Tenses — English Grammar Rules, Examples & Practice (Free)
Learn Tenses in English grammar with simple rules, clear examples, common mistakes and free practice questions for students.
TL;DR: Learn Tenses in English grammar with simple rules, clear examples, common mistakes and free practice questions for students.
Written & reviewed by the Syllab.in Academic Team (CBSE/NCERT subject experts) · Updated
Tenses are verb forms that show when an action happens — past, present, or future. Mastering tenses is essential for expressing ideas clearly and correctly in English.
English Tenses — The Rules
- Simple Present (base form): I go, she goes — for habits, facts, and routines
- Present Continuous (am/is/are + -ing): I am going — for actions happening now
- Simple Past (verb + -ed): I went — for completed actions in the past
- Past Continuous (was/were + -ing): I was going — for ongoing actions at a past time
- Perfect tenses (have/has + past participle): I have gone — to show actions with results
Examples
- Simple Present: "She writes reports every Monday."
- Present Continuous: "The students are studying for their exams right now."
- Simple Past: "We visited the museum last week."
- Past Continuous: "I was reading when the phone rang."
Common Mistakes
These are the errors that cost marks most often. Each line gives the mistake and the correction.
- Confusing "She go to school" (wrong) with "She goes to school" (correct) — verb must agree with subject
- Using "I am going to school yesterday" — "yesterday" means past, so use simple past "I went"
- Mixing tenses in one sentence: "Yesterday I go to the park and play" — keep it "went" and "played"
Practice Questions
Attempt each one before reading the answer beneath it — checking first teaches nothing.
Fill the blank: "She _____ (go) to the office every morning."
goes — Simple present for habitual action
Choose correct: "They was / were playing cricket." Which is right?
were — plural "they" takes "were", not "was"
Change to past: "I am eating an apple." How?
"I was eating an apple." — past continuous
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between "I have gone" and "I went"?
Present perfect "have gone" suggests recent action with current relevance; simple past "went" is just past action with no present connection.
When do I use "will be" vs "am going to"?
"Will be" is future simple for predictions/plans made now; "am going to" expresses intention or planned future actions already decided.
Is it "I have finished my homework" or "I finished my homework"?
Both are correct! Use present perfect if the action is recent/relevant now; simple past if it's clearly done in the past.
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