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Grammar can be a difficult part of mastering the English language, especially when it comes to learning verb tenses.
Read below for our chart of each English verb tense with examples.
Start by thinking of English verb tenses in 4 categories - past, present, future, and conditional.
Within those four categories, there are 4 subcategories - simple, progressive, perfect, and perfect progressive.
Let’s look at each one individually.
How many English verb tenses are there?
It has traditionally been accepted that there are 12 tenses in English, though this is not an official consensus.
Various sources differ, claiming 3, 16 (e.g. British Council) or even 24 tenses in total.
It really just depends on categorisation preferences.
In this list, we’ve decided to list 16 of the most common English tenses.
English verb tenses
1. Present Simple
What it’s used for:
Statements of fact, things that happen repeatedly, things that are always true.
Formula:
[Subject] + [Verb] + “-s”
Examples:
She goes to church.
He makes lunch.
2. Present Continuous
What it’s used for:
Continued actions that are happening in the present moment.
Formula:
[Subject] + “am/is/are” + [Verb] + “-ing”
Examples:
We are watching TV.
She is brushing her hair.
3. Present Perfect
What it’s used for:
Actions still taking place or were completed in the recent past that have an influence on the present. The present perfect can also be used to describe a repeated action that happens periodically over a length of time.
Formula:
[Subject] + “have/has” + [Past Participle]
Examples:
I have called the babysitter.
He has asked for help.
4. Present Perfect Continuous
What it’s used for:
Continuing actions in the past that still have an effect on the present. The action may still be happening or has stopped recently.
Formula:
[Subject] + “has/have been” + [Verb] + “-ing”
Examples:
I have been cooking all day.
He has been waiting for a call.
5. Past Simple
What it’s used for:
Actions that were completed at a particular time in the past.
Formula:
[Subject] + [Past Verb]
Examples:
I played basketball yesterday.
They cleaned the house last weekend.
6. Past Continuous
What it’s used for:
Actions that were in progress in the past. The action went on for a period of time in the past, but is now finished.
Formula:
[Subject] + “was/were” + [Verb] + “-ing”
Examples:
We were waiting this morning.
She was walking the dog.
7. Past Perfect
What it’s used for:
Actions that took place before another action in the past.
Formula:
[Subject] + “had” + [Past Participle]
Examples:
He had cleaned before we arrived.
They had eaten before we left.
8. Past Perfect Continuous
What it’s used for:
Actions that were in progress before another action in the past.
Formula:
[Subject] + “had been” + [Verb] + “-ing”
Examples:
I had been working hard before I got promoted.
They had been looking for two hours before they found it.
9. Future Simple
What it’s used for:
Actions that will take place in the future.
Formula:
[Subject] + “will” + [Verb Base]
Examples:
I will go tonight.
They will buy a gift.
The future simple can also be used with “going to” instead of “will.”
Formula:
[Subject] + “am/is/are” + “going to” + [Verb Base]
Examples:
I am going to eat lunch.
She is going to read a new book.
10. Future Continuous
What it’s used for:
Actions that will be in progress at some point in the future.
Formula:
[Subject] + “will be” + [Present Participle] + [Object]
Examples:
I will be moving in the summer.
I will be working tonight.
The future continuous can also be used with “going to” instead of “will.”
Formula:
[Subject] + “am/is/are” + “going to be” + [Present Participle]
Examples:
I am going to be reading all afternoon.
We are going to be shopping tomorrow morning.
11. Future Perfect
What it’s used for:
Actions that will overlap with or finish before another action in the future.
Formula:
[Subject] + “will have” + [Past Participle] + [Object] + [Time Phrase]
Examples:
I will have taken my exams by Friday.
They will have opened the store by noon.
12. Future Perfect Continuous
What it’s used for:
Actions that will continue up to a particular point in the future.
Formula:
[Subject] + “will have been” + [Present Participle]
Examples:
At noon, I will have been waiting for two hours.
This summer, they will have been performing together for three years.
13. Conditional Simple
What it’s used for:
Hypothetical situations or situations that are contingent on something else.
Formula:
[Subject] + “would” + [Verb]
Examples:
I would give it to him if I had it.
She would live here if she got the job.
14. Conditional Continuous
What it’s used for:
Hypothetical situations or situations occurring over a period of time that are contingent on something else.
Formula:
[Subject] + “would be” + [Verb] + “-ing”
Examples:
I would be playing if I wasn’t hurt.
He would be sleeping if he wasn’t so excited.
15. Conditional Perfect
What it’s used for:
Hypothetical situations contingent on something else that would have occurred in the past.
Formula:
[Subject] + “would have” + [Past Participle]
Examples:
I would have bought it if I had known the price.
He would have passed the test if he had studied harder.
16. Conditional Perfect Continuous
What it’s used for:
Hypothetical continuous situations contingent on something else that would have happened in the past.
Formula:
[Subject] + “would have been” + [Verb] + “-ing”
Examples:
I would have been eating dinner if I left work on time.
They would have been flying to Spain if their flight hadn’t been delayed.
Conclusion
Understanding all English verb tenses can be overwhelming.
With a lot of practice (and a solid grammar reference), you can learn to identify and appropriately use these tenses.
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