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TENSES

Tenses denote the time of action. The tense word derived from the Latin word Tempus, it shows when the work is done. They are:

(1) Present Tense

(2) Past Tense

(3) Future Tense

They are further divided into:

(1) Simple Present- It is used to denote scientific facts, universal truths and work done on daily basis.ie habitual truth

ASSERTIVE	sub + V1 + s/es + object	Example – i) She writes a letter . ii) Mohan works in the field
NEGATIVE RULE ---	sub + does not + v1 + s/es + object	Example –  i)She does not write a letter.  ii) we do not play this game.
INTERROGATIVE RULE ---	Does + sub + v1 + s/es + object	Example –  i) Does she write a letter? ii) Do we love animals?
INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE  ---	Does + sub + not + v1 + s/es + object	Example – i) Does she not write a letter? ii) Do they not play this game?

 

Present Continuous– It is used to express an action taking place at the time of speaking.

ASSERTIVE	sub + is/am/are + v1 + ing + object	Example – i) She is  writing a letter. ii) they are  working in the garden.
NEGATIVE RULE ---	sub + is/am/are + not + v1 + ing + object	Example – i) She is not writing a letter. ii) they are not working in the garden.
INTERROGATIVE RULE -	is/am/are + sub + v1 + ing + object	Example – i) Is she writing a letter?  ii) are they  working in the garden
INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE ---	is/am/are + sub + not + v1 + ing + object	Example – i) Is she not writing a letter?   ii) are they not working in the garden

Present Perfect– It is used to show an action that started in the past and has just finished.

ASSERTIVE	sub + has/have + v3 + object	Example – i) she has written a letter ii) they have washed the clothes.
NEGATIVE RULE ---	sub + has/have + not + v3 + object	Example – i) she has not written a letter ii) they have not washed the clothes.
INTERROGATIVE RULE ---	has/have + sub + v3 + object	Example – i) has she written a letter ii) have they washed the clothes.
INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE ---	has/have + sub + not + v3 + object	Example – i) has she not written a letter ii) have they not washed the clothes.

 

Present Perfect Continuous– This tense shows the action which started in the past and is still continuing.

 

ASSERTIVE	sub + has/have + been + v1 + ing + object	Example – i) She has been writing a letter. ii) I have been looking this
NEGATIVE RULE ---	sub + has/have + not been + v1 + ing + object	Example – i) She has not been writing a letter. ii) I have not been looking this
INTERROGATIVE RULE ---	has/have + sub + been + v1 + ing + object	Example – i) has She  been writing a letter. ii) have I been looking this
INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE ---	has/have + she + not + been + v1 + ing + object	Example – i) has She not been writing a letter. ii) have I not been looking this

 

Past Tense

Tense symbolizes the ever moving, non-stop wheel of time which is forever busy gathering moments of future and throwing them into the dustbin of past

Simple Past

Used to indicate an action completed in the past. It often occurs with adverb of time. Sometimes it is used without an adverb of time.

Used for past habits.

ASSERTIVE	Subject + V2 + Object + (.)	Example – i) She wrote a letter ii) I bought some books
NEGATIVE RULE ---	Subject + didn’t + V1 + Object + (.)	Example – i) She did not write a letter ii) I did not buy some books
INTERROGATIVE RULE ---	Did + Subject + V1 + Object + (?)	Example – i) did she  write a letter ii) did I  buy some books
INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE ---	Did + Subject + not + V1 + Object + (?)	Example – i)  did she not write a letter ii) did I  not buy some books

 

Past Continuous Tense

Used to denote an action going on at some time in the past.

ASSERTIVE	sub + was/were + v1 + ing + object	Example – i) She was  writing a letter. ii) they were working in the garden.
NEGATIVE RULE ---	sub +  was/were + not + v1 + ing + object	Example – i) She was not writing a letter. ii) they were not working in the garden.
INTERROGATIVE RULE ---	was/were + sub + v1 + ing + object	Example – i) was she writing a letter?  ii) were they  working in the garden
INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE ---	was/were + sub + not + v1 + ing + object	Example – i) was she not writing a letter?  ii) were they not working in the garden

 

Past Perfect Tense

Used to describe an action completed before a certain moment in the past, usually a long time ago. If two actions happened in the past, past perfect is used to show the action that took place earlier.

e.g. The patient had died before the doctor came.

ASSERTIVE	sub + had + v3 + object	Example – i) she had written a letter ii) they had washed the clothes.
NEGATIVE RULE ---	sub +  had + not + v3 + object	Example – i) she had not written a letter ii) they had not washed the clothes.
INTERROGATIVE RULE ---	had + sub + v3 + object	Example – i) had she written a letter ii) had they washed the clothes.
INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE ---	had + sub + not + v3 + object	Example – i) had she not written a letter ii) had they not washed the clothes.

 

 Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Used to denote an action that began before a certain point in the past and continued up to some time in past.

e.g. I had been learning English in this school for 20 days.

ASSERTIVE	sub + had + been + v1 + ing + object	Example – i) She had been writing a letter. ii) I had been looking this
NEGATIVE RULE ---	sub +  had + not been + v1 + ing + object	Example – i) She had not been writing a letter. ii) I had not been looking this
INTERROGATIVE RULE ---	had + sub + been + v1 + ing + object	Example – i) had She  been writing a letter. ii) had I been looking this
INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE ---	had + she + not + been + v1 + ing + object	Example – i) had She not been writing a letter. ii)  had  I not been looking this

 

FUTURE TENSE

 Time and tide wait for no man. So, a period of time following the moment of speaking or writing is called as future tense.

For e.g- She will write a letter.

Simple Future

This tense tells us about an action which has not occurred yet and will occur after saying or in future

Rule – Will/Shall + Verb (Ist form)

In Future Tense helping verb ‘Shall’ is used with ‘I’ and ‘We’. Helping verb ‘Will’ is used with all others. When you are to make a commitment or warn someone or emphasize something, use of 'will/shall' is reversed. ‘Will’ is used with ‘I’ & ‘We’ and 'shall' is used with others.

In general speaking there is hardly any difference between 'shall & will' and normally ‘Will’ is used with all.

Now, let us use this rule in various forms of sentences;

ASSERTIVE	sub +shall/will+ V1 + + object	Example – i) She will write a letter . ii) Mohan will work in the field
NEGATIVE RULE ---	sub +  shall/will +not+ v1 + object	Example –  i)She will not write a letter.  ii) we shall not play this game.
INTERROGATIVE RULE ---	shall/will  + sub + v1 +   object	Example –  i) will she write a letter? ii) shall we love animals?
INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE  ---	shall/will  + sub + not + v1 + object	Example – i) will she not write a letter? ii) shall they not play this game?

 

Future Continuous Tense

It is used to express an ongoing or continued action in future.

e.g. He will be distributing sweets in temple tomorrow at 12 o'clock.

In the example, the action will start in future (tomorrow) and action is thought to be continued till sometime in future.

We use the future continuous to talk about something that will be in progress at or around a time in the future.

Rule: Will/Shall + Be + Verb (Ist form) + Ing

Now, let us use this rule in various forms of sentences;

ASSERTIVE	sub + shall/ will + be+ v1 + ing + object	Example – i) She will be writing a letter. ii) they shall be working in the garden.
NEGATIVE RULE ---	sub +  shall/ will + be+ not + v1 + ing + object	Example – i) She will be not writing a letter. ii) they shall be not working in the garden.
INTERROGATIVE RULE ---	shall/ will + sub + be+  v1 + ing + object	Example – i) will she be writing a letter?  ii) shall they be working in the garden
INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE ---	shall/ will + sub + be  + not + v1 + ing + object	Example – i) will she not be writing a letter?   ii) shall they not be working in the garden

Future Perfect Tense

It is used to express an action which will happen/occur in future and will be completed by a certain time in future.

We use the future perfect to say that something will be finished by a particular time in the future.

e.g. They will have shifted the house by Sunday morning. Rule: Will/Shall + Have + Verb (3rd form)

Now, let us use this rule in various forms of sentences;

ASSERTIVE	sub + shall/will+have+ v3 + object	Example – i) she will have written a letter ii) they shall have  washed the clothes.
NEGATIVE RULE ---	sub + shall/will+ not + have+ v3 + object	Example – i) she will not have written a letter ii) they shall not have washed the clothes.
INTERROGATIVE RULE ---	shall/will + sub + have  + v3 + object	Example – i) will she have written a letter ii) shall they have washed the clothes.
INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE ---	shall/will  + sub + not + have + v3 + object	Example – i) will she not have written a letter ii) shall they not have washed the clothes.

 

Future Perfect Continuous Tense

It is used to talk about actions that will commence at a fix time in future and will continue for some time in future.

If there is no time reference, then it is not a Future perfect continuous tense. Without continued time reference, such sentences are Future Continuous Tense. Continued time reference only differentiates between Future Continuous Tense and Future Perfect Continuous Tense.

The future perfect progressive emphasize the duration of an activity that will be in progress before another time or event in the future.

e.g. This time tomorrow, I will be enjoying the cricket match in the stadium. It is also used to talk about planned actions or actions expected to happen.

e.g. They will be staying for a week’s

The future perfect progressive emphasize the duration of an activity that will be in progress before another time or event in the future.

Rule: Will/Shall + Have been + Verb (Ist form) + Ing

Now, let us use this rule in various forms of sentences;                                                    

ASSERTIVE	sub + will/shall+have+ been + v1 + ing + object	Example – i) She will have been writing a letter. ii) I shall have been looking this
NEGATIVE RULE ---	sub +   will/shall  + not+ have + been + v1 + ing + object	Example – i) She will not have been writing a letter. ii) I shall not have been looking this
INTERROGATIVE RULE ---	will/shall   + sub + been + v1 + ing + object	Example – i) had She  been writing a letter. ii) had I been looking this
INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE ---	had + she + not + have been + v1 + ing + object	Example – i) will She not have been writing a letter. ii) shall  I not have been looking this