4/11/2015

12TensesinEnglishGrammar|TensesTablewithExamples|1.2MillionSentencesinTenseForm|TensesTableinEnglishTamilDiction

PresentSimple
take/takesread/reads
Thesimplepresenttenseisusedinthefollowingcontexts.

Toexpressageneraltruth

Birdsfly
Animalsrun.
Trainsgoveryslowlyuphill.

Toexpresssomehabitualactions

Myfathergoesforawalkintheevening.
Igetupatsixoclockeveryday.

Todenoteauniversaltruth

Honestytastessweet.
Thesunrisesintheeast.
Note:Whenthesubjectisthirdpersonsingularweaddsorestothemainverbforsimplepresenttense.

I(we/you/they)walkquickly.
He(she/it)walksquickly.
Keywords:generally,usually,often,hardly,rarely,everyday.

PastSimple
took/ate

Weusethepastsimpletorefertoactions,throughtsorfeelingsfinishedbeforethetimeofspeaking.
Isawathrillingfootballmatchyesterday.
MyunclecameherelastMonday.

FutureSimple

data:text/htmlcharset=utf8,%3Ctable%20border%3D%220%22%20cellpadding%3D%220%22%20cellspacing%3D%220%22%20class%3D%22tbl_questions

1/4

4/11/2015

12TensesinEnglishGrammar|TensesTablewithExamples|1.2MillionSentencesinTenseForm|TensesTableinEnglishTamilDiction

willtake/shalltalke/willsee/shallsee

Itisusedtoexpressasimplefutureaction.
Ishallseeyoutonight.
Theflightwilltaketwohours.
Keywords:tomorrow,nextweek,nextmonth.

PresentContinuous
is/am/areverb+ing

Iameating.She(he/it)iseating.You(we/they)areeating.
1.Thepresentcontinuoustenseisusedtodenoteanactionwhichisgoingonatthetimeofspeaking.

Sheiswritingaletternow.
Pleasedontshout.Thebabyissleeping.

2.Itisalsousedtodenoteafutureaction.

TheGovernorisleavingfortheStatesonSunday.
AreyouplayingfortheFreeBirdsthisyear?
Keywords:now,atpresent.

PastContinuous
was/wereverb+ing

I(she/he/it)wasrunningfast.
They(you/we)wererunningfast.

Thepastcontinuousisusedtoindicateanactiongoingonatsomepasttime.

Theywreworkinginthefieldwhenthelightningstruck.
Rosyfelldownwhileshewasclimbingthestairs.
data:text/htmlcharset=utf8,%3Ctable%20border%3D%220%22%20cellpadding%3D%220%22%20cellspacing%3D%220%22%20class%3D%22tbl_questions

2/4

4/11/2015

12TensesinEnglishGrammar|TensesTablewithExamples|1.2MillionSentencesinTenseForm|TensesTableinEnglishTamilDiction

FutureContinuous
willbeverb+ing/shallbeverb+ing
Thefuturecontinuousisusedtodenoteanactionwhichwillbegoingonatsomefutureperiod.

Shewillbelecturingatthecollegeauditoriumtomorrow.
BythistimetomorrowweshallbewritingtheEnglishtest.

PresentPerfect
have+pastparticiple/has+pastparticiple

I(we/you/they)havefinishedthework.
He(she/it)hasfinishedthework.

Thepresentperfecttenseisusedtoindicateanactionjustcompletedandtheconsequenceofwhicharestill
present.

Ihavealreadyseenthisfilm.IhavebeentoCeylon.
Keywords:just,yet,already,sofar.

PastPerfect
had+pastparticiple
1.Itisusedtodescribeatimebeforethepasttimebeingdiscussed.

IhadspokentotheSecretarybeforethemeetingbegan.

2.Whentwopastactionshappened,theactionthattookplacefirstisdenotedbypastperfect.

Thethiefhadescapedbeforethepolicecame.
Whenwereachedtheairporttheplanehadalradyleft.
data:text/htmlcharset=utf8,%3Ctable%20border%3D%220%22%20cellpadding%3D%220%22%20cellspacing%3D%220%22%20class%3D%22tbl_questions

3/4

4/11/2015

12TensesinEnglishGrammar|TensesTablewithExamples|1.2MillionSentencesinTenseForm|TensesTableinEnglishTamilDiction

FuturePerfect
willhave+pastparticiple/shallhave+pastparticiple
Thefurureperfectdenotesthatacertainactionwillhavebeencompletedatsomefutureperiod.

Theywillhavefinishedtheworkbeforesunset.
Ishallhavecompletedalltheassignmentsbytheendofthismonth.

PresentPerfectContinuous
havebeenverb+ing/hasbeenverb+ing
Thepresentperfectcontinuoustenseexpressesanactionthatbegansometimeagoandisstillgoingon
withoutbreakandisnotyetcompleted.

ShehasbeenwritingmeansShewaswritingbeforeandsheiswritingstill.
Ihavebeenworkingheresince1988.
Keywords:since,for.

PastPerfectContinuous
Thepastperfectcontinuoustenseisusedtoexpressanactionthathadbeengoingonforsometimepreviousto
thepointoftimementioned.

MrJoehadbeenworkinginaschoolbeforehecametothiscollege.

data:text/htmlcharset=utf8,%3Ctable%20border%3D%220%22%20cellpadding%3D%220%22%20cellspacing%3D%220%22%20class%3D%22tbl_questions

4/4