.png)
Tenses in English Grammar | Present, Past & Future | Structure & Usage
- M
- May 12, 2020
- 14 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
CONTENTS
1. Forms of Verbs
2. Conjugation of verbs
3. Position of BE and Have Verbs.
4. Tense and its Types.
5. Simple Present- Structure and Uses with examples.
Forms of Verbs
BE VERBS | am, is, are, was, were |
HAVE VERBS | have, has, had |
STRONG VERBS | Write- wrote- Written (Note: Strong Verbs or irregular verbs form their past tense by changing the inside vowels of present tense.) |
WEAK VERBS | flow- flowed/ feel- felt etc. (Note: Weak verbs also called regular verbs form their past tense by adding ‘-d, -ed, or –t’. ) |
Conjugation of Regular/ Irregular Verbs
Position of Be & Have Verbs
INTRODUCTION TO TENSES
A tense is the form a verb takes to show the time at which an action takes place. Every sentence has a tense, and choosing the wrong tense is one of the most common errors in written and spoken English.
There are three main tenses — Present, Past, and Future — and each has four forms:
Form | Function |
Simple | Basic fact or habit |
Continuous | Action in progress |
Perfect | Completed action with present/past relevance |
Perfect Continuous | Action that began earlier and is still continuing |
1. SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE
Structure:
Subject + V1 (base form)
He / She / It / Singular noun → add -s or -es to the verb
I / We / You / They → base form
Usage:
a) Habitual or repeated actions
She wakes up at six every morning.
They play cricket on Sundays.
b) Universal truths and facts
The earth revolves around the sun.
Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
c) Permanent situations
He lives in Mumbai.
She works at a hospital.
d) Scheduled future events
The train leaves at 7 p.m. tonight.
The match begins at 4 o'clock.
e) Instructions and directions
You take the first left and then turn right.
Negative: Subject + do/does + not + V1
She does not eat meat.
They do not know the answer.
Question: Do/Does + Subject + V1?
Does he speak French?
Do they live nearby?
2. PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE
Structure:
Subject + is/am/are + V1+ing
Usage:
a) Action happening right now
She is reading a novel at the moment.
They are playing in the garden.
b) Temporary action (not permanent)
He is staying with his uncle this week.
I am working from home these days.
c) Planned future action
We are leaving for Delhi tomorrow.
She is meeting the principal in the evening.
d) Annoying/repeated habits (with 'always')
He is always losing his keys.
She is always interrupting when others speak.
Verbs NOT used in continuous form (Stative Verbs):
know, believe, understand, love, hate, want, need, see, hear, smell, taste, own, belong, seem, appear.
❌ She is knowing the answer. ✅ She knows the answer.
3. PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
Structure:
Subject + has/have + V3 (past participle)
Usage:
a) Action just completed
She has just finished her homework.
The train has left the station.
b) Action completed but time not specified
I have visited Agra.
He has read this book before.
c) Action that began in the past and continues
She has lived here for ten years.
I have known him since childhood.
d) With: just, already, yet, ever, never, recently, since, for
Have you ever eaten sushi?
She has never been abroad.
I have already submitted the form.
Have you finished yet?
Since vs For:
Since → specific point in time: since Monday, since 2010, since morning.
For → duration: for three hours, for a week, for many years.
4. PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE
Structure:
Subject + has/have + been + V1+ing
Usage:
a) Action that started in the past and is still continuing
She has been studying for three hours.
It has been raining since morning.
b) Action recently stopped but its effect is visible
He looks tired — he has been working all day.
Her eyes are red — she has been crying.
c) To emphasise duration
They have been waiting for the bus for forty minutes.
EXERCISE QUESTIONS
Section A — Fill in the blanks using Simple Present Tense.
The sun ______ (set) in the west.
She ______ (teach) Mathematics at our school.
He ______ (not/eat) non-vegetarian food.
Water ______ (freeze) at zero degrees Celsius.
The bus ______ (leave) at eight every morning.
______ she ______ (speak) any foreign language?
Honest people always ______ (tell) the truth.
He ______ (not/know) where she lives.
The match ______ (start) at five this evening.
Nurses ______ (take) care of patients in hospitals.
Section B — Fill in the blanks using Present Continuous Tense.
Listen! Someone ______ (knock) at the door.
She ______ (not/watch) television right now.
They ______ (plan) a surprise party for her birthday.
He ______ (always/talk) during the class — it's very annoying.
We ______ (leave) for Pune tomorrow morning.
The children ______ (play) cricket in the ground.
I ______ (read) a very interesting novel these days.
______ you ______ (wait) for someone?
Section C — Fill in the blanks using Present Perfect Tense.
She ______ (just/finish) cooking dinner.
I ______ (never/see) such a beautiful sunset before.
He ______ (live) in this city since 2015.
______ you ______ (ever/ride) a horse?
They ______ (not/receive) any reply yet.
We ______ (know) each other for fifteen years.
The teacher ______ (already/explain) this chapter.
It ______ (not/rain) here for three months.
Section D — Fill in the blanks using Present Perfect Continuous Tense.
She ______ (study) since six in the morning.
They ______ (wait) for over an hour.
He looks exhausted — he ______ (run) all afternoon.
It ______ (snow) since last night.
I ______ (work) on this project for two weeks.
Section E — Identify the tense in each sentence.
She has been learning French for six months.
The earth moves around the sun.
They are building a new school in our area.
He has already eaten his lunch.
We play badminton every evening.
The doctor is examining the patient right now.
I have never tasted this dish before.
It has been drizzling since afternoon.
Section F — Error Correction
She is knowing the answer very well.
I am living here since ten years.
He have finished his homework already.
They are play cricket in the park.
She has been wait for you since morning.
Water are boiling at 100 degrees.
Has she went to the market yet?
He is always loosing his things.
Past Tenses — All Four Forms
1. SIMPLE PAST TENSE
Structure:
Subject + V2 (past form)
Negative: Subject + did + not + V1
Question: Did + Subject + V1?
Usage:
a) Completed action at a definite time in the past
She visited Jaipur last year.
He finished the work at noon.
b) Series of completed past actions
She entered the room, sat down, and opened her book.
c) Past habits (with 'used to' or simple past)
He used to walk to school every day.
They played together when they were children.
d) Historical facts
Gandhi was born in 1869.
India became independent in 1947.
Common Irregular Verbs:
V1 | V2 | V3 |
go | went | gone |
write | wrote | written |
take | took | taken |
speak | spoke | spoken |
know | knew | known |
begin | began | begun |
break | broke | broken |
see | saw | seen |
give | gave | given |
come | came | come |
2. PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE
Structure:
Subject + was/were + V1+ing
Usage:
a) Action in progress at a specific past time
At eight last night, she was studying.
What were you doing at this time yesterday?
b) Longer action interrupted by a shorter one
She was cooking when the phone rang.
I was walking to school when it started raining.
c) Two simultaneous past actions
While she was reading, he was watching television.
She was singing while he was playing the guitar.
d) Background description in narrative
The sun was setting.
A cool breeze was blowing.
Birds were returning to their nests.
Past Continuous vs Simple Past:
Simple Past = completed, shorter action.
Past Continuous = longer, ongoing background action.
Ex: She was sleeping (ongoing) when the alarm rang (short, completed).
3. PAST PERFECT TENSE
Structure:
Subject + had + V3 (past participle)
Usage:
a) Action completed before another past action
When I reached the station, the train had already left.
She had finished her homework before dinner.
b) Reporting what someone had done
He said he had never visited Mumbai.
c) With 'by the time', 'before', 'after', 'when', 'already'
By the time we arrived, the function had ended.
After she had eaten, she went for a walk.
Key Rule:
When two past actions are mentioned, the action that happened first uses Past Perfect (had + V3), and the one that happened second uses Simple Past.
She had locked the door before she left. (locking happened first)
4. PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE
Structure:
Subject + had + been + V1+ing
Usage:
a) Action that had been going on for some time before another past action
She had been waiting for an hour when he finally arrived.
They had been playing for two hours before it started raining.
b) Cause of a past situation
He was tired because he had been working all day.
Her eyes were red because she had been crying.
c) Emphasising duration before a past moment
By 2010, she had been teaching at the school for fifteen years.
EXERCISE QUESTIONS
Section A — Fill in the blanks using Simple Past Tense.
She ______ (write) a letter to her friend yesterday.
They ______ (not/attend) the function last evening.
______ he ______ (speak) to the principal about the matter?
The children ______ (run) out of the classroom when the bell ______ (ring).
India ______ (win) the match by ten wickets.
She ______ (not/know) anyone at the party.
He ______ (take) his medicine before going to bed.
We ______ (go) to the museum last Sunday.
The teacher ______ (give) us a lot of homework.
She ______ (see) him at the market this morning.
Section B — Fill in the blanks using Past Continuous Tense.
She ______ (read) when her mother called her.
What ______ you ______ (do) at nine last night?
They ______ (not/study) when the teacher entered.
While he ______ (drive), it ______ (start) to rain heavily.
The children ______ (play) in the park when the accident occurred.
She ______ (cook) dinner while he ______ (watch) television.
At this time yesterday, I ______ (sit) in the examination hall.
The old man ______ (walk) slowly when we ______ (meet) him.
Section C — Fill in the blanks using Past Perfect Tense.
When we arrived at the cinema, the film ______ (already/begin).
She ______ (never/travel) by air before that journey.
By the time he reached home, everyone ______ (eat) dinner.
He told me that he ______ (finish) the project.
After she ______ (lock) the door, she realised she had left her keys inside.
They ______ (not/meet) before that conference.
I knew her because I ______ (see) her at the school earlier.
She ______ (just/leave) when I arrived.
Section D — Fill in the blanks using Past Perfect Continuous Tense.
He was breathless because he ______ (run) for a long time.
She ______ (teach) at this school for twenty years before she retired.
They ______ (wait) for three hours when the bus finally arrived.
By the time the doctor came, the patient ______ (suffer) for days.
I was exhausted because I ______ (work) all night.
Section E — Choose the correct tense.
When she (entered / was entering) the room, everyone (stood / was standing) up.
He (lived / had lived) in that house for thirty years before he sold it.
While they (played / were playing) cricket, it (began / was beginning) to thunder.
She (finished / had finished) cooking before the guests arrived.
I (saw / was seeing) him at the market — he (wore / was wearing) a red shirt.
Section F — Error Correction
When I reached, the train already left.
She was cook dinner when I called her.
They had went to the market before noon.
He known the answer but he didn't speak.
While she was singing, he slept.
By the time I arrived, she is waiting for an hour.
She didn't knew anyone at the function.
I was see him walking towards the station.
Section G — Rewrite using the correct past tense.
She (be) very tired because she (work) all day.
After he (eat) his dinner, he (go) to sleep.
While the teacher (explain), the students (take) notes.
I (not/meet) her before I (see) her at the wedding.
By 2020, they (live) in that house for fifteen years.
Future Tenses | Revision | Mixed Practice
1. SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE
Structure:
Subject + will + V1
Negative: Subject + will + not (won't) + V1
Question: Will + Subject + V1?
Usage:
a) Decisions made at the moment of speaking
It's cold. I will close the window.
I will call you in the evening.
b) Predictions based on opinion or belief
I think it will rain tomorrow.
She will probably win the competition.
c) Promises and offers
I will help you with your homework.
Don't worry — I won't tell anyone.
d) Threats and warnings
If you don't study, you will fail.
They will regret this decision.
e) Facts about the future
She will turn eighteen next month.
The new school will open in January.
2. FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE
Structure:
Subject + will + be + V1+ing
Usage:
a) Action in progress at a specific future time
At this time tomorrow, I will be travelling to Delhi.
She will be attending a seminar all morning.
b) Planned or expected future action
He will be waiting for you at the airport.
They will be celebrating their anniversary this weekend.
c) Polite enquiries about plans
Will you be joining us for dinner?
Will she be coming to the meeting?
3. FUTURE PERFECT TENSE
Structure:
Subject + will + have + V3
Usage:
a) Action that will be completed before a specific future time
By next month, she will have finished the course.
By eight o'clock, he will have reached home.
b) Action that will be completed before another future action
By the time you arrive, I will have cooked dinner.
She will have left before you get there.
c) With 'by', 'by the time', 'before'
By 2030, scientists will have found a cure for the disease.
He will have retired before the new system comes into place.
4. FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE
Structure:
Subject + will + have + been + V1+ing
Usage:
a) Duration of an action up to a point in the future
By December, she will have been working here for five years.
By next year, they will have been living in this house for a decade.
b) Emphasising continuity leading up to a future moment
When he retires, he will have been teaching for thirty years.
By tonight, I will have been travelling for twelve hours.
GOING TO — Future Plans and Intentions
Structure:
Subject + is/am/are + going to + V1
Usage:
a) Plans and intentions already decided
She is going to study medicine.
They are going to renovate the house next month.
b) Predictions based on present evidence
Look at those dark clouds — it is going to rain.
He is driving too fast — he is going to have an accident.
Will vs Going to:
Will | Going to |
Spontaneous decision | Pre-planned decision |
"I'll answer the phone." | "I'm going to call him later." |
General prediction | Evidence-based prediction |
"It will rain tomorrow." | "Look at the clouds — it's going to rain." |
COMPREHENSIVE TENSE SUMMARY TABLE
Tense | Structure | Key Words |
Simple Present | V1 / V1+s/es | always, usually, every day, often |
Present Continuous | is/am/are + V-ing | now, at the moment, currently, today |
Present Perfect | has/have + V3 | just, already, yet, ever, never, since, for |
Present Perfect Continuous | has/have + been + V-ing | since, for + duration (ongoing) |
Simple Past | V2 | yesterday, last week, ago, in 1990 |
Past Continuous | was/were + V-ing | while, when, at that time, all morning |
Past Perfect | had + V3 | before, after, by the time, already, when |
Past Perfect Continuous | had + been + V-ing | for, since + past point, before a past event |
Simple Future | will + V1 | tomorrow, next week, soon, probably |
Future Continuous | will + be + V-ing | at this time tomorrow, next morning |
Future Perfect | will + have + V3 | by, by the time, before + future point |
Future Perfect Continuous | will + have + been + V-ing | by + future time, for + duration |
EXERCISE QUESTIONS
Section A — Fill in the blanks using Simple Future or Going To.
Look at those clouds — it ______ (rain).
I ______ (help) you carry those bags — they look heavy.
She ______ (study) engineering next year — she has already applied.
Don't worry about the bill — I ______ (pay) it.
He is driving carelessly — he ______ (cause) an accident.
We ______ (visit) our grandparents during the holidays.
I think the blue team ______ (win) the tournament.
She ______ (not/attend) the function — she already has plans.
Section B — Fill in the blanks using Future Continuous Tense.
At this time next week, we ______ (travel) through Rajasthan.
She ______ (present) her project all afternoon tomorrow.
______ you ______ (use) the car this evening?
He ______ (wait) for you at the station when you arrive.
This time tomorrow, the children ______ (write) their examination.
Section C — Fill in the blanks using Future Perfect Tense.
By the time you wake up, I ______ (leave) for the airport.
By next March, she ______ (complete) her graduation.
He ______ (finish) the report before the meeting begins.
By 2030, scientists ______ (discover) new treatments for many diseases.
By the time the guests arrive, we ______ (prepare) everything.
Section D — Fill in the blanks using Future Perfect Continuous Tense.
By December, she ______ (work) at this organisation for a decade.
When he retires, he ______ (teach) for thirty-five years.
By tonight, I ______ (drive) for over twelve hours.
By next year, they ______ (live) in this house for twenty years.
When the project ends, we ______ (work) on it for six months.
Section E — Mixed Tenses — Fill in the blanks. (Choose the most appropriate tense)
By the time she ______ (arrive), we ______ (wait) for two hours.
She ______ (teach) at this school since 2010.
While he ______ (read) the newspaper, the phone ______ (ring).
I ______ (call) you as soon as I ______ (reach) home.
The sun ______ (rise) in the east — this is a fact.
He ______ (already/finish) his work when she ______ (call).
At this time tomorrow, they ______ (play) the final match.
Look — that child ______ (fall) off the bicycle!
By next month, she ______ (complete) the course.
I ______ (never/visit) London before I ______ (go) there last year.
Section F — Comprehensive Error Correction
She will finishes her work by evening.
By the time I arrive, he will left.
They are study for the examination right now.
I have saw this film three times before.
She will be study at this time tomorrow.
When I reached, the match already started.
He is knowing the answer but didn't say.
By next year, she will working here for five years.
I will to help you with your project.
She had went to the market before I arrived.
Section G — Rewrite as directed.
She finishes her homework. (Change to Present Perfect)
They are playing cricket. (Change to Past Continuous)
I visited Agra last year. (Change to Present Perfect)
She will complete the project. (Change to Future Perfect — "by Friday")
He works here. (Change to Present Perfect Continuous — "for ten years")
Section H — Tense in Context
Fill in the blanks in the following paragraph using the most appropriate tense of the verbs given in brackets.
Riya ______ (be) a student of class nine. Every morning she ______ (wake) up at six and ______ (get) ready for school. Yesterday, however, she ______ (wake) up late because she ______ (study) till midnight. By the time she ______ (reach) school, the first period ______ (already/begin). Her teacher ______ (look) at her sternly as she ______ (enter). After school, she ______ (decide) that she ______ (never/repeat) the same mistake. "From tomorrow," she ______ (say), "I ______ (sleep) on time so that I ______ (not/be) late again."
Section I — Creative Writing Task
Write a short paragraph of 8–10 sentences about your plans for the upcoming summer holidays. Use at least five different tenses (Simple Present, Simple Future, Future Continuous, Future Perfect, and Going to). Underline each verb and write the tense above it.
ANSWER KEY — SELECTED ANSWERS
Period 1, Section A: 1-sets, 2-teaches, 3-does not eat, 4-freezes, 5-leaves, 6-Does/speak, 7-tell, 8-does not know, 9-starts, 10-take
Period 1, Section F: 1-knows, 2-have lived/since, 3-has finished, 4-are playing, 5-has been waiting, 6-boils, 7-Has she gone, 8-always losing
Period 2, Section A: 1-wrote, 2-did not attend, 3-Did/speak, 4-ran/rang, 5-won, 6-did not know, 7-took, 8-went, 9-gave, 10-saw
Period 2, Section F: 1-had already left, 2-was cooking, 3-had gone, 4-knew, 5-was sleeping/slept, 6-had been waiting, 7-did not know, 8-saw
Period 3, Section A: 1-is going to rain, 2-will help, 3-is going to study, 4-will pay, 5-is going to cause, 6-are going to visit, 7-will win, 8-will not attend
Period 3, Section F: 1-will finish, 2-will have left, 3-are studying, 4-have seen, 5-will be studying, 6-had already started, 7-knows, 8-will have been working, 9-will help, 10-had gone
.png)
