Tenses

1. Simple Present Tense

Formula:

 Subject + V1 (base form) / V1+s/es (for he/she/it)

Indicating Words:

 Always, usually, every day, sometimes, never

Examples:

Assertive: She plays cricket.

                  They play cricket.

Negative: She does not play cricket.

                 We do not play cricket.

Exclamation: How well she plays cricket!

Question: Does she play cricket?

                 Do they play badminton?

Basic Rule:

For he, she, it, add "s" to most base verbs.

Examples:

• He plays.
• She runs.
• It jumps.

Rules for Adding "s" / "es" / "ies"

1. Just add "s" to most verbs:

• play → plays
• read → reads
• eat → eats

2. Verbs ending in: -ch, -sh, -s, -x, -z, -o → add "es"

These endings need "es" for smooth pronunciation.

Verb                                                                +es Form

watch                                                                watches

go                                                                      goes

fix                                                                      fixes

wash                                                                  washes

buzz                                                                   buzzes

miss                                                                    misses

 3. Verbs ending in a consonant + "y" → drop "y", add "ies"

If a verb ends with a consonant + "y", change "y" to "ies".

Verb                ies Form

study                 studies

try                      tries

carry                 carries

BUT — if there's a vowel before "y", just add "s":

play → plays

enjoy → enjoys

Exceptions (Irregular Verbs):

Some verbs are irregular. Most common example:

have → has

Summary Chart:

Verb Ending                 Rule                                             Example

Most verbs                              Add s                                                             eat → eats

-ch, -sh, -s, -x, -z, -o               Add es                                                            go → goes

Consonant + y                       Change y to ies                                              try → tries

Vowel + y                               Just add s                                                       play → plays

Irregular                                Special form                                                  have → has

2. Present Continuous Tense

Formula:

Subject + am/is/are + V1+ing

Indicating Words:

 Now, at present, currently, at this moment

Examples:

Assertive: They are playing football.

Negative: They are not playing football.

Exclamation: What a game they are playing!

Question: Are they playing football?

3. Present Perfect Tense

Formula:

Subject + has/have + V3 (past participle)

Indicating Words:

 Just, already, ever, never, so far, till now

Examples:

Assertive: She has finished her homework.

                  They have finished their homework.

Negative: She has not finished her homework.

                 They have not finished their homework.

Exclamation: How well she has finished her homework!

Question: Has she finished her homework?

                  Have they finished their homework?

4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Formula:

Subject + has/have + been + V1+ing

Indicating Words:

 Since, for, all day, how long

Examples:

Assertive: He has been reading a book.

Negative: He has not been reading a book.

Exclamation: How long he has been reading a book!

Question: Has he been reading a book?

5. Simple Past Tense

Formula:

 Subject + V2 (past form of verb)

Indicating Words:

 Yesterday, last night, ago, in 1990

Examples:

Assertive: She visited Paris.

                     They visited London.

Negative: She did not visit Paris.

                    They did not finish their homework.

Exclamation: What a beautiful place she visited!

Question: Did she visit Paris?

                    Did you see the Star?

6. Past Continuous Tense

Formula:

 Subject + was/were + V1+ing

Indicating Words:

 While, when, at that time

Examples:

Assertive: I was watching TV.

Negative: I was not watching TV.

Exclamation: How interesting I was watching TV!

Question: Was I watching TV?

7. Past Perfect Tense

Formula:

 Subject + had + V3 (past participle)

Indicating Words:

 Before, after, by the time

Examples:

Assertive: They had left before I arrived.

Negative: They had not left before I arrived.

Exclamation: How quickly they had left!

Question: Had they left before you arrived?

8. Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Formula:

 Subject + had + been + V1+ing

Indicating Words:

 For, since, how long

Examples:

Assertive: He had been working all day.

Negative: He had not been working all day.

Exclamation: How long he had been working!

Question: Had he been working all day?

9. Future Simple Tense

Formula:

 Subject + will + V1 (base form)

Indicating Words:

 Tomorrow, next week, soon

Examples:

Assertive: I will go to the market.

Negative: I will not go to the market.

Exclamation: How soon I will go to the market!

Question: Will you go to the market?

10. Future Continuous Tense

Formula:

 Subject + will be + V1+ing

Indicating Words:

 At this time tomorrow, next week

Examples:

Assertive: They will be playing football.

Negative: They will not be playing football.

Exclamation: What a match they will be playing!

Question: Will they be playing football?

11. Future Perfect Tense

Formula:

 Subject + will have + V3 (past participle)

Indicating Words:

 By then, by that time, before

Examples:

Assertive: She will have completed the work.

Negative: She will not have completed the work.

Exclamation: How soon she will have completed the work!

Question: Will she have completed the work?

12. Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Formula:

 Subject + will have been + V1+ing

Indicating Words:

 For, since, by then

Examples:

Assertive: I will have been studying for 2 hours.

Negative: I will not have been studying for 2 hours.

Exclamation: How long I will have been studying!

Question: Will you have been studying for 2 hours?