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SBI PO Tenses

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This page covers SBI PO Tenses with complete concept notes, 10 graded practice MCQs, key points and exam-specific tips. Free to study.

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Concept Notes

Tenses— Rules & Concept

Core ConceptRead this first — the foundation of the topic
Core Concept

Tenses have three main times: Past, Present, and Future

Each time has four forms

Simple, Continuous, Perfect, and Perfect Continuous. This gives us 12 total tenses

Key Rules

Simple tenses show basic actions. Continuous tenses show ongoing actions (use -ing). Perfect tenses show completed actions (use has/have/had + past participle). Perfect Continuous combines both (use has/have/had + been + -ing).

Formula BlockMemorise — at least one formula appears in every paper

Present Simple: Subject + V1 (s/es for he/she/it)

Present Continuous: Subject + is/am/are + V1+ing

Present Perfect: Subject + has/have + V3

Past Simple: Subject + V2

Past Continuous: Subject + was/were + V1+ing

Past Perfect: Subject + had + V3

Future Simple: Subject + will/shall + V1

Future Continuous: Subject + will be + V1+ing

Future Perfect: Subject + will have + V3

Exam PatternsWhat examiners ask — read before attempting PYQs

SSC loves error spotting in tenses. They test subject-verb agreement, wrong tense usage, and time expressions. Fill-in-the-blanks also appear frequently. Questions often mix different tenses in one sentence. Shortcut 1 - Time Signal Words: Yesterday/ago = Past Simple Now/currently = Present Continuous Already/just/yet = Present Perfect By next year = Future Perfect Since/for = Perfect tenses

Worked ExampleSolve this step-by-step before moving on
1
Step 1

Identify time signal = 'since' indicates duration from past to present

2
Step 2

Since + point of time = Present Perfect

3
Step 3

Subject 'She' + has + V3 Answer: has been working (Present Perfect Continuous for ongoing action) Worked Example 2: Q: By the time you arrive, I _____ (finish) my homework.

1
Step 1

'By the time' indicates completion before future point

2
Step 2

Future Perfect needed

3
Step 3

Subject 'I' + will have + V3 Answer: will have finished Shortcut 2 - Third Person Singular Rule: For he/she/it in Present Simple, add 's' or 'es' to verb. Words ending in s, sh, ch, x, z, o take 'es'. This is heavily tested in error spotting. Shortcut 3 - Perfect Tense Helper Formula: Present Perfect = has/have + V3 (past to present connection) Past Perfect = had + V3 (past before past) Future Perfect = will have + V3 (completion before future point)

Exam TrapsCommon mistakes students make — avoid these

#1 - The Biggest Trap: Students confuse Present Perfect with Past Simple. Remember: Use Present Perfect when past action connects to present (I have lived here for 5 years). Use Past Simple for completed past actions with specific time (I lived there in 2015).

SSC exploits this confusion in 60% of tense questions. Another major error is using wrong helping verbs. Students write 'I am do' instead of 'I do' or 'She have gone' instead of 'She has gone'. Always check subject-verb agreement carefully.

Key Points to Remember

  • 12 total tenses: 3 times × 4 forms each (Simple, Continuous, Perfect, Perfect Continuous)
  • Since/For = Perfect tenses, Yesterday/Ago = Past Simple, Now = Present Continuous
  • He/She/It takes 's/es' in Present Simple (goes, watches, fixes)
  • Present Perfect = has/have + V3, Past Perfect = had + V3, Future Perfect = will have + V3
  • Continuous tenses always use 'be' verb + V1+ing (am/is/are/was/were/will be)
  • By the time/Before = Perfect tenses needed
  • Past Simple needs specific time, Present Perfect shows past-present connection
  • Error spotting: Check subject-verb agreement and time expressions
  • Never mix helping verbs: Don't write 'I am do' or 'She have gone'
  • Time signals determine tense: Always look for keywords like already, just, yet, still

Exam-Specific Tips

  • V1 = Base form, V2 = Past form, V3 = Past Participle form
  • Has is used with he/she/it, Have is used with I/you/we/they
  • Was is used with I/he/she/it, Were is used with you/we/they
  • Will and Shall both indicate future, Shall is formal with I/we
  • Since indicates point of time, For indicates duration of time
  • Already and just come before main verb in Present Perfect
  • Yet comes at the end of negative and interrogative sentences
  • Been is past participle of 'be', Going is present participle of 'go'
Practice MCQs

Tenses — Practice Questions

10graded MCQs · easy to hard · full solution & trap analysis

All MCQs →
Practice 1easy

Identify the error in the sentence: The manager (A) has instructed / (B) all employees to submit / (C) their reports by tomorrow / (D) No error

Practice 2easy

Identify the error in the sentence: The team (A) have been working / (B) on this project / (C) for the past six months / (D) and they have not completed it yet.

Practice 3easy

Identify the error in the sentence: By the time the conference (A) will begin, / (B) the participants / (C) will have arrived / (D) from different countries.

Practice 4easy

Identify the error in the sentence: The report (A) was submitted / (B) yesterday, and it / (C) has been reviewed / (D) by the director today.

Practice 5medium

The manager (A) has instructed / (B) the team members that they (C) should complete / (D) the project by next Friday. No error

Practice 6medium

The accountant (A) has been working / (B) on the financial statements (C) since the morning and (D) has not yet finished. No error

Practice 7medium

The consultant (A) will submit the report / (B) after she (C) will have completed / (D) the final review. No error

Practice 8hard

By the time the new regulations come into effect next month, the company (A) will have been operating (B) under the old framework for nearly a decade, which means (C) that significant adjustments will need to be made. (D) No error

Practice 9hard

The witness stated that she (A) had seen the suspect leaving the building at midnight, and she (B) was certain that the police (C) would have apprehended him by now if they (D) had acted on her information immediately.

Practice 10hard

Identify the error in the sentence below: The committee (A) has been deliberating on the proposal (B) for the last three months, and they have not yet reached (C) a consensus because the members were disagreeing (D) on key issues.

60-Second Revision — Tenses

  • Remember: Since/For = Perfect tenses, Yesterday = Past Simple
  • Formula: Present Perfect = has/have + V3, Past Perfect = had + V3
  • Trap: Don't confuse Present Perfect (past-present link) with Past Simple (completed past)
  • Check: He/She/It takes 's/es' in Present Simple
  • Rule: Continuous = be verb + V1+ing always
  • Error Spot: Wrong helping verbs like 'I am do' or 'She have gone'
  • Time Signal: By the time/Before = Perfect tenses needed
Subject-Verb Agreement→
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