2

Verb Tenses
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Contents`
Chapter No
1
2
3
4
5
-

Page
Introduction
Twelve verb Tenses
Present Tenses
Present Indefinite Tense
Present Continuous Tense
Present Perfect Tense
Present Perfect Continuous Tense
Past Tenses
Past Indefinite Tense
Past Continuous Tense
Past Perfect Tense
Past Perfect Continuous Tense
Future Tenses
Future Indefinite Tense
Future Continuous Tense
Future Perfect Tense
Future Perfect Continuous Tense

3
6
7

7
11

14
16

19
19
21
23
25
27
27
29
30
32

Chapter -1

Introduction

Verb tenses describe the time when an action occurs, they are made
mostly from two components:

1. The Principal Parts of the verb and, in some cases

2. Helping verbs
There are four principal parts of any verb in English:

1.
2.
3.
4.

The infinitive
The present participle
The past
The past participle

1. The infinitive:
The basic form of the verb

Verb = to cook
Infinitive = cook
Basic form = cook

2. The Present Participle:ends in ing. It is always used with a helping verb which is a form of
the verb to be

Verb = cook
Present participle = cooking
Example:I was cooking breakfast when the telephone rang.
Helping verb = was

Notice
Notice that the present participle, which ends in ing looks the same as
a gerund

Gerund of cook = cooking

The present participle is used as a verb with a helping verb a form of
the verb to be.
A gerund is used in place of a noun.

Coking is my favorite hobby.

Cooking = gerund = subject of the verb is

3. The Past :usually ends in ed

Verb = to cook
Past = cooked
Example:I cooked breakfast for my sister yesterday morning.

4. The Past Participle:looks like the past; it usually ends in ed. Its always used with a
helping verb which is a form of verb to have

Verb = to cook
Past participle = have cooked
Example:I have cooked breakfast for my family many times.

Chapter 2

Twelve verb tenses

There are twelve tenses in English language.

1. present indefinite
2. Present continuous
3. Present prefect
4. Present prefect continuous
5. Past indefinite
6. Past continuous
7. Past perfect
8. Past perfect continuous
9. Future indefinite
10. Future continuous
11. Future perfect
12. Future perfect continuous

Chapter 3

The Present Tenses

1. Present Indefinite Tense

Present indefinite tense describes action happening now. Its formed using
the basic form of the verb. We usually use basic form of verb in the sentence
of present indefinite tens.

Verb = to cook
Basic or infinitive form = cook
Present tense = I cook.
We use above verb without any change, when I, you, we, they or
a plural noun come in a sentence as a subject.

Example:I cook breakfast every morning.

We always add e or es to a basic form of the verb, when he, she, it
or any singular noun come in a sentence as subject.

Example:He cooks breakfast for his wife every morning.

Rules of s or es

1- After s, sh, ch and x we add es.

Pass passes
wash- washes
Catch catches
mix - mixes
2- some verbs ending in o have es.
Go goes
do does
3- when a verb ends in a consonant +
y, The y changes to ies.
Hurry hurries copy copies We
do not change y after a vowel.
-

Affirmative, Negative and Interrogative sentences

1. Affirmative sentence
Affirmative sentence consist of subject, verb and objective.

Examples:Subject
I
We
You
He
She

verbs
go
go
go
goes
goes

It
They

goes
go

2. Negative sentence

Do not or does not is used between subject and verbs.

Example:-

Subject
I
We
You
He
She
It
They

do not or does not

do not
do not
do not
does not
does not
does not
do not

verbs
go
go
go
go
go
go
go

3. Interrogative
Do or does is used before subject and ends in question
mark. Example:-

10

Do or does
Do
Do
Do
Does
Does
Do

subject
I
we
you
he
she
they

verbs
go
go
go
go
go
go

question mark
?
?
?
?
?
?

11

2. Present Continuous Tense:The present continuous means that we are in the middle of an
action. Present participle is used with helping in a sentence.

Verb = to cook
Present participle = cooking
Present continuous tense = I am cooking.
Example:I am cooking lunch for my wife.

Rule of -ing
1. we normally leave out e when we add ing to a verb.
drive driving
Take taking
But we keep a double e before ing.
See seeing
agree agreeing
2. when a verb ends in ie, it changes to
ying. Die dying lie lying
But y does not change.
Hurry hurrying

12

3. Sometimes we double a final consonant. This happens when a onesyllable verb ends with one vowel and one consonant, e.g. win, put.
Win winning put putting

Affirmative, Negative and Interrogative sentences

1. Affirmative Sentence
Affirmative sentence of present continuous consist of Subject, helping verb,
verb, object.

Examples:
Subject
I
We
You
He
She
It
They

Helping verb
am
are
are
is
is
is
are

Verb
going.
going.
going.
going.
going.
going.
going.

2. Negative Sentence
Not is used between helping verb and verb to form negative sentence.

13

Examples:
Subject
I
We
You
He
She
It
They

helping verb
am
are
are
is
is
is
are

Not
not
not
not
not
not
not
not

Verb
going.
going.
going.
going.
going.
going.
going.

3. Interrogative Sentences
Helping verb is used before subject and ends in question mark to form
an interrogative sentence.

Examples:
Helping Verb
Am
Are
Are
Is
Is
Is
Are

Subject
I
we
you
he
she
it
they

Verb
going
going
going
going
going
going
going

Question mark
?
?
?
?
?
?
?

14

3 . Present Perfect Tense:Present perfect tense describes action happing in the past up to the present.
The present perfect tense is formed by taking the past participle and putting
in front of it the present tense of the verb to have

Past participle of to cook = cooked

Present tense of to have = he has
Present perfect tense = he has cooked
Example:He has cooked breakfast for his family every day for the last year.

Affirmative, Negative and Interrogative sentences

1. Affirmative Sentence:The affirmative sentence of present perfect tense consist of subject, helping
verb, verb and object.

15

Examples:Subject
I
We
You
He
She
It
They

Helping verb
have
have
have
has
has
has
have

Verb
gone.
gone.
gone.
gone.
gone.
gone.
gone.

2. Negative sentence
Not is put between helping verb and subject to form a Negative sentence.

Example:Subject
I
We
You
He
She
It
They

Helping Verb
have
have
have
has
has
has
has

Not
not
not
not
not
not
not
not

Verb
gone.
gone.
gone.
gone.
gone.
gone.
gone.

3. Interrogative Sentence.
Helping verb is put before subject and ends in question mark.

Examples:Helping verb
Have
Have
Have
Has
Has
Has
Have

subject
I
we
you
he
she
it
they

verb
gone
gone
gone
gone
gone
gone
gone

question mark
?
?
?
?
?
?
?

16

4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense

It is used to indicate an action that began in the past and is still going on; as,

It has been raining since 4oclock.

We have been playing hockey for twenty minutes.
The present participle is use for present perfect continuous tense go
= going.
Note:- The prepositions since and for are used to denote point of time and a
period of time respectively.

Affirmative, Negative and Interrogative sentences

1. Affirmative sentence
An affirmative sentence consist of subject, helping have been , and object.

17

Examples:Subject
I
We
You
He
She
It
They

helping verb
have been
have been
have been
has been
has been
has been
have been

verb
going
going
going
going
going.
going.
going.

2.Negative Sentence:
Not is put between has/have and been to form a negative sentence.

Examples:Subject
I
We
You
He
She
It
They

Has/Have
have
have
have
has
has
has
have

Not
not
not
not
not
not
not
not

Been
been
been
been
been
been
been
been

verb
going.
going.
going.
going.
going.
going.
going.

3. Affirmative sentence
Helping verb comes before subject and ends in question mark.

Examples:Helping verb

Subject

Been Verb

Have
Have
Have
Has
Has

I
we
you
she
he

been
been
been
been
been

Question mark
going
going
going
going
going

?
?
?
?
?

18

Has
Have

it
they

been
been

going
going

?
?

19

Chapter- 4

The Past Tense

1. The Past indefinite Tense

Past tense describes action happing in the past. The past tense is
formed from the past form of the verb.

Verb = to cook
Past tense = cooked
Example:He cooked dinner last night

Affirmative, Negative and Interrogative Sentence

1. Affirmative sentence.
An affirmative sentence contains subject, verb past and object.

Examples:Subject
I
We
You
He
She
It
They

Verb
went.
went.
went.
went.
went.
went.
went.

20

2.Negative Sentence.
Did not comes between subject and the first form of verb.

Examples;Subject

Did Not

infinitive

I
We
You
He
She
It
They

did not
did not
did not
did not
did not
did not
did not

go.
go.
go.
go.
go.
go.
go.

3. Interrogative sentences.
Did comes before subject and first form of verb is used in sentence. It ends
in question mark.

Did

Subject

Verb

Did
Did
Did
Did
Did
Did
Did

I
we
you
he
she
it
they

go
go
go
go
go
go
go

Question mark
?
?
?
?
?
?
?

21

2. Past Continuous Tense

The past continuous means that at a time in the past we were in the middle of
and action. Present participle is used with helping verb for this tense.

Verb= to cook
Present participle = cooking
The past continuous = was/were cooking.
Example:He was cooking dinner for his wife.

Affirmative, negative and interrogative sentences

1. Affirmative sentence
An affirmative sentence contains subject, helping verb, verb and object.

Examples;Subject
I
We
You
He
She
It

Helping verb
was
were
were
was
was
was

Verb
going.
going.
going.
going.
going.
going.

22

They

were

going.

2. Negative Sentences.
Not is put between subject and helping verb.

Examples:Subject
I
We
You
He
She
It
They

Helping verb
was
were
were
was
was
was
were

Not
not
not
not
not
not
not
not

Verb
going.
going.
going.
going.
going.
going.
going.

3. Interrogative Sentences
Helping verb comes before subject and ends in question mark.

Helping verb

Subject

Verb Question mark

Was
Were
Were
Was
Was
Was
Were

I
we
you
he
she
it
they

going
going
going
going
going
going
going

?
?
?
?
?
?
?

23

3. Past Perfect Tense

The past perfect tense describes action happening in the past before some
other past tense action. The past perfect tense is formed by taking the past
participle and putting in front of it a verb which is the past tense of the verb
to have.

Past participle of to cook = cooked

Past tense of to have = he had
Past perfect tense = he had cooked dinner when suddenly the doorbell rang.

Affirmative, negative and interrogative sentences

1. Affirmative Sentences.
The affirmative sentence contains subject, helping verb, and verb.

Subject
I
We
You
He
She
It
They

helping verb
had
had
had
had
had
had
had

verb
gone.
gone.
gone.
gone.
gone.
gone.
gone.

24

2. Negative Sentences.
Not comes between helping verb and verb.

Examples:Subject
I
We
You
He
She
It
They

Helping
had
had
had
had
had
had
had

Not
not
not
not
not
not
not
not

Verb
gone.
gone.
gone.
gone.
gone.
gone.
gone.

3. Interrogative sentences.
Helping verb is put before subject and ends in question mark.

Helping verb

Subject

Verb

Question mark

Had
Had
Had
Had
Had
Had
Had

I
we
you
he
she
it
they

gone
gone
gone
gone
gone
gone
gone

?
?
?
?
?
?
?

25

4. Past perfect continuous tense

It is used to denote an action that was finished at some definite time in the
past, but which had been going on before it was finished: as,

1. It had been raining since 4 oclock.

2. We had been playing hockey for twenty minutes.
The prepositions since and for are used to denote a point of time and
a period of time respectively.

Affirmative, negative and interrogative sentences

1. Affirmative sentence.
The affirmative sentence contains subject, helping verb and verb.

Example:Subject
I
We
You
He
She

Helping verb
had been
had been
had been
had been
had been

Verb
going.
going.
going.
going.
going.

26

It

had been

going.

2. Negative sentences.
Not is put between had and been.

Subject
I
We
You
He
She
It
They

Had
had
had
had
had
had
had
had

Not
not
not
not
not
not
not
not

Been
been
been
been
been
been
been
been

Verb
going.
going.
going.
going.
going.
gong.
going.

3. Interrogative Sentences.
Had is put before subject and ends in question mark.

Examples:Had
Had
Had
Had
Had
Had
Had
Had

Subject
I
we
you
he
she
it
they

Been
been
been
been
been
been
been
been

Verb Question mark

going
?
going
?
going
?
going
?
going
?
going
?
going
?

27

Chapter- 5

The Future Tense

A verb that refers to the future time is said to be in the future tense.

1. Future Indefinite.
It is used to denote a single act that has still to take place; as,

1. I shall go to Karachi tomorrow.

2. He will take the examination in April, 2006

Affirmative, negative and interrogative Sentences

1. Affirmative sentences
The affirmative sentence contains subject, helping verb and object.

Examples;Subject
I
We
You
He
She
It
They

Helping verb
shall
shall
will
will
will
will
will

Verb
go.
go.
go.
go.
go.
go.
go.

28

2. Negative sentences.
Not comes between shall/will and verb.

Examples;Subject
I
We
You
He
She
It
They

Shall/Will
shall
shall
will
will
will
will
will

Not
not
not
not
not
not
not
not

Verb
go.,
go.
go.
go.
go.
go.
go.

2. Interrogative Sentences.
Helping verb is put before subject and ends in question mark.

Examples:Helping verb
Shall
Shall
Will
Will
Will
Will
Will

Subject
I
we
you
he
she
it
they

Verb
go
go
go
go
go
go
go

Question mark
?
?
?
?
?
?
?

29

2. Future Continuous
It is used to represent an action that will keep going on, at some time in
the future ; as

He will be taking a bath in the morning.

Affirmative, negative and interrogative sentences

1. Affirmative sentences.
Not is put between will/shall and be.

Examples;Subject
I
We
You
He
She
It
They

Shill/will
shall
shall
will
will
will
will
will

Not
not
not
not
not
not
not
not

Be `
be
be
be
be
be
be
be

Verb
going.
going.
going.
going.
going.
going.
going.

30

The Future Perfect Tense

It is used to denote an action that will be completed at some point in the
Future; as

I shall have returned form school before the clock strikes four.

Affirmative, negative and interrogative sentences

1. Affirmative Sentence
The affirmative sentence contains subject, helping verb, verb and object.

Examples:Subject
I
We
You
He
She
It
They

Helping
shall have
shall have
will have
will have
will have
will have
will have

Verb
gone.
gone.
gone.
gone.
gone.
gone.
gone.

31

2. Negative sentence
Not is put between shall/will and have.

Examples:Subject
I
We
You
He
She
It
They

Shall/will
shall
shall
will
will
will
will
will

Not
not
not
not
not
not
not
not

Have
have
have
have
have
have
have
have

Verb
gone.
gone.
gone.
gone.
gone.
gone.
gone.

3. Interrogative sentence
will/shall comes before subject and ends in question mark.

Will/shall
Shall
Shall
Will
Will
Will
Will

Subject
I
we
you
he
it
they

Have
have
have
have
have
have
have

Verb
gone
gone
gone
gone
gone
gone

Question mark
?
?
?
?
?
?

32

4. Future Perfect Continuous Tense

It is used to denote an action as going on continuously, but not completed in
the Future; as,

1. I shall have been saving a rupee a day since July 1.

2. I shall have been saving a rupee a day for two years.
This tense is seldom used. But whenever it is used like every other perfect
continuous tense, the preposition since and for are used to denote a point
of time and a period of time respectively.

Affirmative, negative and interrogative sentences

33

1. Affirmative Sentence
The affirmative sentence contains subject, helping verb, verb and objective.

Subject
I
We
You
He
She
It
They

Helping verb
shall have been
shall have been
will have been
will have been
will have been
will have been
will have been

verb
going.
going.
going.
going.
going.
going.
going.

2. Negative sentences
Not is put between shall/will and have.

Examples:Subject
I
We
You
He
She
It
They

Shall/Will
shall
shall
will
will
will
will
will

Not
not
not
not
not
not
not
not

Have
have
have
have
have
have
have
have

Been
been
been
been
been
been
been
been

Verb
going.
gong.
going.
going.
going.
going.
going.

3. Interrogative sentences
Shill/will comes before subject and ends in question mark.

Examples:Shill/will

Subject

Shall

Have Been Verb Question mark

have been going

34

Shall
Will
Will
Will
Will
Will

we
you
he
she
it
they

have been
have been going
have been going
have been going
have been going
have been going

The End

going
?
?
?
?
?