TENSES
tenses are the forms of a verb that show the time of an action. . We study three tenses in
English grammar; they are:
1. Present tense – The present tense mainly describes a current event or state of being. 2. Past tense - The past tense mainly used to describe a completed activity that happened in the past.
3. Future tense – The future tense marks the event described by the verb as not having happened yet, but expected to happen in the future.
PRESENT TENSE
The present tense is used in English to tell us about an event that is going on in the
present time. The present tense has further four types. We will see them
one by one.
The sentence structure for simple present tense is:
Subject ( I, You, We, They ) + V1 ( First Form of Verb ) + Object
We use simple present tense in the following ways:
a) It is used to show a habit.
e.g. He goes to the park every morning at 7.
b) Simple present tense is used to express general truths.
c) Simple present tense is used in exclamatory sentences starting with here and there.
e.g. Here goes the train!
There he comes! Let’s welcome him for coming late to the class.
d) Simple present tense is generally used with fixed timetables and fixed programmes.
e.g. The cricket match, for which you all are excited, starts at 7 pm.
The sentence structure for present continuous tense is:
Subject ( I/ You/ We/ They ) + auxillary verb (is/am/are) + Verb+ing + Object
We use present continuous tense in the following ways:
a) It is used to show that an action is going on in that given time.
e.g. Look! Those boys are playing in the damp area of the park.
b) We also use present continuous tense to show a future action that has already been
planned.
e.g. I am going to
Manali this month with my family.
c) Though simple present tense is used to show a habit, we also use present continuous
tense to indicate a repeated action despite several warnings.
e.g. My sister is silly. She is making the same mistake again and again.
d) We do not use the following words in present continuous form when used in their usual
meaning. We use simple present tense to use these words in a sentence.
The sentence structure for present prefect tense is:
Subject ( I/ You/ We/ They ) + has/have + V3 (third form of verb) + Object
The present perfect tense is used in the following ways:
a) This tense is used to show that an action is completed in the immediate past. It is used
with the word just.
e.g. She has just left with her friends.
b) This tense is used with the actions of the past whose time is ambiguous or is not
mentioned in the text.
I have never seen him in a bad mood.
c) This tense is used when we emphasize more on the outcome (that we experience in
the present) than on the action (that has already happened in the past).
e.g. Rohit has cut his finger accidentally. (and it is bleeding now.)
Himanshu has eaten all the sweets. (and there are not any left for us.)
d) We use present perfect tense to show that an action started in the past is going upto
this moment in the present.
e.g. The couple has lived here for 20 years now.
The sentence structure for the present perfect continuous tense is:
Subject ( I/ You/ We/ They ) + has/have + been + Verb+ing + Object
The present perfect continuous tense is used in the following ways:
a) We use this tense to show that an action started in the past is continuing in the present
too.
e.g. Neha has been sleeping on the couch for an hour.
b) This tense is used to show an already finished action. We use this tense to answer the
after-result of that action.
e.g. You are drenched in sweat from head to toe. What were you doing? I have been running
PAST TENSE
Past tense is used to show an action or condition that has happened in the past. This tense
has four aspects that talk about to what extent an action has been completed. Past tense
has the following types:
The sentence structure for the simple past tense is:
Subject ( I/ You/ We/ They ) + V2 (second form of verb) + Object
a. This tense is used to point out that an action completed in the past. We use adverbs
of past like yesterday, ago, last week, etc. in such sentences.
e.g. She received the letter of appreciation yesterday only.
b. It is used to depict the old
habits.
e.g. Sonal always carried a hat.
The sentence structure for the past continuous tense is:
Subject ( I/ You/ We/ They ) + was/were + Verb+ing + Object
a. This tense is used to show that an action was going on in the past.
e.g. She was reading novels during her autumn break.
The clause used with the conjunction ‘when’ is in simple past. The sentence of simple past
depicts the action happened later/most recent.
The sentence structure for the past perfect tense is:
Subject ( I/ You/ We/ They ) + had + V3 (past participle) + Object
a. This tense is used to describe an action that had been completed way before a
particular moment in the past.
e.g. They met Zoravar in
Himachal in 2015. They had seen him last four years before.
b. Past perfect tense is used along with simple past tense to show the action happened
first in the series.
e.g. When Virat reached the stadium, the match had already begun.
The sentence structure for the past perfect continuous tense is:
Subject ( I/ You/ We/ They ) + had + been + Verb+ing + Object
This tense is used to indicate that an action started in the past and continued up to a point in
the past.
e.g. When Simon joined the dance practice, Angelina had been dancing there for 5 years.
FUTURE TENSE
Future tense is used when an action is supposed to occur at a specific time in future. There
are 4 types in future tense:
The sentence structure for the simple future tense is:
Subject ( I/ You/ We/ They ) + will + V1 (first form of verb) + Object
a. This tense is used to indicate the obvious events/things that will happen in the future.
e.g. She is 18 years old. She will be 19 next year.
b. We use this tense to predict what will happen in future.
e.g. I think she will win this time.
Note: We use words/phrases like probably, I think, I believe, I am sure in such sentences.
c. We also use this tense to show an action that we have decided to do in that instant.
e.g. It is raining cats and dogs outside. I will take an umbrella with me.
The sentence structure for the future continuous tense is:
Subject ( I/ You/ We/ They ) + will + be + Verb+ing + Object
a. We use this tense to indicate that an action will be in progress in the future. The action
will continue to exist in that point of time.
e.g. At this time tomorrow Latika will be attending the concert.
b. This tense is used to show that an event is planned and is expected to happen in
future.
e.g. My sister will be visiting me during her summer holidays.
The sentence structure for the future perfect tense is:
Subject ( I/ You/ We/ They ) + will + have + V3 (past participle) + Object
We use this tense to show that an action will be completed by that certain point of time in the
future.
e.g. By next month I will have shifted to my new place in
Bandra
Though it is not a common tense to use, we use it to show the events which have been
ongoing from a prolonged period but will end in the future.
e.g. Moin will have been working in this office for two years next December.
English Language: Tense Mastery (PYQ Based)
Target Exams: CTET, UPTET, Super TET, MPTET, REET
Focus: Verb Forms, Conditional Sentences, and Time Markers
Section A: Present Tenses
Directions: Fill in the blanks with the correct present tense form.
The Earth ______ round the Sun. (move / moves / is moving)
My father ______ the newspaper every morning. (read / reads / is reading)
Look! The bus ______. (comes / is coming / has come)
I ______ him for five years. (know / have known / am knowing)
She ______ her homework yet. (did not finish / has not finished / is not finishing)
It ______ since early morning. (is raining / has been raining / rains)
The tea ______ cold; drink it fast. (gets / is getting / has got)
Every Sunday, he ______ to the temple. (is going / goes / has gone)
"Where is Ravi?" "He ______ in the garden." (plays / is playing / has played)
I ______ my lunch just now. (took / have taken / take)
Section B: Past Tenses
Directions: Fill in the blanks with the correct past tense form.
I ______ a movie yesterday. (see / saw / have seen)
The train ______ before I reached the station. (left / has left / had left)
While I ______ , the lights went out. (was reading / read / had read)
He ______ in Delhi for ten years before moving to Agra. (lived / has lived / had been living)
When I met him, he ______ for a job. (searches / was searching / had searched)
If I ______ a bird, I would fly. (was / were / am)
They ______ to the circus last night. (go / went / had gone)
I ______ my old friend in the market on Monday. (meet / met / have met)
By the time the doctor arrived, the patient ______. (died / has died / had died)
I ______ my work when he came. (did / was doing / have done)
Section C: Future Tenses & Conditionals
Directions: Choose the correct form to complete the sentence.
I ______ you as soon as I arrive. (call / will call / called)
If it rains, the match ______. (will cancel / will be cancelled / cancels)
By next month, we ______ here for a year. (will live / will have been living / are living)
I think India ______ the match. (wins / will win / is winning)
If you work hard, you ______ the exam. (pass / will pass / passed)
This time tomorrow, I ______ on a beach. (will sit / will be sitting / sit)
Unless you ______ fast, you will miss the bus. (run / will run / ran)
I ______ my assignment by Friday. (will finish / will have finished / finish)
If he ______ me, I would have helped him. (asked / had asked / asks)
We ______ for the picnic if the weather is fine. (go / will go / went)
Section D: Error Spotting (Mixed Tenses)
Directions: Identify the part (a, b, c) that contains a grammatical error. If none, mark (d).
(a) I have / (b) seen him / (c) yesterday. / (d) No error.
(a) She is / (b) knowing / (c) the answer. / (d) No error.
(a) If he will come / (b) I will / (c) help him. / (d) No error.
(a) I have been / (b) working here / (c) from 2010. / (d) No error.
(a) The news / (b) are / (c) true. / (d) No error.
(a) He has / (b) gone to school / (c) an hour ago. / (d) No error.
(a) We are / (b) playing cricket / (c) for two hours. / (d) No error.
(a) He told me / (b) that he / (c) is ill. / (d) No error.
(a) I had / (b) finished my work / (c) before he came. / (d) No error.
(a) I am / (b) waiting for you / (c) since morning. / (d) No error.
Section E: Sentence Transformation & Identification
Directions: Identify the tense of the given sentence.
"He has been writing a book." (Present Perfect Continuous / Past Perfect)
"The sun had set." (Simple Past / Past Perfect)
"I shall be going." (Future Continuous / Future Perfect)
"She goes to school." (Simple Present / Present Continuous)
"They were playing." (Past Continuous / Past Perfect Continuous)
Answer Key & Explanations
| Q.No | Ans | Logic / Rule |
| 1-2 | moves/reads | Universal truths and habits always use Simple Present. |
| 4 | have known | 'Know' is a stative verb; it is rarely used in 'ing' form. |
| 6 | has been raining | 'Since' indicates the action started in the past and is still continuing. |
| 12 | had left | When two past actions happen, the earlier one takes Past Perfect. |
| 16 | were | In imaginary/unreal conditions, we use 'were' for all subjects. |
| 21 | will call | In time clauses (as soon as/when), we use Simple Present in the clause and Future in the main part. |
| 29 | had asked | Third Conditional: If + Past Perfect, would + have + V3. |
| 31 | a | 'Yesterday' is a past time marker; use 'saw' instead of 'have seen'. |
| 33 | a | Never use 'will' in the 'If' clause. Say: "If he comes..." |
| 34 | c | Use since for a point of time (2010), not 'from'. |
| 40 | a | Replace 'am' with 'have been' because of the time marker 'since |
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