Tense Usage/Rules for using tense in different contexts/how to teach tense

1. Present Simple 

Structure: Subject + Verb (add -s or -es for he/she/it). 

Conditions & Examples:  

1. Habits: "I play football every evening." 

2. Routines: "She walks to school daily." 

3. Facts: "The sun sets in the west." 

4. Feelings: "He likes mangoes a lot." 

5. Schedules: "The bus leaves at 7 AM." 

6. General Truths: "Water boils at 100 degrees." 

Teaching Tip: Ask, “What do you always do?” (e.g., "I eat rice.")

 

2. Present Continuous 

Structure: Subject + am/is/are + Verb-ing. 

Conditions & Examples: 

1. Right Now: "I am reading a book now." 

2. Temporary Actions: "She is staying with her aunt this week." 

3. Ongoing Changes: "The weather is getting cold." 

4. Annoying Habits: "He is always shouting in class." 

5. Plans Happening Soon: "We are going to the market later." 

6. Describing Actions: "They are dancing at the festival." 

Teaching Tip: Ask, “What’s happening now?” (e.g., "I am writing.")

 

 3. Present Perfect 

Structure: Subject + have/has + Past Participle (e.g., eaten, gone). 

Conditions & Examples: 

1. Finished but Affects Now: "I have just finished my homework." 

2. Past Experiences: "She has seen Mt. Everest." 

3. Actions Done Many Times: "He has visited Kathmandu thrice." 

4. Unfinished Time: "We have played football this morning." 

5. Results Now: "They have lost their bag." 

6. Started in Past, Still True: "I have lived here for five years." 

Teaching Tip: Ask, “What have you done lately?” (e.g., "I have eaten.")

4. Present Perfect Continuous

Structure: Subject + have/has + been + Verb-ing.
Conditions & Examples:

1. Ongoing Action to Now: "I have been reading for an hour."
2. Recent Activity: "She has been cooking all morning."
3. Effort Showing Now: "He has been running, so he’s tired."
4. Repeated Action: "They have been playing football every day."
5. Temporary Habit: "We have been staying home lately."
6. Unfinished Action: "I have been learning English this year."
   Teaching Tip: Ask, “What have you been doing?” (e.g., "I have been eating.")

 

 4. Past Simple 

Structure: Subject + Verb-ed (or irregular past, e.g., went). 

Conditions & Examples: 

1. Finished Actions: "I watched a movie last night." 

2. Specific Time in Past: "She danced at Dashain." 

3. Past Habits: "He played cricket every Sunday." 

4. Completed Events: "We visited Pokhara in 2020." 

5. Stories: "The dog barked at the stranger." 

6. Past Facts: "Nepal won the match in 2015." 

Teaching Tip: Ask, “What did you do yesterday?” (e.g., "I walked.")

 

5. Past Continuous 

Structure: Subject + was/were + Verb-ing. 

Conditions & Examples: 

1. Ongoing Past Actions: "I was reading a book at 6 PM." 

2. Interrupted Actions: "She was cooking when the phone rang." 

3. Background in Stories: "They were walking as the sun set." 

4. Past Annoyance: "He was always talking in class." 

5. Two Actions Together: "We were singing, and they were dancing." 

6. Describing a Moment: "The kids were playing in the rain." 

Teaching Tip: Ask, “What were you doing at 5 PM?” (e.g., "I was eating.")

 

 6. Past Perfect 

Structure: Subject + had + Past Participle. 

Conditions & Examples: 

1. Action Before Another Past Action: "I had eaten before the party started." 

2. Cause of Past Event: "She was late because she had missed the bus." 

3. Finished Before a Time: "They had left by 8 PM." 

4. Past Regrets: "He wished he had studied more." 

5. Sequence in Stories: "The rain had stopped when we arrived." 

6. Completed Experience: "We had seen the temple before the tour ended." 

Teaching Tip: Ask, “What happened first?” (e.g., "I had finished.")

 Past Perfect Continuous

Structure: Subject + had + been + Verb-ing.
Conditions & Examples:

1. Ongoing Before Past: "I had been reading before bed."
2. Cause of Past State: "She was wet; she had been walking in rain."
3. Effort Before Event: "He had been studying, so he passed."
4. Long Action Before: "They had been playing all day."
5. Interrupted Past: "We had been cooking when guests arrived."
6. Past Habit Ended: "I had been practicing until last year."
   Teaching Tip: Ask, “What had you been doing?” (e.g., "I had been running.")

 

 7. Future Simple 

Structure: Subject + will + Verb. 

Conditions & Examples: 

1. Predictions: "It will snow in the mountains." 

2. Quick Decisions: "I will call you later." 

3. Promises: "She will help with your homework." 

4. Future Facts: "The festival will start tomorrow." 

5. Offers: "We will carry your bag." 

6. Warnings: "You will fall if you run fast." 

Teaching Tip: Ask, “What will happen tomorrow?” (e.g., "I will study.")

 

8. Future Continuous 

Structure: Subject + will be + Verb-ing. 

Conditions & Examples: 

1. Ongoing Future Action: "I will be reading at 8 PM." 

2. Future Plans in Progress: "She will be traveling next week." 

3. Polite Questions: "Will you be coming to the party?" 

4. Actions at a Specific Time: "They will be eating dinner at 7." 

5. Expected Events: "He will be waiting for us." 

6. Interrupted Future: "We will be studying when the lights go off." 

Teaching Tip: Ask, “What will you be doing later?” (e.g., "I will be playing.")

11. Future Perfect Continuous

Structure: Subject + will have + been + Verb-ing.
Conditions & Examples:

1. Ongoing Until Future: "I will have been studying for two hours by 9 PM."
2. Effort by Future Time: "She will have been cooking all day by dinner."
3. Long Action Ending: "He will have been playing for hours by noon."
4. Cause in Future: "They will be tired; they will have been running."
5. Repeated Future: "We will have been visiting every week by then."
6. Duration Highlight: "I will have been learning English for a year by June."
   Teaching Tip: Ask, “What will you have been doing?” (e.g., "I will have been writing."