☼ Types of  tenses :–

There are main three tenses.

• Past tense
• Present tense
• Future tense

Each of  them is sub–divided into four kinds as below :

(1) Past Tense :–

•  Simple past tense [ Subject + past form of  verb + object + others ] :–

 (a) It indicates an action which was started and completed in the past.

e.g.    Ramila met Sheela yesterday.

 (b) For simple past tense the words ago, before long ago, once, last Sunday, last–morning etc. are used in the sentence.

e.g.    Gita received a watch two days ago.

 (c) For negative sentence,

Subject + did not +  verb + object + others

 (d) For interrogative sentence,

Did + subject + verb + object + other ?

• Past continuous tense

[ Subject + was/were + verb + ing  + object + others ] :–

(a) It indicates an action which was continuing in the past.

e.g.    When I opened the door, the postman was standing outside.

(b) For negative sentence,

Subject + was/were + not +  verb + ing + object + others

(c) For interrogative sentence,

Was/Were + subject + verb + ing + object + other ?

• Past perfect tense

[ Subject + had  + p.p. of  verb + object + others ] :–

   (a) It indicates an action which had been completed before another action was completed.

e.g.    When he reached the station, the train had left.

   (b) Past perfect tense is used to indicate an action of  the remote past.

e.g.    When I reached the station, my uncle had already arrived.

   (c) For negative sentence,

Subject + had + not +  p.p. of  verb + object + others

   (d) For interrogative sentence,

Had + subject + p.p. of  verb + object + others ?

• Past perfect continuous tense

[ Subject + had + been + verb + ing + object + others ] :–

   (a) It indicates an action which started, continued and completed in the past.

e.g.    I had been working in the school for five years.

   (b) For negative sentence,

Subject + had + not + been + verb + ing + object + others

   (c) For interrogative sentence,

Had + subject + been + verb + ing + object + others ?

(2). Present Tense :–

• Simple present tense

[ Subject + verb (normal/s/es) + object + others ] :–

   (a) It expresses the universal truths and a habitual action..

e.g.    The sun is a star.

          My mother goes to temple daily.

   (b) For simple present tense, the words daily, everyday, always, ever, never, usually, generally, often, sometimes etc. are used in the sentence.

e.g.    Ramesh goes to school daily.

   (c) For negative sentence,

Subject + do/does +  not +  verb + object + others

   (d) For interrogative sentence,

Do/Does + subject + verb + object + other ?

• Present continuous tense

[ Subject + is/am/are + verb + ing  + object + others ] :–

   (a) It indicates an action which is continuing at the time of speaking.

e.g.    They are playing now.

   (b) For continues present tense, the words now, just now, at present, at this moment are used at the end of  the sentence.

e.g.    Vinay is reading a book now.

   (c) Look, listen, watch, see, hear are used in the beginning of  the sentence.

e.g.    Look, the birds are singing in the sky.

   (d) For negative sentence,

Subject + is/am/are + not +  verb + ing + object + others

   (e) For interrogative sentence,

Is/Am/Are + subject + verb + ing + object + other ?

• Present perfect tense

[ Subject + has/have + p.p. of  verb + object + others ] :–

   (a) For, since, yet, ever, never, just, already are used in the sentence.

   (b) It indicates an action which has been completed just now.

e.g.    I have just eaten chocolate.

   (c) Present perfect tense is used to indicate an action in the immediate past.

e.g.    They have just gone out.

   (d) Present perfect tense is used to indicate a past action without time reference.

e.g.    Have you ever read ‘Ramayan’?

   (e) Present perfect tense is used to indicate a past action with present effect.

e.g.    I have cut my finger.

   (f) To indicate a past action with continue action up to now.

e.g.    He has been ill since a long time.

   (g) For negative sentence,

Subject + has/have + not +  p.p. of  verb + object + others

   (h) For interrogative sentence,

Has/Have + subject + p.p. of  verb + object + others ?

• Present perfect continuous tense

[ Subject + has/have + been + verb + ing + object + others ] :–

   (a) It indicates an action which started in the past time and is still continuing.

e.g.    He has been working here since 1999.

   (b) Present perfect continuous tense is used to indicate an action which is still continuing.

e.g.    The patient has been sleeping for two hours.

   (c) Present perfect continuous tense is used to indicate a complete action.

e.g.    Geeta has been cleaning the room and so her clothes have got wet.

   (d) For negative sentence,

Subject + has/have + not + been + verb + ing + object + others

   (e) For interrogative sentence,

Has/Have + subject + been + verb + ing + object + others ?

(3). Future Tense :

• Simple future tense [ Subject + shall/will + verb + object + others ] :–

   (a) It indicates an action which will happen in the future.

e.g.    They will come tomorrow.

(b) To indicate an action of  decision and an action of  belief.

e.g.    She will make coffee.

(c) For negative sentence,

Subject + shall/will + not +  verb + object + others

(d) For interrogative sentence,

Shall/Will + subject + verb + object + other ?

• Future continuous tense

[ Subject + will/shall + be + verb + ing + object + others ] :–

(a) It indicates an action which will be continuing in the future.

e.g.    He will be staying there for one month.

(b) It is used to indicate an action which will be in progress at a future time.

e.g.    They will be writing the letters when we enter.

(c) To indicate the future fixed programme.

e.g.    Ramanbhai will be meeting the principal next week

(d) For negative sentence,

Subject + shall/will + not + be +  verb + ing + object + others

(e) For interrogative sentence,

Shall/Will + subject + be +  verb + ing + object + other ?

• Future perfect tense

 [ Subject + shall/will + have + p.p. of  verb + object + others ] :–

(a) It indicates an action which will be completed before another action will be completed.

e.g.    Before you will reach the office tomorrow, they will have finished their work.

(b) For negative sentence,

Subject + shall/will + not + have +  p.p. of  verb + object + others

(c) For interrogative sentence,

Shall/Will+ subject + p.p. of  verb + object + others ?

• Future perfect continuous tense

[Subject + shall/will + have + been + verb + ing + object + others] :–

(a) It indicates an action which will start, continue and end in the future.

e.g.    She will have been staying there for two years when she will go to America.

(b) For negative sentence,

Subject + shall/will + not + have + been + verb + ing + object + others

(c) For interrogative sentence,

Shall/Will + subject + have + been + verb + ing + object + others ?

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