Tenses: Rules and Examples

Tenses indicate the time of an action, event, or condition. There are three main types of tenses:

1. Present Tense

2. Past Tense

3. Future Tense

Each tense is further divided into four subcategories:

1. Simple

2. Continuous (Progressive)

3. Perfect

4. Perfect Continuous

1. Present Tense
(a) Simple Present Tense
Rule: Subject + V¹ (s/es with singular subject) + Object

Uses:

● General truths or facts: The sun rises in the east.

● Habits and routines: She drinks tea every morning.

● Scheduled events: The train arrives at 6 PM.

(b) Present Continuous Tense

Rule: Subject + is/am/are + V¹ + ing + Object

Uses:

● Ongoing actions: She is reading a book.

 ● Temporary actions: They are staying in a hotel.

● Future planned actions: We are leaving for Delhi tomorrow.

(c) Present Perfect Tense

Rule: Subject + has/have + V³ + Object

Uses:

● Completed actions with present relevance: I have finished my work.

● Actions started in the past and continuing: She has lived here for ten years.

(d) Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Rule: Subject + has/have + been + V¹ + ing + Object

Uses:

● Actions that began in the past and are still continuing: He has been working here since
2010.

2. Past Tense
(a) Simple Past Tense
Rule: Subject + V² + Object

Uses:

● Completed actions: She visited Paris last year.

● Past habits: He always played football in school.

(b) Past Continuous Tense

Rule: Subject + was/were + V¹ + ing + Object

Uses:

● Ongoing actions in the past: I was reading a book when he called.

 ● Two simultaneous past actions: She was cooking while I was watching TV.

(c) Past Perfect Tense

Rule: Subject + had + V³ + Object

Uses:

● Actions completed before another past action: I had finished my homework before the
guests arrived.

(d) Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Rule: Subject + had + been + V¹ + ing + Object

Uses:

● Actions continuing for some time in the past: He had been studying for two hours before
the exam started.

3. Future Tense
(a) Simple Future Tense
Rule: Subject + will/shall + V¹ + Object

Uses:

● Future actions: She will visit her grandmother tomorrow.

● Predictions: It will rain in the evening.

(b) Future Continuous Tense

Rule: Subject + will/shall + be + V¹ + ing + Object

Uses:

● Ongoing actions in the future: She will be studying at this time tomorrow.

(c) Future Perfect Tense

Rule: Subject + will/shall + have + V³ + Object

Uses:

● Actions completed before a specific time in the future: I will have finished my project by
next Monday.

(d) Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Rule: Subject + will/shall + have been + V¹ + ing + Object

Uses:

● Actions continuing up to a certain point in the future: She will have been working here for
five years

Examples:

1. Present Tense
(a) Simple Present Tense

● She writes a letter every day.

● The sun rises in the east.

● He plays football on Sundays.

(b) Present Continuous Tense

● She is writing a letter now.

● They are watching a movie.

● I am reading a novel.

(c) Present Perfect Tense

● She has written three letters today.

● I have finished my homework.

● They have visited Paris before.

(d) Present Perfect Continuous Tense

 ● She has been writing letters for an hour.

● They have been living in this house since 2010.

● I have been working here for five years.

2. Past Tense
(a) Simple Past Tense

● She wrote a letter yesterday.

● They watched a movie last night.

● He played cricket when he was young.

(b) Past Continuous Tense

● She was writing a letter when I called her.

● They were watching TV when the power went out.

● I was reading a book at that time.

(c) Past Perfect Tense

● She had written the letter before he arrived.

● By the time I reached the station, the train had left.

● He had finished his work before the deadline.

(d) Past Perfect Continuous Tense

● She had been writing letters for an hour before dinner.

● They had been waiting for the bus for 30 minutes.

● I had been studying for two hours before the test started.

3. Future Tense
(a) Simple Future Tense

● She will write a letter tomorrow.

● They will visit their grandparents next week.

● I will call you later.

(b) Future Continuous Tense

● She will be writing a letter at this time tomorrow.

● They will be watching a movie in the evening.

● I will be waiting for you at the station.

(c) Future Perfect Tense

● She will have written the letter by tomorrow.

● By next year, they will have completed their studies.

● I will have finished my project by Monday.

(d) Future Perfect Continuous Tense

● She will have been writing letters for two hours by then.

● By next year, they will have been living here for a decade.

● I will have been studying for three hours before the exam starts.