Tenses
Tenses
Tenses
Tense
Tense shows the time of the action or state of being expressed by a verb. There are
six tenses.
Primary or simple tenses: Present tense, the past tense, and the future tense.
Perfect or secondary tenses: Present perfect, the past perfect, and the future perfect.
Any action done over a span of time or occurring at the same time as another action
mentioned is expressed by the continuous forms.
1) Present Tense: It indicates that an action or condition is going on or exists now.
He exercises every morning. He plays the piano every night.
2) Past Tense: It indicates that an action or condition took place or existed at some
definite time in the past.
Yesterday he delivered an impressive speech. He wrote the book in one day.
3) Future Tense: It indicates that an action will take place or that a condition will exist
in the future.
We shall move to Delhi next week. The train will leave at midnight.
1) Simple Forms
II. Simple Past: Events or actions already concluded. Generally formed by adding –d
or –ed.
We helped him when he had a financial misfortune.
The mob surged dangerously towards the barricade.
2) Continuous Forms
I. Present Continuous: Denotes actions that are currently going on.
Soma is cleaning the house.
Gary is driving a tractor.
II. Past Continuous: Actions or events that were going on in the past.
He was watching sports.
She was travelling by bus.
c) NOT verbs of perception, e.g., see, hear, smell, notice, recognise, etc.
The students were noticing a change in the teaching style. (incorrect)
The students noticed a change in the teaching style. (correct)
3) Perfect Forms
I. Present Perfect: Events or actions just completed with effect on the present.
He has wooed her for long.
He has researched the stock for last one year.
II. Past Perfect: When two past actions in a sentence do not occur at the same
time, the earlier action should be denoted by the past perfect tense. The past
perfect tense is also used to describe an action completed at a certain moment in
the past.
Mother had spoken to her daughter regarding her job.
The boss had written the mail much before the meeting.
III. Future Perfect: The future perfect tense is used to depict actions that will be
completed by a certain time in the future.
They will have sorted out their marital problems by that time.
II. Past Perfect Continuous: An action that began before a certain time in the past,
and continued till that time.
When he asked her out, she had been pondering over her response for one hour.
III. Future Perfect Continuous: Actions which will continue and end in the future.
Next week this time, the fest will be running for two weeks.
The devotees sang, danced and swayed to the beat of the drums. (correct)
2) If the main clause is in the present or the future tense and the subordinate clause
denotes a different time frame, the subordinate clause may be depicted by a
different tense, as required by the sense.
Constable knows (simple present) that the criminal was (simple past) part of the robbery.
3) If the main clause is in the past tense, the subordinate clause should also be denoted
by the past or the past perfect tense only.
She knew that she has to win him back. (incorrect)
She knew that she had to win him back. (correct)
4) If two actions in the past took place at the same time, they may be denoted by the
simple past tense, but if one of the actions preceded the other, the earlier action has
to be denoted boy the past perfect tense.
The whole town was drunk as it was a relief for all. (incorrect)
The whole town was drunk as it had been a relief for all (correct)
6) When there is a distinct difference in the time frame of two actions in a sentence,
they can be denoted by different tenses.
During the Independence movement, the army used to communicate with the government,
now they work autonomously.
7) When the preposition since/ever since is used, the verb is usually in the present
perfect continuous tense.
He has been looking for her ever since.
Since can also take a past or a past perfect tense. For eg. it is more than ten years since he
last met his school friends.
Can you not be declaring once and for all your intention to divorce him?(incorrect)
Can you declar once and for all your intention to divorce him? (correct)
2) Past Forms
She wrote, directed and was acting in the play.(incorrect)
She wrote, directed and acted in the play. (correct)
He was not disclosing his marks for the fear of rejection. (incorrect)
He did not disclose his marks for the fear of rejection.(correct)
3) Future Forms
Tense Table: The tense forms of some common verbs are given below:
Present Past Future Present Past Future Prese Past Future
Continu continu Continu Perfect Perfect Perfect nt Perfe Perfec
ous ous ous Continu Continu Continu Perfec ct t
Tense Tense Tense ous ous ous t
Terse Tense Tense
Is/am Was/we Will/shal Has/have Had Will/shal Has/ha Had Will/sh
dancing re l be been been l have ve danc all
dancing dancing dancing dancing been dance ed have
dancing d danced
Is/am Was/we Will/shal Has/have Had Will/shal Has/ha Had Will/sh
writing re l be been been l have ve writt all
writing writing writing writing been writte en have
writing n written
Is/am Will/shal Has/have Had Will/shal Has/ha Had Will/sh
seeing Was/we l be been been l have ve seen all
re seeing seeing seeing been seen have
seeing seeing seen
Is/am Was/we Will/shal Has/have Had Will/shal Has/ha Had Will/sh
shaking re l be been been l have ve shake all
shaking shaking shaking shaking been shaken n have
shaking shaken
Is/am Was/we Will/shal Has/have Had Will/shal Has/ha Had Will/sh
falling re l be been been l have ve fallen all
falling falling falling falling been fallen have
falling fallen