According to the Oxford Dictionary, “Tense is any of the forms of a verb that may be used to show the time of the action or state expressed by the verb”. In the tenses chart of English Grammar, there are three main types of tenses i.e.,

1. Present Tense

2. Past Tense

3. Future Tense

The three tenses are further divided into four subtypes, resulting in a total of 12 tenses in English grammar. Similar to the Oxford Dictionary, the other dictionaries also provide definitions for tenses. They are:

1. Merriam-Webster Dictionary, “Tense is a form of a verb used to show the past, present, or future time of the action or state it denotes”.

2. Collins Dictionary, “The tense of a verb group is its form, which usually shows whether you are referring to past, present, or future time”.

3. Cambridge Dictionary, “Tense is any of the forms of a verb which show the time at which an action happened”.

Generally, the tenses in English grammar that are used to describe some actions that take place, are considered as a fundamental part of the language. Interested candidates have the option to download a PDF version of this information in English and Hindi by using the link provided below. For any inquiries, please visit the FAQs listed below.

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Tenses Definition

In English, Verbs are mainly used to represent Past, Present, and Future actions or states of an event. When verbs are changed over time, such verbs are called Tenses. The right usage of tenses makes the context of the passage correct and distinct. There are three different types of Tenses in English Grammar. They are Present tense, Past tense, and Future tense. These three types of tenses are further classified into four subtypes, they are Simple tense, Continuous tense, Perfect tense, and Perfect Continuous tense. 

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Tenses Chart In English - Rules

The table given below explains the tenses with rules in English. The given tenses chart with formulas helps you to understand the logic behind the usage of tenses in English Grammar.

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Tenses Chart In Hindi

The table will be updated soon to explain the tenses chart with rules in Hindi. The tenses chart with formulas helps you to understand the logic behind the usage of tenses in the English Grammar in Hindi language.

Tenses Types In English

 In English Grammar there are three different types of tenses in English. They are as follows,

• Present Tense 
• Past Tense
• Future Tense

These above three tenses are further classified into four subtypes. So, there are 12 tenses in English Grammar. They are classified using a tenses chart.

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Tenses Types And Examples

To gain complete knowledge about the tenses in English Grammar you can read the given tenses types and examples.

Verbs Forms With Examples

From the given examples of verbs list, you can get the idea of three forms of verbs in English grammar. The given verb forms v1 v2 v3 play an important role in tenses. These given verb examples are verb words used in English grammar.

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Types of Tenses And Definitions

Here we discuss the twelve types of tenses in English Grammar with rules and examples.

1. Present Tense

The Present tense is defined as the form of a verb that expresses an action or event that is currently occurring or happening in the present moment. The tense chart of the Present Tense is discussed below. 

Types of Present Tense

There are four types of Present Tense in English Grammar. They are 

                1) Simple Present Tense

                2) Present Continuous Tense

                3) Present Perfect Tense

                4) Present Perfect Continuous Tense

1) Simple Present Tense

Rule/Formula

Examples:

• He goes to the gym.
• We live in Australia.
• Kavita writes a letter.

2) Present Continuous Tense

Rule/Formula

Examples:

• She is reading a book.
• I am studying.
• Kamala is singing a song.

3) Present Perfect Tense

Rule/Formula

Examples:

• You have played well.
• She has read story books.
• They have watched these cartoons.

4) Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Rule/Formula

Examples:

• You have been playing all day.
• I have been working on this project.
• She has been reading story books.

2. Past Tense

The Past tense is defined as the form of a verb that expresses an action or event that already happened or occurred in the past. The tense chart of the Past Tense is discussed below. 

Types of Past Tense

There are four types of Past Tense in English Grammar. They are 

                1) Simple Past Tense

                2) Past Continuous Tense

                3) Past Perfect Tense

                4) Past Perfect Continuous Tense

1) Simple Past Tense

Rule/Formula

Examples:

• We lived in Australia.
• He went to the gym.
• Kamala sang a song.

2) Past Continuous Tense

Rule/Formula

Examples:

• We were going to Australia.
• He was going to the gym.
• Kamala was singing a song.

3) Past Perfect Tense

Rule/Formula

Examples:

• We had gone to Australia.
• He had gone to the gym.
• Kamala had sung a song.

4) Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Rule/Formula

Examples:

• We had been visiting Australia.
• He had been going to the gym.
• Kamala had been singing a song.

3. Future Tense

The Future tense is defined as the form of a verb that expresses an action or event that has not yet happened or is expected to happen or occur in the future. The tense chart of the Future Tense is discussed below. 

Types of Future Tense

There are four types of Future Tense in English Grammar. They are 

                1) Simple Future Tense

                2) Future Continuous Tense

                3) Future Perfect Tense

                4) Future Perfect Continuous Tense

1) Simple Future Tense

Rule/Formula

Examples:

• We shall live in Australia.
• He will go to the gym.
• Kamala will sing a song.

2) Future Continuous Tense

Rule/Formula

Examples:

• We shall be going to Australia.
• He will be going to yoga class.
• Kamala will be singing a song.

3) Future Perfect Tense

Rule/Formula

Examples:

• We shall have left Australia.
• He will have gone to the gym.
• Kamala will have sung a song.

4) Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Rule/Formula

Examples:

• We shall have been going to Australia.
• He will have been going to the gym.
• Kamala will have been singing a song.

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FAQs

Q. How many tenses are there in English grammar?

In English grammar, there are twelve types of tenses.

Q. Define the importance of tenses.

Tenses in English grammar help to express past, present, and future actions. So, tenses play an important role in the English language.

Q. What are V1, V2, and V3 in English grammar?

In English grammar, V1 refers to the first form of the verb, V2 refers to the second form of the verb, and V3 refers to the third form of the verb.

Q. What is the formula for Past Perfect Tense?

The formula for Past Perfect Tense is Subject + Helping Verb (had) + Past Participle of Main Verb(V3) + Object.

Q. What are the three types of tenses?

The three types of tenses are Present tense, Past tense, and Future tense.

Q. In total, how many types of tenses are in English grammar?

In total, there are 12 types of tenses in English grammar.