Objective: Master the 4 specific tense rules that Law Entrance exams test repeatedly. Stop relying on “what sounds right” and start looking for “Time Markers.”

The Golden Rule:

English Tenses are not about time alone; they are about Time + Aspect (Completed vs. Ongoing).

• Wrong: I am going to school every day. (Sounds okay to some, but grammatically wrong).
• Right: I go to school every day. (Habit = Simple Present).

Rule 1: The “Habit & Fact” Rule (Simple Present)

If a sentence talks about a routine, a habit, or a universal truth, you MUST use the Simple Present Tense ( or + s/es).

Keywords to spot: Every day, Usually, Generally, Seldom, Often, Always.

• Trap: Do not use “-ing” form for habits.
• Exam Example (JMI 2018):
  • Question: “We _____ to church every Sunday.”
  • Options: (A) go (B) are going (C) went
  • Answer: (A) go. (Reason: “Every Sunday” indicates a habit).

Rule 2: The “Deadline” Rule (Future Perfect)

This is an AMU favorite. If you see the phrase “By the time…” or “By next week…”, it means an action will be completed before that future moment.

Formula: By the time + [Present Simple] ... [Will Have + V3]

• Exam Example (AMU 2022):
  • Question: “The train _____ by the time you reach the station.”
  • Answer: will have left. (It happens before you reach).

Rule 3: The “Past Sequence” Rule (Past Perfect)

When two things happened in the past, the first (older) action gets the Past Perfect (), and the second (recent) action gets the Simple Past ().

Formula: [Had + V3] ... before ... [V2]

• Example:
  • Action 1: The patient died. (Older)
  • Action 2: The doctor arrived. (Recent)
  • Sentence: The patient had died before the doctor arrived.
• Trap: Don’t say “The patient died before the doctor arrived.” (Both Simple Past is technically incorrect in strict grammar).

Rule 4: The “Since vs. For” Rule (Perfect Continuous)

If an action started in the past and is still continuing, use Has/Have Been + V-ing.

• Since: Point of time (Since Monday, Since 1947, Since 2 PM).
• For: Duration of time (For 2 hours, For 10 years, For a long time).
• Exam Example (AMU 2021 Pattern):
  • Wrong: I am waiting for you for two hours.
  • Right: I have been waiting for you for two hours.