Learning the 12 Tenses in English Grammar, the beginning of the English learning language and the essential tools to enhance the writing and speaking skills of students, are Present Indefinite Tense, Present Continuous Tense, Present Perfect Tense, Present Perfect Tense, Past Indefinite Tense, Past Continuous Tense, Past Perfect Tense, Past Perfect Continuous Tense, Future Indefinite Tense, Future Continuous Tense, Future Perfect Tense, and Future Perfect Continuous Tense. The 12 tenses in English grammar are necessary tools for narration.
Tenses have always been a matter of discussion among students and teachers for a long time. I still remember the importance of tenses when I was in school and my English teacher used to put more emphasis on tenses. The educated elderly used to ask to translate sentences from Hindi into English. The grammar books were in dual languages so that the students could understand the real values of tenses in English. I am an English teacher and teach tenses to my students in the same way we were taught, as the rural students are unable to understand the text and their tenses while reading their textbooks due to their background.
Thus, the students should learn Tenses in English or Correct Forms of Verbs in English to speak and read error-free English.
General Discussion about 12 Tenses in English Grammar
Do students understand the tenses in English grammar?
I have been teaching English to different classes, but unfortunately, I have found that most of the students are unable to understand the tenses in English. Do you know why the students are unable to understand the tenses in English or the correct forms of the verbs? There are many reasons behind this. Most students in India come from rural areas and can’t understand English because there are always communication gaps when it comes to English and sometimes teachers can’t explain what tenses English due to lack of training.
Do tenses in English create worry among students?
Our English teachers used to put too much emphasis on the 12 tenses in English, and now I am a teacher of English, my emphasis is more on learning the correct forms of verbs to make my students speak and write correct English. It means the tenses and correct forms of verbs are the same, but in the modern way of teaching, the emphasis is more on learning the correct forms of verbs. Thus, the 12 tenses in English, or correct forms of the verbs in English, that help you to speak and write flawless English, are not two different entities, but they are the two faces of the same coin.
Do you know the meaning or definition of the 12 tenses in English grammar?
According to the Cambridge University Dictionary, the word tense is defined as “any of the forms of a verb which show the time at which an action happened” and as per Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, the definition of tense is “any of the forms of a verb that may be used to show the time of the action or state expressed by the verb.”
Examples of Tenses and verbs:
- I play in present tense and I played is in the past tense.
- He plays hockey.
- Do you know the 12 Tenses in English?
- I know the 12 Tenses in English.
- I had finished my work when he reached my home.
- The patient had died before the doctor reached. (The most common and favorite sentence of students).
- I have been teaching English for the last 25 years.
Do tenses or correct forms of verbs matter for learning the English language?
Tenses have always been a matter of discussion among students and teachers for a long time. I still remember the importance of tenses when I was in school and my English teacher used to put more emphasis on tenses. The educated elderly used to ask to translate sentences from Hindi into English. The grammar books were in dual languages so that the students could understand the real values of tenses in English. I am an English teacher and teach tenses to my students in the same way we were taught, as the rural students are unable to understand the text and their tenses while reading their textbooks. In tenses, you have to check the Structure and usage.
The Importance of Tenses for Speakers of English as a Second Language: 12 Tenses in English Grammar
Without the knowledge of 12 tenses in English, it would be impossible for everyone to communicate in the English language, especially for people speaking English as a second language. As we know, the learning of 12 tenses in English grammar is the beginning of the English learning language. Therefore, one must understand that learning tenses is the basis of the English language. Therefore, follow what has been discussed in this article.
Students are frequently perplexed about the tenses, which is understandable. They are always attempting to understand English in their native language. Students in North India first consider the fundamentals of English in Hindi, and they are unable to understand the 12 tenses in English grammar until class 12. As a result, students must grasp the fundamentals of tenses in the simplest way possible.
English Grammar Chart: 12 English Grammar Tenses
Tense can simply be defined as a verb form used to explain the time of happening of an event or incident at the time of speaking. It tells you whether the action is completed, going on, or will happen in the future. Tenses are useful for everyone, whether you’re a student or trying to get into a competitive exam like the IELTS or CGL. Tenses and the right forms of verbs will be very important. This part of the article will look at the rules of 12 tenses and how to use the right forms of verbs. There will be plenty of examples to help you become a strong candidate who can pass all exams.
12 Tense Rules and Structure or Correct Forms of Verbs in Eglish grammar
12 Tenses rules will boost your knowledge of the usage of tenses and will enable you to clear all school, competitive, and government exams. Moreover, tenses are a major part of learning English and students will get the best material on readlearnexcel.com. 12 tenses and usage of correct forms of verbs will let you secure 100% marks in all your exams and thus students need to concentrate on tenses to excel in their careers.
| 12 Tenses in English Grammar | 12 Tenses in English Grammar Structure |
| 1. Present Indefinite Tense | Assertive Sentence: Subject + V1 + Object ;
Example: I speak English Negative Sentence: Subject +do/does+not+ V1 + Object; Example: I do not speak English Interrogative Sentence: Do/does + Subject+V1+O?; Example: Do I know English? Negative Interrogative Sentence: Do/does + Subject+not+V1+O?; Example: Do I not know English? |
| 2. Present Continuous Tense | Assertive Sentence: Subject +is/am/are+ V1+ing + Object;
Example: I am speaking English Negative Sentence: Subject +is/am/are+not+ V1+ing + Object. Example: I am not speaking English Interrogative Sentence: Is/am/are+Subject+V1+ing+O?; Example: Am I speaking English? Negative Interrogative Sentence: Is/am/are+Subject+not+V1+ing+O?; Example: Am I not speaking English? |
| 3. Present Perfect Tense | Assertive Sentence: Subject + has + V3 + Object (Singular);
Example: He has spoken English Example: They have spoken English Negative Sentence: Subject + has/have +not+ V3 + Object (Singular); Example: They have not spoken English Interrogative Sentence: Has/have+Subject+V3+Object? Example:Has he done homework? Negative Interrogative Sentence: Has/have+Subject+not+V3+Object? Example:Have they not done homework? |
| 4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense | Assertive Sentence: Subject + has/have+ been + V1 + ing + Object+since/for;
Example: I have been speaking English for five hours. Example: I have not been speaking English for five hours. Interrogative Sentence: Has/have+ Subject+ been + V1 + ing + Object+since/for?; Example: Have they been speaking English for five hours? Negative Interrogative Sentence: Has/have+ Subject+not+ been + V1 + ing + Object+since/for?; Example: Have they not been speaking English for five hours? |
| 5. Past Indefinite Tense | Assertive Sentence: Subject + V2 + Object ;
Example: I spoke English Example: I did not speak English yesterday. Interrogative Sentence: Did+Subject + V1 + Object? ; Example: Did I speak English yesterday. Negative Interrogative Sentence: Did+Subject +not+ V1 + Object? ; Example: Did I not speak English yesterday? |
| 6. Past Continuous Tense | Assertive Sentence: Subject + was/were + V1+ing + Object ;
Example: Mahesh was writing his question. Example: Mahesh was not writing his question. Interrogative Sentence: Was/were+Subject + V1+ing + Object; Example: Was Mahesh writing his question? Negative Interrogative Sentence: Was/were+Subject + not+V1+ing + Object?; Example: Was Mahesh not writing his question? |
| 7. Past Perfect Tense | Assertive Sentence: Subject + had + V3 + Object ;
Example: He had spoken English. Example: He had not spoken English. Interrogative Sentence: Had + Subject + V3 + Object? ; Example: Had the patient died? Negative Interrogative Sentence: Had + Subject +not+ V3 + Object? ; Example: Had the patient not died? |
| 8. Past Perfect Continuous Tense | Assertive Sentence: Subject + had +been+ V1+ing + Object ;
Example: He had been speaking English for two hours. Negative Sentence: Subject + had +not+been+ V1+ing + Object Example: He had not been speaking English for two hours. Interrogative Sentence: Had+Subject+been+V1+ing+Object? Example: Had he been speaking English for two hours? Negative Interrogative Sentence: Had+Subject+not+been+V1+ing+Object? Example: Had he not been speaking English for two hours? |
| 9. Future Indefinite Tense | Assertive Sentence: Subject + will/shall + V1 + Object ;
Example: He will speak English. Negative Sentence: Subject + will/shall +not+ V1 + Object. Example: He will not speak English. Interrogative Sentence: Will/shall+Subject+V1+object. Example: Will he speak English? Negative Interrogative Sentence: Will/shall+Subject+V1+object. Example: Will he not speak English? |
| 10. Future Continuous Tense | Assertive Sentence: Subject + will+be + V1 +ing+ Object ;
Example: He will be speaking English. Negative Sentence: Subject + will+not+be + V1 +ing+ Object ; Example: He will not be speaking English. Interrogative Sentence: Will/shall+Subject+be+V1+ing+Object? Example: Will he be spaking English? Negative Interrogative Sentence: Will/shall+Subject+not+be+V1+ing+Object? Example: Will he not be spaking English? |
| 11. Future Perfect Tense | Assertive Sentence: Subject +will+ has/have + V3 + Object ;
Example: He will have spoken English. Negative Sentence: Subject +will+ has/have +not+ V3 + Object ; Example: He will have not spoken English. Interrogative Sentence: Will+Subject+Have+V3+Object? Example: Will he have spoken English? Negative Interrogative Sentence: Will+Subject+Have+not+V3+Object? Example: Will he have not spoken English? |
| 12. Future Perfect Continuous Tense | Assertive Sentence: Subject + will+have +been+ V1 +ing+ Object ;
Example: He will have been speaking English. Example: He will have not been speaking English. Interrogative Sentence: Will+Subject+have/has+been+V1+ing+ Object. Example: Will he has been speaking English for two hours? Negative Interrogative Sentence: Will+Subject+have/has+not+been+V1+ing+ Object. Example: Will he has not been speaking English for two hours? |
V1 = Verb first form
V2 = Verb second form
V3 = Verb third form
12 Tenses in English Grammar: The Beginning of the English Learning Language
The Uses of the Present Tenses or First Form of the Verb
We will now discuss the uses of the Present Tenses or Use of the First form of Verb with examples. The present tense’s use is an important topic in the 12 tenses in English. Students must learn and practice these rules to excel in 12 tenses in English.
1. Uses of Present Indefinite Tense
S+V1+S/ES+O
1. To express a habitual action:
- I go to the temple daily.
- She gets up at 4 a.m. daily.
- Her watch keeps good time.
2. To Express Universal Truth:
- Two and two make four.
- The sun rises in the east.
- Honey is sweet.
- Time favours the brave.
3. Exclamatory sentences beginning with here and there
- Here comes the rain!
- There he goes!
4. In the use of vivid narrative, the substitute for the simple past
- Mahesh now rushes forward and deals a heavy blow to Romy.
- Immediately the Prime Minister hurries to his capital.
5. Present Indefinite tense is to express a future event that is part of a fixed timetable of a mixed program.
- The next flight to Dubai is at 7 am. tomorrow.
- The cricket match starts at 10 o’clock.
- The train for Mumbai leaves at 4.30.
- When does the mall reopen?
6. Present indefinite Tense is used to introduce quotations
- John Keats says,” A thing of beauty is a joy forever
7. Present Indefinite is used In clauses of time and condition:
- I will wait till you finish your homework.
- If it rains we will get wet.
12 Tenses in English Grammar: The Beginning of the English Learning Language
2. Uses of Present Continuous Tense
S+IS/AM/ARE+V1+ING+O
1. Present Continuous Tense is for an action going at the time of speaking:
- She is working (now).
- The girls are playing tennis
2. Present Continuous Tense is for an action that has already been arranged to take place shortly:
- I am going to Mumbai tonight.
- My mom is arriving tomorrow.
The following verbs are not normally used in ContinuousTense:
see, smell, hear, notice, recognize appear, look. seem, want, wish, desire, hate, hope.
Wrong: These oranges are testing sour. He is seeming sad. He is having a mobile.
Right: These oranges taste sour. He seems sad. He has a mobile.
12 Tenses in English Grammar: The Beginning of the English Learning Language
3. Uses of Present Perfect Tense
S+HAS/HAVE+V3+O
1. The Presents Perfect Tense indicates completed action in the immediate past (just):
- The train has just left.
- The clock has just struck five.
- The President has just arrived.
2. The Present Perfect Tense is used to express past actions whose time is not definite or not given.
- Have you read “HHamlet?
- I have never seen him angry.
- I have been to Germany.
3. The Present Perfect Tense is used to denote an action that started in past and continued in present.
- I have known him for a long time.
- He has been here for a long time.
- She has been ill since last night.
- We haven’t met him for several years.
Important: The Present Perfect is never used with adverbs of past time.
Wrong: She has gone to Delhi yesterday.
Right: She went to Delhi yesterday.
12 Tenses in English Grammar: The Beginning of the English Learning Language
4. Uses of Present Perfect Continuous Tense
S+HAS/HAVE+BEEN+V1+ING+O+SINCE/FOR
1. Present Perfect Continuous Tense is used when the action started in the past and still the action is continuing.
- She has been reading for five hours. ( and she is still reading).
- I have been teaching English for the past 25 years. ( I am still teaching).
- They have been dancing for two hours. ( still dancing).
ReadLearnExcel English Grammar:
- 12 Tenses in English Grammar: The Beginning of the English Learning Language
- English Grammar: Active and Passive Voices with Examples of 12 Tenses
- Direct and Indirect Speech: Steps & Rules to Change Narration
- Modal Auxiliaries for all Classes: PDF
- Articles in English: The Beginning of Learning English Grammar PDF
- Articles in English: The Beginning of Learning English Grammar
12 Tenses in English Grammar: The Beginning of the English Learning Language
Uses of Past Tenses
1. Uses of Past Indefinite Tense
S+V2+O
1. The Past IndefiniteTense is used when the action is completed in the past. It is generally used with adverb phrases of oast time:
Examples:
She left home yesterday.
I went to meet him last night.
I received his message a few weeks ago.
2. Occasionally it is used without a verb of time and in such cases the time is implied.
Examples:
Riya learned german in Frankfurt.
She ddidn’tsleep well.
3. Past Indefinite is used for our past habits:
She did yoga many times a day.
I always carried a mobile.
12 Tenses in English Grammar: The Beginning of the English Learning Language
2. Uses of Past Continuous Tense
S+WAS/WERE+V1+ING+O
The Past Continuous Tense is used to denote the action was going on n the past, the time of action may be there or not.
Examples:
I was writing content all night.
It was raining heavily.
She was reading when I reached her home.
Note: There is a combination of Past Continuous and Past Indefinite is used.
12 Tenses in English Grammar: The Beginning of the English Learning Language
3. Uses of Past Perfect Tense
S+HAD+V3+O
Past Perfect Tense tells us about the completion of an action in the past.
The patient had died before the doctor reached.
The train had left before I reached the station.
I had finished my homework before the teacher started checking the homework.
12 Tenses in English Grammar: The Beginning of the English Learning Language
4. Uses of Past Perfect Continuous Tense
Past Perfect Continuous Tense tells us about an action that began before a decided time and continued up to the point.
S+HAD+BEEN+V1+ING+O+SINCE/FOR ( SINCE: FOR FIXED TIME AND NO FFIXEDTIME)
I had been waiting for you for two hours.
She had been working in this school for the last five years.
12 Tenses in English Grammar: The Beginning of the English Learning Language
Uses of The Future Tense
When we talk about the future, The Future Tense is used.
1. Uses of Future Indefinite Tense
S+WILL/SHALL+VI+O
1. When things can’t be controlled, Future Indefinite Tense is used.
She will be retired on September 30, 2022.
It will be teachers’ day on September 5, 2022.
We will know our half-yearly result on October 5, 2022.
2. This tense is used when we believe the action will happen in the future.
I think I will get 97. 5 marks.
It seems that it will rain.
12 Tenses in English Grammar: The Beginning of the English Learning Language
2. Uses of Future Continuous Tense
S+WILL/SHALL+BE+V1+ING+O
This is used when action will be in progress in future.
I think it will be very hot when we start.
I will be staying in Delhi till Monday.
12 Tenses in English Grammar: The Beginning of the English Learning Language
3. Uses of Future Perfect Tense
S+WILL/SHALL+HAVE+V3+O
She will have finished her homework by 10 a.m.
He will have joined us before we go to Airport.
12 Tenses in English Grammar: The Beginning of the English Learning Language
4. Uses of Future Perfect ContinuousTense
S+WILL/SHALL+HAVE+BEEN+V1+ING+O+SINCE/FOR.
Future Perfect ContinuousTense is used for an action that will be in progress in the future and will end in the future.
I shall have been working for two hours.
I shall have been teaching English for twenty-five years next June.
12 Tenses in English Grammar: The Beginning of the English Learning Language
12 Tenses’ Exercises for Practice for Students
Use correct form of verb:
1. I have not…….all the questions so far.
(A) attempt
(B) attempts
(C) attempted
(D) attempting
2. My father…a match at present.
(A) watches
(B) watched
(C) was watching
(D) is watching
3. If you give me money, I…..you a watch.
(A) buy
(B) bought
(C) shall buy
(D) have bought
4. She……..for two hours.(play)
(A) is playing
(B) was playing
(C) has played
(D) has been playing
5. The new teacher…..(teach) us for six months.
(A) have been teaching
(B) has been teaching
(C) is teaching
(D) was teaching
6. Last saturday, I……(stay) at home.
(A) have stayed
(B) had stayed
(C) was staying
(D) stayed
7. A brave man……(not loose) heart.
(A) has not lost
(B) do not loose
(C) does not loose
(D) None of the above
8. Water….(evaporate) on heating.
(A) evaporated
(B) evaporates
(C) has evoporated
(D) had evaporated
9. I had finished my dinner when he ………(reach) my home.
(A) reach
(B) reached
(C) had reached
(D) will reach
10. Tomorrow it ……… mere difficult to convince the employer for realising the salary, I am sure.
(A) may be
(B) can be
(C) shall be
(D) will be
11. For three years, I ……….(serve)our country in all respects.
(A) had been serving
(B) have been serving
(C) was serving
(D) shall be serving
12. Anybody who………..(want)to take part in the function to be held in next month should give names to the coordinator.
(A) wanted
(B) wants
(C) is wanting
(D) want
Use correct form of verb: HBSE Previous Years Board’s Sentences For Practice
Check your understanding of 12 tenses
12 Tenses in English Grammar: The Beginning of the English Learning Language
13. I….(play) guitar since I was ten.
14. She never….(tell) a lie.
15. The bell…….before I reached the school.
16. I usually….(drink) coffee.
17. Sohan….(live) in this town since 2014.
18. He …….. (be) a teacher since 1988.
19. Last Saturday, I …….. (stay) at home.
20. She always …….. (find) faults with others.
21. The clock …….. (just strike) twelve.
22. I …….. (dig) in the garden since morning.
23. What …….. (happen) if you fail ?
24. We …….. (have) our dinner before she left.
25. It …….. (happen) in the year 1924.
26. Run fast ! The train …….. (leave)
27. He …….. (not come) back yet.
28. Last Saturday, I …….. (stay) at home.
29. Ice …….. (melt) above 0° Celsius.
30. More men than one ……. absent today. (was/were)
31. Neither of the two boys ………. done it. (has/have)
31. What evidence ………… these acts ? (is/are)
32. The director as well as the dancers ……. honoured. (was/were)
33. Four miles ………. not a long distance. (is/are)
34. Time and tide ………… for none. (wait/waits)
35. I or he ……. to be rewarded. (am/is)
36. Many an accident ………. recently taken place. (has/have)
37. No student and no teacher ………… present. (was/were
38 ……. I or her to be rewarded ? (am/is)
39. Five times ten ………. fifty. (is/are)
40. A pair of spectacles ………… broken. (is/are)
41. Either my brothers or my father ………… responsible. (to be)
42. Water ………. at 100°. (to boil)
43. It started to rain while we ………… tennis. (to play)
44. We ……………. (consider) all this before ?
45. Ram ……………. (cry) since morning.
46. Sita realized what she ……………. (do) and began to cry.
47. Look! they ……………. (go) down.
48. Alfred Nobel ……………. (be) born on 21st October 1833.
49. A liar is a person who habitually ………….. (tell) lies.
50. The Mayor as well as his brothers ……. going to prison. (to be)
51. There ………. the bell. (to go)
52. They ………… Panchkula yesterday. (to burn)
53. Here ………… two apples. (to be)
54. Baba started weeping when he ………. out of the court. (to come)
55. I ………… this novel by this time tomorrow. (to finish)
12 Tenses in English Grammar: Correct Form of Verbs MCQs (Practice Exercises)
Fill in the blanks of with the help of correct form of verb given below the sentences:
1. We ………..World Environment Day yesterday.
(A) celebrated
(B) celebrating
(C) celebrate
(D) have celebrated
2. If you………hard during Covid-19 you would have given a great honour.
(A) have worked
(B) worked
(C) had worked
(D) will work
3. Our teacher completes the syllabus every year in November but this year he….it in March because of a strange disease.
(A) competes
(B) completed
(C) has completed
(D) will complete
4. I……………. (never see) him before.
(A) have never seen
(B) had never see
(C) never saw
(D) never seen
5. Water……(boil) at 100 Degree Celsius.
(A) boiled
(B) was boiling
(C) have boiled
(D) boils
6. I………….(complete) this essay by tomorrow.
(A) Completed
(B) shall complete
(C) was completed
(D) were complete
7. The new teacher …………..(teach) us for six months.
(A) have been teaching
(B) has been teaching
(C) is teaching
(D) was teaching
8. Last Saturday, I……..(stay) at home.
(A) have stayed
(B) had stayed
(C) was staying
(D) stayed
9. A brave man ……(not loose)
(A) has not lost
(B) do not loose
(C) does not loose
(D) none of the above
Rules of Conditional Sentences in English Grammar
12 Tenses in English Grammar: The Beginning of the English Learning Language
Conditional Tenses: Four Rules of Conditional Sentences in English Grammar
Rules of Conditional Sentences in English Grammar
Conditional Sentences contain two parts and begin with ‘If’ and they are refer to unreal past. They are also called ‘If’where past tense is used but are not referred to past time. Generally, there are four parts of conditional sentences.
- When both parts of main clause and subordinate clauses are in ‘simple present’. It is called ‘Zero Conditional’.
Present Indefinite Present Indefinite
If clause + Main clause.
If + simple present +simple present.
The situation is real and it seems that there is a possibility of action, it is refers to present simple or time.
Example:
If it does’t rain, you can start work at site.
This kind of sentences is also known as ‘If ‘sentence and here, past tense is used, but they do not refer to the past time. There are four main types of conditional sentences.
2. When the first part of the sentence or ‘If ‘clause is written in the simple present and the main clause refers the simple future. ‘Condional 1’
Example: If it rained you would not attend the party.
If clause + Main clause
Past Indefinite Would+ Base Verb
If + simple past + present conditional
Examples:
If I owned a house, I would let people to live free.
If it rained you would start work at site.
3. If you have past perfect tense in ‘if’ clause and the main clause reffers to the perfect condional and is called ‘Conditiona 3’.
If clause + Main clause
If+ past perfect tense + perfect conditional
Past Perfect Would Have + Past Participle
4. There is one more type of conditional sentence is that when type 2 and type 3 conditional sentences are mixed. Here, ‘If ‘clause is written in the past perfect tense and the main clause refers to the present conditional.
If clause + Main clause
If+ past perfect tense + present conditional
Example: If you would have worked hard in college days, you would have an excellent job.
Thus,the followings rules to be followed to learn the tenses and correct forms of verbs.
If Clause Main Clause
Simple Present Will+ Base verb
Past Indefinite Would+ Base Verb
If I owned a house, I would let people to live free.
Past Perfect Would Have + Past Participle
Present Indefinite Present Indefinite
Readlearnexcel English Grammar: Direct and Indirect Speech: Steps&Rules to Change Narration
Readlearnexcel English Grammar: 12 Tenses in English Grammar: The Beginning of the English Learning Language: Download Free PDF
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Most students and teachers are worried about learning tenses. Are their worries justifiable in the context of learning English or not? Students who speak English as their first language are more comfortable than those who do not speak English as their first language. Thus, I have seen students in India, especially in rural India, have always struggled to learn the tenses in English. This reality will exist due to the differences in the mother tongue and English language. The best way to understand the sentence structure of tenses and uses of verbs in correcting the sentences can be acquired by an intensive reading of differents types of written material.
