Tense Chart in English Grammar

A lot of people doesn’t have proper knowledge of Tenses. Many of us face a problem in making appropriate sentences due to the lack of correct knowledge of Tenses. Do you feel shy to make English sentences? Do you feel that people will laugh if you speak in English? Do you face problem in learning and implementing tenses practically?? Don’t worry! In this article, we will explain tenses in detail. We will also share the Tense Chart in Englis Grammar.

What Are Tenses in English Grammar:   Tenses expresses time reference with reference to the moment of Speaking. In English Grammar, Tenses have 3 main forms, The Present Tense, The Past Tense, and Future Tense. We will discuss all the three tenses and the types of Tenses in English grammar. First of all check the Tense Chart in English Grammar.

In This Article:-

Tenses in English Grammar

Tense Chart in English Grammar

Tense Chart with Rules and Example

Explanation of Tense Chart

Types of Tenses in English Grammar

Rules of Tenses in English Grammar

• Rules of Present tense
• Rules of Past Tense
• Rules of Future Tense

Example Sentences of Tenses

• Examples of Present Tense
• Examples of Past Tense
• Examples of Future Tense

Also Read:  Improve Your Grammar: Articles in English Grammar|Rules

Tense Chart in English Grammar (With Basic Rules)

Below we have shared the Tense Chart in English Grammar. It has all the 12 forms of tenses in English Grammar.

Hope you have understood the Tense Chart given above. Now will discuss all the types tenses in English Grammar one by one. We have also given some example sentences of each tense so that you understand the concept clearly. So, let us now study the english grammar tenses rules with examples.

PRESENT TENSE

Present Tense refers to the time frame which is at the present moment and all actions done in this time frame comes under the Present Tense.

Present Tense is then divided into 4 subtypes.

1. Present Indefinite Tense
2. Present Continuous Tense
3. Present Perfect Tense
4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Present Indefinite Tense

Under Present Indefinite we include actions which comes under daily routine, general habits, univeral truths etc.

Rules of Present Indefinite Tense

Note:    V1: First form of verb                    Sub: Subject

Positive sentences:   Sub + V1 + obj. (if the subject is I, we, They, You and also if it is a Plural)

Negative sentences:  Sub + don’t +V1 + obj.

If the subject is He/She/It/Singular subject like a person’s name Rahul, Sohan then s/es will be added after V1.

Subject + V1+ s/es + obj

Negative sentences: sub + doesn’t + V1+ obj.

So, these were the English grammar tenses rules (Present Tense). Check out the example sentences below.

Examples of Present Indefinite Tense:

I go to the temple every day for morning prayer.

He goes to Gym regularly.

Shyam does not know how to drive a car.

My mother cooks delicious food for me.

Tense Chart with Rules and Example

Present Continuous Tense

Present continuous is used for the actions which are being done right now. Specifically, the action which is being done at the time of speaking comes under the Present Continuous Tense. We also use Present Continuous tense for those actions which are going to take place in the near future.

Rules of Present Continous Tense

Positive Sentences: Sub + is/am/are +V1 + ing + obj

Negative sentences: Sub+ is/am/are+ not+ V1+ ing + obj

Sub+ isn’t/aren’t + Subj + V1 + ing ++ object

Question form

Is/am/are + sub+ V1+ ing + obj?

Is/am/are + not+ sub+ V1+ ing + obj?

Is not/Are not + sub + V1 + ing + obj?

Example Sentences of Present Continuous Tense

1. Ram is preparing for his final exams.
2. The boys are playing football in the park.
3. I am talking to my cousin.

Question sentences example of Present Continuous Sentences

Am I looking good in this getup?

Are we going to travel to Mumbai this week?

Aren’t we late for the seminar?

You must be confused as where to use I/Am/Are

Is:–  He/She/it/Name or a singular subject

Am:– I

Are: They, You, We or a Plural subject

Present Perfect Tense

Present Perfect Tense is used for the actions which have been recently finished.

Examples: John has finished his exam.

English grammar tenses rules (Present Tense)

Rules of Present Perfect Tense

Positive sentences: Sub+ has/have + V3 + onj

Negative sentences: Sub +has/have + not+ V3+ Obj

Sub +hasn’t/haven’t +  V3 + obj

Question form for Present Perfect Tense

Has/Have + Sub +V3+obj?

Has/Have + Sub +not + V3+obj?

Hasn’t /Haven’t + Sub + V3 + Obj?

Confused about Has/Have usage? Check out below

Has: Has will be used with He, She, It, Name or any Singular subject

Have will be used with I/We/ They/You/ Plural

Example Sentences of Present Perfect Tense

The students have done with their exams well.

The teacher has finished today’s lecture.

Have you finished your lunch?

Has he completed his graduation?

The policeman has caught the notorious thief.

The students have assembled in the assembly hall.

Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Present Perfect Continuous Tense includes actions which started and are still going on.

Ex. Mr. Shyam has been teaching in our school for the past 15 years.

Tense Chart with Rules and Examples

Rules for Present Perfect Continuous Tense

positive Sentences: Sub +has/have + been + V1 +ing + obj. + for/since+ time.

Negative sentence: Sub +has/have + not + been + V1 +ing + obj. + for/since+ time.

So, these were the English grammar tenses rules (Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Tense). Check out the example sentences below.

Question form 

Has/Have +sub+ been + V1 +ing+ obj. + for/since/ + time?

Hasn’t /haven/t + Sub+ been + V1+ ing+ obj++ for/since+ time?

Example sentences of Present Perfect Continuous Tense

My Mom has been cooking multiple dishes for tonight’s function.

I have been studying for the past 3 three hours.

The workers have not been working properly nowadays.

Has Trisha not been going to the college nowadays?

The girls have been singing a patriotic song.

Raj’s father has been spending a lot of money on his studies.

Now the confusion arises where to use For and where to use ‘Since’  Right??

Use of Since and For

Since: will be used if the sentence talks about the point of time

Days (Mon, Sunday etc)

Dates (14 August, 1956 etc)

Months(August, Jan, Feb etc)

Clock time( since 6 o clock, since 7 pm)

Life stages( since childhood, since youth)

We also use since according to the part of the day. ex since morning, since evening

Ex. Ajay has been writing assignments since morning.

Ex. Rupa has been studying newspaper since 7 am.

Tense Chart with Rules and Example

Use of For

For is used to denote the period of time in a sentence. It indicates the duration of the action.

For 3 hours, for 3 years, for past 10 days, for last 17 minutes etc

Riya has been working for past 3 hours.

Mr. Vikram has been working on the new presentation for past 20 minutes.

PAST TENSE

Past tense denotes the actions which took place in the past period. Past Tense is then further subdivided into four sub tenses.

1. Simple Past Tense

It denotes the actions which has already been over.

I booked a cab for my office.

Rules for Simple Past Tense

Sub +  V2 + obj.

Sub+ did not + V1 + obj.

Did  sub+ V1 + obj?

Didn’t + sub+ V1 + obj?

So, these were the English grammar tenses rules (Simple Past Tense). Check out the example sentences below.

Example sentences of Simple Past Tense

He completed his science project on time.

Roshni baked a cake for his father’s birthday celebrations.

The priest offered prasad to everyone.

The labourers dug the well before time.

Tense Chart with Rules and Example

Always keep in mind that we will always use the first form of the verb with did.

Ex. Shyam did not knew that his uncle is coming today.  ( knew is wrong here)

Correct:  Shyam did not know that his uncle is coming today

Here the ‘knew’ word is wrong and we should use know instead of knew because we always use first form of the verb with did.

Also Read:  8 Parts of Speech of English Language: Learn Grammar Online

2. Past Continuous Tense

Past Continuous Tense is used to denote the action which was in continuity in the past.

Rules of Past Continuous Tense

Positive Sentences: Sub + was/were+ V1+ ing + obj.

Negative sentences: Sub + was/were + not + V1 + ing + obj.

Question Form

Was/were + Sub + V1 + ing + obj.?

Wasn’t/Weren’t + Sub+ V1 + ing + obj.?

Example Sentences of Past Continuous Tense

1. Ravi was making pasta for his family members.
2. The teachers were making assignments for students.
3. Radha was preparing tea

Past Perfect Tense

The actions which have already been finished in the past time comes under he Past Perfect Tense.

Ex. The students had left the school by then.

Rules of Past Perfect Tense

Positive: Sub + had + V2+ obj.

Negative:  Sub + had + not + V3 + obj.

Ques: Had + sub+ V3 + obj.?

Hadn’t + sub++ V3+obj?

 Tense Chart with Rules and Example

Example Sentences of Past Perfect Tense

By the time I reached the seminar the event had finished.

The students went to the playground when they had finished their work.

I met Shalini only after she had completed her project file.

When the doctor reached ICU, the patient had already died.

Past Perfect Continuous Tense

It includes the actions which were started in the past time frame, were being done in past only and were completed in the past time.

Rules of Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Positive:  Sub + had + been + V1 + ing + obj+ for/since + time

Negative: Sub + had + not + been + V1 + ing + obj+ for/since + time

Question Form

Had + Sub + been + V1 + ing + obj+ for/since + time?

Had + Sub + not + been + V1 + ing + obj+ for/since + time?

Example Sentences of Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Leela had been studying for her final exams for past 2months.

Yanika had been working on her new office presentation since morning.

The passengers had been waiting for the Metro since 9:00 AM.

FUTURE TENSE

Future Tense is used for those actions which will take place in the future time frame.

Simple Future Tense

Simple Future Tense is used for actions which have to take place in the future.

Rules of Simple Future Tense

We shall leave for Mumbai tomorrow.

I will participate in the essay writing competition of this year.

The parents will go to the school for parents teacher meeting,

The cars will work on the Odd-Even Formula from now onwards.

Future Continuous Tense

Actions that we know will be happening in the coming time comes under the Future Continuous.

We shall be giving our job interviews next year.

Rules of Future continuous Tense

Sub + Shall/will + be + V1 + ing + obj.

Sub + Shall/will +not+ be + V1 + ing + obj.

Ques: Will/Shall + Sub+ be +V1 + ing +obj.?

Will/Shall + Sub+ not + be +V1 + ing +obj.?

Future Perfect Tense

Future Perfect Tense talks about those actions which will have been full completed in future. Read the example for more clarification.

The students will have graduated from their colleges by then.

Tense Chart with Rules and Example

Rules of Future Perfect Tense

Positive: Sub+ will/shall +have + V3 + obj.

Negative: Sub+ will/shall +not + have + V3 + obj.

Ques Form 

will/Shall + Sub+ have + V3 + obj?

will/Shall + not + Sub+ have + V3 + obj?

Example Sentences of Future Perfect Tense

The boys will have left for the game by then.

Reema will have completed her household work by evening.

Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Actions that we know will be continued till some point of time in the future time frame comes under the Future Perfect Tense

Ex. He shall has been staying in the hostel for 3 years.

Rules for Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Positive: Sub + shall/will + have+ been + V1 + ing + obj+ for/since + time.

Negative: Sub + Shall/Will + not + been + V1 + ing + obj+ for/sine + time.

So, these were the English grammar tenses rules (Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Tense). Check out the example sentences below.

Ques Form:

Will/Shall + Subject+ have+ been + V1 + ing + obj+ for/since + time?

Will/Shall + Subject+ not + have + been + V1 + ing + obj+ for/since + time?

Tense Chart with Rules and Example

Example Sentences of Future Perfect Continuous Tense

They shall have been working in the MNCs for the next 5years of their life.

The students shall have been preparing for the entrance exam from next week.

The engineers shall have been doing internships from next semester.

So, this was all about the 12 forms of Tenses in English Grammar. We also shared the Tense Chart in English Grammar and full English grammar tenses rules with examples and sentences. Hope you found this article useful and worth reading. If you have any queries related to tense you can ask in the comments section below.

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Deepak Kumar

Deepak Kumar is the founder of careeradvice4u.com. He is a Professional Blogger, web designer, and a highly experienced teacher too. He has done Bsc. IT computer Science from Himalyan Garhwal University and has 13 years of teaching experience. He teaches various subjects upto XII class and above that also. He has helped thousands of students to excel in academics. He had in his mind from a very long time to use his blogging passion for the help of School, college students, and other job seekers. Careeradvice4u will bring to you all the information and stuff that you need to shape up your career. He is also the founder of successfully growing tech blog: techadvises.com and also runs his own digital marketing agency, xPress Web Solutions, which deals in all types of web solutions

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