AAI/ATC/AO

ENGLISH
TENSES

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 TENSES

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 TENSES

A tense is a form of verb which shows the time at which an action

happens. (Latin word tempus = time).

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1. SIMPLE PRESENT

Simple Present Tense is used:

• To express habitual action.
He smokes.
I always take my tea without sugar.
Its is used with the adverbs usually, generally, occasionally, rarely, always, often, sometimes on
Sundays, once a week/month/year, etc.

• To express general or universal truths.

The sun rises in the east.
Water boils at 100C.

• To express a fact or something which is true at present.

All trains stop at this station.
She teaches English in a school.

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AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE
S+V1 (s, es)+O S+do/does+not+V1+O
I play. I do not play.
We play. We do not play.
You play. You do not play.
He/She/It plays. He/She/It does not play
They play. They do not play.
Ravi plays. Ravi does not play.
Boys play. Boys do not play.
INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE
Do / Does + S + V1 + O(?) Do/Does + S + not +V1+O (?)
Do I play? Do I not play?
Do we play? Do we not play?
Do you play? Do you not play?
Does he/she/it play? Does he/she/ it not play?
Do they play? Do they not play?
Does Ravi play? Does Ravi not play?
Do boys play? Do boys not play?

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2. SIMPLE PAST
Simple Past Tense is used:
• To express a past event or past action. The action is completely unrelated to the present. It is
therefore, used:
(i) When the time is given:
I met him yesterday.
She died in 1987.
(ii) When the time is not given, but it is implied and definite:
I bought this pen in Bombay.
(iii) When the time is asked for:
When did you meet him?

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AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE
S+V2+O S+did+not+V1+O
I played. I did not play.
We played We did not play.
You played. You did not play.
He/she/it played. He/she/ it did not play.
They played. They did not play.
Ravi played. Ravi did not play.
Boys played. Boys did not play.
INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE
Did + S+V1+O (?) Did + S + not + V1 + O (?)
Did I play? Did I not play?
Did we play? Did we not play?
Did you play? Did you not play?
Did he/she/it play? Did he/she/it not play?
Did they play? Did they not play?
Did Ravi play? Did Ravi not play?
Did boys play? Did boys not play?

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3. SIMPLE FUTURE
Simple Future Tense is used:
• To express an action that has still to take place:
He will play cricket tomorrow.

AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE
S+will/shall+O S+will/shall+not+V1+O
I shall play. I shall not play.
We shall play. We shall not play.
You will play. You will not play.
He/she/it will play. He/she/ it will not play.
They will play. They will not play.
Ravi will play. Ravi will not play.
Boys will play. Boys will not play.

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INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE
Will/Shall + S+V1+O (?) Will/Shall + S + not + V1 + O (?)
Will I play? Will I not play?
Will we play? Will we not play?
Will you play? Will you not play?
Will he/she/it play? Will he/she/it not play?
Will they play? Will they not play?
Will Ravi play? Will Ravi not play?
Will boys play? Will boys not play?

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1. PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE
The Present Continuous is used:
• To express an action happening now at the time of speaking.
I am writing a letter.
She is reading a book.
• To express an action in progress about this time but not necessarily at the time of speaking.
He is teaching English at the High School.
They are building a new house.
• To express a definite arrangement in the near future.
I am going to London next week.
I am meeting her tonight.

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AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE
S+is/am/are+V1+ing+O S+is/am/are+not+V1+ ing+O
I am playing. I am not playing.
We are playing. We are not playing.
He/she/it is playing. He/she/it is not playing.
They are playing. They are not playing.
Ravi is playing. Ravi is not playing.
Boys are playing. Boys are not playing.
INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE
Is/am/are+S+V1+ing+ O(?) Is/am/are+Sub+not+ V1+ing+O(?)
Am I playing? Am I not playing?
Are we playing? Are we not playing?
Are you playing? Are you not playing?
Is he/she/ it playing? Is he/she/it not playing?
Are they playing? Are they not playing?
Is Ravi playing? Is Ravi not playing?

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2. PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE
The Past Continuous Tense is used:
• To express an action that was in progress at some time in the past.
I was taking my bath at 8 o’ clock.
I was playing in the garden when he came.

AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE
S+was/were+V1+ ing+O S+was/were+not+V1+ ing+O
I was playing. I was not playing.
We were playing. We were not playing.
He/she /it was playing. He/she/it was not playing.
They were playing. They were not playing.
Ravi was playing. Ravi was not playing.
Boys were playing. Boys were not playing.

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2. PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE

INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE

Was/were+S+ V1+ ing+O (?) Was/were+S+ not+V1+ ing+O (?)
Was I playing? Was I not playing?
Were we playing? Were we not playing?
Was he/she/it playing? Was he/she/it not playing?
Were they playing? Were they not playing?
Was Ravi playing? Was Ravi not playing?
Were boys playing? Were boys not playing?

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 3. FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE
The Future Continuous is used:
•To express an action as going on at some time in future:
When I reach there, he will be reading a book.
•To express future events that are planned:
He will be coming here for Diwali Puja.

AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE
S+will/shall+be+V1+ ing+O S+will/shall+not+be+V1+ ing+O
I shall be playing. I shall not be playing.
We shall be playing. We shall not be playing.
He/she /it will be playing. He/she/it will not be playing.
They will be playing. They will not be playing.
Ravi will be playing. Ravi will not be playing.
Boys will be playing. Boys will not be playing.

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 3. FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE

INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE

Will/Shall+S+be+V1+ ing+O Will/Shall+S+not+be+V1+ ing+O
Shall I be playing? Shall I not playing?
Shall we be playing? Shall we not be playing?
Will he/she/it be playing? Will he/she/it not be playing?
Will they be playing? Will they not be playing?
Will Ravi be playing? Will Ravi not be playing?
Will boys be playing? Will boys not be playing?

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1. PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
The Present Perfect Tense is used:
• To express a recently completed action.
I have just finished my work.
He has gone to school.

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AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE
S+has/have+V3+O S+has/have+not +V3+O
I have played. I have not played.
We have played. We have not played.
You have played. You have not played.
He/she/it has played. He/she/it has not played.
They have played. They have not played.
Ravi has played. Ravi has not played.
Boys have played. Boys have not played.
INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE
Has/have+S+V3+O Has/have+S+not+V3+O
Have I played? Have I not played?
Have we played? Have we not played?
Has he/she/it played? Has he/she/it not played?
Have they played? Have they not played?
Has Ravi played? Has Ravi not played?
Have boys played? Have boys not played?

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2. PAST PERFECT TENSE
The Past Perfect Tense is used:
• To express an action completed before a certain moment in the past.
At 7 p.m., all the shops had closed.
At 16 years, she had passed her B.A. examination.

• To express an action in the past which was completed before another action, also in the past.
We had locked all the rooms before we left the house.
I had already known the result when she rang me up.
AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE
S+had+V3+O S+had+not+V3+O
I had played. I had not played.
We had played. We had not played.
You had played. You had not played.
He/she/it had played. He/she/it had not played.
They had played. They had not played.
Ravi had played. Ravi had not played.
Boys had played. Boys had not played.

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2. PAST PERFECT TENSE

INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE

Had+S+V3+O(?) Had+S+not+V3+O(?)
Had I played? Had I not played?
Had we played? Had we not played?
Had you played? Had you not played?
Had he/she/it played? Had he/she/it not played?
Had they played? Had they not played?
Had Ravi played? Had Ravi not played?
Had boys played? Had boys not played?

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3. FUTURE PERFECT TENSE
The Past Perfect Tense is used:
• To indicate the completion of an action by a certain future time:
I shall have read the book when you come next.

AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE
S+will/shall+have+V3+O S+shall/have+not+V3+O
I shall have played. I shall not have played.
We shall have played. We shall not have played.
You will have played. You will not have played.
He/she/it will have played. He/she/it will not have played.
They will have played. They will not have played.
Ravi will have played. Ravi will not have played.
Boys will have played. Boys will not have played.

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3. FUTURE PERFECT TENSE

INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE

Will/Shall+S+have+V3+O(?) Will/Shall+S+not+have+V3+O(?)
Shall I have played? Shall I not have played?
Shall we have played? Shall we not have played?
Will you have played? Will you not have played?
Will he/she/it have played? Will he/she/it not have played?
Will they have played? Will they not have played?
Will Ravi have played? Will Ravi not have played?
Will boys have played? Will boys not have played?

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2. PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE

The Past Perfect Continuous Tense is used:

• ‘For’ and ‘since’ are commonly used in this tense.

• To express an action that began before a certain time in the past and continued up to that time or
stopped just before.
The baby had been crying for ten minutes when the nurse attended to her.
Until he reached VIII class, Ravi had been studying in a village school.

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AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE
S+had+been+V1+ ing +O S+had+not+been+V1+ ing +O
I had been playing. I had not been playing.
We had been playing. We had not been playing.
You had been playing. You had not been playing.
He/she/it had been playing. He/she/ it had not been playing.
They had been playing. They had not been playing.
Ravi had been playing. Ravi had not been playing.
Boys had been playing. Boys had not been playing.
INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE
Had+S+been+V1+ ing+O(?) Had+S+not+been +V1+ing+O(?)
Had I been playing? Had I not been playing?
Had we been playing? Had we not been playing?
Had you been playing? Had you not been playing?
Had he/she/it been playing? Had he/she/it not been playing?
Had they been playing? Had they not been playing?
Had Ravi been playing? Had Ravi not been playing?
Had boys been playing? Had boys not been playing?

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1. PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE
The Present Perfect Continuous Tense is used:
• ‘For’ and ‘since’ are commonly used in this tense.
• To express an action which began in the past and is still continuing.
It has been raining since 6 am.
They have been waiting for him for an hour and he still hasn’t come.
INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE
Has/have+ S+been+ V1+ing+O(?) Has/have+ S+not been+ V1+ing+O(?)
Have I been playing? Have I not been playing?
Have we been playing? Have we not been playing?
Has he been playing? Has he not been playing?
Has Mohan been playing? Has Mohan not been playing?
NEGATIVE
AFFIRMATIVE S+has/have+not+been+ V1+ing+O
S+has/have+been+ V1+ing+O
I have been playing. I have not been playing.
We have been playing. We have not been playing.
He has been playing. He has not been playing.
Mohan has been playing. Mohan has not been playing.

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3. FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE
The Future Perfect Continuous Tense is used:
• To indicate an action represented as being in progress over a period of time that will end in the
future:
I will / shall have been working for 5 months in this office
by the end of June.

AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE
S+will/shall+have+been+V1+ ing +O S+will/shall+not+have+ been+V1+ ing +O
I shall have been playing. I shall not have been playing.
We shall have been playing. We shall not have been playing.
You will have been playing. You will not have been playing.
He/she/it will have been playing. He/she/ it will not have been playing.
They will have been playing. They will not have been playing.
Ravi will have been playing. Ravi will not have been playing.
Boys will have been playing. Boys will not have been playing.

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 Classroom exercise
1) How long are you learning English?
2) How many cigarettes have you been smoking this afternoon?
3) I am working here since 1995.
4) I’ve owned my watch since a long time.
5) How many years are you living in London?
6) Mohan is exhausted. He is playing tennis since two hours.
7) Sonal is doing very well at school since the beginning of the year.
8) I have worn this sweater since 9 o’ clock this morning. I know Lalita for many years.
9) Pawan is attending English classes since two years.
10)I have been listening to the recording several times today.
11)How many new words did you note down so far in this lesson?
12)In her previous job, Rita has spoken English a lot.
13)Ronit has worked here between 1996 and 1999.
14)There is no lesson today. The teacher has been on holiday.
15)The very thought that I will move into my own house by this time next month makes me feel
happy.

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 HOMEWORK EXERCISE
1) She (1)/ is working here (2)/ since 1983 (3)/ No error (4)

2) The new dish (1)/ that I ordered (2)/ is tasting good. (3)/ No error (4)

3) I have got your (1)/ letter yesterday (2)/ and felt happy to learn (3)/ of your recovery. (4)/ No error (5)

4) Sam is working (1)/ in a bank in Chennai (2)/ for the past five years. (3)/ No error (4)

5) My nephew (1)/ begun working (2)/ for me (3)/ about 5 years ago. (4)/ No error (5)

6) I work (1)/ as a medical representative (2)/ for eight months (3)/ No error (4)

7) How long (1)/ it takes (2)/ to travel from Chennai to Tricity (3)/ by train? (4)/ No error (5)

8) Water contamination (1)/ has become more serious (2)/ since Chemists have begun (3)/ to use new substances.
(4)/ No error (5)

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 HOMEWORK EXERCISE
9) I declined (1)/ the invitation (2)/ not because I did not want to go (3)/ but because I have not time. (4)/ No error
(5)

10) My friend (1)/ brags (2)/ that he is owning a vast properly. (3)/ No error (4)

11) What worries (1)/ him the most (2)/ is that (3)/ he is having four children. (4)/ No error (5)

12) The company has using (1)/ its influence (2)/ to persuade people (3)/ to buy its refrigerators. (4)/ No error (5)

13) My friend (1)/ wrote (2)/ four letters (3)/ since morning. (4)/ No error (5)

14) Krupa and Kamya studied (1)/ in the Delhi Public School (2)/ and so does Kamya. (3)/ No error (5)

15) When my parents (1)/ visited me last (2)/ I have been (3)/ working for the Red Cross furniture for 5 years (4)/
No error (5)

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