12 Tenses Grammar Rules | Definition and Examples In English

Here I am discussing the 12 tenses in English grammar with examples in English. If you want perfection in your tenses then it will be very good for you if you practice with the 12 Tense Formula Chart With Examples. This page is providing you with 12 tenses in English grammar with examples in English so that you can learn in a better way.

Table of Contents

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 times phases; the past, the present, and the future.

Now read out the following table of 12 tense formula charts with examples.

S + V + O or Subject + Verb + Object

Simple Present Tense S + V + O
- E.g. You write a letter.
Present Continuous Tense S + is/am/are + V + ING + O
- E.g. She is writing a letter.
Present Perfect Tense S + has/have + Past Participle (PP.) of the Verb + O
- E.g. They have written a letter.
Present Perfect Continuous Tense S + has been/have been + V + ING + O + since/for
- E.g. You have been writing a letter for three hours.
Simple Past Tense S + Past Form of the Verb + O
- E.g. He wrote a letter.
Past Continuous Tense S + was/were + V + ING + O
- E.g. I was writing a letter.
Past Perfect Tense S + had + Past Participle (PP.) of the Verb + O
- E.g. She had written a letter.

Past Perfect Continuous Tense S + had been + V + ING + O + since/for
- E.g. We had been writing a letter since morning.
Simple Future Tense S + will/shall + V + O
- E.g. We shall write a letter.
Future Continuous Tense S + will be/shall be + V + ING + O
- E.g. She will be cooking food.
Future Perfect Tense S + will have/shall have + Past participle (PP.) of the Verb + O ….
- E.g. She will have written a letter before we go.
Future Perfect Continuous Tense S + will have been/shall have been + V + ING + O + since/for
- E.g. They will have been writing a letter since morning.

12 Tenses In English Grammar

There are three main tenses in English grammar and each of them has its four conditions which comprise the 12th tenses as below.

Present Tense In English Grammar Rules With Examples:

The present tense is a tense which 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

Past Tense In English Grammar Rules With Examples:

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.

Past Indefinite Tense:

Simple: Subject + Verb + Complements
Negative: Subject + Did not + Verb + Complements
Interrogative: Why + Did + Subject + Verb + Complements +?

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 +?

Past Perfect Tense:

Simple: Subject + had + Verb + Complements
Negative: Subject + had not + Verb + Complements
Interrogative: Why + had + Subject + Verb + Complements +?

Future Tense In English Grammar Rules With Examples:

The future tense is a tense that indicates an action or a work which is not yet happened but it 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 +?

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 +?

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 +?