To express the time

of an action

It allows your readers to

comprehend accurately Effective communication
what you have written.  skills of English language 

Why do we
need tenses in
language? To create clear and
effective sentences.
It enables you to raise the
level of readability of your
writings

To tell various aspects in terms of

English verbs, such as, the state of
being, continuing action or action
completed.
PAST TENSE
Using the SIMPLE PAST TENSE with
the timeline flowchart
 Rules
• Affirmative/ Positive Sentences
Subject(singulars or plurals)+Verb2+Object
Eg--------
• Negative Sentences
Subject(singulars or plurals)+did not /didn’t +Verb1+Object
Eg--------
• Interrogative Sentences(Yes or No Questions)
Did/Didn’t+Subject+Verb1+Object?
Eg--------
• Interrogative Sentences(Wh-Questions)
Wh-word+Did/Didn’t+Subject+Verb1+Object?
Eg-------------
 Using the PAST CONTINUOUS
TENSE with the timeline flowchart
 Rules
• Affirmative/ Positive Sentences
Subject(singulars or plurals)+Helping verb(was/were)+
Verb 1+ing+Object
Eg--------
• Negative Sentences
Subject(singulars or plurals)+Helping verb(was/were)+not+
Verb 1+ing+Object
Eg--------
• Interrogative Sentences(Yes or No Questions)
Helping verb(was/were)+Subject(singulars or plurals)+Verb 1+ing+Object
Eg--------
• Interrogative Sentences(Wh-Questions)
Wh-word+Helping verb(was/were)+Subject(singulars or plurals) +Verb
1+ing+Object
Eg-------------
Using the PAST PERFECT TENSE
with the timeline flowchart
 Rules
• Affirmative/ Positive Sentences
Subject(singulars or plurals)+Helping verb(had)+Verb3+Object
Eg--------
• Negative Sentences
Subject(singulars or plurals)+had not +Verb3+Object
Eg--------
• Interrogative Sentences(Yes or No Questions)
Had+Subject+Verb3+Object?
Eg--------
• Wh-word
Wh-word + has + subject+V3+object
Eg--------
 Using the PAST PERFECT
CONTINUOUS TENSE with the
timeline flowchart
For/since
• The words for and since are used in sentences where the speaker wants to talk
about something that started in the past and continues into the present.
For is used when specifying the amount of time (how long):
• I've had this watch for more than 40 years.
• I've only known her for a few weeks.
• He's been here for 6 months and still can't speak a word of German.
• She's been smoking for a long time. No wonder she coughs so much!
Since is used when specifying the starting point:
• I've had this watch since 1965.
• I've only known her since the beginning of last week.
• He's been here since April and he still can't speak a word of German.
• She's been smoking since she started grade 5. No wonder she coughs so much!
Note: The present perfect or present perfect continuous are needed in such
sentences. It is wrong to say:
- I know her for two years.  
- I know her since 2006.  
 Rules
• Affirmative/ Positive Sentences
Subject(singulars or plurals)+Helping verb(had)+been +Verb1+ing +Object
Eg--------
• Negative Sentences
Subject(singulars or plurals)+Helping verb(had)+not+been +Verb1+ing
+Object
Eg--------
• Interrogative Sentences(Yes or No Questions)
Had/Hadn’t+Subject+been+Verb1+ing+Object?
Eg--------
• Interrogative Sentences(Wh-Questions)
Wh-word+Helping verb(had)+Subject(singulars or plurals)+been
+Verb 1+ing+Object ?
Eg-------------
PRESENT TENSE
Using the SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE
with the timeline flowchart
 Rules
• Affirmative/ Positive Sentences
Subject(singulars or plurals)+Verb1(s/es)+Object
Eg--------
• Negative Sentences
Subject(singulars or plurals)+does/do+not +Verb1+Object
Eg--------
• Interrogative Sentences(Yes or No Questions)
Does/Do+Subject+Verb1+Object?
Eg--------
• Interrogative Sentences(Wh-Questions)
Wh-word+Does/Do+Subject+Verb1+Object?
Eg-------------
Using the PRESENT CONTINUOUS
TENSE with the timeline flowchart
 Rules
• Affirmative/ Positive Sentences
Subject(singulars or plurals)+Helping verb(is/am/are)+Verb 1 +ing+Object
Eg--------
• Negative Sentences
Subject(singulars or plurals)+Helping verb(is/am/are)+not+Verb
1+ing+Object
Eg--------
• Interrogative Sentences(Yes or No Questions)
Helping verb(is/am/are)+Subject(singulars or plurals)+Verb 1+ing+Object
Eg--------
• Interrogative Sentences(Wh-Questions)
Wh-word+Helping verb(is/am/are)+Subject(singulars or plurals)+Verb 1+
ing+ Object
Eg-------------
Using the PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
with the timeline flowchart
 Rules
• Affirmative/ Positive Sentences
Subject(singulars or plurals)+Helping verb(has/have)+Verb3+ Object
Eg--------
• Negative Sentences
Subject(singulars or plurals)+has/have+not +Verb3+Object
Eg--------
• Interrogative Sentences(Yes or No Questions)
Has/have+Subject+Verb3+Object?
Eg--------
• WH-word
Wh-word +SubjectHave+Has+Verb3+Object?
Eg--------
 Using the PRESENT PERFECT
CONTINUOUS TENSE with the
timeline flowchart
 Rules
• Affirmative/ Positive Sentences
Subject(singulars or plurals)+Helping verb(has/have)+been +Verb1+ing +Object
Eg--------
• Negative Sentences
Subject(singulars or plurals)+Helping verb(has/have)+not+been +Verb1+ing
+Object
Eg--------
• Interrogative Sentences(Yes or No Questions)
Has/have+Subject+been+Verb1+ing+Object?
Eg--------
• Interrogative Sentences(Wh-Questions)
Wh-word+Helping verb(has/have)+Subject(singulars or plurals)+been
+Verb 1+ing+Object
Eg-------------
FUTURE TENSE
• The traditional rule is that shall is used with first person
pronouns (i.e. I and we) to form the future tense, while will is
used with second and third person forms
(i.e. you, he, she, it, they). For example:
• I shall be late.
• They will not have enough food.
• However, when it comes to expressing a strong determination
 to do something, the roles arereversed: will is used with the
first person, and shall with the second and third. For example:
• I will not tolerate such behaviour.
• You shall go to the ball!
• In practice, though, the two words are used more or less
interchangeably, and this is now an acceptable part of standard
British and American English; however, the word shall is now
seldom used in any normal context in American English
Using the SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE
with the timeline flowchart
 Rules
• Affirmative/ Positive Sentences
Subject(singulars or plurals)+will/shall+Verb1+Object
Eg--------
• Negative Sentences
Subject(singulars or plurals)+Will/shall+not +Verb1+Object
Eg--------
• Interrogative Sentences(Yes or No Questions)
Will/shall+Subject+Verb1+Object?
Eg--------
• Interrogative Sentences(Wh-Questions)
Wh-word+Will/shall+Subject+Verb1+Object?
Eg-------------
 Using the FUTURE CONTINUOUS
TENSE with the timeline flowchart
 Rules
• Affirmative/ Positive Sentences
Subject(singulars or plurals)+Helping verb(will/shall)+be+Verb 1 +ing+Object
Eg--------
• Negative Sentences
Subject(singulars or plurals)+Helping verb(will/shall)+not+be+Verb 1+ing
+Object
Eg--------
• Interrogative Sentences(Yes or No Questions)
Helping verb(will/shall)+Subject(singulars or plurals)+be+Verb 1+ing+Object
Eg--------
• Interrogative Sentences(Wh-Questions)
Wh-word+Helping verb(will/shall)+Subject(singulars or plurals)+be+Verb 1+
ing+ Object
Eg-------------
Using the FUTURE PERFECT TENSE
with the timeline flowchart
 Rules
• Affirmative/ Positive Sentences
Subject(singulars or plurals)+Helping verb(will have/shall have ) +Verb3+ Object
Eg--------
• Negative Sentences
Subject(singulars or plurals)+ Helping verb(will have/shall have ) +not
+Verb3+Object
Eg--------
• Interrogative Sentences(Yes or No Questions)
Will/shall+Subject+have+Verb3+Object?
Eg--------
Will/shall+Subject+have+not+Verb3+Object?
• Interrogative Sentences(Wh-Questions)
Wh-word+will/shall+subject+have+Verb 3+object?
Eg--------
 Using the FUTURE PERFECT
CONTINUOUS TENSE with the
timeline flowchart
 Rules
• Affirmative/ Positive Sentences
Subject(singulars or plurals)+Helping verb(will/shall+have)+been +Verb1+ing
+Object
Eg--------
• Negative Sentences
Subject(singulars or plurals)+Helping verb(will/shall+have)+not+been +Verb1+ing
+Object
Eg--------
• Interrogative Sentences(Yes or No Questions)
Will/shall+Subject+have+been+Verb1+ing+Object?
Eg--------
• Interrogative Sentences(Wh-Questions)
Wh-word+(will/shall)+Subject(singulars or plurals)++have+been
+Verb 1+ing+Object
Eg-------------
WRITING PROMPTS
Past Tense
• Write about the first time you felt refreshed
after facing a very difficult period
• What was your childhood phobia that you
were able to overcome?
• Who was the person you admired when you
were a kid?