The 12 Basic English Tenses|Grammar

The 12 Basic English Tenses|Grammar

[The 12 Basic English Tenses|Grammar Three types Tenses Present Tense Past Tense Future Tense Classification of these three Tenses]

What is Tense?

• The Tense in the change of form in a verb to indicate the time and the state of an action or event.

Fig:The 12 Basic English Tenses|Grammar

In English Grammar there are three principal Tenses. They are —

1. Present Tense: It describes an action in the present time. Ex. I go. He writes.
2. Past Tense: It describes an action in the past time. Ex. I went. He wrote.
3. Future Tense: It describes an action in the future time. Ex. I shall go. He will write.

Fig: Classification of Tense

Each of these principal tenses has four forms: — Indefinite, Continuous, Perfect and Perfect Continuous.

So the 12 Basic Tenses are:

1. Present Indefinite Tense
2. Present Continuous Tense
3. Present Perfect Tense
4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense
5. Past Indefinite Tense
6. Past Continuous Tense
7. Past Perfect Tense
8. Past Perfect Continuous Tense
9. Future Indefinite Tense
10. Future Continuous Tense
11. Future Perfect Tense
12. Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Classification of Present Tense:

1. Present Indefinite Tense
2. Present Continuous Tense
3. Present Perfect Tense
4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Fig: Classification of Present Tense

Classification of Past Tense:

1. Past Indefinite Tense
2. Past Continuous Tense
3. Past Perfect Tense
4. Past Perfect Continuous Tense 

Fig: Classification of Past Tense

Classification of Future Tense:

1. Future Indefinite Tense
2. Future Continuous Tense
3. Future Perfect Tense
4. Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Fig: Classification of Future Tense

But before studying the forms and usage of each group we should remember that — one type of Tense form can express a number of time situations. For example, the Present Continuous Tense may denote:

• Temporary actions that are going on around now.

                Ex: I am writing letters.

• Developing and Changing situation.

               Ex: The climate is getting warmer.

• Future activity.

               Ex: What are you doing tomorrow morning?