Hello,
I have found various tutorials on TOFEL, ILETS preparation sites and have tried to jot down some rules related to
Tenses in English Grammar in a concise format.
I have been using this format for checking various language/grammar/comprehension tests in recruiting
candidates.
Hope it will benefit all.
Regards,
Gunjan
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Tenses RULES
Present Tense (SIMPLE):
(CONTINUOUS tense: + ING)
I am working, we/they/you are working, and he/she/it is working or it is being done
I /they/we/you do, He/she /it does.
I /we/they/you don’t, He/she/It doesn’t (NEGATION)
Do I/they/we/you? ……… Does he/she/it? (QUESTION)
PRESENT PERFECT
I/we/ they/you- have/haven’t
for e.g-I have done (3rd form of verb)
He/she/it- has/hasn’t
for e.g-he has done (3rd form of verb)
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I/we/ they/you- have / haven’t been …verb + ing
He/she/it- has/ hasn’t been…verb + ing
It has been done (3rd form of verb)
‘Have had’ and ‘has had’ are used when something/work is carried on from past in to the present.
PAST TENSE
(simple present)Isà Was (simple past)
I /he/she/ità was/ wasn’t
I saw, ate, drank etc (2nd form of verb)
(simple present)Areà were (simple past)
We/you/theyà were/ weren’t
We saw, ate, drank etc (2nd form of verb)
For question in simple past- Did you…..+ 1st form of verb?
e.g- Did Mary dance in a musical?
Past continuous –
I /he/she/it-- was/ wasn’t …verb+ ing
We/you/they-- were/ weren’t… verb + ing
Past Perfect-when something/work started and ended in past tense only
I/we/you/they/he/she/it- had + 3rd form of verb
e.g I had done my homework yesterday. Sometimes we use “had had” when we are too sure about the happening.
Past Perfect Continuous- when something / work got started and went on in past tense but not ended.
I/we/you/they/he/she/it- Had been… verb+ ing.
For question- had you completed/ been completing your work……..?
FUTURE TENSE
Please study the will/shall & going to usage to know when and how we use these words.
I/we/you/they/he/she/it- will + 1st form of verb
They will do……I/we shall do (1st form of verb)
‘It’ will be done (3rd form of verb with IT)
For future continuous –
I/we/you/they/he/she/it- will be & verb+ ing
Future perfect-
Note – we rarely use future perfect tense only when we are confident about future.
I/we- shall have + 3rd form of verb
You/they/he/she/it- Will have + 3rd form of verb
Future perfect continuous: will/ shall have been & verb + ing.
I have found various tutorials on TOFEL, ILETS preparation sites and have tried to jot down some rules related to
Tenses in English Grammar in a concise format.
I have been using this format for checking various language/grammar/comprehension tests in recruiting
candidates.
Hope it will benefit all.
Regards,
Gunjan
-----------------
Tenses RULES
Present Tense (SIMPLE):
- With singular- verb + (s)
- With Plural- Verb only
(CONTINUOUS tense: + ING)
I am working, we/they/you are working, and he/she/it is working or it is being done
I /they/we/you do, He/she /it does.
I /we/they/you don’t, He/she/It doesn’t (NEGATION)
Do I/they/we/you? ……… Does he/she/it? (QUESTION)
PRESENT PERFECT
I/we/ they/you- have/haven’t
for e.g-I have done (3rd form of verb)
He/she/it- has/hasn’t
for e.g-he has done (3rd form of verb)
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I/we/ they/you- have / haven’t been …verb + ing
He/she/it- has/ hasn’t been…verb + ing
It has been done (3rd form of verb)
‘Have had’ and ‘has had’ are used when something/work is carried on from past in to the present.
PAST TENSE
(simple present)Isà Was (simple past)
I /he/she/ità was/ wasn’t
I saw, ate, drank etc (2nd form of verb)
(simple present)Areà were (simple past)
We/you/theyà were/ weren’t
We saw, ate, drank etc (2nd form of verb)
For question in simple past- Did you…..+ 1st form of verb?
e.g- Did Mary dance in a musical?
Past continuous –
I /he/she/it-- was/ wasn’t …verb+ ing
We/you/they-- were/ weren’t… verb + ing
Past Perfect-when something/work started and ended in past tense only
I/we/you/they/he/she/it- had + 3rd form of verb
e.g I had done my homework yesterday. Sometimes we use “had had” when we are too sure about the happening.
Past Perfect Continuous- when something / work got started and went on in past tense but not ended.
I/we/you/they/he/she/it- Had been… verb+ ing.
For question- had you completed/ been completing your work……..?
FUTURE TENSE
Please study the will/shall & going to usage to know when and how we use these words.
I/we/you/they/he/she/it- will + 1st form of verb
They will do……I/we shall do (1st form of verb)
‘It’ will be done (3rd form of verb with IT)
For future continuous –
I/we/you/they/he/she/it- will be & verb+ ing
Future perfect-
Note – we rarely use future perfect tense only when we are confident about future.
I/we- shall have + 3rd form of verb
You/they/he/she/it- Will have + 3rd form of verb
Future perfect continuous: will/ shall have been & verb + ing.