There are three tenses in English: Present, Past and Future

Each of these tenses is further divided into four tenses.

Present tense

1. Simple present tense
2. Present continuous tense
3. Present perfect tense
4. Present perfect continuous tense

Past tense

1. Simple past tense
2. Past continuous tense
3. Past perfect tense
4. Past perfect continuous tense

Future tense

1. Simple future tense
2. Future continuous tense
3. Future perfect tense
4. Future perfect continuous tense

Simple present tense

Form: Subject + infinitive without to

• She writes stories.
• They live across the street.

In the simple present tense, the verb takes -s when the subject is a singular noun / pronoun.

Present continuous tense

Form: subject + is / am / are + ing form

• I am writing.
• She is working.
• They are playing.

Present perfect tense

Form: subject + has / have + past participle

• They have finished the job.
• He has returned.
• She has gone.

Present perfect continuous tense

Form: subject + has / have + been + ing form

• I have been waiting for hours.
• It has been raining since morning.

Simple past tense

Form: subject + v2

• I saw him yesterday.
• She came in the morning.

Past continuous tense

Form: subject + was / were + ing form

• She was writing.
• They were playing.
• The students were writing their exam,

Past perfect tense

Form: subject + had + past participle form of the verb

• I had sent the parcel in the morning.
• She had returned earlier.

Past perfect continuous tense

Form: subject + had + been + ing form

• I had been waiting for the bus.
• They had been working for hours.

Simple future tense

Form: Subject + will / shall + infinitive without to

• She will come in the afternoon.
• They will arrive soon.

Future continuous tense

Form: Subject + will / shall + be + ing form

• They will be writing their exam.
• You will be working here for twelve years.
• I will be waiting for them.

Future perfect tense

Form: Subject + will /shall + have + past participle form of the verb

• She will have finished the job.
• They will have arrived by now.

Worksheet 1

Rewrite the following sentences by changing the tense.

1. She worked in a bank. (Change into simple present)

2. She will arrive in the afternoon. (Change into simple past)

3. What are you doing in my room? (Change into simple future)

4. They have won the first prize. (change into simple past)

5. She wants to be an architect. (change into simple future)

6. It will take me an hour to finish the job. (change into simple present)

7.  I am doing the dishes. (change into past continuous)

8. She was preparing for her exams. (change into future continuous)

9. She broke her leg. (change into present perfect)

10. I have finished the job. (change into past perfect)

11. She lived in this town for twenty years. (change into present perfect)

12. They left in the morning. (change into past perfect)

13. She is working now. (change into future continuous)

14. I met him in the morning. (change into simple future)

15. They had finished the job. (change into future perfect)

16. He had never discussed anything with me. (change into present perfect)

17. I waited for them for hour. (change into present perfect continuous tense)

18. He had lived there for 14 years. (change into present perfect continuous tense)

Answers

1. She works in a bank. (simple present)

2. She arrived in the afternoon. (simple past)

3. What will you do in my room? (simple future)

4. They won the first prize. (simple past)

5. She will want to be an architect. (simple future)

6. It takes me an hour to finish the job. (simple present)

7.  I was doing the dishes. (past continuous)

8. She will be preparing for her exams. (future continuous)

9. She has broken her leg. (present perfect)

10. I had finished the job. (past perfect)

11. She has lived in this town for twenty years. (present perfect)

12. They had left in the morning. (past perfect)

13. She will be working now. (future continuous)

14. I will meet him in the morning. (simple future)

15. They will have finished the job. (future perfect)

16. He has never discussed anything with me. (present perfect)

17. I have been waiting for them for hours. (present perfect continuous tense)

18. He has been living there for 14 years. (present perfect continuous tense)

Worksheet 2

Read the following sentences and change their tense as directed.

1. She looked upset. (Change into simple present)

2. I don’t trust him. (Change into simple future)

3. He was disappointed with his results. (Change into simple present)

4. He lived in this house for 20 years. (Change into present perfect continuous)

5. Somebody left the door open. (Change into present perfect)

6. Why don’t you listen to me? (Change into simple past)

7. She has been working on a new project. (Change into simple past)

8. It took me ten minutes to get dressed. (Change into simple present)

9. A sparrow lived in that nest. (Change into simple present)

10. She feeds stray dogs and cats. (Change into simple past)

11. I will take this bag. (Change into simple past)

12. It rained cats and dogs. (Change into present continuous tense)

Answers

1. She looks upset. (simple present)

2. I will not trust him. (simple future)

3. He is disappointed with his results. (simple present)

4. He has been living in this house for 20 years. (present perfect continuous)

5. Somebody has left the door open. (present perfect)

6. Why didn’t you listen to me? (simple past)

7. She worked on a new project. (simple past)

8. It takes me ten minutes to get dressed. (simple future)

9. A sparrow lives in that nest. (simple present)

10. She fed stray dogs and cats. (simple past)

11. I took this bag. (simple past)

12. It is raining cats and dogs. (present continuous tense)

Worksheet 3

Do as directed.

1. We reached school at 9 am. (Change into simple future)

2. Father will repair the car. (Change into simple past)

3. I will build a sand castle. (Change into simple past)

4. Girish planted a tree. (Change into simple present)

5. It is a nice morning. (Change into simple past)

6. I will bring mango juice to the party. (Change into simple past)

7. Mini enjoys playing chess. (Change into simple past)

8. I will buy a pen. (Change into simple past)

9. He worked at a bank. (Change into simple present)

10. My father takes me to school every day. (Change into simple past)

Answers

1. We will reach school at 9 am.

2. Father repaired the car.

3. I built a sand castle.

4. Girish plants a tree.

5. It was a nice morning.

6. I brought mango juice to the party.

7. Mini enjoyed playing chess.

8. I bought a pen.

9. He works at a bank.

10. My father took me to school every day.