Understanding the 12 tenses in English grammar is essential for clear and accurate communication. In this lesson, you will learn grammar rules, definitions, and examples for each tense. Practicing with a 12 Tense Formula Chart will help you master their usage effectively.
12 Tenses Formula Chart
The formula chart provides you the shortcut to keep the tenses in mind. The tenses have been classified according to the three different time phases: the past, the present, and the future.
12 Tenses in English Grammar
There are three main tenses in English grammar, and each of them has its four conditions, which comprise the 12 tenses as below.
Present Tense in English Grammar Rules
The present tense is a tense that expresses an action that is currently going on or habitually performed.
Formula: Subject + 1st Form of Verb + Object
Example
- I write a letter.
- He goes to school daily.
- I do not write a letter.
- He does not get up early in the morning.
Types of Present Tense:
- Present Indefinite Tense
- Present Continuous Tense
- Present Perfect Tense
- Present Perfect Continuous Tense
Present Tenses with Structures
Past tense is a tense that indicates an action that began in the past and was also done in the past within or with not in a confirmed period of time or date or year.
Simple Present Tense Structure:
- Positive: Subject + V1 (base form) + (s/es) + Object
- Negative: Subject + do/does + not + V1 + Object
- Interrogative: Do/Does + Subject + V1 + Object?
Examples:
✔️ He plays football.
❌ He does not play football.
❓ Does he play football?
Present Continuous Tense Structure:
- Positive: Subject + is/am/are + V1 + ing + Object
- Negative: Subject + is/am/are + not + V1 + ing + Object
- Interrogative: Is/Am/Are + Subject + V1 + ing + Object?
Examples:
✔️ She is studying now.
❌ She is not studying now.
❓ Is she studying now?
Present Perfect Tense Structure:
- Positive: Subject + has/have + V3 (past participle) + Object
- Negative: Subject + has/have + not + V3 + Object
- Interrogative: Has/Have + Subject + V3 + Object?
Examples:
✔️ They have finished their work.
❌ They have not finished their work.
❓ Have they finished their work?
Present Perfect Continuous Tense Structure:
- Positive: Subject + has/have + been + V1 + ing + Object
- Negative: Subject + has/have + not + been + V1 + ing + Object
- Interrogative: Has/Have + Subject + been + V1 + ing + Object?
Examples:
✔️ I have been learning English for two years.
❌ I have not been learning English for two years.
❓ Have I been learning English for two years?
Past Tenses with Structures and Examples
Past Indefinite Tense:
- Simple: Subject + Verb + Complements
- Negative: Subject + Did not + Verb + Complements
- Interrogative: Why + Did + Subject + Verb + Complements +?
Examples:
✔️ She went to the market.
❌ She did not go to the market.
❓ Why did she go to the market?
Past Continuous Tense:
- Simple: Subject + was/ were + Verb (ing) + Complements
- Negative: Subject + was not/ were not + Verb (ing) + Complements
- Interrogative: Why + was / were + Subject + Verb (ing) + Complements +?
Examples:
✔️ They were playing football in the park.
❌ They were not playing football in the park.
❓ Why were they playing football in the park?
Past Perfect Tense:
- Simple: Subject + had + Verb + Complements
- Negative: Subject + had not + Verb + Complements
- Interrogative: Why + had + Subject + Verb + Complements +?
Examples:
✔️ He had completed his homework before the teacher arrived.
❌ He had not completed his homework before the teacher arrived.
❓ Why had he completed his homework before the teacher arrived?
Past Perfect Continuous Tense:
- Positive: Subject + had + been + V1 + ing + Object + (since/for Time)
- Negative: Subject + had + not + been + V1 + ing + Object + (since/for Time)
- Interrogative: Had + Subject + been + V1 + ing + Object + (since/for Time)?
Examples:
✔️ She had been studying for three hours before the exam started.
❌ She had not been studying for three hours before the exam started.
❓ Had she been studying for three hours before the exam started?
Future Tense in English:
The future tense is a tense that indicates an action or a work that has yet to happen but is to be predicted to do in the future or will be happening in the future.
Structure of Future Indefinite Tenses:
- Simple/Indefinite: Subject + shall/will + 1st form of verb + object
- Negative: Subject + Shall Not, Will Not + 1st form of verb + object
- Interrogative: Shall, will + subject + 1st form of verb + object +?
Examples:
✔️ She will buy a new dress tomorrow.
❌ She will not buy a new dress tomorrow.
❓ Will she buy a new dress tomorrow?
Structure of Future Continuous Tense:
- Simple/Indefinite: Subject+ will / shall + be + 1st Form of Verb with (ing) + Objective
- Negative: Subject + Will/Shall + Not + be + 1st Form of Verb with (ing) + Object
- Interrogative: Will/shall + subject + be + 1st form of verb with (ing) + object +?
Examples:
✔️ They will be playing football in the evening.
❌ They will not be playing football in the evening.
❓ Will they be playing football in the evening?
Structure of Future Perfect:
- Simple/Indefinite: Subject + will/shall + have + 3rd form of verb + object
- Negative: Subject + Will/Shall + Not + Have + 3rd form of Verb + Object
- Interrogative: Will/Shall + Subject + Have + Been + Object +?
Examples:
✔️ He will have finished his work before 5 PM.
❌ He will not have finished his work before 5 PM.
❓ Will he have finished his work before 5 PM?
Structure of Future Perfect Continuous:
- Simple/Indefinite: Subject + will have been + V1 + ing + Object + (since/for Time)
- Negative: Subject + will not have been + V1 + ing + Object + (since/for Time)
- Interrogative: Will + Subject + have been + V1 + ing + Object + (since/for Time)?
Examples:
✔️ Positive: She will have been studying for five hours by the time you arrive.
❌ Negative: She will not have been studying for five hours by the time you arrive.
❓ Interrogative: Will she have been studying for five hours by the time you arrive?
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