Gyanrush
Start freeOpen Gyanrush
Start freeOpen Gyanrush
  1. LPU MCA Semester 1
  2. PEL546
  3. Unit 2

PEL546 · Unit 2: Tenses

Past and future tenses: rules, usage and formation

10 practice questions · in the MTE and ETE syllabus

Practise this topicPractise this topic

Key points

  • Past perfect marks the earlier past action
  • Future perfect completes before a future time
  • First conditional uses present in if, will in result
  • No will after when, before or if

Past tenses: simple past (finished, often with yesterday, last week), past continuous (was or were + -ing, in progress at a past moment), past perfect (had + past participle, earlier of two past actions) and past perfect continuous (had been + -ing, a longer action before a past event).

Future tenses: simple future (will + base verb), future continuous (will be + -ing, in progress at a future time: This time tomorrow I will be travelling), future perfect (will have + past participle, completed before a future time: By 2030 he will have retired) and future perfect continuous.

Conditionals: a real future condition uses the present in the if clause and will in the result clause: If it rains, we will stay indoors.

Time clauses: after when, before, after, as soon as and until, use the present for a future meaning: I will call you when I reach home (not when I will reach).

Exam trap: putting will after when or if.

Try two questions

Question 1 · Tier 4, Analyse

Choose the correct form: If it rains tomorrow, we ___ indoors.

  1. stayed
  2. will stay
  3. would have stayed
  4. had stayed
Show the answer

B. A real future condition uses the present in the if clause and will in the result clause.

Why not A: A first conditional uses will in the result clause, not the past.

Why not C: Would have stayed belongs to a third conditional about the past.

Why not D: Had stayed is past perfect and does not fit a future possibility.

Question 2 · Tier 4, Analyse

Which sentence correctly uses the future continuous?

  1. This time tomorrow, I will be travelling to Delhi.
  2. This time tomorrow, I travelled to Delhi.
  3. This time tomorrow, I have already travelled to Delhi.
  4. This time tomorrow, I travel to Delhi once.
Show the answer

A. The future continuous is will be plus the -ing form.

Why not B: Travelled is past and does not fit tomorrow.

Why not C: Have travelled is present perfect and does not fit tomorrow.

Why not D: This is simple present and does not show an action in progress.