THE TENSES
CONTENTS
• Introduction
• Classification based on Time Frame
• Classification based on Aspect
• Block diagram of Tenses
• List of Rules
• Present Tense
• Past Tense
• Future Tense
• List of Examples
INTRODUCTION
The word Tense is derived
from latin word “tempus”
which means time. A verb
indicates the time of an
action, event or condition by
changing its form.
Based on Time frame
The verb tenses may be
categorized according to the
time frame:
• Present Tense
• Past Tense
• Future Tense
Present Tense :---
Present tense expresses an
unchanging, repeated, or reoccurring
action or situation that exists only now. It
can also represent a widespread truth.
Past Tense :---
Past tense expresses an action or
situation that was started and finished in
the past.
Future Tense :---
Future tense expresses an action
or situation that will occur in the future.
CONTENTS
Based on Aspect
Verb tenses may also be
categorized according to aspect.
Aspect refers to the nature of
the action described by the verb.
There are four aspects:
• Indefinite or Simple
• Continuous or Progressive
• Perfect or Complete
• Perfect Continuous
Indefinite Tense
The three indefinite tenses, or
simple tenses, describe an action but do
not state whether the action is finished.
Continuous Tense
The three continuous tenses,
incomplete tenses, or progressive
tenses, describe an unfinished action.
Perfect Tense
The three complete tenses,
or
perfect tenses, describe a finished
action.
Perfect Continuous Tense
To combine the complete tenses and
the incomplete tenses, to describe an action
There are twelve possible
verb tenses.
Verb Tenses
Present Past Future
Present Indefinite Past Indefinite Future Indefinite
Present Continuous Past Continuous Future Continuous
Present Perfect Past Perfect Future Perfect
Present Perfect Cont. Past Perfect Future Perfect Cont.
Cont.
CONTENTS
Here is a list of rules of
these tenses:
Perfect
Simple Progressive Perfect
Progressive
Forms
Forms
Forms Forms
am/is/are + have/ha have/has
Ist form +
Present s / es
Ist form + s+ been + Ist
ing IIIrd form +
form ing
was/were + had + had been +
Past IInd form Ist form + Ist form +
ing IIIrd ing
form
will have
will have
will/shall will be + Ist
Future + Ist form form + ing
+ IIIrd
been + Ist
form form +
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ing
Present Tense
Present
Present Indefinite Tense
Present Continuous Tense
Present Perfect Tense
Present Perfect
Cont.Tense
Present Indefinite Tense
The simple present is used
to describe an action, an event, or
condition that is occurring in the
present, at the moment of speaking
or writing.
For Example—
I play.
He / She plays.
Present Continuous Tense
The present continuous
emphasizes the continuing nature of
an act, event, or condition.
For Example—
I am playing.
He / She is
playing. They are
playing.
Present Perfect Tense
The present perfect tense is
used to describe action that began
in the past and continues into the
present or has just been completed.
For Example—
I have played.
He / She has played.
Present Perfect Cont.Tense
The present perfect
continuous is used to describe an
action, event, or condition that has
begun in the past and continues into
the present.
For Example—
I / You have been
playing. He / She has
been playing. CONTENTS
Past Tense
Past
Past Indefinite Tense
Past Continuous Tense
Past Perfect Tense
Past Perfect
Cont.Tense
Past Indefinite Tense
The simple past is used to
describe an action, an event, or
condition that occurred in the past.
For Example—
I played.
He / She played.
Past Continuous Tense
The past continuous tense is
used to described actions ongoing in the
past.
For Example—
I was playing.
He / She was
playing. You were
playing.
Past Perfect Tense
The past perfect tense is
used to refer to actions that took
place and were completed in the
past.
For Example—
I had played.
He / She had played.
Past Perfect Cont.Tense
The past perfect
continuous is used to indicate that
a continuing action in the past
began before another past action
began or interrupted the first action.
For Example—
I had been playing.
He / She had been playing.
CONTENTS
Future Tense
Future
Future Indefinite Tense
Future Continuous Tense
Future Perfect Tense
Future Perfect
Cont.Tense
Future Indefinite Tense
The simple future is used to
refer to actions that will take place
after the act of speaking or writing.
For Example—
I shall play.
He / She will play.
Future Continuous Tense
The future continuous tense
is used to describe actions ongoing
in the future. The future progressive
is used to refer to continuing action
that will occur in the future.
For Example—
I shall be playing.
He / She will be playing.
Future Perfect Tense
The future perfect is used to
refer to an action that will be
completed sometime in the future
before another action takes place.
For Example—
I shall have played.
He / She will have played.
Future Perfect
Continuous Tense
The future perfect continuous
tense is used to indicate a continuing
action that will be completed at some
specified time in the future.
For Example—
I shall have been playing.
He / She will have been
playing.
CONTENTS
Here is a list of examples of these
tenses and their definitions:
Perfect
Simple Progressive Perfect
Progressive
Forms
Forms
Forms Forms
I have I have been
Present I play I am playing
playing
played
I was I had I had been
Past I played
playing played playing
I shall I shall have
I shall I shall be
Future play playing
have been
played playing
