Verb Tenses: Present, Past, Future
The different verb tenses along with their subdivisions aka continuous, perfect, or perfect continuous forms are explained below with examples so that candidates can use them correctly in their IELTS test:
Present Tense
The simple Present or Present tense is a grammatical tool used to describe actions, events, or conditions that are happening right now or currently exist. The present tense is used to talk about current situations, express general truths, and describe habitual actions that occur regularly.
The structural formula to frame a present tense sentence:
Subject+ verb (s/es) + Object. For example –
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1. Present Continuous Tense
It is a form of tense that represents the action that is progressing in the present. It is used for actions happening right now aka for actions that are currently in progress or unfinished. It can also be used to describe temporary actions.
The structural formula to frame a present continuous tense sentence:
Subject + helping verb (is / am/ are) + main verb (ing) + object. Some examples are-
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2. Present Perfect Tense:
It is a form of tense that refers to activities that are already completed in the immediate past, i.e. just finished/completed. It is used for actions that started in the past and continue up to the present moment aka it emphasizes the connection between the past and the present.
The structural formula to frame a present perfect tense sentence:
Subject + helping verb (have/has) + verb (ed) + object. Some examples are-
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3. Present Perfect Continuous Tense:
It is used in a sentence to indicate an action that started in the recent past and is still continuing in the present. It emphasizes the duration or continuous nature of the action.
The structural formula to frame a present perfect continuous tense sentence:
Subject + helping verb (have/has) + been + verb (ing) + object (optional) + since/for + time duration + object. For example-
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Past Tense:
Past Simple or Past tense is a grammatical tool used to describe actions, events, or conditions that have already happened in the past. It indicates that something occurred and was completed before the present moment.
The structural formula to frame a past tense sentence:
Subject + verb (2nd form) + object. For example-
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1. Past Continuous Tense:
It denotes those actions/events that were happening for a particular time in the past. It describes a continuing action or event that took place in the past, usually with a sense of interruption.
The structural formula to frame a past continuous tense sentence:
Subject + helping verb (was/were) + verb (ing) + object. Some examples are-
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2. Past Perfect Tense:
It is used to indicate that one action took place before another action in the past aka one event happened before another in the past.
The structural formula to frame a past perfect tense sentence:
Subject + had + verb (ed) + object. Some examples are-
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3. Past Perfect Continuous Tense:
It is used in a sentence to depict an action that started at some time in the past and continued until a specific time in the past.
The structural formula to frame a past perfect continuous tense sentence:
Subject + had been + verb (ing) + object (optional) + time of action. Few examples-
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Future Tense:
Future Simple or Future tense is a grammatical tool used to describe actions, events, or conditions that are anticipated or expected to occur in the future. It helps people to discuss upcoming events, plans, or possibilities that have not happened yet but are likely to happen later.
The structural formula to frame a future tense sentence:
Subject+ shall/will+ verb (s/es) + object. Some examples are-
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1. Future Continuous Tense:
It refers to actions or events that are going to happen in future and are going to continue for some particular time.
The structural formula to frame a future continuous tense sentence:
Subject + shall/will be + verb (ing) + object. Some examples are-
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2. Future Perfect Tense:
It is used to express an action or event that will be over within a particular time in the future. The action referred to in the future perfect tense has an end date or time.
The structural formula to frame a future perfect tense sentence:
Subject + shall/will + have + verb (3rd form) + object. Some examples are-
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3. Future Perfect Continuous Tense:
It expresses an action or event that will be progressing to a specific time in the future aka it can be used to refer to an action that will be continuing until a certain point of time in the future.
The structural formula to frame a future perfect continuous tense sentence:
Subject + shall/will + have been + verb (ing) + object (optional) + time instant. Some examples are-
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Most Common Verb Tenses to Score High in IELTS 2024
IELTS applicants must prepare a globally accepted exam by universities and authorities, as a standard test of basic English skills in people. Grammar and tenses play a crucial role in assessing the candidates’ language ability in this test, therefore applicants must prepare well for this exam. This article focuses on explaining the concept of verb tenses to the applicants, so that they have an easier understanding of the topic to ace the exam, after practicing well.
A proper use of tenses demonstrates a strong command of the English language, and can improve the communication skills of a person greatly. Candidates are expected to prove their skills in this test by using various tenses, such as the present, past, future, and perfect tenses to convey information efficiently and clearly; Hence a good understanding of verb tenses can help in achieving a high score on the IELTS test.
Table of Content
- Understanding Verb Tenses
- Verb Tenses: Present, Past, Future
- Present Tense
- 1. Present Continuous Tense
- 2. Present Perfect Tense:
- 3. Present Perfect Continuous Tense:
- Past Tense:
- 1. Past Continuous Tense:
- 2. Past Perfect Tense:
- 3. Past Perfect Continuous Tense:
- Future Tense:
- 1. Future Continuous Tense:
- 2. Future Perfect Tense:
- 3. Future Perfect Continuous Tense:
- Conclusion
- Verb Tenses- FAQs
- What do you mean by verb tenses?
- Which tense is important for IELTS?
- What is the importance of verb tenses in communication?
- Which is the crucial area of grammar?
- How many tenses are there in English?