Errors in Tenses: Definition, Examples and Exercises for Practice

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Vipra Shrivastava

Vipra ShrivastavaSenior Manager - Content

Updated on Nov 26, 2024 14:09 IST

English is often considered as a tricky language. Despite having well versed in the language, some students tend to commit some common and silly errors in verbal or written English Communication. The most common area of errors in the English language in Tenses. Here we bring to you the common Errors in Tenses and how one can rectify those by understanding the root cause and gaining conceptual clarity on it.

What are Errors in Tenses?

There are three types of tenses - Past, Present and Future. While framing a sentence, there is often confusion in verbs and clauses. Also, students often commit errors in tenses such as confusing between past and present or future tense in a single sentence, or within the tense, such as confusion between present perfect tense and present continuous tense.

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Types of Errors in Tenses

Let us discuss some of the common Tense errors and how to identify as well as rectify them.

Confusion in Present Tense

We use Present Tense to signify an action which is taking place at the moment or in the current time. To denote whether the action is a single instance or a recurring event, Present Tense is further divided into four types. The types of Present Tenses along with examples are given below.

  1. Simple Present Tense: Ram goes to school.
  2. Present Perfect Tense: Ram has gone to school.
  3. Present Continuous Tense: Ram is going to school.
  4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense: Ram has been going to school.

While Simple Present Tense refers to continuous action, Present Perfect Tense refers to an action that has taken place a while ago but is yet to be completed. Present Continuous Tense refers to an action which is taking place in real-time. Present Perfect Continuous Tense signifies that action which is taking place over a period of time. While writing sentences in Present Tense, students often misuse the tenses or confuse between two or more sub-tenses.

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Confusion in Past Tense

Past Tense is used to refer to an event or action that has taken place earlier. The degree of occurrence may vary, and to classify that, the Past Tense is divided into Simple Past Tense, Past Perfect Tense, Past Continuous Tense and Past Perfect Continuous Tense. The types of Pas Tense and their examples are given below.

  1. Simple Past Tense: Ram went to school.
  2. Past Perfect Tense: Ram had gone to school.
  3. Past Continuous Tense: Ram was going to school.
  4. Past Perfect Continuous Tense: Ram had been going to school.

To avoid confusion in the Past Tense, students should refer to these examples and understand whether the action was a single instance event or was a recurring event.

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Confusion in Future Tense

Future Tense is used to for events which are yet to take place or a planned for the future. Like the Present and Past tenses, the Future Tense is also categorised as per the degree of occurrence. The types of Future Tense along with examples are as follows:

  1. Simple Future Tense: Ram will go to school tomorrow.
  2. Future Continuous Tense: Ram will be visiting his grandparents next week.
  3. Future Perfect Tense: Ram will have reached his grandparents’ house by this time next week.
  4. Future Perfect Continuous Tense: By next week Ram will have been to his grandparent's house.

The Simple Future Tense refers to an event which will certainly take place at a time later on. Future Continuous Tense refers to an incomplete or ongoing action at a time later on. On the other hand, Future Perfect Tense is used to refer to an action, which would be completed at a time later on. Future Perfect Continuous Tense is used to explain an action which is ongoing or incomplete at present but will be completed at a later time.

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Verb Confusion in Past and Present Test

A sentence remains incomplete without a verb. The usage of the verb is often mistaken and is one of the most common Error in Tenses. Take a look at some of the examples of Error in Tenses with respect to Verbs.

Incorrect: Ram did not went to school yesterday.

Correct: Ram did not go to school yesterday.

Incorrect: Rajesh used to wrote poems in his college days.

Correct: Rajesh used to write poems during his college days.

Incorrect: I have met Rita yesterday.

Correct: I met Rita yesterday.

Incorrect: It is snowing for two days.

Correct: It has been snowing for two days.

Incorrect: David has gone to London last week.

Correct: David went to Mumbai last week.

Tense Error Correction Exercises with Answers

If you've understood the concepts behind tenses, let's test you. Answer the following questions.

Q1. The glass windowpane _ while the kids were playing cricket.

a. Broke

b. Was broken

c. Had broke

d. Was broke

Q2. I will _ you in the evening.

a. Call

b. Calling

c. Be calling

d. Called

Q3. The last date to submit the project _ end of the day today.

a. Is

b. Was

c. Will

d. Has been

Q4. Priya _ music class every Thursday.

a. Attends

b. Attended

c. Is attending

d. Will attending

Q5. Raju _ when his mother entered the room.

a. Played

b. Was playing

c. Plays

d. Is playing

Q6. John always _ to help the needy,

a. Tried

b. Tries

c. Was trying

d. Is trying

Q7. It had stopped raining when I _ the office.

a. Leave

b. Was leaving

c. Left

d. Leaves

Q8. Had you reached the station on time, you _ board the train.

a. Would

b. Will

c. Would have

d. Will have

Q9. Raj is learning how _ guitar

a. To play

b. To playing

c. Playing

d. Play

Q10. Rahul _ suffering from migraine since last week.

a. Is

b. Was

c. Has been

d. Has

Q11.Sunny __ football since childhood.

a. has been playing

b. has played

c. plays

d. was playing

Q12. Vinita __sent her car for repair last week.

a. has 

b. has sent

c. sent 

d. had sent

Q13.This school __ shut a long time ago.

a. has been

b. was

c. had been

d. is

Q14. Construction __ in my building since last year.

a. Goes on

b. Is going on

c. Was going on

d. Went on

Q15. I __ something stale in this room.

a. Smell

b. Have been smelling

c. Smelt

d. Was smelling

Q16. He __ to the market every day to buy fresh vegetables.

a. Has been going

b. Went

c. Goes

d. Will be going

Q 17: We __ thinking of buying a new house for quite sometime now.

a. Were

b. Are

c. Have been

d. Had been

Q 18: Our garden is waterlogged because it __ all night.

a. Rains

b. Rained

c. Raining

d. Rain

Q 19: I couldn’t find fresh cream in the local store. So, I __ to the supermarket.

a. Went

b. Was going

c. Did go

d. Had to go

Q 20:  It was sunny outside. Thus, kids __ not allowed to play outside.

a. Were

b. Are

c. Being

d. Would be

Q 21: He __ to the gym for 5 years now, as part of his daily routine.

a. Went

b. Goes

c. Has been going

d. Was going

Q 22.  _ office on time is impossible these days due to heavy traffic on roads.

a. Reaching

b. To reach

c. Reached

d. Reach

Q 23. I was _ home when I met Sandra. 

a. to come

b. coming

c. came 

d. come

Q 24. Selena _ at the gate until all the guests arrived.

a. was standing

b. stand

c. stood

d. will stand

Q 25. If it was not raining. I _ go to the park. 

a. will

b. would

c. would've

d. can

Answers:

Q1. a Q2. a. Q3. a. Q4. a. Q5. b. Q6. b. Q7. c. Q8. c. Q9. a. Q10. c Q11. a Q12. c Q13. b Q14. b Q15. a Q16. c Q17. c Q18.b Q19.a Q20. b Q21. c Q22. a Q23. b Q24. c Q25. b

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