TENSES

Tenses denote the time of action. They show when the work is done. They are:

(1)Present Tense
(2) Past Tense
(3) Future Tense

They are further divided into:

(1) Simple Present- It is used to denote scientific facts, universal truths and work
done on daily basis.

ASSERTIVE RULE--Sub +V1+s/es+object

Example-She writes a letter.

NEGATIVE RULE--- Sub + does not + v1+ s/es + obiect

Example- She does not write a letter.

INTERROGATIVE RULE--Does+sub +v1 +s/es +obiect

Example-Does she write a letter?

INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE ASSERTIVE - Does +sub+ not+ v1+s/es +object

Example -Does she not write a letter?

(2) Present Continuous-It is used to express an action taking place at the time
of speaking.

ASSERTIVE RULE--Sub +is/am/are +v1+ing+ obiect

Example- she is writing a letter.

NEGATIVE RULE-- Sub + is/am/are + not+ v1 + ing+object

Example- She is not writing a letter.

INTERROGATIVE RULE - is/am/are+ sub+ v1+ ing+ object

Example- Is she writing a letter?

INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE RULE --is/am/are+sub + not +v1 + ing+ object

Example- Is she not writing a letter?

(3) Present Perfect- It is used to show an action that started in the past and has
just finished.

ASSERTIVE RULE-- Sub+ has/have + v3+ object

Example She has written a letter.

NEGATIVE RULE-sub + has/have +not+ v3+ object

Example- She has not written a letter.

INTERROGATIVE RULE has/have +sub+ v3+ obiect

Example- Has she written a letter?

INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE RULE --has/have + sub + not + v3+object

Example- Has she not written a letter?

(4) Present Perfect Continuous-This tense shows the action which started in
the past and is still continuing.
ASSERTIVE RULE- Sub + has/have + been + v1+ ing+ object
Example- She has been writing a letter.

NEGATIVE RULE-sub+ has/have + not been+v1+ ing+ object

Example- She has not been writing a letter.

INTERROGATIVE RULE --has/have + sub+ been +v1+ ing + object

Example- Has she been writing a letter?

INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE RULE -- has/have+ she+not + been +v1+ing + object

Example- Has she not been writing a letter?

 Past Tense
Tense symbolizes the ever moving, non-stop wheel of time which is forever busy
gathering moments of future and throwing them into the dustbin of past

Past (before
now)

Simple Past Past Past Perfect

Continuous Past Perfect Continuous

SimplePast
Used to indicate an action completed in the past. It often occurs with adverb of
time. Sometimes it is used without an adverb of time.

Used for past habits.

Eg. I played football when I was a child.

Rule: Subject + V2

Eg She wrote a letter

1. Assertive Sentences
Subject+V2 + Object + ()
She wrote a letter.
2. Negative Sentences-
Subject +didn't + V1 +Object + ()
She didn't.write a letter.
3. Interrogative Sentences-
Did +Subject + V1 + Object + (?)
Did she write a letter?
 4. Interrogative Negative Sentences-
Did +Subject + not + V1 + Object + (?)
Did she not write a letter?

Past Continuous Tense

Used to denote an action going on at some time in the past.

e.g. I was driving a car.

Rule: was/were +ing

1. Assertive Sentences
Subject + was/were +V1+ ing + Object + ()
She was writing a letter.
2. Negative Sentences
Subject + was/were + not + ing +Object + ()
She was not writing a letter.
3. Interrogative Sentences-
Was/were+Subject + ing+ Object + (?)
Was she writing a letter?
4. Interrogative Negative Sentences
Was/were +Subject + not + ing+ Object + (?)
Was she not writing a letter?

Past Perfect Tense

Used to describe an action completed before a certain moment in the past, usually a
long time ago. If two actions happened in the past, past perfect is used to show the
action that took place earlier.

e.g. The patient had died before the doctor came.

1. Assertive Sentences -

Subject+ had + V3 +Object + ()

She had written a letter.
2. Negative Sentences-
Subject +had + not + Object + (.)
She had not written a letter.
 3. Interrogative Sentences-
Had+Sulbject + V3 + Object + (?)
Had she written a letter?
4. Interrogative Negative Sentences-
Had+Subject + not +V3 + Object +(?)
Had she not written a letter?

Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Used to denote an action that began before a certain point in the past and continued
up to some time in past.

eg. I had been learning English in this school for 20 days.

1. Assertive Sentences
Subject + had been +V1 + ing + Object + (.)
She had been writing a letter.
2. Negative Sentences-
Subject + had + not been + V1+ ing + Object +()
She had not been writing a letter.
3. Interrogative Sentences-
Had+Subject+ been+ V1 + ing+Object + (?)

Had she been writing a letter?

4. Interrogative Negative Sentences-

Had +Subject +not + been + V1 + ing + Object + (?)
Had she not been writing a letter?
FUTURE TENSE

Time and tide wait for no man. So, a period of time following the moment of
speaking or writing is called as future tense.

For e.g- She will write a letter.

Tense

Past (before Future (After

Present (now)
now) now)

Future
Simple Future
Continuous Future Perfect Future Perfect
Continuous

Simple Future
This tense tells us about an action which has not occurred yet and will occur after
saying or in future

Rule Wil/Shall + Verb (Ist form)

In Future Tense helping verb 'Shall' is used with T and We'.

Helping verb 'Will
is used with all others. When you are to make a commitment or warn
someone or
emphasize something, use of 'will/shall' is reversed. "Will' is used with T' & "We'
and 'shall' is used with others.
In general speaking there is hardly any difference between 'shall & will' and
normally Will' is used with all.

Now, let us use this rule in various forms of sentences;

1. Positive / Affirmative Sentences

Subject + Wil/Shall + Verb (Ist form) +Object + (.)
She will write a letter.
2. Negative Sentences-
Subject+Wil/Shall + Not + Verb (Ist form) + Object + ()
She will not write a letter.
3. Interrogative Sentences-
Will/Shall+ Subject + Verb (Ist form) + Object + (?)
Will she write a letter?
4. Interrogative Negative Sentences
Will/Shall+Subject + Not +Verb (Ist form) +Object + (?)
Will she not write a letter?

Future Continuous Tense

It is used to express an ongoing or continued action in future.
e.g. He will be distributing sweets in temple tomorrow at 12 o'clock.
In the example, the action will start in future (tomorrow) and action is thought to
be continued till sometime in future.

We use the future continuous to talk about something that will be in progress at or
around a time in the future.

Rule: Will/Shall + Be + Verb (Ist form) + Ing

Now, let us use this rule in various forms of sentences;

1. Positive/ Affirmative Sentences

Subject + Will/Shall+ Be + Verb (Ist form) + Ing +Object + (.)
She will be writing a letter.
2. Negative Sentences-
Subject + Wil/Shall + Not +Be + Verb (Ist form) + Ing +Object + ()
She will not be writing a letter.
3. Interrogative Sentences-
Wil/Shall+ Subject + Be +Verb (Ist form) + Ing + Object + (?)
 Will she be writing a letter?
4. Interrogative Negative Sentences-
Will/Shall +Subject + Not + Be + Verb (Ist form) + Ing + Object + (?)
Will she not be writing a letter?

Future Perfect Tense

It is used to express an action which will happen/occur in future and will be
completed by a certain time in future.
We use the future perfect to say that something will be finished by a particular time
in the future.

e.g. They will have shifted the house by Sunday morning

Rule: Will/Shall + Have + Verb (3rd form)

Now, let us use this rule in various forms of sentences;

1. Positive/ Affirmative Sentences -

Subject +Wil/Shall + Have + Verb (3rd form) + Object + ()

She will have written a letter.
2. Negative Sentences
Subject+ Will/Shall + Not + Have + Verb (3rd form) + Object + ()
She will not have written a letter.
3. Interrogative Sentences-
Wil/Shall + Subject + Have + Verb 3rd form) + Object + (?)
Will she have written a letter?
4. Interrogative Negative Sentences-
Will/Shall +Subject + Not + Have + Verb (3rd form) +Object + (?)
Will she not have written a letter?
Future Perfect Continuous Tense
It is used to talk about actions that will commence at a fix time in future and will
continue for some time in future.

If there is no time reference, then it is not a Future perfect continuous tense.

Without continued time reference, such sentences are Future Continuous Tense.
Continued time reference only differentiates between Future Continuous Tense and
Future Perfect Continuous Tense.

The future perfect progressive emphasize the duration of an activity that will be
in progress before another time or event in the future.

e.g. This time tomorrow, I will be enjoying the cricket match in the stadium.

It is also used to talk about planned actions or actions expected to happen.

e.g. They will be staying for a week's

The future perfect progressive emphasize the duration of an activity that will be in
progress before another time or event in the future.

Rule: Will/Shall + Have been + Verb (Ist form) + Ing

Now, let us use this rule in various forms of sentences;

1. Positive / Affirmative Sentences

Subject+Wil/Shall + Have been + Verb Ist form) + Ing +Object + ()
She will have been writing a letter.
2. Negative Sentences
Subject+ Will/Shall + Not +Have been + Verb (Ist form)+ Ing + Object+ ()
She will not have been writing a letter.
3. Interrogative Sentences-
Wil/Shall + Subject + Have been + Verb (Ist form) + Ing + Object +(?)
Will she have been writing a letter?
4. Interrogative Negative Sentences-
Wil/Shall+ Subject + Not + Have been +Verb (Ist form) +Ing + Object +(?)
Will she not have been writing a letter?
 Words of
Tenses Usage Sentence formation
Identification

Present Indefinite To express routine. always, scldom, Affirmative sentences

Tense (Simple universal truth, habits.| daily, every day. |(Subjcct (111 person, sing.)+ V,s/es+object|
Present) processes, facts etc.
Subject (pl.)+ V,+ object)
Negative sentences

Subject(II person, sing.)+does nor+V,+

object
[Subject(pl.)+don't+V, +object)
Interrogative sentences
Do/does +subject+V, +object?
Preent Continuous To express continuity of at this time, Affirmative sentences
action in present still Subject+ is/am/are
Tense (Present now,
+V,ing+object
Progressive) Negative sentences

Subject+ is/am/are+not+V, ing+object

Interrogative sentences

Is/am/are+subject+ V,ing+ohject?
Present Perfect To express completion yet, so far Afirmative sentences
Tense of an action in present/
Subject+ has/have +V, +object
recent past. Negative sentences

Subject+ has/have not+V,+object

Interrogative sentences
Has/have+subject + V,+object?

Present Perfect To express the since/for +time Affirmative sentences

Continuous Tensecompletion and Subject+has/have +been+V, ing+object
continuity of an action +since/for +time
Negative sentences
Subject+has/have+not +been+V,ing+object
+since/for+time

Interrogative sentences
Has/have + subject+ been + Ving +

object +since/for + time?

- - - -
Past Indefinite To express an action of yesterday, last Affirmative sentences
Tense (Simple distant past year, ago, etc.
Subject+V, +object
Past) Negative sentences

Subject + did not+V, +object

Interrogative sentences
Did+subject +V,+objec1?
Past Continuous To cxpress continuity of yesterday at this Affirmative sentences
Tense action in the past timewhile, when. Subject+waswere+V,ing+object
etc. Negative sentences
Subject+was/were+not+V, ing+object
Interrogative sentences
Was were+subject+V, ing+object?
Past Perfect Tense To express completion before/after |Affirmative sentences
of action before another Subject + had+V, +object
action of the past. Negative sentences

Subject+ had not+V,+object

Interrogative sentences

Had +subject+V,+object?
Past Perfect To express completion since/for + time Affirmative sentences
Continuous Tense of action as well as Subject+ had been+V, ing+object+Sincel
continuity of action in for+time
the past.
Negalive sentences
Subject+ had not been+V,ing+object
+Since/for +time
Interrogative sentences
Had + Subject + been +
V,ing + object +
Since/for + time?
Future Indefinite To express an action in tomorrow, next Affirmative sentences
Tense (Simple the future Subject+willshall+V,+object
Future) Negative sentences
Subject+will/shall+ not+V,+object
Interrogative sentences
wilshall+subject +V, +object?
Future ContinuousTo express continuity of tomorrow, at this| Affirmative sentences
Tense an action in the future time, etc.
Subject+will/shall be+Vjing+object
Negative sentences
Subject+willshall not+be+V,ing+object
Interrogative sentences
wilshall +subject+be+V,ing+object?

Future Perfect To express the

before/after Affirmative sentences
Tense completion of an action Subject+wilV/shall + have+ V +object
in the future Negative sentences
Subject +wilshall/not + have+V,+object
Interrogative sentences

wil/shall+subject +have+V,+object?
Future Perfect To express the since/for time Affirmative sentences
Continuous Tense completion of an action Subject+wil'shall have +V,ing+object
as well as continuity of +since/for +time
an action in the future.
Negative sentences
Subject+willshall not have +been+V,ing
+object+since/for+ time
Interrogative sentences
willshall +Subject+ have been+V,ing8
+object+since/for+time?
Exercise for tenses

1. She -

the railway station before the train camne.

a) had reached
b) has reached
c) reached
d) was reached

2. His uncle does not here.

a) live
b) lives
c) living
d) lived

3. Peter- - -

editing this magazine for twenty five years by

next January.

a) will be
b) will have been
) is
d) would be

4. Peter -

two wickets before rain interrupted play.

a) took
b) has taken
c) had taken
d) had took

5. him twice before he left for New York.

a) saw
b) have seen
c) had seen
d) seen

6. Edison - -

newspapers before he became a famous

inventor.

a) sold
b) had sold
c)was selling
d) had been selling
7. In my youth I - exercise every day.
a) had taken
b) took
c) was taking
d) had been taking

8. She- -

for Delhi this evening.

a) is leaving
b) was leaving
c) have been leaving
d) had left

9. Heat bodies.

a) expanded
b) would expand
C) expands
d) is expanding

10. We living here since 1990.

a) were
b) are
c) have been
d) had been

11. We here for ten years now.

a) lived
b) have lived
c) had lived
d) were living

12. Did you- - him?

a) seen
b) see
c) saw
d) were seeing
13. Nobody will ever what happened to her.

a) know
b) knew
c) had known
d) be knowing
- her if I wanted to.
14.Icould
a) have married
b) marry
c) married
d) be marrying

15. Does she what she is doing?

a) knows
b) know
c) knew
d) had known

16. When I visited him he. -

bed-ridden for two months.

a) was
b) has been
c) had been
d) were

17.1 school last year.

a) left
b) had left
3/7
c) leaved
d) was leaving

18. There a famine in Bengal in 1982

a) was
b) has been
C) were
d) had been

19. Akbar the Moghul power paramount in India.

a) had made
b) has made
C) made
d) would make

20. John has- home.

a) went
b) go
c) gone
d) going
Answer
1. had reached 2. live
3. will have been 4. had taken
5. had seen 6. sold
7. took 8. is leaving
9. Expands 10. have been
11. have lived 12. see
13. KnovW 14. have married
15. Know 16. had been
17. Left 18. was
19. Made 20. gone

Fill up the blanks by using the correct tense form of the verbs given in
brackets.

Question 1.
(a) We... ... (go) to Guwahati by Rajdhani Express last month.
(b) Rajdhani train.. . ... (be) a fully air-conditioned train.
(c) It . . **** (provide) food, cold drinks, water, and the blankets at
night.
(d) The journey ... (be) cool. It imparted solace to the soul and
mind.
(e) On the opposite, there.. . . (be) a priest.
() H e . . . (be) in the church of Patna for the past twenty years.
(g) I was informed that he . . .
(read) a book.
(h) He did not say when he. (Come).
(i) I hope that you. .. (pardon) me soon.
G) He taught me that good deeds. . . (b) never lost.

Answer (d) was

(a) went (b) is (c) provides
(e) was () has been (g) had been reading
(h) would come (i) will pardon ) are

Question 2.
(a) Arjun...
********... (be) a good friend of Lord Krishna.
(b) He never... ... (want) to fight with his brother Duryodhan.
(c) It was Krishna who ...
... (inspire) Arjun by giving him Upadesas
of Gita.
(d) Arjun . (bow) before his Guru and then he started fighting.
(e) The Mahabharata.********** (write) by Ved Vyasji.
() The Mahabharata .(be) an epic.

Answer (b) wanted

(a) was
(c) inspired (d) bowed
(e) was written (f) is

Question 3.
(a)Malaria. ..... (be) caused by female Anopheles mosquito.
(b) They ... ( b e ) also called carriers.
(c) When a Mosquito .... .(bite) a person, the microbes enter into
the bloodstream.
(d) We should .. . . (keep) the surrounding clean to avoid the
breeding of mosquitoes.
(e) Disease-causing microbes. (be) called pathogens.
(f) Yeast . . .... (be) a friendly microbe.

Answer:
(a) is (b) are
(c) bites (d) keep
(e) are ()is

Question 4
Last week I (a).. . . (visit) the trade fair. It (b)....
*******
(inaugurate) by the President of India. I (c) . . . . . . . (accompany) by my
friend who (d).... . . (come) from the U.S.A. last week. He (e)
... (live) in the U.S.A. since last five years. He (f)... .. (do)
his M.B.A. from the New York University.

Answer:
(a) visited (b) was inaugurated
(c) was accompanied (d) had come
(e) has been living () is doing

Question 5.
Kate Middleton may (a) .. . (be) looked dainty and fairy-like in her
wedding gown but (b) ... ... (talk) doing the rounds (c)... ******
(be) that the'dress bore a striking similarity with Grace Kelly's wedding
outfit. Royal wedding fans couldn't (d) . . . (help) noticing that both
the brides (e) ... . . . (wear) dramatic gowns with similar V-shaped
necklines and long white lace sleeves at their respective weddings, (f)
. . (report) the New York Daily.

Answer:
(a) have (b) talks
(c) are (d) help
(e) wore () reportss
Question 6.
(a) Mrs Talwar ****** . . .

(live) in a village.
(b) She .. ... (be) three children.
************

(c) Her hobby.. **********

....(be) singing and praying in solitude.
(d) She.... . (love) to look after the poor children.
(e) Her children. .. . . (be) abroad.

(f) She.... (be) a staunch devotee of Lord Krishna.

Answer
(a) lives (b) has (c) is
(d) loves (e) are (f) is

Question 7.
Honey, amla, gums, resins, tubers and tamarind; all these and more (a)
************* (come) fromforests and (b).. .. find) their way
tribals who (pluck), dig and extract
into our lives. But the
them get a pittance. Now, the government (d)..
(c). ********

.... . (decide) to
provide a minimum support price (MSP) for some select forest produce on
the lines of wheat and paddy. The step could (e) ...... (help)
around 40 million tribal families which still (f).... . (depend) part
or whole year on income from forests.

Answer
(a) come (b) have found (c) pluck
(d) has decided (e) help (f) depend
Question 8.
A new study has (a) ... (find) that birds living in cities (b)
* **
* ***** .... (be) larger brains while species with smaller brains (c)
*******
(find) almost exclusively in rural locations. Researchers at
Sweden's Uppsala University (d)... .
(look) at 82 bird species in
central. European cities and in the surrounding countryside and (e)
... (found) that birds with relatively large brains, such as crows
* * * * * * * * * * *

and magpies (t)...******** .. (inhabit) urban areas.

Answer
(a) found (b) have (c) are found
(d) have looked (e) have found (f) inhabit

Question 9.
Peddacheppalli (a) . . ** ... (become) a habitation after Pakistani
*****

Kapu brothers who (b)... .. (come) from Northern India, (c)

.. (cut) down a forest and (d)..
*************
. . . (level) it, and
hence the village (e). .. . . (name) Peddacheppalli after the eldest
of the brothers. Sage Agastya (f). . . . . (live) here for some time.
Answer:
(a) became (b) came (c) cut
(d) leveled (e) was named (f) lived

Question 10.
With the onset of Kaliyuga, none (a)... ... (perform) pooja and the
area (b)... (turn) into a forest with wild shrubs and mud hills (c)
. . .

*********... (form) on the Shivlingam. When chappals (d)..**************

get) trees cut down for (e) ..
. . . . .
(Torm) a village, a valmeekam (f)
(surface) and local people offered prayers.
. .

Answer:
(a) performed (b) turned (c) formed
(d) got (e) forming (f) surfaced