SEBA Class 10 Correct Tense Guide: Key Rules & Triggers
This guide lists the most common rules and “trigger words” that appear in the SEBA Class 10 (HSLC) exam for the “Correct Tense” (Verb Forms) question.
Part 1: The Present Tense Rules
A. Present Simple Tense (V1 or V1+s/es)
Use this tense for habits, universal truths, and regular actions.
Trigger Words & Rules:
* Habitual Actions: every day, daily, regularly
* Example: He (go) to school every day. -> He goes to school every day.
* Regular Actions: always, often, usually, sometimes, generally, never
* Example: I always (speak) the truth. -> I always speak the truth.
* Example: She usually (get) up early. -> She usually gets up early.
* Universal Truths: Facts that are always true.
* Example: The sun (rise) in the east. -> The sun rises in the east.
* Example: The earth (move) round the sun. -> The earth moves round the sun.
* Proverbs & Sayings:
* Example: Honesty (be) the best policy. -> Honesty is the best policy.
* Example: Slow and steady (win) the race. -> Slow and steady wins the race.
* In Exclamatory Sentences (starting with Here/There):
* Example: Here (come) the bus! -> Here comes the bus!
* In Conditional Sentences (Type 1):
* Example: If it (rain), I shall not go out. -> If it rains, I shall not go out.
B. Present Continuous Tense (is/am/are + V-ing)
Use this for actions happening at the moment of speaking.
Trigger Words & Rules:
16. At this moment: now, at present, at this moment, right now
17. Example: He (read) a book now. -> He is reading a book now.
18. Example: They (play) football at present. -> They are playing football at present.
19. Interjections: Look!, Listen!
20. Example: Look! The boy (run). -> Look! The boy is running.
21. Example: Listen! The baby (cry). -> Listen! The baby is crying.
22. Planned Future Actions: (Less common in exams, but possible)
23. Example: I (go) to Delhi tonight. -> I am going to Delhi tonight.
24. In Questions (asking what’s happening):
25. Example: Why you (make) a noise? -> Why are you making a noise?
26. Example: What you (do) now? -> What are you doing now?
C. Present Perfect Tense (has/have + V3)
Use this for actions just completed or past actions with a result in the present.
Trigger Words & Rules:
27. Just Completed: just, just now
28. Example: He (come) just now. -> He has come just now.
29. Example: I (finish) the work just. -> I have just finished the work.
30. Recent Actions: recently, lately
31. Example: I (see) him recently. -> I have seen him recently.
32. Unspecified Past Time: already, yet, ever, never
33. Example: I (already take) my breakfast. -> I have already taken my breakfast.
34. Example: He (not come) home yet. -> He has not come home yet.
35. Example: Have you ever (be) to Delhi? -> Have you ever been to Delhi?
36. Past Action, Present Result: (No trigger word, check context)
37. Example: I (cut) my finger. (The result is it’s bleeding now). -> I have cut my finger.
38. Example: My sister (be) ill for three days. (She is still ill). -> My sister has been ill for three days. (This can also be Perf. Cont.)
D. Present Perfect Continuous Tense (has/have + been + V-ing)
Use this for actions that started in the past and are still continuing.
Trigger Words & Rules:
39. Duration: for (a period of time)
40. Example: He (live) here for ten years. -> He has been living here for ten years.
41. Example: It (rain) for two hours. -> It has been raining for two hours.
42. Point in Time: since (a starting point)
43. Example: It (rain) since 8 o’clock. -> It has been raining since 8 o’clock.
44. Example: They (work) in this factory since 2010. -> They have been working in this factory since 2010.
45. In Questions (asking about duration):
46. Example: How long you (wait) here? -> How long have you been waiting here?
Part 2: The Past Tense Rules (The Most Important for SEBA)
A. Past Simple Tense (V2)
Use this for a specific, completed action in the past.
Trigger Words & Rules:
47. Past Time Words: yesterday, ago, last night, last week, last year
48. Example: He (come) here yesterday. -> He came here yesterday.
49. Example: I (meet) him long ago. -> I met him long ago.
50. Example: They (leave) last night. -> They left last night.
51. Past Date or Year: in 1947, on 15th August
52. Example: India (get) freedom in 1947. -> India got freedom in 1947.
53. It is time… construction: (See Part 4)
54. Used in Conditional (Type 2): (See Part 4)
55. The “later” of two past actions: (See Past Perfect)
56. Example: The doctor (come) after the patient had died. -> The doctor came after the patient had died.
B. Past Continuous Tense (was/were + V-ing)
Use this for an action that was in progress when another action interrupted it.
Trigger Words & Rules:
57. Interruption Rule: The action in progress is Past Continuous; the interruption is Past Simple.
58. Trigger: when, while
59. Example: I (read) a book when he came. -> I was reading a book when he came.
60. Example: When I (go) to his house, he (sleep). -> When I went to his house, he was sleeping.
61. Example: While I (play), my mother (call) me. -> While I was playing, my mother called me.
62. Two parallel past actions:
63. Example: While my mother (cook), I (read). -> While my mother was cooking, I was reading.
64. Action in progress at a specific past time:
65. Example: At this time yesterday, I (travel). -> At this time yesterday, I was travelling.
C. Past Perfect Tense (had + V3) (A 100% Guaranteed Question)
Use this for the “earlier” of two completed past actions.
Trigger Words & Rules:
66. The before/after rule is the most common question in the SEBA exam.
67. Rule 1 (before): The action before the conjunction before is Past Perfect.
68. Structure: Past Perfect (had + V3) + before + Past Simple (V2)
69. Example: The patient (die) before the doctor (come).
70. Answer: The patient had died before the doctor came.
71. Example: The train (leave) before I (reach) the station.
72. Answer: The train had left before I reached the station.
73. Rule 2 (after): The action after the conjunction after is Past Perfect.
74. Structure: Past Simple (V2) + after + Past Perfect (had + V3)
75. Example: The doctor (come) after the patient (die).
76. Answer: The doctor came after the patient had died.
77. Example: I (reach) the station after the train (leave).
78. Answer: I reached the station after the train had left.
79. Used in Conditional (Type 3): (See Part 4)
Part 3: The Future Tense Rules
A. Future Simple Tense (will/shall + V1)
Use this for actions that will happen in the future.
Trigger Words & Rules:
80. Future Time Words: tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, soon
81. Example: I (go) to Delhi tomorrow. -> I shall go (or will go) to Delhi tomorrow.
82. Example: He (come) back next week. -> He will come back next week.
83. In Conditional (Type 1):
84. Example: If it rains, I (not go) out. -> If it rains, I shall not go out.
B. Future Perfect Tense (will/shall + have + V3)
Use this for an action that will be completed by a certain future time.
Trigger Words & Rules:
85. Future Deadline: by [future time]
86. Example: He (finish) the work by 4 PM. -> He will have finished the work by 4 PM.
87. Example: We (reach) home by tomorrow morning. -> We will have reached home by tomorrow morning.
Part 4: The “BIG 3” Special Rules for SEBA
These are advanced rules that frequently appear.
Rule Set 1: Conditional Sentences
* Type 1 (Probable): If + Present Simple, … Future Simple (will + V1)
* Example: If you (read) regularly, you (do) well.
* Answer: If you read regularly, you will do well.
* Type 2 (Improbable/Hypothetical): If + Past Simple, … would + V1
* Example: If I (be) a bird, I (fly) in the sky.
* Answer: If I were a bird, I would fly in the sky. (Note: Use were for all subjects: I/he/she).
* Example: If he (come), I (go).
* Answer: If he came, I would go.
* Type 3 (Impossible/Past Regret): If + Past Perfect, … would have + V3
* Example: If you (work) hard, you (pass) the exam.
* Answer: If you had worked hard, you would have passed the exam.
* Example: If I (see) him, I (tell) him the news.
* Answer: If I had seen him, I would have told him the news.
Rule Set 2: Special Subjunctive Rules
* Rule: It is time / It is high time is always followed by Past Simple (V2).
* Example: It is time we (go) home. -> It is time we went home.
* Example: It is high time you (start) your studies. -> It is high time you started your studies.
* Rule: I wish / He wishes is followed by…
* …Past Simple (V2) for a present wish: I wish I (know) her name. -> I wish I knew her name.
* …Past Perfect (had + V3) for a past regret: I wish I (not do) it. -> I wish I had not done it.
* Rule: as if / as though is followed by…
* …Past Simple (V2): He talks as if he (be) mad. -> He talks as if he were mad.
* …Past Perfect (had +V3): He looked as if he (see) a ghost. -> He looked as if he had seen a ghost.
Rule Set 3: Sequence of Tenses (in Narration)
* Rule: If the main verb (reporting verb) is in the Past Tense, the following verb must also be in a corresponding past tense.
* Example: He said that he (be) ill. -> He said that he was ill.
* Example: I asked him what his name (be). -> I asked him what his name was.
* Example: He hoped that he (pass) the exam. -> He hoped that he would pass the exam. (will -> would)
* Example: He told me that he (write) a letter. -> He told me that he had written a letter. (If the “writing” was finished before the “telling”)
* Exception: If the clause is a universal truth, it stays in Present Simple.
* Example: The teacher said that the earth (be) round. -> The teacher said that the earth is round.