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English

Tenses | CrackEase

Tense

What is Tense ?

  • Definition: Tenses are verb forms that locate actions or states in time — past, present or future. They tell us when something happens.

  • At a high level tenses are grouped into three basic times: Present, Past and Future. Each of these has four aspects (Simple, Continuous, Perfect, Perfect Continuous) to show finer time relations.

  • Knowing tense rules helps you construct grammatically correct sentences and express time relationships precisely — important for exams and clear communication.

Tense Table
TenseStructure / Rule
Present Simple Subject + V1 (add s/es for 3rd person singular) + Object
Present Perfect Subject + has/have + V3 + Object
Present Continuous Subject + is/am/are + V1 + ing + Object
Present Perfect Continuous Subject + has/have been + V1 + ing + Object
Past Simple Subject + V2 + Object
Past Perfect Subject + had + V3 + Object
Past Continuous Subject + was/were + V1 + ing + Object
Past Perfect Continuous Subject + had been + V1 + ing + Object
Future Simple Subject + will/shall + V1 + Object
Future Perfect Subject + will have/shall have + V3 + Object
Future Continuous Subject + will be/shall be + V1 + ing + Object
Future Perfect Continuous Subject + will have been + V1 + ing + Object
Rules For Tenses

The three primary times (present, past, future) are each split into four aspects depending on completion and continuity:

  • Simple — general truths, habits, single completed actions.
  • Continuous (Progressive) — actions in progress at a certain time.
  • Perfect — actions completed before a reference time.
  • Perfect Continuous — duration of an action up to a reference time.
Simple Tense
FormStructureExample
Present Simple (singular) Subject + V1 (+ s/es for 3rd person) Ashlin plays football.
Present Simple (plural) Subject + V1 They play football.
Past Simple Subject + V2 He played football yesterday.
Future Simple Subject + will/shall + V1 I will play football tomorrow.
Continuous (Progressive) Tense
FormStructureExample
Present Continuous Subject + am/is/are + V1 + ing I am playing. / She is painting.
Past Continuous Subject + was/were + V1 + ing Naina was cleaning the house.
Future Continuous Subject + will be + V1 + ing They will be coming tomorrow.
Perfect Tense
FormStructureExample
Present Perfect (singular) Subject + has + V3 Romia has cleaned the floors.
Present Perfect (plural) Subject + have + V3 They have finished their work.
Past Perfect Subject + had + V3 Manisha had worked there before she left.
Future Perfect Subject + will have/shall have + V3 She will have completed the task by tomorrow.
Perfect Continuous Tense
FormStructureExample
Present Perfect Continuous (singular) Subject + has been + V1 + ing Ruhi has been working since morning.
Present Perfect Continuous (plural) Subject + have been + V1 + ing They have been working since morning.
Past Perfect Continuous Subject + had been + V1 + ing Mohit had been taking care of his brother for two days.
Future Perfect Continuous Subject + will have been + V1 + ing He will have been living here since 2015 (by next year).
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