You Shall Be not working at the hospital.
Will/Shall +sub+Be+ V1 + Ing + Object+?
Future continuous interrogative sentence example:
- Shall we be living in London?
- Will he be reading comic books?
- Will she be going to yoga class?
- Will I be coming here ?
- Shall you be working at the hospital?
Will/Shall +sub+Be+ not + V1 + Ing + Object+?
Future continuous interrogative negative sentence example:
- Shall we be not living in London?
- Will he be not reading comic books?
- Will she be not going to yoga class?
- Will I be not coming here ?
- Shall you be not working at the hospital ?
Subject + Will Have/Shall Have + V3 + Object
He She It One Name | Will have |
I We You They Two more name | Will have |
Subject + Will Have/Shall Have + V3 + Object
Future perfect simple sentence example:
- We shall have left London.
- He will have read comic books.
- She will have done yoga.
- I will have worked here.
- You will have done your work.
Subject + Will Have/Shall Have+Not + V3 + Object
Future perfect negative sentence example:
- We shall have not left London.
- He will have not read comic books.
- She will have not done yoga.
- I will have not worked here.
- You will have not done your work.
Will /Shall+Sub+ Have + V3 + Object+?
Future perfect interrogative sentence example:
- shall We have left London?
- will He have read comic books?
- will She have done yoga?
- will i have worked here?
- will You have done your work?
will/shall+Subject+have+not+ V3+ing + Object+?
Future perfect simple sentence example:
- shall We have not left London?
- will He have not read comic books?
- will She have not done yoga?
- will i have not worked here?
- will You have not done your work?
Subject + Will Have Been + V1 + Ing + Object
He She It One Name | Will have been |
I We You They Two more name | Will have been |
Subject + will have been + V1 + ing + Object
Future perfect continuous simple sentence example:
- He will have been writing a letter for 3 hours.
- You will have been writing a letter since morning.
- She will have been singing a song for 4 days.
- We will have beensinging a song for 4 week.
- I will have been going to school for 1 year.
- He will have been going to school since last day.
Subject + will have +not+been + V1 + ing + Object
Future perfect continuous negative sentence example:
- He will have not been writing a letter for 3 hours.
- You will have not been writing a letter since morning.
- She will have not been singing a song for 4 days.
- We will have not been singing a song for 4 week.
- I will have been going to school for 1 year.
- He will have been going to school since last day.
will/shall+Subject+have+ been+ V1+ing + Object+?
Future perfect continuous interrogative sentence example:
- will he have been writing a letter for 3 hours?
- will You have been writing a letter since morning?
- will She have been singing a song for 4 days?
- will We have been singing a song for 4 week?
- Will i have been going to school for 1 year?
- Will he have been going to school since last day?
will/shall+Subject+have+not+ been+ V1+ing + Object+?
Future perfect continuous interrogative negative sentence example:
- will he have not been writing a letter for 3 hours?
- will You have not been writing a letter since morning?
- will She have not been singing a song for 4 days?
- will We have not been singing a song for 4 week?
- Will i have not been going to school for 1 year?
- Will he have not been going to school since last day?