Do you know you can time-travel, not in real life, but through your writing and speech? Sounds confusing, right? But it is true, tenses in English are that superpower that allows you to move between the past, present, and the future by just modifying the verb.
Learning the tenses is not only about diving into complex grammar rules, but it is also about getting familiar with how to express the status of any action or event precisely.
Whether you are discussing something that has already happened, is currently occurring, or something about the future, tenses are the solution. In this writing piece, you will discover detailed insights about tenses, including their meaning, types, practice worksheet, and more.
Table of Contents
Tenses in English grammar refer to various forms of verbs that indicate the time of an action or event. With the help of tenses, users get information about something that has happened, is currently in progress, or will occur in the future.
Learning tenses is a crucial part of speech, and with the help of their correct use, one can communicate clearly. The three types of tenses in English grammar are:
With Tenses being a crucial element of English grammar, various renowned dictionaries have defined tenses to make it easier for learners to understand.
As discussed above, tenses in English are of three types: present, past, and future, each being further classified into four kinds: Simple, Continuous, Perfect, and Perfect Continuous. Each of these kinds acts as a distinct function in expressing the time and nature of an action or event. Let's uncover each of them for a better understanding.
In English Grammar, the present tense is put into used to define actions or events currently happening, practices, or universal truths. With its correct use, one can convey what is currently ongoing. Here is a detailed understanding of its further forms.
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The simple present tense simply defines habits and regular actions. | |
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Singular |
Plural |
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Rule: Subject + V1 + s/es + Object |
Rule: Subject + V1 + Object |
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Example: The boy plays football. |
Example: The boys play football. |
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The present perfect tense displays actions that are completed at some point before now, but with relevance to the present. | |
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Singular |
Plural |
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Rule: Subject + has + V3 + Object |
Rule: Subject + have + V3 + Object |
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Example: She has written a letter. Here, “She” is the subject + has, “written” is the third form of the verb, and “a letter” is the object. |
Example: They have written a letter. Here, “They” is the subject + have, “written” is the third form of the verb, and “a letter” is the object. |
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The present continuous tense is used to define actions or events happening right now or around the current moment. |
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Rule: Subject + is/am/are + V1 + ing + object |
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Example: They are playing tennis. Here, the subject is They, followed by “are.” The first form of the verb (play) has “ing” added to it (playing), followed by the object “cricket.” |
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The present perfect continuous tense focuses on highlighting the actions that began in the past but are ongoing in the present. | |
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Singular |
Plural |
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Rule: Subject + has been + V1 + ing + Object |
Rule: Subject + have been + V1 + ing + Object |
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Example: He has been reading for two hours. Here, “He” is the subject + has been, followed by “ing” added to the first form of the verb “read”, and then the object “for two hours.”
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Example: They have been reading for two hours. Here, “They” is the subject + have been, followed by “ing” added to the first form of the verb “read”, and then the object “for two hours.” |
The next type is past tense, which is used to define actions or events that have already happened. Using this type, you can clearly convey experiences, previous habits or situations that existed before. Let's uncover its further classifications.
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The simple past tense is used to highlight actions that occurred or finished in the past. |
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Rule: Subject + V2 + Object |
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Example: She wrote a letter. Here, the subject is “She”, and “wrote” is the second form of the verb (V2) of “write,” followed by the object “a letter.” |
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The past perfect tense helps in describing the actions or events that were finished before another past event. |
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Rule: Subject + had + V3 + Object |
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Example: The train had left before we arrived. Here, the first action “had left” (past perfect) happened before the second action “arrived” (simple past). The subject “train” is followed by “had” and the third form of the verb “leave” (left), showing that the train’s departure occurred prior to our arrival. |
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The past continuous tense shows the actions that took place or were ongoing at a specific time in the past. | |
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Singular |
Plural |
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Rule: Subject + was + V1 + ing + Object |
Rule: Subject + were + V1 + ing + Object |
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Singular Example: He was reading a book. Here, the subject is “He” + was, followed by the first form of the verb (read) + “ing” (reading), and then the object “a book.” |
Plural Example: They were reading a book. Here, the subject is “They” + were, followed by the first form of the verb (read) + “ing” (reading), and then the object “a book.” |
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The past perfect continuous tense focuses on describing an action that started in the past and that was happening before another past event. |
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Rule: Subject + had been + V1 + ing + Object |
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Example: She had been studying for three hours. Here, the subject is “She” + had been, followed by “studying”, which is the first form of the verb (V1) “study” + “ing,” and then the object “for three hours.” |
The last type to discover is the future tense, which is used to define actions or events that are yet to happen. With the correct use of this tense, you can discuss a plan, predict something about the future, or anything that will happen later. Here is a detailed understanding of its further kinds.
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The simple future tense is used to discuss actions or events that will occur in the future |
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Rule: Subject + will/shall + V1 + Object |
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Example: They will play football in the evening. Here, the subject is “They” + will, followed by the first form of the verb (play) and then the object “football”, along with the time expression “in the evening.” |
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The future perfect tense is simply a form describing an action that will be completed before a specific time or event. |
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Rule: Subject + will have/shall have + V3 + Object |
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Example: They will have finished the project by next week. Here, the subject is “They” + will have, followed by “finished,” which is the third form of the verb (V3) “finish,” and then the object “the project,” along with the time expression “by next week.” |
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The future continuous tense talks about the actions or events that will be in progress at a particular future moment |
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Rule: Subject + will be/shall be + V1 + ing + Object |
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Example: They will be watching a movie tonight. Here, the subject is “They” + will be, followed by the first form of the verb (watch) + “ing” (watching), and then the object “a movie”, along with the time expression “tonight.” |
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The future perfect continuous tense displays an ongoing action that will go on until a specific time in the future. |
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Rule: Subject + will have been + V1 + ing + Object |
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Example: They will have been playing for five hours by the time you arrive. Here, the subject is “They” + will have been, followed by the first form of the verb (play) + “ing” (playing), and then the object “for five hours”, showing an action that will continue up to a specific future point (by the time you arrive). |
Do you know what is the best way to understand and remember all the tenses? It is by practicing! Below are tense worksheets with answers for your reference.
Exercise 1 – Identify the Type of Tenses
Go through the sentences provided below and identify the type of tenses.
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Answers 1. Simple Present Tense 2. Present Continuous Tense 3. Simple Future Tense 4. Simple Past Tense 5. Present Perfect Tense 6. Past Continuous Tense 7. Present Perfect Continuous Tense 8. Past Perfect Tense 9. Past Perfect Continuous Tense 10. Future Continuous Tense 11. Future Perfect Tense 12. Future Perfect Continuous Tense |
Exercise 2 – Change the Tense
Go through the sentences and change their tenses as directed.
1. The boy speaks the truth. (Present Continuous Tense)
2. Divya has spoken about cars. (Present Perfect Continuous Tense)
3. The ship sailed yesterday. (Simple Present Tense)
4. Tanya went to school yesterday. ( Future Continuous Tense)
5. The small girl cried for hours. (Present Perfect Continuous Tense)
6. The dog ate all the cookies. (Present Perfect Tense)
7. I have finished my homework. (Past Perfect Tense)
8. Jain had taught for five years. (Past Perfect Continuous Tense).
9. She saw Virat Kohli (Future Continuous Tense)
10. Poonam shall finish her stitching by then. (Future Perfect Tense)
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Answers 1. The boy is speaking the truth. 2. Divya has been speaking about cars. 3. The ship sails today. 4. Tanya will be going to school tomorrow. 5. The small girl has been crying for hours. 6. The dog has eaten all the cookies. 7. I had finished my homework. 8. Mr. Jain has been teaching for five years 9. She will be seeing Virat Kohli tomorrow. 10. Poonam shall have finished her stitching by then. |
This was a tense worksheet. Next, let us look at tips to master tenses.
Till now, you might have understood that mastering English tenses is key to confident speaking and clear writing. Here are some expert tips that will help you master English Tenses and use them with confidence in everyday conversations.
1. Get Familiar with Tenses: The first crucial tip is to understand the use of each tense and its function in various contexts. It will allow you to know about the set of rules for the formation and usage of each tense.
2. Use of Tense in Daily Conversations: To master the tenses in English grammar, learning their rules is not enough. Simply, use the forms of tenses in day-to-day conversations and try to employ the simplest possible tense. It will ensure that the message is properly conveyed without any confusion.
3. Notice Potential Errors: Consume English content by reading articles or listening to podcasts, and try to notice potential tense verb errors. These errors will help you in your learning journey, as you can avoid similar errors for better use.
4. Use Online Resources: With the help of interactive and creative online resources, you can enhance your practice yourself. This tip is of great use to test your understanding in various contexts and improve accordingly.
5. Practice Regularly: Consider this as a universal fact and not just as a tip, and practice consistently. While learning, take some time out every day to review each tense, use them in writing & speech to master each type.
To wrap up, tenses in English grammar are considered fundamental and essential skills. Thus, to master the language it is vital to learn all the kinds of tenses and their sub-parts. Every student or individual should learn these as they not only help you build conversations with ease but also write well. Besides, learning these may also help you prepare for various exams and tests. For this, you may seek professional help from Gradding.com as our experts provide excellent English coaching in this domain.
1. What are the six perfect tenses?
The six perfect tenses are formed using the verb "to have" plus the past participle of a main verb. These include present perfect, past perfect, and future perfect, each with a corresponding continuous form: perfect continuous, past perfect continuous, and future perfect continuous.
2. What is a tenses chart?
A tense chart is simply a visual tool that categorises verb tenses into past, present, and future, displaying how the verb form changes for each one.
3. Which tense is hardest to learn?
Among the multiple tenses, the present perfect is often looked upon as the hardest to learn in English. This is because of its multiple uses, confusion with other tenses, lack of direct translation, and more.
4. What is the present indefinite tense?
The present indefinite tense, also called the simple present tense, is used for actions that are habitual in nature and occur regularly. It is used to define things like routines, underlying facts, and scheduled events.
5. What Are the 12 Tenses in Grammar?
Present Simple Tense, Present Continuous Tense, Present Perfect Tense, Present Perfect Continuous Tense, Past Simple Tense, Past Continuous Tense, Past Perfect Tense, Past Perfect Continuous Tense, Future Simple Tense, Future Continuous, Future Perfect Tense, Future Perfect Continuous Tense
6. What Is V1, V2, V3 in Tenses?
In tenses, V1 refers to the first form of the verb, V2 refers to the second form of the verb, and V3 refers to the third form of the verb.
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