English grammar

Tenses in English: all 12 tenses with examples

A tense shows when an action happens. Grammar books usually teach three times, past, present and future, each with four forms: simple, continuous, perfect and perfect continuous. That gives 12 tenses, from the present simple ("I work") to the future perfect continuous ("I will have been working").

Example

One verb, three times

  • Past: I walked to college.
  • Present: I walk to college.
  • Future: I will walk to college.
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The 12 tenses chart

Each row is one tense. The formula shows what follows the subject. Only the present simple changes for he, she and it, and only be changes in the past (was or were).

TenseFormulaExample
Present simplebase verb (+ -s or -es for he, she, it)She works in a bank.
Present continuousam, is or are + verb-ingShe is working from home today.
Present perfecthas or have + past participleShe has worked here since 2021.
Present perfect continuoushas or have been + verb-ingShe has been working all morning.
Past simplepast form of the verbShe worked late yesterday.
Past continuouswas or were + verb-ingShe was working when I called.
Past perfecthad + past participleShe had worked there before she moved.
Past perfect continuoushad been + verb-ingShe had been working for hours when the power went off.
Future simplewill + base verbShe will work tomorrow.
Future continuouswill be + verb-ingShe will be working at 9 a.m.
Future perfectwill have + past participleShe will have finished the report by Friday.
Future perfect continuouswill have been + verb-ingBy June, she will have been working here for five years.

What the four forms mean

Simple forms describe facts, habits and single finished actions: "Water boils at 100 degrees." "I visited Jaipur last year."

Continuous forms describe an action in progress at a certain time: "At 8 p.m. we were eating dinner."

Perfect forms describe an action finished before a certain time, and link it to that time: "By the time I arrived, the class had started."

Perfect continuous forms stress how long an action has lasted up to a certain time: "He has been studying for three hours."

State verbs such as know, believe, own and want aren't normally used in continuous forms. Say "I know her", not "I am knowing her".

Choosing between similar tenses

Most tense errors come from a few pairs. Check these first.

PairThe differenceExample
Past simple or present perfectPast simple for a finished time. Present perfect when no time is given or the time is still running.I saw him yesterday. I have seen that film.
Present simple or present continuousHabits and facts, or something happening now or for a short timeI live in Delhi. I am staying with my aunt this month.
Past simple or past perfectPast perfect for the earlier of two past actionsWhen we got there, the film had started.
will or be going towill for decisions made now and predictions. Be going to for plans already made and predictions from what you can see.I'll get the door. I'm going to study medicine. Look at those clouds: it's going to rain.

Common mistakes

  • Wrong: I have seen him yesterday.

    Right: I saw him yesterday.

    A finished time such as yesterday takes the past simple, not the present perfect.

  • Wrong: I am living here since 2019.

    Right: I have lived here since 2019. / I have been living here since 2019.

    Since or for with a period up to now needs a perfect form.

  • Wrong: When I reached the station, the train already left.

    Right: When I reached the station, the train had already left.

    The earlier of two past actions takes the past perfect.

Using this in IELTS and PTE

In IELTS Writing Task 1, the dates on the chart decide your tense: the past simple for past data ("Sales rose in 2010"), a future form for projections ("Sales are expected to rise by 2030"), and the present simple for most maps and process diagrams. In IELTS Speaking Part 2 you often move between past and present, so make each switch deliberate. The same accuracy helps in PTE Describe Image and Write Essay.

5 questions

Exercise

Try each one, then open it to check your answer.

  1. 1. Name the tense: "They had been waiting for an hour."

    Past perfect continuous.

    It uses had been plus the -ing form.

  2. 2. Complete this: "I ___ (live) in Mumbai since 2018."

    have lived (or have been living)

    Since 2018 describes a period that continues up to now.

  3. 3. Choose: "Listen! Someone (sings / is singing) next door."

    is singing

    The action is happening now, so it takes the present continuous.

  4. 4. Correct this: "I have finished my homework two hours ago."

    I finished my homework two hours ago.

    Ago marks a finished time, so it takes the past simple.

  5. 5. Complete this: "This time tomorrow, we ___ (fly) to Dubai."

    will be flying

    The future continuous shows an action in progress at a future moment.

Frequently asked questions

How many tenses are there in English?+

Most school grammars teach 12. Many linguists say English has only two tenses, present and past, and describe the others as combinations of tense, aspect and will. Both views describe the same verb forms.

Which tenses matter most?+

The present simple, past simple and present perfect cover most everyday English. Learn those well before the rarer perfect continuous forms.

Is be going to a tense?+

It isn't one of the 12 in the chart, but it is a very common way to talk about plans and predictions, alongside will and the present continuous ("I'm meeting her at six").

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