Tenses in English Grammar Chart with Examples PDF: Check Their Definition, Types, and Rules

The tenses chart in English grammar represents a grammatical structure of verbs that signifies the timing of actions or events. It enables us to determine if an action has taken place, is currently taking place, or will take place in the future. A tense chart functions as a visual aid that methodically categorizes and clarifies the various verb forms used to convey time in a language, such as English. It assists learners in understanding and correctly using tenses by demonstrating the changes in verbs based on time and action. The three main categories of tense are past, present, and future, each of which is subdivided into four aspects and a total of twelve tenses.

  • simple,

  • continuous (progressive),

  • perfect, and 

  • perfect continuous.

In the study of grammar, a tense refers to a verb form that signifies the timing of an action or event, whether it has occurred, is currently occurring, or will occur. It serves to express the temporal aspect of an action within a sentence. The primary tenses chart in English grammar is categorized as Present, Past, and Future.

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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 passage's context correct and distinct.

  • There are three different types of Tenses Chart 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 Grammar - Rules

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

 

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Rules/Formulas of Tenses Chart in English Grammar

Tenses 

Present 

Past 

Future 

Simple 

V1 or V1 + s/es 

Is/Am/Are

V2

Will + Verb

Continuous 

Is/Am/Are

+

V1+ing

Was/Were

+

V1+ing

Will be

+

V+ing

Perfect 

Has/ Have

+

V3

Had

+

V3

Will have

+

V3

Perfect Continuous

Has/Have been

+

V1+ing

+

Since/For

Had been

+

V1+ing

+

Since/For

Will have been

+

V+ing

+

Since/For

 

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Tenses Chart in English Grammar - Hindi

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

 

Tense 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

The above three tenses are further classified into four subtypes. So, there are 12 tenses in the tenses chart in English Grammar. They are classified in the chart given below. 

 

 

Tense Types In English

Tenses 

Present 

Past 

Future 

Simple 

Simple Present

Simple Past

Simple Future

Continuous 

Present Continuous

Past Continuous

Future Continuous

Perfect 

Present Perfect

Past Perfect

Future Perfect

Perfect Continuous

Present Perfect Continuous

Past Perfect Continuous

Future Perfect Continuous

 

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Tense Types With Examples

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

 

Tense Types With Examples

Tenses

Types

Examples

Present Tense

Simple Present Tense 

She writes a letter.

Perfect Present Tense 

She has written a letter.

Continuous Present Tense 

She is writing a letter.

Perfect Continuous Present Tense 

She has been writing a letter since yesterday.

Past Tense

Simple Past Tense

She wrote a letter.

Perfect Past Tense

She had written a letter.

Continuous Past Tense

She was writing a letter.

Perfect Continuous Past Tense

She had been writing the letter since morning.

Future Tense

Simple Future Tense

She will write a letter.

Perfect Future Tense

She will have written a letter.

Continuous Future Tense

She will be writing a letter.

Perfect Continuous Future Tense

She will have been writing the letter at 8 am tomorrow.

 

Verb Forms With Examples

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

 

Verb Forms With Examples

Base Form

Past Form

Past Participle

V1
V2
V3

arise

arose

arisen

bite

bit

bitten

burn

burnt

burnt

cut

cut

cut

drink

drank

drunk

 

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Tenses chart in English grammar

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

  Subject + Verb (Base Form)/ Third Person Plural Form + Object

 

Examples:

  • He goes to the gym.

  • We live in Australia.

  • Kavita writes a letter.

 

2) Present Continuous Tense

Rule/Formula

  Subject + Helping Verb (am/is/are) + Main Verb + ing  + Object

 

Examples:

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

 

3) Present Perfect Tense

Rule/Formula

  Subject + Helping Verb (have/has) + Past Participle of Main Verb + Object

 

Examples:

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

 

4) Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Rule/Formula

Subject + Have/Has + Been + Verb + ing + Object

 

Examples:

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

 

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 tenses 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

Subject + Verb+ed/ Verb in Past Tense (V2) + Object

 

Examples:

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

 

2) Past Continuous Tense

Rule/Formula

Subject + Helping Verb (was/were) + Main Verb + ing + Object

 

Examples:

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

 

3) Past Perfect Tense

Rule/Formula

Subject + Helping Verb (had) + Past Participle of Main Verb(V3) + Object

 

Examples:

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

 

4) Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Rule/Formula

Subject + Had + been + Verb + ing + Object

 

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 tenses 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

Subject + will/shall + Verb (V1)+ Object

 

Examples:

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

 

2) Future Continuous Tense

Rule/Formula

Subject + will/shall + be + Verb + ing + Object

 

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

Subject + will/shall + have + Verb (V3)+ Object

 

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

Subject + will/shall + have + been + Verb + ing + Object

 

Examples:

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

 

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Tenses Chart in English Grammar - 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.

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