Tenses

Tense is a division through which time and period of happening of an action is expressed. It tells actions happened, happen or will happen. In simpler form, Tenses are the forms of a verb.

There are three main kinds of Tenses. They are:

1. Past Tense

A verb which refers to the time which has already passed is called the Past Tense.

For Example:

• He had eaten rice. (The task of eating rice is already done.)
• The vase was broken. (The task of breaking base has been done)

2. Present Tense

A verb which refers to the ongoing time is called the Present Tense.

For Example:

• I have eaten rice. (The task of eating rice has just been done)
• Somebody is breaking the vase. (The task of breaking vase is going on)

3. Future Tense

A verb which refers to the time yet to come is called the Future Tense. Future tense deals with assumption and prediction.

For Example:

• I will have eaten rice. (The task of rice to be eaten is assumed)
• The vase will be broken. (The fate of vase is also predicted here)

Each of the above tenses has further four sub-tenses. They are given below with their structures:

Past Tense

1. Simple past tense

1. Sub + v² + obj. (for affirmative i.e. positive sentence)
2. Sub + did not + v¹ + obj. (Negative)
3. Did +sub + v1 + obj? (Interrogative-positive)
4. Did + sub + not + V¹ + obj. (Interrogative-negative)

2. Past continuous tense

1. Sub + was/were + v⁴ + obj. (for Affirmative i.e. positive sentence)
2. Sub + was/were not + v⁴ + obj. (Negative sentence)
3. Was/were + sub + v⁴ + obj? (Positive Interrogative)
4. Was/were + sub + not + v⁴ + obj? (Negative Interrogative)
5. Wh-word + was/were + sub + v⁴ + obj? (Wh-question)

3. Past perfect tense

1. Sub + had + v³ + obj. (Affirmative i.e. Positive sentence)
2. Sub + had + not + v³ + obj. (Negative sentence)
3. Had + sub + v³ + obj? (Interrogative)
4. Had + sub + not + v³ + obj? (Interrogative sentence)
5. Wh-word + had + sub + v³ + obj? (Wh-question)

4. Past perfect continuous tense

1. Sub + had been + v⁴ + obj. (Affirmative i.e. Positive sentence)
2. Sub + had not been + v⁴ + obj (Negative sentence)
3. Had + sub + been + v⁴ + obj? (Positive Interrogative)
4. Had + sub + not + been + v⁴ + obj? (Negative Interrogative)
5. Wh-word + had + sub + been + v⁴ + obj? (Wh-question)

Present Tense

1. Simple present tense

1. Sub + v^1/v⁵ + obj. (Affirmative i.e. Positive sentence)
2. Sub + does not/doesn’t + v¹ + obj. (Negative Sentence)
3. Do/Does + sub + v¹ + obj? (Positive Interrogative)
4. Do/Does + sub + not + v¹ + obj? (Negative Interrogative)
5. Wh-word + do/does + sub + v¹ + obj? (Wh-Question)

2. Present continuous tense

1. Sub + is/am/are + v⁴ + obj. (Affirmative i.e. positive sentence)
2. Sub + is/am/are + not + v⁴ + obj. (Negative sentence)
3. Is/Am/Are + sub + v⁴ + obj? (Positive Interrogative)
4. Is/Am/Are + is/am/are + sub + not + v⁴ + obj? (Negative Interrogative)
5. Wh-word + is/am/are + sub + v⁴ + obj (Wh-Question)

3. Present perfect tense

1. Sub + has/have + v³ + obj. (Affirmative i.e. Positive sentence)
2. Sub + has/have + not + v³ + obj. (Negative Sentence)
3. Has/Have + Sub + v³ + obj? (Positive interrogative)
4. Has/Have + sub + not + v³ + obj? (Negative Interrogative)
5. Wh-word + has/have + sub + v³ + obj? (Wh-Question)

4. Present perfect continuous tense

1. Sub + has/have been +v⁴ + obj. (Affirmative i.e. Positive sentence)
2. Sub + has/have + not + been + v⁴ + obj. (Negative Sentence)
3. Has/Have + sub + been + v⁴ + obj (Positive Interrogative)
4. Has/Have + sub + not + been + v⁴ + obj (Negative Interrogative)
5. Wh-word + has/have + sub + been + v⁴ + obj? (Wh-question)

Future Tense

1. Simple future tense

1. Sub + shall/will + v¹ + obj. (Affirmative i.e. Positive Sentence)
2. Sub + shall/will + not + v¹ + obj. (Negative Sentence)
3. Shall/Will + sub + v¹ + obj? (Positive Interrogative)
4. Shall/Will + sub + not + v¹ + obj? (Negative Interrogative)
5. Wh-word + shall/will + sub + v¹ + obj? (Wh-Question)

2. Future continuous tense

1. Sub + shall/will be + v⁴ + obj. (Affirmative i.e. Positive Sentences)
2. Sub + shall/will not + be + v³ + obj. (Negative Sentence)
3. Shall/Will + sub + be + v⁴ + obj? ( Positive Interrogative)
4. Shall/Will + sub + not + be + v⁴ + obj. (Negative Interrogative)
5. Wh-word + shall/will + sub + be + v⁴ + obj? ( Wh-question)

3. Future perfect tense

1. Sub + shall/will + have + v³ + obj. (Affirmative i.e Positive Sentences)
2. Sub + shall/will + not + have + v⁴ + obj. (Negative Sentence)
3. Shall/Will + sub + have + v³ + obj? (Positive Interrogative)
4. Shall/will + sub + not + have + v³ + obj? (Negative Interrogative)
5. Wh-word + shall/will + sub + have + v³ + obj? (Wh- Question)

4. Future perfect continuous tense

1. Sub + shall/will + have been + v⁴ + obj. (Affirmative i.e. Positive Sentences)
2. Sub + shall/will + not + have been + v⁴ + obj. (Negative Sentence)
3. Shall/Will + sub + have been + v⁴ + obj? (Positive Interrogative )
4. Shall/will + sub + not + have been + v⁴ + obj? (Negative Interrogative)
5. Wh-word + shall/will + sub + have been + v⁴ + obj? (Wh- Question)