Table of Contents
CBSE Class 11 English Grammar – Tenses
Read the following sentences carefully
- We played a match yesterday
- I play tennis every day
- They will play with us tomorrow
Sentence 1: The verb “play” indicates the present time.
Sentence 2: The verb “played” indicates the past time.
Sentence 3: The verb “will play” indicates the future time.
Thus verb may refer to
- Present Time
- Past Time or
- Future Time
Tense Chart
| Tense | Simple | Continuous | Perfect | Perfect Continuous |
| Present | write writes |
am writing is writing are writing | has written have written | has been writing have been writing |
| Past | wrote | was writing were writing | had written | had been writing |
| Future | shall write will write | shall be writing will be writing | shall have written will have written | shall have been writing will have been writing |
CBSE Class 11 English Grammar – Tenses (Tenses in Conditional Sentences)
A conditional sentence consists of two parts: the main clause and the conditional clause (if-clause). There are three types of conditions:
- Type I: Possible—related to the future.
- Type II: Probable or Hypothetical—unfulfilled condition of the present.
- Type III: Impossible or Imaginary—unfulfilled condition of the past.
The verb tenses in the two clauses adhere to this pattern.
| Type | If-clause (Conditional clause) | Main clause |
| I | First form of the verb (V1 or V1 s/es) |
Shall/will/may/can + first form of the verb (V1) |
| II | Second form of the Verb (V2) | Should/would/might/could + first form of the verb (V1) |
| III | Had + third form of the Verb (had + (V3) | Should/would/might/could + have + third form of the verb (V3) |
Examples:
- You will pass if you work hard.
- She would have come if you had sent a proper invitation
- If I were you, I would not seek his help.
- What shall I do if I miss the last bus?
Exercise Solved
- He ……………… (beat) the thief if he catches the man.
- Unless they ………………..(request) me, I would not go.
- They would have won if they ………………..(play) well.
- If you ……………….. (inform) me I would have reached the station.
- She might catch the bus if she………………..(run) fast.
- If she ………………..(not work) hard, she will fail.
- Unless she ……………….. (mend) her ways, she will suffer.
- If you ……………….. (help) me, I would have completed this job.
- If I ……………….. (be) a bird I would fly to you.
- In case you ……………….. (see) Avish, give him t`his book.
Related Links
- NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Maths
- NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Biology
- NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Physics
- NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Chemistry
Answer
- will beat
- requested
- had played
- had informed
- ran
- does not work
- mends
- had helped
- were
- see
