16 Tenses with Example

Tenses is a form of the verb which indicates the occurrence of an event. Whereas in the Oxford Dictionary, tenses mean changes in verb that affect the timing and occurrence of events.

e.g.:

We Studied English yesterday

We will study English Tomorrow

            Verb                Time signal     

Tense by the time it happened there were four:

-          Present

-          Past

-          Future

-          Past future

Based on the character of the events :

-          Simple

-          Continuous

-          Perfect

-          Perfect Continuous

When combined, overall there are 16 tenses :

1. Simple Present

Formula:

(+) S + V1 s/es + O

(-) S + do/does not + V1 + O

(?) Do/Does + S + V1+ ?

Example Of Sentences:

(+) They study English at Locus English Course.

(-)  They don’t study English at Locus English Course.

(?)  Do they study English at Locus English Course?

Use for:

Always

Every day

Every years

Sometimes

Often

Seldom

Usually

2. Present Continuous

Formula:

(+) S + to be + V-ing + O

(-) S + to be + not + V-ing + O

(?) To be + S + V-ing + O+ ?

Example Of Sentences:

(+) I am reading a novel.

(-)  I am not reading a novel.

(?) Are you reading novel?

Use for:

Today

Now

Right now

At the moment

3. Present Perfect

Formula:

(+) S + Have/Has + V3 + O

(-) S + Have/Has + not + V3 + O

(?) have/has + S + V3 + O + ?

Example Of Sentences:

(+) You have written a letter.

(-)  You have not written a letter.

(?) Have you written a letter?

Use for:

Already

Just now

4. Present Perfect Continuous

Formula:

(+)  S + have/has + been + V-ing+ O

(-) S + have/ has + not + been + V-ing

(?) Have/has + S + been + V-ing + O + ?

Example Of Sentences:

(+) Ben and Parker have been doing their homework.

(-)  Ben and Parker have not been doing their homework.

(?) Have Ben and Parker been doing their homework?

Use for:

For

Since

5. Simple Past

Formula:

(+) S + V2 + O

(-) S + did + not + V1 + O

(?) Did + S + V1 + O + ?

Example Of Sentences:

(+) They played football yesterday.

(-)  They didn’t play football yesterday.

(?) Did they play football yesterday?

Use for:

Yesterday

Last

Ago

6. Past Continuous

Formula:

(+) S + to be 2 (was/were) + V-ing + O

(-) S + to be 2 (was/were) + not + V-ing + O

(?)to be 2 (was/were) + S + V-ing + O + ?

Example Of Sentences:

(+) I was waiting for a bus.

(-)  I was not waiting for a bus.

(?) Were you waiting for a bus?

Use for:

When

While

7. Past Perfect

Formula:

(+) S + had + V3 + O

(-) S + had + not + V3 + O

(?) Had + S + V3 + O + ?

Example Of Sentences:

(+) Baim had done the test.

(-) Baim had not done the test.

(?) Had Baim done the test?

Use for:

Since

For

8. Past Perfect Continuous

Formula:

(+) S + had + been + V-ing + O

(-)  S + had + not + been + V-ing + O

(?) Had + S + been + V-ing + O + ?

Example Of Sentences:

(+) Maria’s sister had been studying at university for eight years.

(-)  Maria’s sister had not been studying at university for eight years.

(?) Had Maria’s sister been studying at university for eight years?

Use for:

When

9. Simple Future

Formula:

(+) S + Will/Shall + V1 + O

(-) S + Will/Shall + not + V1 + O

(?) Will/Shall + S + V1 + O + ?

Example Of Sentences:

(+) We will play futsal.

(-)  We won’t play futsal.

(?) Will we play futsal?

Use for:

If

While

Before

After

As soon as

Till

Until

10. Future Continuous

Formula:

(+) S + will/shall + be + V-ing + O

(-) S + will/shall + not + be + V-ing + O

(?) Will/Shall + S + be + V-ing + O+ ?

Example Of Sentences:

(+) I will/shall be having dinner at 19.00

(-)  I won’t/shan’t be having dinner at 19.00

(?) Will you be having dinner at 19.00?

Use for:

At this time tomorrow

At the same time tomorrow

At this time next year

11. Future Perfect

Formula:

(+) S + Will/Shall + Have + V3 + O

(-) S + will/shall + not + have + V3 + O

(?) Will/Shall + S + have + V3 + O + ?

Example Of Sentences:

(+) I will/shall have finished dinner by 20.00

(-) I won’t/shan’t have finished dinner by 20.00

(?) will you have finished dinner by 20.00?

Use for:

By the end of this week

By next week

12. Future perfect continuous

Formula:

(+) S + Will/Shall + Have + Been + V-ing + O

(-) S + will/shall + not + have + been + V-ing + O

(?) Will/Shall + S + have + been + V-ing + O +  ?

Example Of Sentences:

(+) She will have been working here.

(-) She won’t have been working here.

(?) Will she have been working here?

Use for:

By the end of ….

By the end of this year

13. Simple Past Future

Formula:

(+) S + Would/Should + V1 + O

(-) S + Would/Should + Not + V1 + O

(?) Would/Should + S + V1 + O + ?

Example Of Sentences:

(+) You would play tennis.

(-) You wouldn’t play tennis.

(?) Would you play tennis?

Use for:

… if …..

14. Past Future Continuous

Formula:

(+) S + Would/Should + Be + V-ing + O

(-) S + Would/Should + Not + Be + V-ing + O

(?) Would/Should + S + Be + V-ing + O + ?

Example Of Sentences:

(+) I would/should be playing my rent.

(-) I wouldn’t/should’t be playing my rent.

(?) Would you be playing my rent?

Use for:

In January last year

At nine o’clock yesterday

15. Past Future Perfect

Formula:

(+) S + Would/Should + Have + V3 + O

(-) S + Would/Should+ Not + Have + V3 + O

(?) Would/Should + S + Have + V3 + O + ?

Example Of Sentences:

(+) My boss would offered me much money.

(-) My boss wouldn’t have offered me much money.

(?) Would my boss have offered me much money?

Use for:

…. if…..

16. Past Future Perfect Continuous

Formula:

(+) S + Would/Should + Have + Been + V-ing + O

(-) S + Would/Should + Not + Have + Been + V-ing + O

(?) Would/Should + S + Have + Been + V-ing + O + ?

Example Of Sentences:

(+) She would have been watching the film.

(-)  She wouldn’t have been watching the film.

(?) Would she have ben watching the film?

Use for:

By the end of this month + past signal