Rules of Tenses In English Language

Hey everyone! today we are trying to describe you the very basic English grammar rules and that's Rules of Tense. With the help of these rules, you will be able to identify the type of tense and you can also form new sentences very easily and quickly. So, Let's start!!!!

We divide tenses in three parts:

(a) Present Tense
(b) Past Tense
(c) Future Tense

Three three categories are further divided into four sub-categories:

(i) Indefinite/Simple
(ii) Continuous
(iii) Perfect
(iv) Perfect Continuous

Now, you will find the rules that we use to make a sentence correct according to the tense.

1. Present Indefinite or Simple Present

(V1 = first form of verb, V2 = Second form of verb, V3 = Third form of verb

Subject + V1 + s/es + object 
We use s/es with verb, when subject is singular.
If the subject is plural, then we don't use e/es.
For example
a. Dog barks
b. Dogs barks.
c. Girl plays hockey.
d. Girls play hockey.

2. Present Continuous Tense

Subject + is/am/ are + V1 + ing + object.           (sometimes object is not present in the sentence)

For example

a. I am going to market.

b. She is cooking food.

c. They are playing.    (without object)

3. Present Perfect Tense

Subject + has/have + V3 + object

Has is used with singular subjects.

Have is used with plural subjects.
For example,

a. They have played a match.

b. She has cooked the food

c. I have written a letter.

4. Present Perfect Continuous

Subject + has been/ have been + V1 + ing + object

Has been is used with singular subjects.

Have been is used with plural subjects.

For example
a. It has been raining since morning.

b. I have been working here for two years.

c. They have been playing cricket since 2001.

Now comes the Past Tense.

1. Past Indefinite Tense

Subject + V2 + object

For example

a. Ram played a match.

b. They cooked food.

c. I went there.

2. Past Continuous Tense

Subject + was/were + V1 + ing + object

Was is used with singular subjects.

Were is used with plural subjects.

For Example

a. She was cooking food.

b. They were playing cricket.

c. I was writing a letter.

3. Past Perfect Tense

Subject + had + V3 + object             ( Always use V3 with has/ have/ had.)

For example

a. She had cooked food.

b. They had played a match.

c. I had left the job.

4. Past Perfect Continuous

Subject + had been + V1 + ing + object

For example

a. It had been raining since Monday. 

b. They had been playing cricket since 2002.

c. I had been living in India for three years.

Last tense we have is Future Tense.

1. Future Indefinite Tense

Subject + will/shall + object

Will is used with he/she/it/they/we etc.

Shall is used with 'I'.

But these days, will is commonly used with 'I'.

For example

a. I will/shall go for a movie.

b. They will have fun there.

c. She will make a list.

2. Future Continuous Tense

Subject + will/shall + be + ing + V1 + object

For example

a. She will be cooking food.

b. They will be cutting trees.

c. I will/shall be cleaning the room.

3. Future Perfect Continuous

Subject will/shall + have + V3 + object

For example

a. They will have cooked food.

b. I will have left the job.

c. She will have prepared the lecture.

4. Future Perfect Continuous

Subject + will have been + V1 + ing + object.

 For example

a. It will have been raining since morning.

b. We will have been playing for three years.

c. They will have been working since 2001.

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