Here is a complete, exam-focused guide on Tenses in English Grammar with:
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Types of Tenses
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Rules & Examples
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Common Errors Students Make
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Practice MCQs (Most Repeated in SSC, Bank Exams)
🌟 1. Types of Tenses in English (12 Tenses)
| Tense Type | Tense Name | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present | Present Simple | He goes to school. |
| Present Continuous | He is going to school. | |
| Present Perfect | He has gone to school. | |
| Present Perfect Continuous | He has been going to school. | |
| Past | Past Simple | He went to school. |
| Past Continuous | He was going to school. | |
| Past Perfect | He had gone to school. | |
| Past Perfect Continuous | He had been going to school. | |
| Future | Future Simple | He will go to school. |
| Future Continuous | He will be going to school. | |
| Future Perfect | He will have gone to school. | |
| Future Perfect Continuous | He will have been going. |
🧠 2. Rules & Usage Tips
✅ Present Simple
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Used for habitual actions, facts.
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Rule:
Subject + V1 / V1+s/es -
📌 He plays cricket.
✅ Present Continuous
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Ongoing action now.
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Rule:
Subject + is/am/are + V1 + ing -
📌 She is reading a book.
✅ Present Perfect
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Action just completed or affecting the present.
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Rule:
Subject + has/have + V3 -
📌 They have finished homework.
✅ Present Perfect Continuous
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Action started in past & still continuing.
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Rule:
Subject + has/have been + V1 + ing -
📌 I have been studying for 2 hours.
... (same format continues for past & future tenses)
❌ 3. Common Errors by Students
| Mistake | Example | Correct |
|---|---|---|
| ❌ Using past tense with "since/for" in perfect continuous | He was reading for 2 hours. | ✅ He has been reading for 2 hours. |
| ❌ Using present tense after “did” | Did he went to school? | ✅ Did he go to school? |
| ❌ Wrong auxiliary with present perfect | She have gone. | ✅ She has gone. |
| ❌ Confusing future perfect and future continuous | He will be completed the task. | ✅ He will have completed the task. |
📚 4. Practice MCQs – Most Repeated (SSC, BANK, UGC)
Q1. He ___ in this company since 2015.
A) works
B) worked
C) has worked
D) has been working
✅ Ans: D
📝 Use present perfect continuous for action since 2015.
Q2. When I reached the station, the train ____.
A) has left
B) had left
C) left
D) was leaving
✅ Ans: B
📝 Use past perfect for earlier past action.
Q3. They ___ the car before we arrived.
A) wash
B) have washed
C) had washed
D) washing
✅ Ans: C
Q4. I ___ for my exam all day.
A) study
B) studied
C) have been studying
D) am studying
✅ Ans: C
Q5. She will have ___ the work by Monday.
A) finishes
B) finished
C) finish
D) finishing
✅ Ans: B
Q6. He usually ___ to the gym at 7 am.
A) goes
B) go
C) going
D) gone
✅ Ans: A
Q7. My mother ___ dinner when I reached home.
A) cooks
B) was cooking
C) has cooked
D) had cooked
✅ Ans: B
Q8. They ___ football every evening.
A) is playing
B) play
C) plays
D) played
✅ Ans: B
Q9. By 2026, I ___ my degree.
A) will complete
B) will have completed
C) completed
D) had completed
✅ Ans: B
Q10. The children ___ TV when the lights went out.
A) watched
B) had watched
C) are watching
D) were watching
✅ Ans: D
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