Most Common Verb Tenses to Score High in IELTS 2024
IELTS applicants must prepare a globally accepted exam by universities and authorities, as a standard test of basic English skills in people. Grammar and tenses play a crucial role in assessing the candidates’ language ability in this test, therefore applicants must prepare well for this exam. This article focuses on explaining the concept of verb tenses to the applicants, so that they have an easier understanding of the topic to ace the exam, after practicing well.
A proper use of tenses demonstrates a strong command of the English language, and can improve the communication skills of a person greatly. Candidates are expected to prove their skills in this test by using various tenses, such as the present, past, future, and perfect tenses to convey information efficiently and clearly; Hence a good understanding of verb tenses can help in achieving a high score on the IELTS test.
Practice verb tenses to score high in the IELTS test
Table of Content
- Understanding Verb Tenses
- Verb Tenses: Present, Past, Future
- Present Tense
- 1. Present Continuous Tense
- 2. Present Perfect Tense:
- 3. Present Perfect Continuous Tense:
- Past Tense:
- 1. Past Continuous Tense:
- 2. Past Perfect Tense:
- 3. Past Perfect Continuous Tense:
- Future Tense:
- 1. Future Continuous Tense:
- 2. Future Perfect Tense:
- 3. Future Perfect Continuous Tense:
- Conclusion
- Verb Tenses- FAQs
- What do you mean by verb tenses?
- Which tense is important for IELTS?
- What is the importance of verb tenses in communication?
- Which is the crucial area of grammar?
- How many tenses are there in English?
Understanding Verb Tenses
Verb tenses express the time of an action or event, as described by a verb. They express whether an action is happening in the present, has already occurred in the past, or will happen in the future. Basically, tenses add the time factor to any sentence.
There are three main types of tenses – Past, present, and future; However, each tense can also be further divided into simple, continuous, perfect, or perfect continuous forms. These add variation to the timing and duration of the action. Effective use of verb tenses helps a person to clearly communicate with temporal context.
Verb Tenses: Present, Past, Future
The different verb tenses along with their subdivisions aka continuous, perfect, or perfect continuous forms are explained below with examples so that candidates can use them correctly in their IELTS test:
Present Tense
The simple Present or Present tense is a grammatical tool used to describe actions, events, or conditions that are happening right now or currently exist. The present tense is used to talk about current situations, express general truths, and describe habitual actions that occur regularly.
The structural formula to frame a present tense sentence:
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Subject+ verb (s/es) + Object. For example –
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1. Present Continuous Tense
It is a form of tense that represents the action that is progressing in the present. It is used for actions happening right now aka for actions that are currently in progress or unfinished. It can also be used to describe temporary actions.
The structural formula to frame a present continuous tense sentence:
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Subject + helping verb (is / am/ are) + main verb (ing) + object. Some examples are-
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2. Present Perfect Tense:
It is a form of tense that refers to activities that are already completed in the immediate past, i.e. just finished/completed. It is used for actions that started in the past and continue up to the present moment aka it emphasizes the connection between the past and the present.
The structural formula to frame a present perfect tense sentence:
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Subject + helping verb (have/has) + verb (ed) + object. Some examples are-
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3. Present Perfect Continuous Tense:
It is used in a sentence to indicate an action that started in the recent past and is still continuing in the present. It emphasizes the duration or continuous nature of the action.
The structural formula to frame a present perfect continuous tense sentence:
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Subject + helping verb (have/has) + been + verb (ing) + object (optional) + since/for + time duration + object. For example-
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Past Tense:
Past Simple or Past tense is a grammatical tool used to describe actions, events, or conditions that have already happened in the past. It indicates that something occurred and was completed before the present moment.
The structural formula to frame a past tense sentence:
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Subject + verb (2nd form) + object. For example-
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1. Past Continuous Tense:
It denotes those actions/events that were happening for a particular time in the past. It describes a continuing action or event that took place in the past, usually with a sense of interruption.
The structural formula to frame a past continuous tense sentence:
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Subject + helping verb (was/were) + verb (ing) + object. Some examples are-
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2. Past Perfect Tense:
It is used to indicate that one action took place before another action in the past aka one event happened before another in the past.
The structural formula to frame a past perfect tense sentence:
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Subject + had + verb (ed) + object. Some examples are-
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3. Past Perfect Continuous Tense:
It is used in a sentence to depict an action that started at some time in the past and continued until a specific time in the past.
The structural formula to frame a past perfect continuous tense sentence:
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Subject + had been + verb (ing) + object (optional) + time of action. Few examples-
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Future Tense:
Future Simple or Future tense is a grammatical tool used to describe actions, events, or conditions that are anticipated or expected to occur in the future. It helps people to discuss upcoming events, plans, or possibilities that have not happened yet but are likely to happen later.
The structural formula to frame a future tense sentence:
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Subject+ shall/will+ verb (s/es) + object. Some examples are-
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1. Future Continuous Tense:
It refers to actions or events that are going to happen in future and are going to continue for some particular time.
The structural formula to frame a future continuous tense sentence:
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Subject + shall/will be + verb (ing) + object. Some examples are-
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2. Future Perfect Tense:
It is used to express an action or event that will be over within a particular time in the future. The action referred to in the future perfect tense has an end date or time.
The structural formula to frame a future perfect tense sentence:
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Subject + shall/will + have + verb (3rd form) + object. Some examples are-
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3. Future Perfect Continuous Tense:
It expresses an action or event that will be progressing to a specific time in the future aka it can be used to refer to an action that will be continuing until a certain point of time in the future.
The structural formula to frame a future perfect continuous tense sentence:
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Subject + shall/will + have been + verb (ing) + object (optional) + time instant. Some examples are-
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Conclusion
Verb tenses are very important for the IELTS test and are a crucial for judging language proficiency of a person. A good understanding of verb tenses in a person displays a good knowledge of grammar and the skill to express ideas accurately and clearly. Appropriate usage of verb tenses will result in effectively conveying one’s thoughts and opinions and achieve a high score on the IELTS test. It is therefore advised to all candidates of IELTS to dedicate a good amount of time to practice verb tenses, in order to succeed.
Verb Tenses- FAQs
What do you mean by verb tenses?
Verb tense refers to when the action in a sentence takes place—whether it happened in the past, is happening in the present, or will happen in the future. Most verbs take a past, present, or future tense.
Which tense is important for IELTS?
To perform well in IELTS, it is necessary to have a solid understanding of the tenses. To score high, having proficiency in more advanced tenses like present perfect continuous and future perfect continuous is important.
What is the importance of verb tenses in communication?
Verb tenses also help to make our writing more concise and effective. By using the appropriate tense, we can avoid confusion and clearly communicate our thoughts to others.
Which is the crucial area of grammar?
The most crucial grammar areas are verb tenses, voice and speaking.
How many tenses are there in English?
There are three main tenses- past, present and future.
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