TENSE

Tense denotes the time of action as well as the state.

Types: –

1. Present Tense
2. Past Tense
3. Future Tense

1. PRESENT TENSE

(i). PRESENT INDEFINITE

Formulae:

+ve → Sub + V₁ + obj. (If the Sub is I, we, they, you or plural)

– ve → Sub + do not (don’t) + V₁ + obj.

Ques → Do + Sub + V₁ + obj?

Do + Sub + not+ V₁ + obj?

Don’t + Sub + V₁ + obj?

+ve → Sub + V₁ + s/es + obj. (If sub is he, she, it, name or singular)

– ve → Sub + does not (doesn’t) + V₁ + obj.

Ques→ Does + Sub + V₁ + obj?

Does + Sub + not+ V₁ + obj?

Doesn’t + Sub + V₁ + obj?

(ii). PRESENT CONTINUOUS

• An action that is going on at the time of speaking comes in Present Continuous Tense.

E.g.: I am studying English now.

• Sometimes some events are going on even at the time of speaking but we cannot see them, they too come in Present Continuous Tense.

E.g.: (1) Coastal areas are getting submerged.

(2) Population is increasing day by day.

Note: – For events that will take place in near future, Present Continuous Tense is used.

E.g.: I am going to Mumbai tomorrow.

Formulae:

+ ve → Sub + is, am/ are + V₁ + ing+ obj

– ve → Sub + is/ are/ am/ + not + V₁ + ing+ obj

Sub + isn’t/ aren’t/ am not + V₁ + ing+ obj

Ques → Is/ am/ are + S + V₁ + ing+ obj?

Is/ am/ are + S + not + V₁ + ing+ obj?

Isn’t/ aren’t + S + V₁ + ing+ obj?

(iii). PRESENT PERFECT

An action that has recently finished is expressed in Present Perfect Tense.

E.g.: He has come to Delhi recently.

If the action is important and not the time of action, and the time of action is not given, we use Present Perfect Tense.

E.g.: We have progressed a lot.

We have reached the moon.

Formulae:

+ Ve → Sub + has/ have + V₃ + obj

– Ve → Sub + has/ have + not + V₃ + obj Sub + hasn’t/ haven’t + V₃ + obj.

Ques→ Has/ have + Sub + V₃ + obj ?

Has/ have + Sub +not+ V₃ + obj ?

Hasn’t/ haven’t + Sub + V₃ + obj?

Use of Has / Have

Has use with → He/ She, It/ Name/Singular

Have use with → With I/ We/ They/ You/ Plural

(iv). PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

An action already started and still going on comes under presente Continuous Tense.

E.g.: I have been living in Delhi for five years.

Formulae:

+Ve → Sub + has/ have + been + V₁ + ing + obj+ for/ since + time.

– Ve → Sub + has/ have + not + been + V₁ + ing + obj+ for/ since + time.

Sub + hasn’t/ haven’t + been + V₁ + ing + obj+ for/ since + time.

Ques → Has/ have + Sub + + been + V₁ + ing + obj + for/ since + time?

Has/have + Sub +not+ been + V₁ +ing + obj + for/since +time?

Hasn’t/ haven’t + Sub + been + V₁ + ing + obj + for/ since + time?

E.g.: I am teaching you since an hour. (Incorrect)

I have been teaching you for an hour. (Correct)

Use of For & Since

For: is used for a period of time.

E.g.: For two hours, for last 2 years.

For five years, for last 2 months.

For 10 years, for last 3 weeks.

Since: is used for a point of time.

E.g.: Since Monday, since the beginning.

Since 2008, since time immemorial.

Since 7 pm, since last year.

2. PAST TESNSE

(i). SIMPLE PAST

• An action that is over is expressed in Simple Past Tense.

E.g.: I saw you but you did not see me.

Formulae:

Sub + V₂ + obj

Sub + did not (didn’t) + V₁ + obj

Did + Sub + V₁ + obj?

Did + Sub + not + V₁ + obj ?

Didn’t + Sub + V₁ + obj ?

Note: If the sentence starts with ‘It’s time’, ‘It’s high time’ or ‘It’s about time’ and if it is followed by a subject, the verb that will follow the subject will be in second (V₂) form.

E.g.: It’s time you should study. (Incorrect)

It’s time you studied. (Correct)

(ii). PAST CONTINUOUS

• If an action was in continuation in the past, Simple Past Tense is used.

E.g.: I was waiting for you.

Formulae:

+ Ve → Sub + was/were + V₁ + ing + obj

– Ve→ Sub + was/were + not +V₁ + ing + obj

Sub + wasn’t/weren’t + V₁ + ing + obj

Ques → Was/were + Sub + V₁ + ing + obj ?

Was/were + Sub + not+ V₁ + ing + obj ?

Wasn’t/weren’t + Sub + V₁ + ing + obj?

Use of was and were

Was → He / she / it / name / singular/ I.

Were → You / we/ they / plural / all

• In imaginary sentence, ‘were’ is used with all subjects no matter whether it is used as a helping verb or main verb.

E.g.: 1. I wish, I were a bird.

2. He pretended as if he were sleeping.

(iii). PAST PERFECT

Formulae:

+ Ve → Sub + had + V₃ + obj.

– Ve → Sub + had + not (hadn’t) + V₃ + obj.

Ques→ Had + sub + V₃ + obj?

Had + sub +not + V₃ + obj?

Hadn’t + sub + V₃ + obj?

Note: – If two actions take place in the past, one after the other, the 1^st action will be in Past Perfect Tense and the 2^nd action will be in Simple Past Tense.

(iv). PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

• An activity that started in the past, continued and finished in past comes under Past Perfect Continuous Tense.

E.g.: I had been waiting for you since morning.

Formulae:

+ Ve → Sub + had + been + V₁ + ing + obj + for/ since + time.

-Ve → Sub + had + not (hadn’t) + been + V₁ + ing + obj + for, since + time.

Ques → Had + Sub + been + V₁ + ing + obj + for/ since + time ?

Had + Sub + not+ been + V₁ + ing + obj + for/ since + time ?

Hadn’t + Sub + been + V + ing + obj + for/ since + time ?

3. FUTURE TENSE

(i). SIMPLE FUTURE

• An action to take place in future comes under Simple Future Tense.

E.g.: I shall meet you tomorrow.

Formulae:

+ve → Sub + shall/ will + V₁ + obj

-ve → Sub + shall/ will + not + V₁ + obj

Sub + shan’t/ won’t + V₁ + obj

Ques → Shall/will + sub + V₁ + obj?

Shall/ will + sub + not + V₁ + obj?

Shan’t/ won’t + sub + V₁ + obj?

(ii). FUTURE CONTINUOUS

• An action going on in future comes under Future Continuous Tense.

E.g.: We shall be taking the examanination at this time, next month.

Formulae:

+ Ve → Sub + shall/ will + be + V₁ + ing + obj

– Ve → Sub + shall/ will + not + be + V₁ + ing + obj

Sub + shan’t/ won’t + be + V1 + ing + obj

Ques → Will/shall + Sub + be+V₁ + ing + obj ?

Will/shall + Sub + not+ be+ V₁ + ing + obj ?

Won’t/shan’t + Sub +be+ V1 + ing + obj ?

(iii). FUTURE PERFECT

• An action that will have been completed in future, comes under Future Perfect Tense.

E.g.: You will have finished your syllabus by the end of next month.

Note: – Look at the following sentences:

E.g.: By the time I reach the station, the train will have left.

• By the time, Simple Present,Future Perfect

Formulae:

+ Ve → Sub + will/Shall + have + V₃ + obj

– Ve → Sub + will/Shall + not + have + V₃ + obj

Sub + won’t/Shan’t + have + V₃ + obj

Ques→ Will/Shall + Sub + have+ V₃ + obj?

Will/shall + Sub + not + have + V₃ + obj?

Won’t/Shan’t + Sub +have + V₃ + obj?

(iv). FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

• An action that continues up to some future point of time comes under Future Perfect Continuous.

E.g.: I shall have been living in Delhi for five years by the end of this year.

Formulae:

+ Ve → Sub + shall/will + have + been + V₁ +ing + obj +for/ from +time.

– Ve → Sub + shall/will + not + have + been + V₁ + ing + obj + for/from + time.

Sub+ shan’t/won’t + have + been + V₁ + ing + obj + for/ from + time.

Ques → Will/shall+sub + have + been + V₁ + ing + obj + for/ from + time?

Will/shall + sub + not + have + been +V₁ + ing + obj + for/from + time?

Won’t/shan’t + sub + have + been + V1 + ing + obj + for/ from + time ?