Tenses

What are Tenses?

Tense is something which tells us when the action expressed by the verb took place. There are three
main divisions of tenses.
 Past Tense: The past tense is used to talk about actions which took place in the past.

Manjula studied in this school.

Gretel was cleaning her house.
Raman had perfected the art of hospitality.
Harsh had been touring the country this time last year.

 Present Tense: The present tense is used to talk about actions which take place in the present.

Sarita lives with her parents.

Yamini is preparing dinner for her family.
I have finished my work.
The company has been functioning well.

 Future Tense: The future tense is used to talk about actions which will take place in the future.

Geeta will return the book.

I shall be travelling to Munich.
Rajat will have completed his chores in some time.
Beena will have been working with us for ten years.

Present Tense
The present tense can be divided into four categories:
1. Simple
2. Continuous
3. Perfect
4. Perfect continuous
Simple Present Tense
Examples of sentences in the simple present tense:

Habitual action I exercise every day.

Mala visits her mother on Tuesdays.
Ability Manish plays the flute.
Rishi can drive cars.
Events of the near future We leave tonight.
They move to their new apartment this week.
Facts Mr Prasad is the CEO of this company.
Man is a social animal.
Non-factual beliefs The pen is mightier than the sword.
I trust you more than I trust myself.

Present Continuous Tense

 The present continuous tense is used to express actions which are currently in progress.
 Progressive helping verbs (is, am, are) are used along with the „-ing‟ form of the verb.

Helping Verbs Main Verb (-ing form)

is working
are packing

Examples of sentences in the present continuous tense:

Progressive actions The children are camping by the riverside.

Mother is writing a letter.
Near future Harsha is meeting my family tomorrow.
The CEO is leaving tonight.

Present continuous tense on a timeline:

Now

Past Present Continuous Future

Action in progression
Present Perfect Tense
 The present perfect tense is used to express an action which may have happened at a specific
time before now.
 Perfect helping verbs (has, have) are used with the past participle form of the verb.

Helping Verbs Main Verb (Past Participle)

has frozen
have moved

 The present perfect tense is never used when the time or date of the action is mentioned.
o Frieda has visited us in 1999. Incorrect
o Frieda visited us in 1999. Correct

Examples of sentences in the present perfect tense:

Recently completed action Bob has released the birds from their cage.
The train has halted at the station.
When the time of completion is unspecified This has happened before.
Jennifer has met you once.
A past action which is still in continuation We have believed every word you said.
Meera has always used the best cosmetics.
Changes which have happened over time The despot has led the country to ruins.
Pooja has turned into a high-flying socialite.
When the consequences are more Manoj has eaten the last biscuit on the plate.
important than the action itself The rebels have ended the rule of the autocratic king.
A past action whose benefits I have learnt how to speak in Mandarin.
can be felt to this day Ratna has set up an automatic burglar alarm.

Present perfect tense on a timeline:

Action completed
in the past
Now

Present Perfect Tense

Action which happened at a
specific time before now
Present Perfect Continuous Tense
 The present perfect continuous tense is used to express an action which may have happened in
the past and has continued up to this very moment.
 It is formed out of the addition of perfect helping verbs (has, have) to the participle form of
progressive helping verbs (been) and finally to the „-ing‟ form of the main verb.

Helping Verb (Perfect) Helping Verb (Participle) Main Verb (-ing)

has been speaking
have been playing

Examples of sentences in the present perfect tense:

Actions of the past which continue to the present moment

Lionel has been writing his assignment since 6 o‟clock.

Meera has been waiting for you at the reception.

Points to remember
 The words „for‟ and „since‟ are used with the present perfect continuous tense to indicate the
duration of the action.
 Use „for‟ to talk about the duration of the action.
o The Principal has been lecturing us for one hour.
o It has been pouring for four hours.
 Use „since‟ to indicate when the action began.
o Ram Singh has been working in this company since 1980.
o Both the men have been toiling in the field since morning.

Present perfect continuous on a timeline:

(Duration of action)

Past Present Perfect Present

Continuous
Past Tense
The past tense can be divided into four categories:
1. Simple
2. Continuous
3. Perfect
4. Perfect continuous

Simple Past Tense

 The simple past tense is used to express an action which was completed at one point of time in
the past.

Completed actions I appeared for the interview yesterday.

Meera paid her bills.
Habitual actions of the past Usha taught at a college nearby.
The princes practised archery by the river.
Past facts or generalisations Queen Cleopatra was married to Julius Caesar.
We lived only on bread and water.

Simple past tense on a timeline:

Simple Past Tense Now

Past Continuous Tense

 The past continuous tense is used to express actions which were in progression at one point of
time in the past.
 It is formed when progressive helping verbs (was, were) are added to the „-ing‟ form of the main
verb.

Helping Verb Main Verb (-ing)

was having
were thinking

Continuing actions of the past Gerald was painting on a huge canvas.

Sangeeta was talking in her sleep.
To mention the action of longer The bomb was ticking as they spoke.
duration while comparing two actions Lalith was sleeping when he heard the alarm bell.
To talk about a progressive action The mice were following the Pied Piper.
in a narrative The queen was listening to the minstrel‟s songs.
Past continuous tense on a timeline:

Now
Past
Continuous
Action in
progression

Past Perfect Tense

 The past perfect tense is used to express an action which may have happened at a specific time
before another action began in the past.
 The perfect helping verb „had‟ is used with the past participle form of the verb.

Helping Verbs Main Verb (Past Participle)

had begun
had insisted

 The past perfect tense is never used when the time or date of the action is mentioned.
o Kirk had graduated in 2007. Incorrect
o Kirk graduated in 2007. Correct

Action completed in the past before Mahesh had just finished his homework when Ram
another action began came calling.
To change from direct speech to Gregory said, “I spend all my money.”
reported speech Gregory stated that he had spent all his money.

Past perfect tense on a timeline:

Action 1 Action 2 Now

Past perfect
tense
The action which
happened before
another action in
the past
Past Perfect Continuous Tense
 The past perfect continuous tense is used to express an action which may have started at a
particular point of time in the past and may have ended at another point of time in the past.
 It is formed out of the addition of the perfect helping verb had to the participle form of the
progressive helping verb been and finally to the „-ing‟ form of the main verb.

Helping Verb Helping Verb (Participle) Main Verb (-ing)

had been sleeping
had been talking

Examples of sentences in the past perfect continuous tense:

An action which may have started and Krishna had been talking to himself in a stupor.
may have gone on for a while in the William had been sleeping during the lecture.
past

Past perfect continuous tense on a timeline:

Action Action Now

started ended

Past Perfect
Continuous

Future Tense
The future tense can be divided into four categories:
1. Simple
2. Continuous
3. Perfect
4. Perfect continuous

Simple Future
 The simple future tense is formed by adding the modal auxiliaries „will‟, „would‟, „may‟, „shall‟
and „might‟ to the simple present tense of the main verb.

Modal Auxiliary Main Verb

will leave
would come
may stay
shall bring
might rain
 Events of the future The lunch will be ready in 10 minutes.
Dr Paranjpe will preside over the meeting.
Consequences of present actions You will regret if you are hasty.
Children would get the wrong message.
Expressing promise or a plan I will travel to Ireland someday.
Prince Dhruva will be the heir to the throne.
Future facts or habitual actions Our child will study in this school.
Nagma will report the matter to me.

Simple future tense on a timeline:

Now Simple Future

Future Continuous Tense

 The future continuous tense is formed by adding the modal auxiliaries „will‟ or „would‟ and the
progressive helping verb „be‟ to the „-ing‟ form of the main verb.

Modal Auxiliary Progressive Helping Verb Main Verb

will be going
would be breaking

Examples of sentences in the future continuous tense:

Future events which will be in Future events or plans

continuation

Rita will be travelling to Mumbai at this I will be studying in the National Institute of
time tomorrow. Technology.
George would be listening to music at Falguni and I will be accompanying
night. Sheetal to her house.

Future continuous tense on a timeline:

Now
Future
Continuous
Action in
progression
Future Perfect Tense
 The future continuous tense is formed by adding the modal auxiliaries „will‟ or „would‟ and the
perfect helping verb „have’ to the participle form of the main verb.

Modal Auxiliary Perfect Helping Verb Participle Form of Main Verb

will have eaten
would have taken

Future events which will be completed on or by a particular time

Manish will have cleaned the room by the time we return.

The authorities will have arrested him by daybreak.

Future

Now Action Completed

Future Perfect Tense

Future Perfect Continuous Tense
 The future perfect continuous tense is formed by the addition of the modal auxiliaries will or
would; perfect helping verb have; the past participle form of progressive helping verbs (been); and
the present participle (-ing) form of the main verb.

Modal Auxiliary Perfect Helping Verb Helping Verb (Past Main Verb (Present
Participle) Participle)
will have been talking
would have been sleeping

Examples of sentences in the future perfect continuous tense:

A cause for something in the future

Jatin will have left as he will have been waiting for two hours by then.
Anuja will have slept as she will have been awake for two hours.
Future perfect continuous tense on a timeline:

Now Action Action

started ended