English tenses

Tense

Signal
words

Use

Form

something
happens
repeatedly
every day
sometimes
Simple
Present
or
Present
Simple

always
often
usually
seldom
never
first ... then

how often
something
happens

Examples
affirmative

Examples
negative

Examples
interrogative

I work.

I don't work.

Do I work?

He works.

He doesn'twork.

Does hework?

I go.

I don't go.

Do I go?

He goes.

He doesn't go.

Does he go?

one action
follows another
things in
general

infinitive
he/she/it + -s

with the
following verbs
(to love, to
hate, to think,
etc.)
future meaning:
timetables,
programmes

now
Present
at the
Progressive
moment
or
Present
Look!
Continuous
Listen!

last ...
Simple
Past
or
Past
Simple

... ago
in 1990
yesterday

Past
Progressive
or
while
Past
Continuous

something is
happening at
the same time
of speaking or
around it

I'm working. I'm notworking.

Am Iworking?

He's working
He isn'tworking.
.

Is heworking?

I'm going.
to be
future meaning: (am/are/is) +infini
when you have tive + -ing
already decided
He's going.
and
arranged to do
it (a fixed plan,
date)

I'm not going.

Am I going?

He isn't going.

Is he going?

action finished
in the past,
mostly
connected with
an expression of
time (no
connection to
the present)

I worked.

I didn't work.

Did I work?

He worked.

He didn't work.

Did he work?

I went.

I didn't go.

Did I go?

He went.

He didn't go.

Did he go?

an action
happened in the
middle of
was/were +infiniti
another action
ve + -ing

I was worki
ng.

I wasn'tworking. Was Iworking?

someone was

I was going. I wasn't going.

regular:
infinitive + edirregular:
2nd column of
table of irregular
verbs

He wasworki He wasn'tworkin
Was heworking?
ng.
g.
Was I going?

doing sth. at a
certain time (in
the past) - you
just
yet
never
Simple
Present
Perfect
or
Present
Perfect

ever
already
so far,
up to now,
since

you say that

sth. has
happened or is
finished in the
past and it has
a connection to
the present

He was goin
g.

He wasn'tgoing.

I have work
ed.

I haven'tworked. Have Iworked?

He has work
ed.

He hasn'tworked
Has heworked?
.

Was hegoing?

I have gone. I haven't gone.

Have I gone?

He has gone. He hasn't gone.

Has he gone?

I have
beenworkin
g.

I haven't
beenworking.

Have I beenworking

He has
have/has +been +i beenworkin
g.
nfinitive + -ing

He hasn't
beenworking.

Has he beenworkin

I have
beengoing.

I haven't
beengoing.

Have I beengoing?

He has
beengoing.

He hasn't
beengoing.

Has he beengoing?

I had worke
d.

I hadn'tworked.

Had Iworked?

have/has +past
participle*

*(infinitive + -ed)
or (3rd column of
table of irregular
action started in
verbs)
the past and
continues up to
the present

for
recently
all day
Present
the whole
Perfect
day
Progressive
or
how long
Present
Perfect
since
Continuous
for

Simple
Past
Perfect
or
Past
Perfect
(Simple)

already
just
never

action began in
the past and
has just stopped
how long the
action has been
happening
emphasis:
length of time
of an action
mostly when
two actions in a
story are related
to each other:
the action which
had already
happened is put
into Past
Perfect, the
other action into
Simple Past

had + past
participle*
*(infinitive + -ed)
or (3rd column of
table of irregular
verbs)

He had work He hadn'tworked

Had heworked?
ed.
.
I had gone.

I hadn't gone.

He had gone
He hadn't gone.
.

Had I gone?

Had he gone?

the past of the

Present Perfect
Past
how long
Perfect
Progressive since
or

how long
something had
been happening
before

had + been +infinit I had

ive + ing
beenworkin
g.
He had

I hadn't
beenworking.

Had I beenworking

He hadn't

Had he beenworkin

Past Perfectfor
Continuous

something else
happened
predictions
about the future
(you think that
sth. will
happen)

will future

you decide to do
sth.
spontaneously
will + infinitive
at the time of
speaking, you
haven't made a
decision before

beenworkin
g.

beenworking.

I had
beengoing.

I hadn't
beengoing.

Had I beengoing?

He had
beengoing.

He hadn't
beengoing.

Had he beengoing?

I'll work.

I won't work.

Will I work?

He'll work.

He won't work.

Will he work?

I'll go.

I won't go.

Will I go?

He'll go.

He won't go.

Will he go?

I'm going
towork.

I'm not going

to work.

Am I going towork?

He's going
towork.

He's not going

to work.

Is he going to work

I'm going
to go.

I'm not going

to go.

Am I going togo?

He's going
togo.

He's not going

to go.

Is he going to go?

I'll be worki
ng.

I won't
beworking.

Will I beworking?

main clause in
type I of the if
clauses

going to future

when you have

already decided
to do sth. in the
future
what you think
what will
happen

Future
Progressive
or
Future
Continuous

Simple
Future
Perfect
or
Future
Perfect
Simple

be (am/are/is)
+ going
to +infinitive

An action will be
in progress at a
certain time in
the future. This
action has
begun before
the certain
will + be +infinitive
time.
+ ing

He'll bework He won't

ing.
beworking.

Will he beworking?

I'll be going. I won't begoing.

Will I begoing?

He'll be goin
g.

He won't
begoing.

Will he begoing?

will + have +past

participle*

I'll havewor
ked.

I won't
haveworked.

Will I haveworked?

*(infinitive + -ed)
or (3rd column of
table of irregular
verbs)

He'll havewo He won't

rked.
haveworked.

Will he haveworked

Something
happens
because it
normally
happens.
sth. will already
have happened
before a certain
time in the
future

I'll have gon I won't

e.
havegone.

Will I havegone?

Future
Perfect
Progressive
or
Future
Perfect
Continuous

sth. will already

have happened
before a certain
time in the
future

will + have +been

+infinitive + ing

emphasis:
length of time
of an action

Conditional
Progressive
or
Conditional
Continuous

Conditional
Perfect

main clause in
type II of the
Conditional
sentences

sth. that might

happen
emphasis:
length of time
of an action

sth. that might

have happened
in the past
(It's too late
now.)
main clause in
type III of the if
clauses

Conditional
Perfect
Progressive
or
Conditional
Perfect
Continuous

sth. that might

have happened
in the past
(It's too late
now.)
emphasis:
length of time
of an action

Will he havegone?

I'll have
beenworkin
g.

I won't have
been working.

Will I havebeenwor

He'll have
beenworkin
g.

He won't have
been working.

Will he havebeenwo

I'll have bee

ngoing.

I won't
Will I havebeenwor
havebeen going.

He'll have be He won't

Will he havebeenwo
engoing.
havebeen going.
I would wor
k.

sth. that might

happen
Conditional
Simple

He'll have go He won't

ne.
havegone.

would +infinitive

I wouldn't
work.

Would I
work?

He would wo He wouldn'twork Would he

rk.
.
work?
I would go.

I wouldn't go.

Would I go?

He would go
.

He wouldn't
go.

Would he
go?

I would bew I wouldn't bewor

Would I beworking
orking.
king.
He would
would + be +infinit beworking.
ive + ing
I would
begoing.
He would
begoing.

He wouldn't
beworking.

Would he beworkin

I wouldn't
begoing.

Would I begoing?

He wouldn't
begoing.

Would he begoing?

I would
I wouldn't
haveworked
haveworked.
.

would + have +pas

t participle*
He would
haveworked
*(infinitive + -ed)
.
or (3rd column of
I would
table of irregular
havegone.
verbs)
He would
havegone.

Would I haveworke

He wouldn't
have worked.

Would hehavework

I wouldn't
havegone.

Would I havegone?

He wouldn't
have gone.

Would I havegone?

would + have +bee I would

n +infinitive + ing
have
I wouldn't have
been workin been working.
g.

Would I havebeenw

He would
have
beengoing.

He wouldn't
Would he
have beengoing. have beenworking?

I would
have

I wouldn't have
been going.

Would I havebeen g

been going.
He would
have
been going.

He wouldn't
Would he
have beengoing. have beengoing?

We sometimes use Continuous instead of Progressive. Some signal words can be found in more tenses. We did
not list signal words in the future tenses as there are no definite ones. Always remember what action is
described.

Verb Tenses: Simple Present

SIMPLE PRESENT
Simple present, third person singular
Note:
1.

he, she, it: in the third person singular the verb always ends in -s:
he wants, she needs, he gives, she thinks.

2.

Negative and question forms use DOES (=the third person of the auxiliary'DO') + the infinitive of the
verb.
He wants. Does he want? He does not want.

3.

Verbs ending in -y : the third person changes the -y to -ies:

fly
flies, cry
cries
Exception: if there is a vowel before the -y:
play
plays, pray
prays

4.

Add -es to verbs ending in:-ss, -x, -sh, -ch:

he passes, she catches, he fixes, it pushes

Examples
1. Third person singular with s or -es

He goes to school every morning.

She understands English.
It mixes the sand and the water.
He tries very hard.
She enjoys playing the piano.

2. Simple present, form

Example: to think, present simple
Affirmative

Interrogative

Negative

I think

Do I think ?

I do not think.

You think

Do you think?

You don't think.

he, she, it thinks

Does he, she, it think?

He, she, it doesn't think.

we think

Do we think?

We don't think.

you think

Do you think?

You don't think.

The simple present is used:

1.

to express habits, general truths, repeated actions or unchanging situations, emotions and wishes:
I smoke (habit); I work in London (unchanging situation); London is a large city (general truth)

2.

to give instructions or directions:

You walk for two hundred metres, then you turn left.

3.

to express fixed arrangements, present or future:

Your exam starts at 09.00

4.

to express future time, after some conjunctions: after, when, before, as soon as, until:
He'll give it to you when you come next Saturday.

BE CAREFUL! The simple present is not used to express actions happening now.

Examples
1.

For habits
He drinks tea at breakfast.
She only eats fish.
They watch television regularly.

2.

For repeated actions or events

We catch the bus every morning.
It rains every afternoon in the hot season.
They drive to Monaco every summer.

3.

For general truths

Water freezes at zero degrees.
The Earth revolves around the Sun.
Her mother is Peruvian.

4.

For instructions or directions

Open the packet and pour the contents into hot water.
You take the No.6 bus to Watney and then the No.10 to Bedford.

5.

For fixed arrangements

His mother arrives tomorrow.
Our holiday starts on the 26th March

6.

With future constructions

She'll see you before she leaves.
We'll give it to her when she arrives.

Present Continuous or Present Progressive

Present Continuous or Present Progressive Verb Form
1. Present continuous, form
The present continuous of any verb is composed of two parts - the present tense of the verb to be + the present
participle of the main verb.
(The form of the present participle is: base+ing, e.g. talking, playing, moving, smiling)
Affirmative
Subject

+ to be

+ base + ing

she

is

talking

Subject

+ to be + not

+ base + ing

she

is not (isn't)

talking

Negative

Interrogative
to be

+ subject

+ base + ing

is

she

talking?

Examples: to go, present continuous

Affirmative

Negative

Interrogative

I am going

I am not going

Am I going?

You are going

You aren't going.

Are you going?

He, she, it is going

He, she, it isn't going

Is he, she, it going?

We are going

We aren't going

Are we going?

You are going

You aren't going

Are you going?

They are going

They aren't going

Are they going?

Note: alternative negative contractions: I'm not going, you're not going, he's not going etc. I'm not going,
you're not going, he's not going etc.

2. Present Continuous, function

As with all tenses in English, the speaker's attitude is as important as the time of the action or event. When
someone uses the present continuous, they are thinking about something that is unfinished or incomplete.
The present continuous is used:

to describe an action that is going on at this moment e.g.

You are using the Internet. You are studying English grammar.
to describe an action that is going on during this period of time or a trend, e.g.
Are you still working for the same company? More and more people are becoming vegetarian.

to describe an action or event in the future, which has already been planned or prepared (See also 'Ways

of expressing the future) e.g.

We're going on holiday tomorrow. I'm meeting my boyfriend tonight. Are they visiting you next winter?
to describe a temporary event or situation, e.g.

He usually plays the drums, but he's playing bass guitar tonight. The weather forecast was good, but it's
raining at the moment.
with 'always, forever, constantly', to describe and emphasise a continuing series of repeated actions, e.g.
Harry and Sally are always arguing! You're forever complaining about your mother-in-law!
BE CAREFUL! Some verbs are not used in the continuous form - see below.
3. Verbs that are not normally used in the continuous form
The verbs in the list below are normally used in the simple form, because they refer to states, rather than
actions or processes:
List of common verbs normally used in simple form:

Senses / Perception
feel*, hear, see*, smell, taste
Opinion
assume, believe, consider, doubt, feel (= think), find (= consider), suppose, think*
Mental states
forget, imagine, know, mean, notice, recognise, remember, understand
Emotions / desires
envy, fear, dislike, hate, hope, like, love, mind, prefer, regret, want, wish
Measurement
contain, cost, hold, measure, weigh
Others
look (=resemble), seem, be (in most cases), have (when it means to possess)*

Notes:

Perception verbs (see, hear, feel, taste, smell) are often used with can: e.g.

I can see...

These verbs may be used in the continuous form but with a different meaning, compare:
This coat feels nice and warm. (your perception of the coat's qualities)
John's feeling much better now (his health is improving)
She has three dogs and a cat. (possession)
She's having supper. (She's eating)
I can see Anthony in the garden (perception)
I'm seeing Anthony later (We are planning to meet)

Examples

I wish I was in Greece now.

She wants to see him now.
I don't understand why he is shouting.
I feel we are making a mistake.
This glass holds half a litre.

Simple Past
FORM
[VERB+ed] or irregular verbs
Examples:

You called Debbie.

Did you call Debbie?

You did not call Debbie.

USE 1 Completed Action in the Past

Use the Simple Past to express the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in
the past. Sometimes, the speaker may not actually mention the specific time, but they do have
one specific time in mind.
Examples:

I saw a movie yesterday.

I didn't see a play yesterday.

Last year, I traveled to Japan.

Last year, I didn't travel to Korea.

Did you have dinner last night?

She washed her car.

He didn't wash his car.

Simple Past (Past Simple)

The simple past expresses an action in the past taking place once, never, several times. It can also be used for
actions taking place one after another or in the middle of another action.

Form of Simple Past

Positive
no differences

I spoke.

Negative
I did not speak.

Question
Did I speak?

For regular verbs, just add ed.

Exceptions in Spelling when Adding ed

Exceptions in spelling when adding ed
after a final e only add d

love loved

final consonant after a short, stressed vowel

or l as final consonant after a vowel is doubled

admit admitted
travel travelled

final y after a consonant becomes i

hurry hurried

Use of Simple Past

Example

action in the past taking place once, never or several times

Example: He visited his parents every weekend.

actions in the past taking place one after the other

Example: He came in, took off his coat and sat down.
action in the past taking place in the middle of another action

Example: When I was having breakfast, the phone suddenly rang.

if sentences type II (If I talked, )

Example: If I had a lot of money, I would share it with you.

Signal Words of Simple Past

yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in 1990, the other day, last Friday

If-Satz Typ II (If I talked, )

Past Progressive - Use

1) actions were in progress at special time in the past
Peter was reading a book yesterday evening.
2) two actions were happening at the same time (the actions do not influence each other)
Anne was writing a letter while Steve was reading the New York Times.
3) together with the Simple Past
While we were sitting at the breakfast table, the telephone rang.
4) repeated actions irritating the speaker (with always, constantly, forever)
Andrew was always coming late.

Past Progressive - Signal words

while

Past Progressive - Form

to be (was, were) + infinitive + -ing

Past Progressive Examples

Affirmative sentences:
I was playing football.

You were playing football.

Negative sentences:
I was not playing football.
I was't playing football.

You were not playing football.

You weren't playing football.

Questions:
Was I playing football?

Were you playing football?

Form of the Past Progressive/Continuous

We use a form of to be (was or were), the infinitive of the verb and the ending ing.
to be (was, were) + infinitive + -ing

Affirmative sentences:
I/he/she/it was playing football.
We/you/they were playing football.
NOTE: Use was with I, he, she, it and were with all other pronouns.
In affirmative sentences we do not use short forms in the Past Progressive.

Negative sentences:
I/he/she/it was not playing football.
We/you/they were not playing football.
We use short forms in the Past Progressive in negative sentences:
I/he/she/it wasn't playing football.
We/you/they weren't playing football.

Questions:
In the Past Progressive we put the auxiliary (was or were) before the subject (Auxiliary - Subject - Verb - Rest).
Was I/he/she/it playing football?
Were we/you/they playing football?

Present Perfect - Use

The Present Perfect is not easy to understand for ESL learners. It is a combination of past and present. An
actions in the past has something to do with the present.
1) Result of an action in the past is important in the present (It is not important when this action happened.
When we use a specific time in the past - e.g. yesterday - then we use the Simple Past.)
I have cleaned my room. (It is clean now.)
Has Peggy ever been to Tokyo? (Has Peggy been there or not?)
2) Recently completed actions
He has just played handball. (It is over now.)
3) State beginning in the past and still continuing - mostly with since (point of time) or for (period of time)
We have lived in Canada since 1986. (We still live there.)
4) together with lately, recently, yet
I have been to London recently. (no specific point of time)
He has not written the e-mail yet. (He has not done it.)

Form of the Present Perfect

We form the Present Perfect with have and the past participle
(regular verbs: infinitive + -ed; irregular verbs: 3rd column of the table of the irregular verbs)
have/has + past participle
has: 3rd person singular (he, she, it)
have: all other forms
past participle:
- regular verbs: infinitive + -ed
- irregular verbs: 3rd column of the table of the irregular verbs

Affirmative sentences
regular verbs

irregular verbs

I/we/you/they have opened the window.

I/we/you/they have gone to the supermarket.

He/she/it has opened the window.

He/she/it has gone to the supermarket.

NOTE: We use has in the 3rd person singular (he, she, it).

Negative sentences
regular verbs

irregular verbs

I/we/you/they have not opened the window.

I/we/you/they have not gone to the supermarket.

He/she/it has not opened the window.

He/she/it has not gone to the supermarket.

NOTE: We use has in the 3rd person singular (he, she, it).

Questions
regular verbs

irregular verbs

Have I/we/you/they opened the window?

Have I/we/you/they gone to the supermarket?

Has he/she/it opened the window?

Has he/she/it gone to the supermarket?

NOTE: We use has in the 3rd person singular (he, she, it).

Present Perfect Progressive - Use

The Present Perfect Progressive is not easy to understand for ESL students. It is a combination of past and
present where actions in the past have something to do with the present. The focus is not on the result (this is
the Present Perfect) but on the action itself.
1) Actions beginning in the past and still continuing (focus is on the action) - mostly withsince (point of time)
or for (period of time)
I have been waiting for you for three hours. (It was a long time.)
2) Recently completed actions (focus is on the action)
She has been watching too many videos. (It was too much time.)

Form of the Present Perfect Progressive

We form the Present Perfect with have, been and the verb with the ending -ing.
have/has + been + infinitive + -ing
has: 3rd person singular (he, she, it)
have: all other forms

Affirmative sentences
I/we/you/they have been playing volleyball.
He/she/it has been playing volleyball.

NOTE: We use has in the 3rd person singular (he, she, it).

Negative sentences
I/we/you/they have not been playing volleyball.
He/she/it has not been playing volleyball.
NOTE: We use has + not in the 3rd person singular (he, she, it).

Questions
Have I/we/you/they been playing volleyball?
Has he/she/its been playing volleyball?
NOTE: We use has in the 3rd person singular (he, she, it).

Past Perfect - Use

1) Together with the Simple Past
When two past actions are combined - the first action, which was completed before the second one began, is put
into Past Perfect.
Mary had read the book before she watched a film.
After Amy had gone home it started to rain.
2) the past equivalent of the Present Perfect
He had played hockey.

Besonderheiten
Present Perfect

Past Perfect

The bike is new. I've bought it.

The bike was new. I had bought it.

Past Perfect - Simple Past

Simple Past - Simple Past

The match had started before he arrived.

The match started when he arrived.

Form of the Past Perfect

We form the Past Perfect with had and the past participle (regular verbs: infinitive + -ed; irregular verbs: 3rd
column of the table of the irregular verbs)
had + past participle
We use the same form of the auxiliary had every time regardless the subject.

past participle:
- regular verbs: infinitive + -ed
- irregular verbs: 3rd column of the table of the irregular verbs

Affirmative sentences
regular verbs

irregular verbs

I/you/he/she/it/we/they had played hockey.

I/you/he/she/it/we/they had gone home.

Negative sentences
regular verbs

irregular verbs

I/you/he/she/it/we/they had not played hockey.

I/you/he/she/it/we/they had not gone home.

Questions
regular verbs

irregular verbs

Had I/you/he/she/it/we/they played hockey?

Had I/you/he/she/it/we/they gone home?