Tenses in English Grammar | Types, Rules, Examples & MCQs

🌟 12 Tenses in English with Explanation and Examples

Learn all 12 Tenses with simple rules and examples. Easy for beginners and students!

1. Present Simple Tense

👉 Used for habits, facts or routines.

Rule: Subject + V1 (s/es) + Object

• She plays football every evening.
• The sun rises in the east.

2. Present Continuous Tense

👉 Used when action is happening now.

Rule: Subject + is/are/am + V1+ing + Object

• She is reading a book right now.
• They are playing cricket in the ground.

3. Present Perfect Tense

👉 Action just completed or linked to present.

Rule: Subject + has/have + V3 + Object

• I have finished my homework.
• She has gone to the market.

4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense

👉 Action started in past and continuing now.

Rule: Subject + has/have been + V1+ing + since/for + Object

• He has been studying for three hours.
• They have been living in Delhi since 2020.

5. Past Simple Tense

👉 Action completed in past.

Rule: Subject + V2 + Object

• She visited Mumbai last year.
• I watched a movie yesterday.

6. Past Continuous Tense

👉 Action was happening at a specific past time.

Rule: Subject + was/were + V1+ing + Object

• I was reading when he called me.
• They were playing cricket yesterday evening.

7. Past Perfect Tense

👉 One action completed before another past action.

Rule: Subject + had + V3 + Object

• She had completed the work before I arrived.
• They had left the station before the train came.

8. Past Perfect Continuous Tense

👉 Continuous action for some time in past.

Rule: Subject + had been + V1+ing + since/for + Object

• He had been working for five hours before he took a break.
• They had been living in that house for 10 years.

9. Future Simple Tense

👉 Action that will happen in future.

Rule: Subject + will/shall + V1 + Object

• She will go to school tomorrow.
• I will call you later.

10. Future Continuous Tense

👉 Action will be happening at a specific future time.

Rule: Subject + will be + V1+ing + Object

• She will be studying at 8 PM.
• They will be watching a movie tonight.

11. Future Perfect Tense

👉 Action will be completed by a specific time in future.

Rule: Subject + will have + V3 + Object

• By tomorrow, I will have finished my project.
• They will have reached the station by 9 AM.

12. Future Perfect Continuous Tense

👉 Action will be continuing up to a time in future.

Rule: Subject + will have been + V1+ing + since/for + Object

• By next year, she will have been working here for 5 years.
• They will have been studying for three hours by 10 o’clock.