3 Facts On Use Of Come In Tense(Present, Past And Future)

Tenses (past, present, and future) are grammatical categories that show the time of occurrence of an activity or event. This article will show the usage of “come” in all tenses.

The verb “come” means to travel to a place, to move, to visit, to reach a destination, to arrive at a place or conclusion, to happen, and to be part of a list. “Come” undergoes several form changes while being used in the simple, continuous, perfect continuous, and perfect forms of the past, present, and future tenses.

This article will examine, with examples and structures, the inflections that the verb “come” undergoes when it represents all the twelve forms of the three tenses – past, present, and future.

“Come” in present tense

The present tense is the tense that shows the occurrence of an action that is ongoing now at the current moment. Here, we shall see the usage of “come” in the present tense forms.

The verb “come” in the present tense has different forms such as “come,” ‘comes,’ ‘is/are/am coming,’ ‘has/have come’, and ‘has/has been coming.’ 

Example: Can you please come with me to the shop?

In the above interrogative sentence, the verb “come” is used in the simple present tense as represents the current action of travelling or going to the shop with the speaker.

When is “come” used in the present tense?

The verb “come” is utilized in the present tense when it is used to show the actions of traveling, moving, reaching, arriving, visiting, happening, and being a part that is taking place at the present moment, ‘now.’ 

Sentence formation of “come” in the present tense

Forms Of  Present TenseStructures
1. Simple Present Tensea. First/second person singular/ plural Subject + come + remaining part of the sentence

b. Third person singular subject + comes + rest of the sentence
 
c. Third person plural subject + come+ remaining part of the sentence
2. Present Continuous Tensea. Singular first Person subject + am + coming + last part of the sentence

b. Plural first person subject + are + coming+ end part sentence

c. Singular/plural second person + are + coming + last part of the sentence

d. Singular third person + is + coming+ rest of the sentence

e. Plural third person + are+ coming + sentence end
3. Present Perfect Tensea. Singular/plural first person subject + have + come + end of the sentence

b. Singular/plural second person subject + have + come + last part of the sentence

c. Singular third person subject + has + come + rest of the  sentence

d. Plural third person subject + have + come + sentence end
4. Present Perfect Continuous Tensea. Singular/plural first person subject + have + been + coming + end part of the sentence

b. Singular/plural second person subject + have + been + coming + sentence end

c. Singular third person subject + has + been + coming + remaining sentence

d. Plural third person subject + have + been + coming + remaining part of the sentence
Sentence Structure Of “Come” In Present Sentence Forms

Examples of “come” in the present tense

ExamplesExplanations
a. I/We/You come to this place often as it gives mental peace.

b. Vaishali comes to this place often as it gives mental peace.

c. My parents come to this place often as it gives mental peace.
In all these sentences, the verb “come” and ‘comes’ (inflected form) indicate the simple present tense as it is showing a current action that happens on a regular basis when the subject visits concern that place often as it gives mental peace.   
a. I am coming to the party with my school friends.

b. We are coming to the party with our school friends.
 
c. You are coming to the party with your school friends.

d. Sukanya is coming to the party with her school friends.

e. They are coming to the party with their school friends.
 
 Here, in all these sentences, the verb “come” is utilized as ‘am/are/is coming’ in the present continuous tense form. The usage of the form ‘coming’ denotes that the action of going, visiting, or reaching the party with the school friend is happening and continuing up to this moment. 
a. I/we have come to a conclusion to give the team one last chance to prove themselves.    

b. You have come to a conclusion to give the team one last chance to prove themselves.    

c. The manager has come to a conclusion to give the team one last chance to prove themselves.   

d. The higher officials have come to a conclusion to give the team one last chance to prove themselves.   
   
In all these given sentences, the verb “come” is utilized in the present perfect tense form ‘has/have come’.  The usage of ‘has/have come’ denotes that past action of arriving at a conclusion or decision that has its effect in the present.   
a. I/We have been coming here for the past week and yet no action has been taken.

b. You have been coming here for the past week and yet no action has been taken.

c. The old man has been coming here for the past week and yet no action has been taken.

d. People who are affected have been coming here for the past week and yet no action has been taken.
 
 
Here, the verb “come” is used in the present perfect continuous tense as ‘has/have been coming’. The usage present perfect continuous form has/have been coming’ reveals that the activity of the subject visiting here has begun in the previous week (past) and is still now continuing to occur in the present and yet no actions are taken.
Usage Of “Come” In Present Tense

“Come” in past tense

The past tense is the tense that shows the occurrence of an action that is completed (anytime before ‘now’). Here, we shall explore the usage of “come” in the past tense forms.

The verb “come” in the past tense undergoes inflections and is used in various forms like ‘came,’ ‘was/were coming,’ ‘had come’ and ‘had been coming.’

Example: My sister, Rudra, came to my house last week.

In this sentence, the verb “come” has used as ‘came’ in the simple past tense in order to indicate that the action of Rudra going or moving to the speaker’s house is already over in the last week (a time in the past).

When is “come” used in the past tense?

The verb “come” is utilized in the past tense in different forms when used to indicate the actions of moving, traveling, reaching, arriving, happening, visiting, and being a part that is already completed, over, or taken place before ‘now.’

Sentence formation of “come” in the past tense

Forms Of Past TenseStructures
1. Simple Past TenseFirst/second/third person singular/ plural Subject + came + end of the sentence
2. Past Continuous Tensea. First person singular subject + was+ coming + rest of the sentence

b. First person plural subject + were + coming + final part of the sentence
 
c. Second person singular/plural subject + were+ coming + remaining part of the sentence

d. Third person singular subject + was + coming + final part of the sentence

e. Third person plural subject + were + coming + end of the sentence
3. Past Perfect TenseFirst/second/third singular/plural subject + had + come + remaining part of the sentence
4. Past Perfect Continuous TenseFirst/second/third singular/plural subject + had + been + coming + sentence end
Sentence Structure Of “Come” In Past Tense Forms

Examples of “come” in the past tense

ExamplesExplanations
 I/We/You/She/They came by bus to school.  Here, the simple past tense of the verb “come” – ‘came’ indicates that the speaker/ speakers travelled to the school by bus The usage ‘came’ denotes that the action travelling to school by bus is over and happened in the past.  
a. I was coming to a point where nothing and nobody could affect me.

b. We were coming to a point where nothing and nobody could affect us.

c. You were coming to a point where nothing and nobody could affect you.

d. Sheetal was coming to a point where nothing and nobody could affect her.  

e. The hurt children were coming to a point where nothing and nobody could affect them.
 
Here in these examples, ‘was/were coming’, the past continuous form of the verb “come” is employed. Using the past continuous tense form of “come” conveys that the actions of reaching a point where nobody and nothing could hurt the subject were continuing to happen sometime back then in the past.  
I/We/You/She/They had come from a very faraway land.‘Had come” is the past perfect form of the base verb “come”. ‘Had come’ is employed to indicate that the subject had travelled from a very faraway land.
I/We/You/She/They had been coming home to see you till last Friday.“Had been coming” is the past perfect continuous tense form of the base verb “come”.  It is utilized to convey that the subject had visited the home to see ‘you’ until last Friday (a time in the past).
Usage Of “Come” In Past Tense

“Come” in future tense

The future tense is the tense that shows the occurrence of an action that will happen (anytime after ‘now’). We shall here understand the usage of “come” in the future tense forms.

The verb “come” in the future tense takes up various forms like ‘will/shall come,’ ‘will/shall be coming,’ ‘will/shall have come’ and ‘will/shall have been coming’ after undergoing the grammatical inflections. 

Examples: I am sure Sudha will come first in her school test. 

‘Will come,’ the simple future tense form of the verb “come,” is utilized in the above sentence to show that the action of Sudha standing first in her school test has not yet occurred till now but will happen anytime in the future. 

When is “come” used in the future tense?

The verb “come” is utilized in several forms of the future tense when used to represent the activities of reaching, moving, traveling, being a part, happening, visiting, and arriving that will occur or happen any time after the current moment.

Sentence formation of “come” in the future tense

Forms of Future TenseStructures
1. Simple Future TenseFirst/second/third singular/plural subject + will + come + sentence end
2. Future Continuous TenseFirst/second/third singular/plural subject + will + be+ coming + final part of the sentence
3. Future Perfect TenseFirst/second/third singular/plural subject + will + have+ coming + end of the sentence
4. Future Perfect Continuous TenseFirst/second/third singular/plural subject + will + have+ been + coming + sentence end
Sentence Structure Of “Come” In Future Tense Forms

Examples of “come” in the future tense

ExamplesExplanations
I/We/You/She/They will come and answer all the queries in tomorrow’s meeting.    Will come’, the simple future form of “come” conveys that the subject will arrive at the meeting only tomorrow.   
I/We/You/She/They will be coming to the US during the summer vacation.  ‘Will be coming’, the future continuous of “come” tells that the action visiting the US by the subject will be occurring in the future.
I/We/You/He/They will have come to Delhi five times by this month’s end.Will have come’, the future perfect form of “come” reveals that the subject had already visited Delhi 4 times and it would be their fifth time when they visit it by this month’s end (future).
Next year, I/We/You/She/They will have been coming to the annual board meeting for seven years.Will have been coming’, the future perfect continuous of “come” denotes that the action of the subject being part of the annual meeting for seven years will be occurring next year (future).
Usage Of “Come” In Future Tense

Conclusion

Hence, this article, gives a detailed explanation of how the verb “come” is utilized in all the English grammatical tenses.