A Brief Introduction to Tenses

How does a learner understand what to write or speak according to the situation? What kind of verb forms should be used? To know everything about English tenses, read the article. 

In English, tenses are the backbone for improving any person’s writing, reading, and listening skills.

For spoken English, it establishes the set to start the basic language paper.

Classification of tenses gives an understanding of their occurrence in different conditions. After understanding English tenses, solving exercises in tenses will be easy. 

Understand English tenses

English tenses are a part of English grammar. Tenses define the form of a verb. It indicates the state and the time of an event or action.

Tense has a significant role in better understanding the theoretical concept of sentence formation circumstantially.

English Classification of Tenses

English tenses are broadly three types:

• Present tense.
• Past tense.
• Future tense.

These English tenses have further four divisions.

• Present tense

In English tense, the present has four divisions:

• Present indefinite tense. 
• The present imperfect tense 
• Present perfect tense 
• Present perfect continuous tense.

• Past tense

In English tense, the past has four divisions:

• Past indefinite tense.
• Past imperfect tense or past continuous tense.
• Past perfect tense.
• Past perfect continuous.

• Future tense

In English tense, the future has four divisions:

• Future indefinite tense.
• Future imperfect tense or future continuous tense.
• Future perfect tense.
• Future perfect continuous.

Present Tenses Exercises

Present indefinite tense- 

The rule for English tense in the third-person singular (he, she, it), ‘s’ or ‘es’ will be added to the verb.

• Assertive sentences

Subject + verb (first form) + object.

In the case of the negative sentence, ‘not’ will be added with ‘do’ or ‘does’ in an assertive sentence, and for the interrogative sentence, the start of do/does will complete the sentence.

Present imperfect tense-

• Assertive sentences

Subject + is/am/are + verb (ing) + object.

Here, a ‘not’ will be used in case of a negative sentence. Furthermore, start with are/am/is in the interrogative.

Present perfect tense-

• Assertive sentences

Subject + has/have + verb (third form) + object.

Same as before, ‘not’ and ‘has/have’ is used in negative and question sentences.

Present perfect continuous tense-

Subject + has/have + been + verb(ing) + object + since/for + time.

Past tense exercises

Here are exercises for every type of past tense.

Past indefinite tense-

Subject + verb(second form) + object.

Past continuous tense

Subject + was/were + verb(ing) + object.

Past perfect tense

Subject + had + verb(third form) + object.

Past perfect continuous tense

Subject + had + been + verb(ing) + object + since/for + time.

All the above rules rely on assertive sentences. In case of a negative sentence, ‘not’ and for interrogative ‘was/had’ will be used, respectively.

Future tense exercises

Future indefinite tense-

• Assertive sentences

Subject + shall/will + verb (first form) + object.

• Negative sentences

Subject + shall/will + not + verb (first form) + object.

• Interrogative sentences

Shall/will + Subject + (not) + verb (first form) + object.

Future continuous tense

• Assertive sentence

Subject + shall/will be + verb (ing) + object.

• Negative sentences

Subject + shall/will + not + be + verb (ing) + object.

• Interrogative sentences

Shall/will + subject + be + verb (ing) + object?

Future perfect tense-

• Assertive sentences

Subject + will/shall + have + verb (third form) + object.

• Negative sentences

Subject + will/shall + not + have + verb (third form) + object.

• Interrogative sentences

Will/shall + subject + (not) + have + verb(third form) + object.

Future perfect continuous tense-

• Assertive sentences

Subject + shall/will + have been + verb (ing) + object + since/for + time.

All rules outlined are based on assertive sentences. In a negative sentence, ‘not’ and ‘will/shall’ is used accordingly for interrogative.

Conclusion

In English tenses, there are three types of tenses , they are: Present, past and future. Each tense is further classified into four subdivisions. These are: Indefinite, imperfect, perfect and perfect continuous. Present tense denotes something that happens regularly, has happened or is happening in the present. Past tenses describe things/events in the past that happened. The future tense indicates/explains a condition anticipated in the future. One must be mindful of the rules and uses of thes etenses to avoid any confusion in spoken or written communication.