Tenses

English Grammar

A verb is a word that shows an action, a state, or something happening.

1. Present Tense

1.1 Simple Present

Used for general facts, habits and regular activities.

• Scientists study climate change.
• Climate change affects agriculture.
• The sun rises in the east.

1.2 Present Perfect (has/have + V3)

Used for an action that happened earlier and whose result or effect continues in the present.

1.3 Present Continuous (Subject + is/am/are + verb-ing)

For actions happening right now.

• The teacher is teaching English.
• Students are writing notes.
• I am reading a book.
• The boys are playing outside.

1.4 Present Perfect Continuous (has/have been + verb-ing)

Used for an action that started in the past and is still continuing.

• I have been studying for two hours.
• She has been working since morning.
• They have been playing cricket for an hour.

2. Past Tense

2.1 Simple Past (V2)

Used for actions completed in the past.

• He went home.
• She ate food.
• They played cricket.
• I watched a movie.

2.2 Past Perfect (had + V3)

Used for an action that happened before another past action.

• He had gone home before I arrived.
• She had eaten before the guests came.

2.3 Past Continuous (Subject + was/were + verb-ing)

Used for an action that was continuing at a particular time in the past.

• I was studying when he called.
• They were playing when it started raining.

An action was happening when another action interrupted it.

2.4 Past Perfect Continuous (had been + verb-ing)

Used for an action that continued for some time before another past action.

• I had been studying for two hours before he arrived.
• She had been cooking before the guests came.
• They had been waiting since morning.

An earlier continuing action: had been + verb-ing; A later action: simple past (V2)

3. Future Tense

3.1 Simple Future (Subject + will + V1)

• I will study tomorrow.
• She will visit Delhi.
• They will play cricket.

3.2 Future Continuous (Subject + will be + verb-ing)

• I will be studying at 8 PM.
• She will be travelling tomorrow.
• They will be playing in the evening.

3.3 Future Perfect (Subject + will have + V3)

• I will have finished my homework by 8 PM.
• She will have reached home by then.

3.4 Future Perfect Continuous (will have been + verb-ing)

Used fFor an action that will have continued for a particular duration by a future time.

• By June, I will have been studying here for two years.
• By 5 PM, she will have been working for eight hours.
• By December, they will have been living here for ten years.

Since vs For

Since: Starting point

• Since Monday
• Since morning
• Since 2020

For: Duration

• For two days
• For five hours
• For six years

All 12 Tenses

Tense	Structure	Example
Simple Present	Subject + V1 / V1+s/es	He plays cricket.
Present Continuous	Subject + is/am/are + V1+ing	He is playing cricket.
Present Perfect	Subject + has/have + V3	He has played cricket.
Present Perfect Continuous	Subject + has/have been + V1+ing	He has been playing cricket.
Simple Past	Subject + V2	He played cricket.
Past Continuous	Subject + was/were + V1+ing	He was playing cricket.
Past Perfect	Subject + had + V3	He had played cricket.
Past Perfect Continuous	Subject + had been + V1+ing	He had been playing cricket.
Simple Future	Subject + will + V1	He will play cricket.
Future Continuous	Subject + will be + V1+ing	He will be playing cricket.
Future Perfect	Subject + will have + V3	He will have played cricket.
Future Perfect Continuous	Subject + will have been + V1+ing	He will have been playing cricket.