Tenses

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Tense is a grammatical category that expresses time reference.The core function of tense is to indicate when an action, event, or state occurs relative to the moment of speaking or writing.

Past Tense: Before now.

Present Tense: Now or generally true.

Future Tense: After now.

 There are three main types of tenses in English, and each one has four subtypes, resulting in a total of 12 common tenses.

 Types and Subtypes of English Tenses


1. Present Tense (Current Time)

The Present Tense refers to actions happening now, habitual actions, or facts.


Subtype

Function

Example

Simple Present

General truths, habits, and scheduled events.


1) The sun rises in the east. 

2) She drinks tea every morning.

Present Continuous

Actions happening at the moment of speaking or temporary actions.

1) I am writing an email right now. 

2) They are staying in London this week.

Present Perfect

Actions completed at an unspecified time in the past or actions that started in the past and continue to the present.

1) He has finished his homework. 

2) We have known each other for ten years.

Present Perfect Continuous

Actions that started in the past and are still ongoing or have just stopped, with a focus on duration.

1) It has been raining for three hours. 

2) She has been studying English since 2020.


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2. Past Tense (Before Now)

The Past Tense refers to actions that are completed or states that existed before the present moment


Subtype

Function

Example

Simple Past

Completed actions in the past at a   specific time.

1) I watched a movie last night. 

2) They visited Rome in 2018.

Past Continuous

 Actions that were ongoing at a specific time in the past, often interrupted by another action.

We were having dinner when the phone rang.

Past Perfect

An action that was completed before another past action.

She had left before I arrived.

Past Perfect Continuous

An action that had been ongoing for a duration before another action in the past.

He had been working all day, so he was exhausted.

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3. Future Tense (After Now)

The Future Tense refers to actions that will happen after the present moment.

.

Subtype

Function

Example

Simple Future

Predictions, promises, or spontaneous decisions.

I will help you with your bags. It will rain tomorrow.

Future Continuous

Actions that will be ongoing at a specific time in the future.

Tomorrow at 3 p.m., I will be flying to Paris.

Future Perfect

An action that will be completed before a specific time in the future.

She will have graduated by next June.

Future Perfect Continuous

The duration of an ongoing action that will stop at a specific future time.

By the time he retires, he will have been teaching for 40 years.


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Exercise 

  •   I met her at the conference last month.                                                                                (Simple Past: 'last month' indicates past time)

  • ​He plays the guitar very well. (Simple Present: indicates a general ability/habit)
  • ​The teacher is explaining the topic clearly. (Present Continuous: suggests an action happening now or a general statement about the quality of the action.

  • ​I walk to school every day. (Simple Present: indicates a habitual action)

  • ​They have already finished their project. (Present Perfect: 'already' indicates an action completed before the present moment)

  • ​She attended the meeting yesterday. (Simple Past: 'yesterday' indicates past time)

  • ​We are going to visit our grandparents next weekend. (Future with 'going to': indicates a planned future action)

  • ​My mother cooks delicious food every day. (Simple Present: indicates a habitual action)

  • ​I was reading when the lights went out. (Past Continuous: for an ongoing action interrupted by another past action)

  • ​They have lived in this town for over ten years. (Present Perfect Continuous or Present Perfect: emphasizes duration up to the present)

  • ​He did not answer my call. (Simple Past Negative: 'not answer' in the past)

  • ​She is learning Spanish this year. (Present Continuous: indicates a temporary action or one happening around the present time)

  • ​The teacher had left before the students arrived. (Past Perfect: indicates an action completed before another action in the past)

  • ​I do not know the answer to that question. (Simple Present Negative: 'not know' indicates a current state)

  • ​My friend bought a new phone last week. (Simple Past: 'last week' indicates past time)

  • ​You made a mistake in the calculation. (Simple Past: implies the mistake was made in the past)

  • ​The children were playing in the park when it started raining. (Past Continuous: for an ongoing action interrupted by another past action)

  • ​He will complete the assignment by tonight. (Simple Future: 'by tonight' suggests a deadline for a future action)
  • ​The train arrived at 6 a.m. yesterday. (Simple Past: 'yesterday' indicates past time)

  • ​I forgot to lock the cupboard yesterday. (Simple Past: 'yesterday' indicates past time)

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