Learn basic and important English tense rules with detail and examples. It helps the learners to have prior knowledge of English Tenses by getting concepts of every content related to every tense.
1. Double Interrogative Sentence (Who)
The sentence starting with the words like who, when, where, whom, why, whose, etc, is called double interrogative sentence unlike single interrogative sentence that starts with helping verb. So, the general interrogative sentence is called interrogative sentence.
When an interrogative sentence starting with He words like who, when, where, whom, why, whose, etc, we cannot use ‘do. does, did. In present indefinite tense, use who + first form of the verb. Don’t forget to add ‘s’ or ‘es’ with first form of the verb.
Example
Who drives the car?
In past indefinite tense, use 2nd form of the verb after who etc.
Examples
Who drove the care?
Except present and past indefinite tenses, use helping verb after who etc.
Examples
Who will drive the car? (Future Indefinite Tense)
Who is/was driving the car? (Present Continuous Tenses)
Who has/have/had driven the car? (Perfect Tenses)
2. Double Interrogative Sentence (Which)
In the double interrogative sentence starting with ‘which’, use ‘object’ right after ‘which’. After object, use helping verb and then subject.
Which + Object + H.V + Subject
Examples
Which game do you like?
Which magazine do they read weekly?
3. The Sentence Showing Continuous State or Action
The sentence in which a verb expressing a continuous state of an action, will be considered in continuous tense.
Examples
She is cooking food in an open kitchen. (Present Continuous Tense)
She was cooking food in an open kitchen. (Past Continuous Tense)
She will be cooking food in an open kitchen. (Future Continuous Tense)
4. The Sentence Showing Continuous State or Action (While)
Any sentence shows a continue action, use ‘while’ at the start and ‘1st form + ing’ and then object. Remember, such sentences have two parts, therefore, use the other part of the sentence starting from subject.
While + 1V and ing + Object, Subject + remaining part of second sentence.
Examples
While going to college, he sprained his ankle.
While batting in a cricket match, the batsman got injured.
English Rule for ‘Use of Do/Does‘
Do and does both act as verb as well as helping verb. In this rule, do and does are used to make a sentence negative, interrogative, and interro-negative for Present Indefinite Tense only. Remember, the first of the verb is used in present indefinite tense.
Example
He writes a funny article.
He does not write a funny article.
Note: While using ‘does’ writes will be written as ‘write’.
Does he write a funny article.
Does he not write a funny article?
Note: While using ‘does’ writes will be written as ‘write’.
English Grammar Rule for ‘Use of Did‘
‘Did’ is used in Past Indefinite Tense for making the sentences negative, interrogative, and interro-negative. We neither use ‘did’ in present indefinite tense nor ‘do/does’ in past indefinite tense. The second form of the verb is used in past indefinite tense.
Example
The writer wrote a pretty funny story.
The writer did not write a pretty funny story.
Did the writer not write a pretty funny story.
Did the writer write a pretty funny story.
English Grammar Rules for ‘Will/Shall‘
The helping verbs ‘will and shall’ are used in four tenses. These helping verbs are used right after the subject in affirmative or general sentence whereas at the start in interrogative and interro-negative sentences. These two helping verbs are used in future indefinite, future continuous, future perfect, and future perfect continuous tenses.
So, its very simple for all above tenses to convert them into negative, interrogative, and interro-negative. Just add ‘not’ after ‘will/shall’ for negative and write before subject for interrogative and interro-negative.
Note: Use ‘shall’ when subjects are ‘we or I’ otherwise ‘will’.
Examples
(Future Indefinite)
The writer will not write a funny story.
Will the writer not write a funny story?
Will the writer write a funny story?
(Future Continuous)
The writer will not be writing a funny story.
Will the writer not be writing a funny story?
Will the writer be writing a funny story? (Future Continuous)
(Future Perfect)
The writer will not has written a funny story.
Will the writer not has written a funny story?
Will the writer has written a funny story?
Note: If the subjects are ‘I, we, they, you, and, names’ use ‘have’ right after the subject otherwise ‘has’.
Furthermore, if there is has/have, 3rd form of the verb will be used.
(Future Perfect Continuous)
The writer will not have been writing a funny story.
Will the writer not have been writing a funny story?
Shall I have been writing a funny story?
Note: Write ‘shall have been’ if the subjects is ‘I or we’ otherwise ‘will have been’ will be written.
English Grammar Rules for ‘Is/are/am’
The helping verbs ‘is/are/am’ are used in Present Continuous Tense. While picking helping among them after subject, make sure to place ‘am’ after I as subject.
Moreover, if the subject is singular(he, she, it, name), use ‘is’ after one of these subjects. On the other hand, first form of the verb + ‘ing’ is used after any of the above helping verb. Remember, verb+ing also called 4th form of the verb.
Examples
The writer is not writing a funny story.
Am I writing a pretty funny story?
Are the writers not writing a funny story?
English Grammar Rules for ‘was/were’
The helping verbs ‘was/were’ are used in Past Continuous Tense. While picking helping among them after subject, make sure to place ‘was’ after I, he, she, it, name as subject (Singular).
Moreover, if the subject is plural (we, you, they, names), use ‘were’ after one of these subjects. On the other hand, first form of the verb + ‘ing’ is used after any of the above helping verb. Remember, verb+ing also called 4th form of the verb.
Examples
The author was not writing a funny story.
Was the author not writing a funny story?
Was the author not writing a funny story?
Was the author not writing a funny story?
What is tense formula?
The simplest formula for tense is S + V + O means subject, verb, and object. Every tense has its own specific formula but subject, verb, and object are the compulsory parts. To learn completely, click here.
What are main verbs?
The main verbs are those show any action and main verb comes right after subject in any sentence.
How do you remember the tense rules?
To remember the tense rules, we have to clear the concepts regarding all twelve tenses. To learn this, click here.
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