Tenses

Tenses

 

 

There are sixteen tenses but there are just twelve basic tenses. I will tell you about the twelve basic tenses, they are:

 

1. Present Tenses:
   

   
    

   The present tenses are the tenses that indicate the activity in present. Present tense also indicates the action that started in the past and continuous until now.
   

• Simple present:
  

  S + V1
  

  To describe the habits, routines, or general truth for example:
  

  • I eat breakfast every morning.
    
  • Fire is hot.
    
  • The earth goes around the sun.
    
  • She always goes to campus by motorcycle.
    

    
     

• Present Progressive
  

  S + to be + present participle
  

  To describe the action that is taking place or being done or happening.
  

  • The motorcycle is running fast.
    
  • I am waiting for the bus.
    
  • The cat is chasing a mouse.
    
  • He is doing his job.
    

  
   

• Present Perfect
  

  S + have + past participle
  

  We use Present Perfect tense to say an action that happened at unspecified time before now.
  

  • I've seen this movie before.
    
  • I have never done this homework before.
    
  • My friend has done his job.
    
  • I have done my homework.
    

  
   

• Present Perfect Progressive
  

  S + have been+ present participle
  

  We use the present prefect progressive to express an action that is still going on or still done with duration. Example:
  

  • I have been waiting for you almost three hours.
    
  • My father has been living there for a long time.
    
  • The rain has been pouring for two hours.
    
  • I have been studying at this University for two years.
    

 

1. Past Tense
   

   
    

   We use past tense to say an action that happened in the past or something happened in the past or telling stories.
   

   
    

• Simple Past
  

  Form: S + past tense
  

  We use it to indicate an action that completed or finished in the past.
  

  • I ate breakfast at six.
    
  • I got up from my bedroom at five.
    
  • I went to campus by my motorcycle.
    
  • He left this room suddenly.
    

    
     

• Past Progressive
  

  Form: S + to be + present participle
  

  We use past progressive to indicate an action that was going on or taking place in the past. It occurred after the past tense. It takes place when something is going on. Example:
  

  • The tree fell when we were walking.
    
  • When I came here the rain was pouring down.
    
  • The police stopped him when he was speeding up his motorbike.
    
  • My parent came when I was sleeping.
    

  
   

• Past Perfect
  

  Form: S + had + past participle
  

  The Past Perfect expresses the idea that something occurred before another action in the past. It can also show that something happened before a specific time in the past. Example:
  

  • The bus had left before I came.
    
  • He had gone home when I came there.
    
  • He had finished doing his job when his friend came.
    
  • The rain had poured when I drove my motorcycle.
    

    
     

• Past Perfect Progressive
  

  Form: S + had been + present participle.
  

  We use it to indicate something happening and taking place in the past but not finished until now. It emphasizes the duration of an action taking place before uncertain time.
  

  • I had been waiting for you before you came.
    
  • I had been having the meal when you came here.
    
  • He had been doing his homework, so I did not come there.
    
  • My mother had been sleeping when I went home.
    

1. Future Tense.
   

   We use the future tense for express an action that we will do or will happen in the future.
   

   Form: S + will + present tense
   

• Simple future
  

  It indicates that something will happen or we plan it. But there are two form.
  

  • I will be there at seven o'clock.
    
  • The rain will stop tonight.
    
  • I'm going to be a good English teacher.
    
  • It's going to rain.
    

    The difference between "will" and "be going to" is:
    

    
     

  • "Will" is willingness and 100% certainty and "be going to" is a prior plan.
    
• Future progressive
  

  Form: S + will + be + present participle.
  

  We use it for express an idea of action that will be taking place in the future.
  

  Example:
  

  • I will be doing my homework.
    
  • It will be raining tonight.
    
  • My motorbike will be running slow.
    
  • The cat will be running fast.
    

    
     

• Future Perfect.
  

  Form: S + will have + past participle
  

  The future perfect tense is quite an easy tense to understand and use. The future perfect tense talks about the past in the future
  

  • I will have done my homework the lecture gave tome.
    
  • The bus will have stopped at the bus station.
    
  • I think the rain will have stopped tonight.
    
  • I will have finished writing my homework tomorrow.
    
• Future Perfect Progressive.
  

  Form: S + will have been + present participle
  

  The future perfect progressive is used when you want to know or tell someone how long an action has been happening at a future point. The action started before that future point, and it will continue after the future point you speak about. Let's take a look at the following timeline to help us.
  

  • My friend will have been helping me do my homework.
    
  • I will have been sleeping tonight.
    
  • The car will have been running.
    
  • I will have been writing my scientific writing.