Grammar: Tenses — Class 8 MCQs with Answers
Class 8 CBSE English · Chapter 16
48 practice questions · 16 Easy · 16 Medium · 16 Hard · Updated
Jump to the 6 solved questions
Practise the most important Class 8 CBSE English questions from Chapter 16, "Grammar: Tenses". You get 6 timed quizzes made from 48 NCERT-based MCQs, with answers and explanations. The questions are split into 16 Easy, 16 Medium and 16 Hard. Warm up on the basics, then move on to the exam-level questions that top scorers in CBSE Board exams get right.
To score well in "Grammar: Tenses", focus on comprehension, grammar and writing skills. Each MCQ here is timed and uses exam-style marking (+4 correct, −1 wrong, 0 skipped). This helps you stay accurate when time is short, just as real papers need. Every question has a short explanation, so a wrong answer becomes a quick lesson. It is the fastest way to fix gaps before a test.
Use this chapter for focused revision. Start with the Easy set to check your basics on Grammar: Tenses, then move to Medium and Hard to practise applying them. Your accuracy, streaks and XP save automatically. This chapter also adds to your overall Class 8 English mastery score. Try the 6 sample questions below: tap an option to see the answer and a worked explanation. Sign in free to start practising.
Grammar: Tenses — important questions & MCQs with answers (Class 8 English)
6 solved questions from this chapter's difficulty levels, each with its answer and explanation. Tap an option to check yourself.
0 of 6 answered
- Q1 of 6Easy
Name the tense used in the sentence: 'She writes a letter every day.'
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Answer: Simple present tense
Explanation: A regular habit shown by 'every day' uses the simple present tense.
- Q2 of 6Easy
Name the tense used in the sentence: 'They played football yesterday.'
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Answer: Simple past tense
Explanation: A finished action with the time marker 'yesterday' takes the simple past tense.
- Q3 of 6Medium
Choose the correct verb form: 'Next year, I ___ ten years at this company.' (complete)
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Answer: will have completed
Explanation: An action to be finished before a stated future point takes the future perfect (will have + past participle).
- Q4 of 6Medium
Choose the grammatically correct sentence.
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Answer: She doesn't like coffee.
Explanation: In the simple present, a third person singular subject takes 'doesn't + base verb'.
- Q5 of 6Hard
Choose the sentence with correctly sequenced tenses.
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Answer: After he had eaten, he went out.
Explanation: The earlier past action takes the past perfect ('had eaten') and the later action the simple past ('went').
- Q6 of 6Hard
Choose the correct verb form: 'By next June, they ___ the new bridge.' (build)
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Answer: will have built
Explanation: An action completed before a stated future time ('by next June') takes the future perfect.
Grammar: Tenses notes: key concepts (Class 8 English)
Tense shows the TIME of an action (present, past or future) and its ASPECT (simple, continuous, perfect, perfect continuous), giving 12 tenses in all. Master each form, the situation it describes, and the signal words that point to it, then choose the right tense for any sentence.
- Simple Present
- Base verb (add -s/-es for he/she/it). Used for habits, routines, general truths and timetables. Signals: always, usually, every day, often.
- Present Continuous
- is/am/are + verb-ing. Used for an action happening now or a fixed future plan. Signals: now, at the moment, Look!, Listen!
- Present Perfect
- has/have + past participle. Used for a finished action linked to now, or one with an unfinished time. Signals: already, yet, just, ever, never, so far.
- Present Perfect Continuous
- has/have been + verb-ing. Used for an action that began in the past and is still going on. Signals: since, for, all day, how long.
- Simple Past
- verb + -ed (or the second form). Used for a finished action at a definite past time. Signals: yesterday, ago, last week, in 2010.
- Past Continuous
- was/were + verb-ing. Used for an action in progress in the past, often interrupted by a shorter one. Signals: while, when, as.
- Past Perfect
- had + past participle. Used for the earlier of two past actions. Signals: before, after, by the time, already (in the past).
- Simple Future
- will/shall + base verb. Used for a plan, promise or prediction. Signals: tomorrow, next week, soon, later.
- Future Continuous & Future Perfect
- will be + verb-ing for an action in progress at a future moment (this time tomorrow); will have + past participle for one finished before a future point (by next June).
- Signal words
- Time markers are the biggest clue: since/for point to perfect tenses, ago/yesterday to simple past, already/yet to present perfect, and Look!/now to present continuous.
- Sequence of tenses
- When two past actions happen, the earlier one takes the past perfect and the later one the simple past. After a past reporting verb (said, told), tenses back-shift one step.
- Stative verbs
- Verbs of state such as know, believe, like, love, own, understand are normally NOT used in continuous forms: say 'I know', never 'I am knowing'.
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Grammar: Tenses — FAQs
What are the key concepts in Class 8 English Grammar: Tenses?+
Tense shows the TIME of an action (present, past or future) and its ASPECT (simple, continuous, perfect, perfect continuous), giving 12 tenses in all. Master each form, the situation it describes, and the signal words that point to it, then choose the right tense for any sentence. Key ideas include Simple Present, Present Continuous, Present Perfect, Present Perfect Continuous, Simple Past, Past Continuous.
What does Class 8 English Chapter 16 (Grammar: Tenses) cover on XamBaaz?+
It has 48 NCERT-based MCQs on "Grammar: Tenses": 16 Easy, 16 Medium and 16 Hard. Together they make 6 timed quizzes, and you never get the same set twice. Every question has an instant explanation. They help you prepare for CBSE Board exams.
Are these "Grammar: Tenses" questions free to practise?+
Yes. Sign in with Google to practise "Grammar: Tenses" free. Full unlimited access is ₹999/year. One year from the day you pay. You stay in Class 8 till 31 March; on 1 April your account moves up to Class 9 and the rest of your year carries over. No chapter is charged separately.
How should I revise "Grammar: Tenses" for the exam?+
Start with the Easy quiz to check your basics, then try Medium and Hard to practise applying them. There are 6 timed quizzes on this chapter, so you can come back for a fresh set instead of one you have seen. Read each explanation, retry the questions you miss, and track your accuracy until it stays high.
Are these "Grammar: Tenses" MCQs available with answers?+
Yes. 6 sample questions are on this page with answers: tap an option, or "Show answer", to see the correct option and a step-by-step explanation. Sign in free with Google to start practising, with instant scoring.
Is there negative marking in the "Grammar: Tenses" quizzes?+
Yes. The timed quizzes use exam-style marking: +4 for a right answer, −1 for a wrong one and 0 for a skip. MHT-CET and CBSE board papers have no negative marking. Our mocks for those are scored their way.
What are the important questions from Grammar: Tenses (Class 8 English)?+
The questions that matter most test Simple Present, Present Continuous, Present Perfect, Present Perfect Continuous, Simple Past, Past Continuous. This page shows 6 solved important MCQs with answers and explanations. Sign in to practise all 48 questions on the chapter as timed quizzes.
Is there an online quiz for Grammar: Tenses?+
Yes — Class 8 English Grammar: Tenses has timed online quizzes at Easy, Medium and Hard levels, with instant scoring and a worked explanation on every question. The first quiz on the chapter is free.
Are there question answers and extra questions for Grammar: Tenses (Class 8 English)?+
Yes. This page has 6 solved questions on Grammar: Tenses, each with the correct answer and a short explanation. Sign in to practise all 48 questions on the chapter as timed quizzes.