Chapter 3: Tenses and Verb

What is tense in English Grammar

Tense denotes the time when an action or event occurs (we know that a word that denotes action or event is a verb). Hence we can identify the tense of a sentence using the verb form or vice versa we can correctly judge the proper verb form by identifying the tense of a sentence.

In English grammar, we have mainly three tenses- Present Tense, Past Tense and Future Tense. These are further subdivided into four types i.e Simple, Continuous, Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous.

Hence there are 12 major verb tenses that aspirants should know to identify errors in questions.

Forms of Verb

Before starting the tenses it is important to understand the forms of verb. Verbs are used in a sentence mainly in three forms. V1 (Present tense) like arise; V2 (Past Tense) like arose and V3 (Past Participle) like arisen.

Here is a list of such words that will help you in future.

Basics of Past, Present and Future Tense

Now let’s first understand the basics of Past Tense, Present Tense and Future tense.

Present Tense

A sentence is said to be in present tense when the verb indicates an action that is:

• Going on at the current moment (Ex: I am singing a song)
• Is in an unchanging state (Ex: I am a motivated person.)
• denotes a repeated action. ( Ex: I always come to office by car.)
• Simple statements of fact- When we want to state a fact or ask a question without any time reference. (Ex: Does your sister have any children?)
• World truths- Sentences that states the rules of nature and the way the world. (Ex: Water boils at 100° Celsius.)

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Past Tense

A sentence is said to be in the past tense when the verb indicates an action that took place in the past time i.e at some point prior to the present time.

Example: I used to eat cornflakes daily.

Here the verb used to denotes that the action used to take place earlier and now it’s not happening.

In conditional sentences, simple past tense is used.

Example: If I were the teacher I would give lots of homework every day!

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Future Tense

A sentence is said to be in past tense when the verb indicates an action that is yet to take place and will take place at some point of time after the present time.

Example: I will go to school tomorrow.

Here will indicates that the action will be done in future.

Example: He will have reached by now.

For further clarity on tenses, we will first study all types of tense and then practice questions based on it.

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Types of tense

Tense	Simple	Continuous	Perfect	Perfect Continuous
Present	Simple Present	Present  Continuous	Present  Perfect	Present Perfect Continuous
Past	Simple Past	Past Continuous	Past Perfect	Past Perfect Continuous
Future	Simple Past	Past Continuous	Past Perfect	Past Perfect Continuous

Simple tense– only mentions the action. Nothing is said about/whether the action is complete.

Continuous– the action is going on or continuous or incomplete.

Perfect– the action is complete, finished or perfect with respect to a certain point of time.

Perfect Continuous– the action is going on for a long period of time and is yet to be finished.

Verb forms in various tenses

Present Tense Type	Active	Passive
Simple Present	I + V1	I + am + V3
Present Continuous	I + am + V1 + ing	I + am+ being + V3
Present Perfect	I + have + V3	I + have been + V3
Present Perfect Continuous	I + have been + V1+ ing	–

Past Tense Type	Active	Passive
Simple Past	I + V2	I + was + V3
Past Continuous	I + was +  V1+ ing	I + was + being + V3
Past Perfect	I + had + V3	I+ had been + V3
Past Perfect Continuous	I + had been + V1 + ing	–

Future Tense Type	Active	Passive
Simple Future	I + shall + V1	I + shall be + V3
Future Continuous	I + shall be + V1 + ing	–
Future Perfect	I + shall have + V3	I + shall have been + V3
Future Perfect Continuous	I + shall have been + V1 + ing	–

Now we will explain the tenses using rules and example:

Present Tense Type	Rule	Example
Simple Present	Subject + verb +s/es (when subject is singular)	I dance (मैं dance करता हूँ । )
Present Continuous	Subject + is/am/are + V1 + ing + object	I am dancing. (मैं dance कर रहा हूँ । )
Present Perfect	Subject + has/have+ V3 + object	I have danced. (मैं  dance कर  चुका  हूँ । )
Present Perfect Continuous	Subject + has been/have been+ V1 + ing + object	I have been dancing for the last 20 minutes. ( मई  पिछले 20  mins से  dance कर रहा हूँ । )

Past Tense Type	Rule	Example
Simple Past	Subject + V2	I danced (मैंने dance किया । )
Past Continuous	Subject + was/were +  V1+ ing + object	I was dancing ( मैं dance कर  रहा  था। )
Past Perfect	Subject + had + V3 + object	I had danced (मैं dance कर  चुका  था ।)
Past Perfect Continuous	Subject + had been + V1 + ing + object	I had been dancing for the last 20 minutes. (मैं  पिछले  20  mins  से dance कर  रहा  था ।)

Future Tense Type	Rule	Example
Simple Future	Subject + shall/will + V1	I will dance (मैं dance करूंगा )
Future Continuous	Subject + shall/will be + V1 + ing + object	I will be dancing ( मैं  dance  कर रहा होऊँगा । )
Future Perfect	Subject + shall/will have + V3 + object	I will have danced (मैं  dance कर  चुका होऊँगा ।)
Future Perfect Continuous	Subject + shall/will have been + V1 + ing + object	I will have been dancing for the last 20 minutes. (मई पिछले  20 mins से dance कर  रहा होऊँगा । )

Exercise: Identify the tense used in the sentence.

1. He has been working for the last 3 hours

2. The sun rises in the east.

3. I have lived in this city for 12 years.

4. I am working on my project.

5. He was watching television while his wife was preparing dinner.

6. They had been playing cricket when the accident occurred.

7. It will probably rain tonight.

8. When you arrive, I’ll be studying.

9. We were having food when the power went out.

10. He had studied Japanese before traveling to Japan

11. Had you been waiting for longer than two hours?

12. We painted our house on this Holi festival.

13. The bank is trying to find a new CEO.

14. I will introduce you to my wife.

15. The boy has been staring at the girl all day.

16. The water will have frozen by now.

17. We had been staying in the government bungalow.

 

18. I have always admired your beauty.

19. We are going to the movies tonight.

20. I visited my friend yesterday.