Tenses and Their Usage
🟢 Lite — Quick Review (1h–1d)
Rapid summary for last-minute revision before your NMAT exam.
Tenses — Key Facts
12 Tenses Overview
| Tense | Formula | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present Simple | S + V(s/es) | She studies |
| Present Continuous | S + am/is/are + V-ing | She is studying |
| Present Perfect | S + have/has + V3 | She has studied |
| Present Perfect Continuous | S + have/has + been + V-ing | She has been studying |
| Past Simple | S + V2 | She studied |
| Past Continuous | S + was/were + V-ing | She was studying |
| Past Perfect | S + had + V3 | She had studied |
| Past Perfect Continuous | S + had + been + V-ing | She had been studying |
| Future Simple | S + will + V1 | She will study |
| Future Continuous | S + will + be + V-ing | She will be studying |
| Future Perfect | S + will + have + V3 | She will have studied |
| Future Perfect Continuous | S + will + have + been + V-ing | She will have been studying |
Key Rules
- Present Perfect: Past action with present relevance (experience, completed action)
- Past Simple: Completed past actions
- Future Perfect: Action completed by a specific future time
⚡ NMAT High-Yield: Present Perfect vs Past Simple is the most common distinction. Use “for/since” with Present Perfect.
🟡 Standard — Regular Study (2d–2mo)
Chapter: Tenses and Their Usage
1.1 Present Tenses
Present Simple
Use: Habits, facts, general truths, scheduled events Form: S + V1(s/es for 3rd person singular)
Examples:
- “Filipinos speak English and Filipino.”
- “The sun rises in the east.”
- “The train leaves at 9 PM.”
Signal words: always, usually, every day, never, sometimes
Present Continuous
Use: Actions happening now, ongoing actions, temporary situations Form: S + am/is/are + V-ing
Examples:
- “I am taking the NMAT next month.”
- “She is studying medicine.”
Signal words: now, right now, at the moment, currently, these days
Special case: “Always + V-ing” shows irritation
- “He is always complaining!” (irritation)
Present Perfect
Use: Past actions with present relevance, experiences, completed actions with results Form: S + have/has + V3 (past participle)
Examples:
- “I have taken the NMAT twice.” (experience)
- “She has finished her homework.” (completed with result)
Signal words: already, yet, still, just, ever, never, for, since, so far, recently
Key distinction:
- “I lived in Manila for 5 years.” (Past — ended)
- “I have lived in Manila for 5 years.” (Present Perfect — still living there)
Present Perfect Continuous
Use: Action that started in the past and continues to the present Form: S + have/has + been + V-ing
Examples:
- “I have been studying for 3 hours.”
- “She has been working here since 2020.”
1.2 Past Tenses
Past Simple
Use: Completed past actions, sequences of past events Form: S + V2 (past tense)
Examples:
- “I studied yesterday.”
- “She passed the NMAT last year.”
Signal words: yesterday, last week, in 2020, ago, when
Past Continuous
Use: Action in progress at a specific past time, background actions Form: S + was/were + V-ing
Examples:
- “I was studying when the phone rang.”
- “They were waiting for the bus.”
Past Perfect
Use: Action completed BEFORE another past action (earlier past) Form: S + had + V3
Examples:
- “By the time I arrived, she had left.” (She left before I arrived)
- “He had studied before he took the exam.”
Signal words: by the time, before, after, already, just
Past Perfect Continuous
Use: Continuous action that was interrupted or ended before another past action Form: S + had + been + V-ing
Examples:
- “I had been waiting for 2 hours when she finally came.”
1.3 Future Tenses
Future Simple
Use: Decisions at the moment, predictions, promises, spontaneous decisions Form: S + will + V1
Examples:
- “I will take the NMAT next year.”
- “It will rain tomorrow.”
Future Continuous
Use: Action in progress at a specific future time Form: S + will + be + V-ing
Examples:
- “This time tomorrow, I will be taking the NMAT.”
Future Perfect
Use: Action completed BY a specific future time Form: S + will + have + V3
Examples:
- “By December, I will have completed all requirements.”
Future Perfect Continuous
Use: Continuous action up to a future point Form: S + will + have + been + V-ing
Examples:
- “By next month, I will have been working here for 5 years.”
1.4 Common Tense Errors
Error 1: Using Past Tense Instead of Present Perfect
- ✗ “I didn’t go to school yesterday.”
- ✓ “I haven’t gone to school today.”
Error 2: Using Present Simple Instead of Present Continuous
- ✗ “I am knowing the answer.”
- ✓ “I know the answer.” (knowing = understanding; no progressive form)
Error 3: Wrong Use of “For” and “Since”
- “For” + duration: “for two hours”, “for a long time”
- “Since” + starting point: “since 2020”, “since Monday”, “since I was young”
Error 4: Confusing “Will” and “Going to”
- Will: Spontaneous decision, promise
- Going to: Planned/intended action, prediction based on evidence
1.5 Conditionals
Zero Conditional (Real Present)
“If + Present Simple, Present Simple”
- “If you heat water, it boils.”
First Conditional (Real Future)
“If + Present Simple, will + V1”
- “If it rains, I will stay home.”
Second Conditional (Unreal/Hypothetical Present)
“If + Past Simple, would + V1”
- “If I had more money, I would travel.”
Third Conditional (Unreal/Hypothetical Past)
“If + Past Perfect, would have + V3”
- “If I had studied, I would have passed.”
1.6 NMAT High-Yield Points
⚡ Commonly Asked:
- Present Perfect use: Past actions with present relevance, experiences, completed with result
- For vs Since: For (duration) vs Since (starting point)
- Past Perfect: Completed before another past action
- Future Perfect: Completed by a specific future time
- Will vs Going to: Spontaneous decision vs planned action
- Present Simple: Habits, facts, general truths
- Present Continuous: Actions happening now, ongoing
- Past Simple: Completed past actions
- Signal words: already, yet, still, just, ever, never, for, since
- Conditional forms: Zero, First, Second, Third