Tenses Basic Structure

Tenses Basic Structure

1. Present Simple
(Also called Present Indefinite OR Simple Present)
Formula
Subject + Verb (first form) + Object / Adverb
for third person singular we add s/es/ies [Click here for spelling rules]

Examples
  • I play cricket.
  • He/She/It goes there.
  • Ahmed goes there.
  • We/They play cricket.
  • Ahmed and Yaqoob play cricket.

2. Past Simple
(Also called Past Indefinite OR Simple Past)
Formula
Subject + Verb (Second form) + Object / Adverb

Examples
  • You wrote a beautiful letters.
  • They drove a car.
(drove is the second form of drive)

3. Future Simple
(Also called Future Indefinite OR Simple Future)
Formula
Subject + will/shall + Verb (first form) + Object / Adverb
[I / We = shall/will]
[The rest = will]

Examples
  • It will rain tomorrow.
  • My uncle will sign this document.

4. Present Continuous
(Also called Present Progressive)
Formula
Subject + is/are/am + Verb [fourth form (an-ing)] + Object / Adverb
[Singular Subject = is]
[Plural subject = are]
[I = am]

Examples
  • I am playing cricket.
  • Yaqoob is reading a book.
  • We are leaving for the beach tomorrow morning.

5. Past Continuous
Formula
Subject + was/were + Verb [fourth form (an-ing)] + Object / Adverb
[Singular Subject = was]
[Plural subject = were]
[I = was]

Examples
  • I was making dinner when she arrived.
  • Yaqoob and Maria were planning to go.
  • They were cleaning window.

6. Future Continuous
Formula
Subject + will/shall + be + Verb [fourth form (an-ing)] + Object / Adverb
[I / We = shall/will]
[The rest = will]

Examples
  • I will be making dinner.
  • He will be reading a book.

7. Present Perfect
Formula
Subject + have/has + Verb [third form] + Object / Adverb
[Singular Subject = has]
[Plural subject = have]
[I = have]

Examples
  • I have known for many years more than twenty years.
  • Yaqoob has read a book.
  • We have done our work.
[Usage of since and for starts from Perfect Tense]

8. Past Perfect
Formula
Subject + had + Verb [third form] + Object / Adverb

Examples
  • After she had moved out, I found her notes.
  • She had met him before the party.
(met is the second and third form of meet)

9. Future Perfect
Formula
Subject + will/shall + have + Verb [third form] + Object / Adverb
[I / We = shall/will]
[The rest = will]

Examples
  • I will have finished this book.
  • They will have done their work.

10. Present Perfect Continuous
Formula
Subject + have/has + been + Verb [fourth form (an-ing)] + Object / Adverb
[Singular Subject = has]
[Plural subject = have]
[I = have]

Examples
  • I have been playing cricket for two hours.
  • Yaqoob has been reading a book since morning.

11. Past Perfect Continuous
Formula
Subject + had + been + Verb [fourth form (an-ing)] + Object / Adverb

Example
  • I had been working at the company for five years when I got the promotion.

12. Future Perfect Continuous
Formula

Subject + will/shall + have + been + Verb [fourth form (an-ing)] + Object / Adverb

Example
  • She will have been working for two hours.