Tenses in English Grammar

The tense means time. The tense of the verb shows not only the time of action but also its continuance or completion. Here, you are going to learn an overview of Tenses in English Grammar with examples, Tenses rules and Tenses Chart. For more detailed learning click the links of the individual tenses.

Types of Tenses in English Grammar:

There are three main tenses in English –  namely, the Present, the Past and the Future.

Each of these Main Tenses in English Grammar has four forms:

• The Simple Tense
• The Continuous Tense 
• The Perfect Tense
• The Perfect Continuous Tense

Present Tense: It describes the action that takes place in the present. Its four subdivisions are: 

(a) Present Simple Tense (b) Present Continuous Tense (c) Present Perfect Tense (d) Present Perfect Continuous Tense 

Past Tense: It describes the action that took place in the past. Its four subdivisions are:

(a) Past Simple Tense (b) Past Continuous Tense (c) Past Perfect Tense (d) Past Perfect Continuous Tense 

 Future Tense: It describes the action that takes place in the future. Its four subdivisions are:

(a) Future Simple Tense (b) Future Continuous Tense (c)  Future Perfect Tense  (d) Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Before we attempt to learn the tenses, let us have a brief idea of the topics like ‘verbs’ forms, ‘be’ forms, ‘have’ forms and persons of which knowledge is highly helpful to understand the topic easily. 

The Verb:

A verb is a word that tells about action (or doing), a state of being (or existence), or possession.

• Shivani is a teacher (state of being or existence) 
• Shivani has a car (possession)
• Shivani has purchased the car recently (action or doing) 

An English verb has the following forms:

Click here for a detailed list of the verbs

Persons: 

In English Grammar, persons refer to 1st, 2nd and 3rd persons and they are Personal Pronouns.   

First-person:     The person(s) speaking (I, We)

Second-person:  The person(s) spoken to (You)

Third-person: The person(s)/thing(s)whom about we speak (He, She, It and They)

Here is a list of Personal Pronouns and their different forms.   

12 Types of Tenses with examples and formulas (rules)

Here is a more detailed English Grammar Tenses Table wherein you find twelve Tenses with rules in four important sentences – Affirmative, Negative, Interrogative and Negative Interrogative.

Want to know the conjugation of other verbs

Present Simple Tense

Present Continuous Tense

Present Perfect Tense

Present Perfect Continuous Tense 

Past Simple Tense 

Past Continuous Tense 

Past Perfect Tense 

Past Perfect Continuous Tense 

Future Simple Tense

Future Continuous Tense  

Future Perfect Tense  

Future Perfect Continuous Tense