Tense is the time of occurrence of an action. There are three Tenses in English. They are 1.Present Tense 2.Past Tense Tense and 3.Future Tense. Each of the three Tenses is again subdivided into four-simple, continuous, perfect, and perfect continuous.
1.PRESENT TENSE.
In Present Tense the time of occurrence of action is the present times.
(i)Simple Present Tense
Form-:Subject+present form of the verb+/-(object)
There are meaningful sentences without an object, that is hereby denoted as -
When the Subject is Singular -s/es is added to the base form of the verb. When the Subject is Plural base form of the verb itself is used.
Examples-:
Lal directs a cinema.
Siddique and Lal direct a cinema.
Sreeja sings Carnatic music.
Rajan plays Tabala.
I write a letter.
Uses of Simple Present Tense.
In permanent truths, habitual actions, or states.
The following adverbs are used in this tense: always, often, sometimes, usually, frequently, and generally.
Examples-:
The sun rises in the east.
He often rests after lunch
She sings well.
We always go to school early.
My sisters live in Chennai.
Even though "I" is the first person singular, the base form of the verb is used in the present tense.
I write a story
but
He writes a story.
(ii)Present Continuous Tense.
In Present Continuous Tense, the time of occurrence is going on the present moment of speaking.
Form-:Subject+is/am/are+ing form of the verb+/-(object)
Example-:
I am writing a letter.
He is sleeping.
They are working.
The girl is running.
She is singing.
Mummy is washing clothes.
Pappa is eating plantains.
They are watching TV.
Siddique and Lal are directing a comedy movie.
Reema is driving her new car.
(iii)Present Perfect Tense.
Time of occurrence-:Action began in past but has continued or completed just before the time of speaking.
Form-:Subject + have(with plural subject)/has(with singular subject)+past participle form of the verb+/-(object)
Example-:
He has just arrived.
I have written a short story.
She has already seen the cinema.
He has learned the lesson.
We have never eaten such tasty apples.
(iv)Present Perfect Continuous Tense.
Present Perfect Continuous Tense is used to denote an action that has started in the past but is continuing at the present moment.
Form-:Subject + have/has + been + ing form of the verb+(object)
Example-:
I have been living here since 1972.
He has been reading "The Discovery of India".
She has been writing letters.
I have been learning Arabic for two years.
They have been playing football since this morning.
We have been eating jack fruit for two hours.
2.PAST TENSE.
In past tense, the time of occurrence of action is the last time.
(i)Simple Past Tense.
Form-:Subject + Past form of the verb +( object).
Simple Past Tense is used to express a state or action in the past. It shows what 'was'(state)in the past or what "happened" (action) in the past.
Example-:
She sang well.
My sister was in Chennai last week.
I wrote a letter yesterday.
He wrote the answers correctly.
Rahim sold fruits.
Raju ate a banana.
Meena cried for ornaments.
Jalaja was an actress.
Rajanikanth was a bus conductor.
Manoj studied Mathematics.
Manju performed Bharatanatyam.
(ii)Past Continuous Tense.
Past Continuous Tense is used to show an action that was continuing in the past.
Form-:Subject + was(with singularsubject)/were(with plural subject)+ing form of the verb+(object)
Examples-:
Pappa was eating cooked tapioca.
Mummy was washing plates.
Children were crying for food.
He was sleeping.
They were working.
Anju was playing Piano.
They were killing mosquitos.
Buddha was searching for wisdom.
Sandhya was teaching Sociology.
Baiju was drinking pineapple juice.
(iii)Past Perfect Tense.
Past Perfect Tense is used when we have to say about two incidents in past together. Past Perfect Tense is used to denote the first action and Simple Past Tense is used to denote the second action.
Form-: Subject + had+past participle form of the verb + (object)
Examples-:
The train had gone before I reached the railway station.
I went to sleep after my friends had gone.
I had finished my work before he arrived.
When she had opened the door, the stranger came in.
The old man had died before the doctor arrived.
The thieves had escaped before the police arrived.
(iv)Past Perfect Continuous Tense.
Past Perfect Continuous Tense is used to show the continuity of an action that was there in the past for a certain period of time.
Form-:Subject+had+been+ing form of the verb+(object)
Examples-:
He had been writing the novel for two years.
I had been preparing a speech when he met me.
She told me that she had been sleeping for many hours.
Mandus said that he had been studying for many years to get a pass in matriculation.
3.FUTURE TENSE.
A verb that denotes an action that will happen in the future is said to be in Future Tense.
(i)Simple Future Tense is used to denote an action that will commence in future time.
Form-:Subject+shall/will+base form of the verb+(object)
"Shall" with the first-person subject and "will" with second and third-person subjects are used to show futurity." Will" with the first-person subject and "shall" with the second and third-person subject are used to show determination.
Examples-:
I will try again if you wish.(willingness)
We will help you with all your needs.(promise)
You shall do as I tell you.(command)
You shall have a reward if you are good.(promise)
He shall leave the room quickly(determination)
(ii)Future Continuous Tense.
Future Continuous Tense shows the continuity of action in the future.
Forms-:Subject+will/shall+be+ing form of the verb+(object)
Examples-:
I shall be working hard next year.
Mr.Wilkins will be working at the library during the next years.
I will be making an announcement to the audience before the curtain rises.
He will be leaving in a few days.
Lally will be completing her training course next year.
(iii)Future Perfect Tense.
A verb in Future Perfect Tense denotes an action that will be completed at a point in time in the future.
Form-:Subject+will/shall+have+past participle form of the verb+(object)
Examples-:
By the end of next year, my brother will have passed his graduation.
He will have eaten his lunch at 12'O'clock.
By 8'O'clock we shall have finished our meal.
I hope it will have stopped raining by the time we leave.
By next month he will have sold all the books.
(iv)Future Perfect Continuous Tense.
This tense is used to describe an action that will have been completed at a particular point in the future. It emphasizes that the action will have been going on over a period of time.
Form-:Subject+will/shall+have+been+ing form of the verb+(object)
This tense is not commonly used.
They will have been writing letters.
He will have been studying.
I shall have been painting.
Some girls will have been growing roses for years.
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