TENSES CONCEPT SHEET

Present Past Future

I played yesterday.(Five min ago, last month, last
Simple I play basketball. (Everyday - habit, occupation) year, on Friday) I will play tomorrow
I was playing online ludo yesterday, when the
Continuous I am playing basketball. (right now) internet snapped. I will be playing ludo at 5 pm.
I will have played basketball by the time you
Perfect I have completed my English class. (just now) I had played basketball before I did my homework come, tomorrow.
Perfect I have been studying since 10 am.(I am still I had been playing basketball, when she I will have been playing basketball, by
Continuous studying) came yesterday. the time he arrives, tomorrow.

Simple
Present tense Example Sentence When is it used
The earth goes around the sun. Universal truth
I am a girl. Current state/condition
I am ill. Current condition
I am a doctor. Profession
I play everyday. Habitual action

The PM addresses the country on 27th of Future action - we use simple present tense-
Unusual usage December. official timetable official timetable
School reopens in DECEMBER. official timetable School will reopen in December.

We are going to see a movie. Personal arrangement present continuous tense

Present Continuous - only in form, actually it
Harry Potter is coming to our house tomorrow. indicates simple future tense personal arrangement
Future action - personal arrangements -
My aunt is coming tomorrow. Personal arrangement present cont tense

Continuous This tense is used to express incomplete actions CONTINUOUS TENSES SHOULD NOT BE
Tenses or actions that are in progress. USED UNNECESSARILY
Present Continuous is used for actions in progress
at time of speaking. He is teaching the class. (Right now) I was playing ludo yesterday.(Wrong)
Past Continuous is used when an action in the She was reading the newspaper when the I was baking a cake yesterday when the
past has been interrupted by some other action doorbell rang. lights went out. Correct
Future Continuous is used when an action is baking a cake - WIP -incomplete because the
predicted to be in progress in the future She will be studying at this time tomorrow. lights went out
 5 categories of verbs where we cannot use Present Continuous Tense
Verbs of
perception Five senses - taste, hear, smell, feel, see This pillow is feeling soft- Wrong This rose smells very sweet.
Verbs of
emotion Love, hate, like, etc. I am loving it -Wrong - I love it. I hate Maths(not hating Maths)

verbs - consist, This jar is containing very delicious cookies.

contain, cost… This book costs a hundred rupees. Wrong This jar contains very delicious cookies.

Verbs of I am having a headache. Illness- you are still

possession I have a beautiful car. I am having a beautiful car.Wrong suffering from it…(Exception - Correct)
Verbs of
appearance look, appear, seem, etc Harry is looking very sleepy. - Wrong Harry looks very sleepy.

PERFECT TENSES GIVE MORE SPECIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE TIME OF THE ACTION. H WORDS - HAS, HAVE, HAD

Present
Perfect Tense I have completed my English class. (Just now) Recent Past Clue Words - Just now, Already, Recently
Doesn't matter when I went. What matters
that I have information about Dubai right
HAS/HAVE I have been to Dubai and I can tell you all about it. Indefinite time in the past now.
Mary Kom has won the bronze medal in Olympics (Achievement is still relevant in the present -
in boxing. Present Perfect Tense)
An action that starts in the past and continues till Clue words - For, Since (generally use Perfect
She has lived in Mumbai since 2008. the present. tense for such words)
Special Notes
I have completed my work today. Incorrect Correct - I completed my work today. I have completed my work. Correct
Today, five min ago, yesterday, last week, last Must Use Past tense wherever you see Past
month - Past tense indicators Tense Indicator.

Past Perfect When two actions take place in the past, one after the other, the first one is expressed with Past Perfect and the second one with Simple Past
Tense Tense.
HAD Everyone had eaten the cake by the time Shaina reached the party.
Simple Past (simple past form of the verb) -
Example Sentences HAD - Past Perfect Tense - 1st event 2nd event
I thanked him for what he had done. First - He had done something for me. And then - I thanked him.
By the time I reached, the movie had started The movie had started. Then I reached late.
She had wanted water but she got milk. She had wanted water. But she got milk.
He had visited America before his trip last year He had visited America He went on a trip last year
Mom asked if I had finished my work before the
party. I finished my work before the party Mom asked me, later, about my work.

Future Perfect
Tense Expresses an event that will be complete by the time a future action takes place.
Sam will have completed his homework by 5 pm
will have tomorrow
Example Sentences 1st event - Future Perfect 2nd event - Simple Future
I will have completed my classes by the time you
come tomorrow I will have completed my classes by the time you come tomorrow.
She will have done her exercises before dinner
time. She will have done her exercises before dinner time.
He will have completed five years in this He will have completed five years in this
institution by 2021. institution by 2021

Common
Mistakes Simple Past Tense Did and Didn’t are already PAST TENSE
Did + Present tense form of the verb Simple Past tense
Didn't + present tense form of the verb Simple Past tense
CORRECT SENTENCES WRONG SENTENCES
Did you go to Spain last year? Correct Did you went to Spain last year? Incorrect
Did you see Ann yesterday? Correct Did you saw Ann yesterday? Incorrect
Didn't you do your homework yesterday? Didn't you did your homework?
Didn’t you catch the ball while playing? Didn’t you caught the ball while playing?
USE THE PAST PARTICIPLE form of the verb with
PERFECT TENSES (Has, Have, Had) PAST PARTICIPLE FORM

Break, broke, broken Broken

speak, spoke, spoken Spoken
eat ate eaten Eaten
blow, blew blown Blown
sow, sew, sown Sown

The wind blows from morning to night Everyday Simple Present Tense present tense of the verb
The wind blew hard yesterday. Past tense past tense of the verb
The wind has blown since morning Present Perfect Tense/Passive Voice participle form of the verb

I ate my breakfast.
I had my breakfast. What tense? Simple Past - had/ate
(NOT PAST PERFECT)

I had had my breakfast before my Dad returned

from the night shift. example of Past Perfect Tense