Tenses for CLAT: Introduction, Types of Tenses and Rules

In order to use these tenses correctly and meaningfully, one must remember to follow a couple of rules. While some may be obvious, others need to be taken care of. The rules that govern the usage of tenses are known as Sequence of Tenses or Agreement of Tenses. Are you getting curious to know these rules? Well, let’s read them below!

Sequence of Tenses

Tenses are verbs that describe when an event, action, or condition has occurred. There are three types of tenses based on the time:

1. Past Tense

2. Present Tense

3. Future Tense

Each of these has 4 aspects that indicate the continuation of the tenses. So, there are in total 12 tenses that are regularly used in English Grammar. Now let us learn the Sequence of Tenses.

One basic rule we must remember at the time of using tenses with principle and subordinate clauses is that the subordinate clause always follows the tense in the principal clause. However, there are exceptions to this rule which we will see as we go by.

Present Tense

This form of tense indicates the happening or non-happening of an action or event in the present time.

Types of Present Tense:

1. Present Indefinite Tense

2. Present Continuous Tense

3. Present Perfect Tense

4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Present Indefinite Tense

This tense is generally used to denote habit, custom, practice, repeated action, permanent activity, general truth, etc. Also, it is used to make a statement in the present showing the permanent nature and activity of the subject.

Eg. a) The cow gives milk.

1. b) Aditi often gets late for school.

RULES:

AFFIRMATIVE – Subject + Ist form of Verb + s/es + Object.

NEGATIVE – Subject + do/does + not + Ist form of Verb + Object.

INTERROGATIVE – Do/does + Subject + Ist form of Verb + object + ?

Present Continuous Tense

This tense is generally used for an action in progress that is temporary in nature in the present at the time of speaking.

Eg. It is raining today.

It also expresses future action or a definite arrangement in the near future.

Eg. she is coming tomorrow.

RULES:

AFFIRMATIVE – Subject + is/am/are + Ist form of Verb + ing + Object.

NEGATIVE – Subject + is/am/are + not + Ist form of Verb + ing + Object.

INTERROGATIVE – Is/am/are + Subject + Ist form of Verb + ing + Object + ?

Present Perfect Tense

This tense generally indicates an action that has been completed sometime before the present moment, with a result that affects the present situation. Eg. He has finished the work.

RULES:

AFFIRMATIVE – Subject +has/have + IIIrd form of Verb + Object.

NEGATIVE – Subject + has/have + not + IIIrd form of Verb + Object.

INTERROGATIVE – Has/Have + Subject + IIIrd form of Verb + object +?

Present Perfect Continuous Tense

This tense generally indicates an action that started in the past and is continuing at the present time. Eg- He has been sleeping for an hour.

RULES:

AFFIRMATIVE – Subject +has/have + been + Ist form of Verb + ing + Object + for/since + period/time.

NEGATIVE – Subject +has/have + not been + Ist form of Verb + ing + Object + for/since + period/time.

INTERROGATIVE –Has/have + subject + been + Ist form of Verb + ing + Object + for/since + period/time + ?

Past Tense

This form of tense indicates the happening or non-happening of an action or event in the past time.

Types of Past Tense:

1. Past Indefinite Tense

2. Past Continuous Tense

3. Past Perfect Tense

4. Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Past Indefinite Tense

This tense is generally used as a part of a habit. Also, it is used for a single act completed in past.

Eg. a) Meghna bought a phone two years ago.

1. b) Aditi did not go to school yesterday.

RULES:

AFFIRMATIVE

Subject + IInd form of Verb + Object.

Or

Subject + IInd form of Helping Verb + Ist form of Main Verb+ Object.

NEGATIVE – Subject + did + not + Ist form of Verb + Object.

INTERROGATIVE – Did + Subject + Ist form of Verb + object + ?

Editor’s Note: Keep practicing along with reading to master tenses for CLAT.

Past Continuous Tense

This tense is generally used for past action in progress that is temporary in nature in the present at the time of speaking.

Eg. It was raining when the train reached the station.

It also expresses a definite arrangement for the future in the past.

Eg. she was leaving that night.

RULES:

AFFIRMATIVE – Subject + was/were + Ist form of Verb + ing + Object.

NEGATIVE – Subject + was/were + not + Ist form of Verb + ing + Object.

INTERROGATIVE – was/were + Subject + Ist form of Verb + ing + Object + ?

Past Perfect Tense

This tense generally indicates an action in the past that had been completed before another time or event in the past. Eg- He had exercised before it started to rain.

RULES:

AFFIRMATIVE – Subject +had + IIIrd form of Verb + Object.

NEGATIVE – Subject + had + not + IIIrd form of Verb + Object.

INTERROGATIVE – Had + Subject + IIIrd form of Verb + object +?

Past Perfect Continuous Tense

This tense generally indicates an action in the past that took place before another time or event in the past and continued during the second event/time point in the past. Eg- At that time, he had been writing a novel for two months.

RULES:

AFFIRMATIVE – Subject +had + been + Ist form of Verb + ing + Object + for/since + period/time.

NEGATIVE – Subject +had + not been + Ist form of Verb + ing + Object + for/since + period/time.

INTERROGATIVE –Had + subject + been + Ist form of Verb + ing + Object + for/since + period/time + ?

Future Tense

This form of tense indicates the happening or non-happening of an action or event in the future time.

Types of Future Tense:

1. Future Indefinite Tense

2. Future Continuous Tense

3. Future Perfect Tense

4. Future Perfect Continuous Tense

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Future Indefinite Tense

This tense is generally used to indicate an action that will take place after the present time and that has no real connection with the present time. Eg- She will visit her ailing grandmother soon

RULES:

AFFIRMATIVE – Subject +will/shall + Ist form of Verb + s/es + Object.

NEGATIVE – Subject + will/shall + not + Ist form of Verb + Object.

INTERROGATIVE – Will/Shall + Subject + Ist form of Verb + object + ?

Future Continuous Tense

This tense is generally used for an action that will be in progress at a point in time in the future.

Eg. He will be walking when it starts to rain

It also expresses definite future arrangements.

Eg. She will be going tomorrow to school.

RULES:

AFFIRMATIVE – Subject + will/shall + be + Ist form of Verb + ing + Object.

NEGATIVE – Subject + will/shall + not be + Ist form of Verb + ing + Object.

INTERROGATIVE – Will/Shall + Subject + Ist form of Verb + ing + Object + ?

Future Perfect Tense

This tense generally indicates an action in the future that will have been completed before another time or event in the future. Eg- By the time we arrive, he will have studied.

RULES:

AFFIRMATIVE – Subject +will/shall + have + IIIrd form of Verb + Object.

NEGATIVE – Subject + will/shall +not + have + IIIrd form of Verb + Object.

INTERROGATIVE – Will/Shall+ Subject + have been + IIIrd form of Verb + object +?

Future Perfect Continuous Tense

This tense generally indicates an action in the future that will have been continuing until another time or event in the future. Eg- He will have been exercising an hour at 2:00.

RULES:

AFFIRMATIVE – Subject +will/shall + have been + Ist form of Verb + ing + Object + for/since + period/time.

NEGATIVE – Subject +will/shall + not + have been + Ist form of Verb + ing + Object + for/since + period/time.

INTERROGATIVE – Will/Shall + subject + have been + Ist form of Verb + ing + Object + for/since + period/time + ?

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