Tense tells us when something happens.
We use different verb forms to express whether something occurred in the past, is happening now, or will take place in the future.
English has twelve main tenses, created by combining three time periods (past, present, future) with four aspects (simple, continuous, perfect, perfect continuous).
Each tense serves specific functions and helps us express subtle differences in meaning and timing.
| What is Verb Conjugation? Verb conjugation is the process of changing verbs to show: 1) Person: Who is doing the action 2) Number: Whether it’s singular or plural 3) Tense: When the action happens 4) Mood: How the action is expressed (statements, commands, or hypotheticals) 5) Voice: Whether the subject performs or is the focus of the action |
Tense in Use
- I work in marketing. What do you do? (present simple)
- He is studying at the moment. (present continuous)
- They have lived here for ten years. (present perfect)
- We have been waiting since noon. (present perfect continuous)
- She called yesterday evening. (past simple)
- We were gaming all afternoon yesterday. (past continuous)
- By the time we arrived, the film had already started. (past perfect)
- He had been boxing for five years before going pro. (past perfect continuous)
- The train will leave at 3:30 pm on the dot. (future simple)
- This time tomorrow, I will be flying to Tokyo. (future continuous)
- By next month, the house renovations will have been done. (future perfect)
- In December, we will have been working together for twenty years. (future perfect continuous)
* Tenses: Present / Past / Future
Simple Tenses
Present Simple
> Structure: base verb (e.g., work, go, eat) for regular and irregular verbs (see Third Person Singular Spelling Rules for he / she / it)
Note: The verb to be follows its own conjugation patterns.
Verb Conjugation – Present Simple
| Subject Pronouns | Regular Verb – to work | Irregular Verb – to go |
|---|---|---|
| I (1st person singular) | work | go |
| You (2nd person singular) | work | go |
| He / She / It (3rd person singular) | works | goes |
| We (1st person plural) | work | go |
| You (2nd person plural) | work | go |
| They (3rd person plural) | work | go |
Functions: The present simple is English’s most versatile tense. It has a wide range of uses, from everyday habits and general truths to instructions, commentary, and more.
– General Truths and Scientific Facts:
- The sky is blue.
- Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
- The Earth revolves around the Sun.
– Habits and Routines:
- I don’t drink coffee any more.
- I study English using English Grammar Corner.
- He goes to the gym four times a week and plays tennis on weekends.
When describing habits, adverbs of frequency (e.g., always, usually, often, regularly, sometimes, rarely, never) can help to make the meaning more specific.
Consider and compare the two sentences below:
- He goes to the gym.
- He goes to the gym regularly.
– States, Preferences, and Senses:
- I am here.
- I fancy a coffee.
- The soup tastes delicious.
We use the present simple to describe a state (e.g., know, think, be), express a preference (e.g., fancy, love, hate), or say how something seems or feels to us (e.g., taste, sound, feel).
– Permanent or Long-term Situations:
- She works as a teacher.
- The company operates in 30 countries.
- He lives on El Hierro, one of the smaller Canary Islands.
This function typically relates to situations that are true for a long time, even if not forever.
– Directions and Instruction:
- Turn left at the traffic lights.
- Take the first road on the right.
- Press the button and hold for three seconds.
– Commentary:
- He shoots, he scores. What a goal! (sports commentary)
- First, we fry the onions until soft, then add the garlic, and finally stir in the tomatoes. (cooking show)
- At Laffrey, Napoleon dismounts, walks towards the 5th Regiment alone, and dares them to fire. Not one man raises his musket. Instead, they join him for his march on Paris. (historical documentary)
We use the present simple in live commentary and narrative to describe events as they happen or unfold.
– Scheduled Future Events:
- I leave tomorrow.
- The conference starts next Thursday.
- Our office opens at nine o’clock on Monday morning.
– Proverbs, Sayings, and Historical Quotes:
Many of these are expressed in the present simple:
- Practice makes perfect.
- Time is often the best healer.
- The early bird catches the worm.
- “Fortune favours the bold.” – Attributed to Virgil
- “If a man knows not to which port he sails, no wind is favourable.” – Attributed to Seneca
Want more practice? Our Present Simple Worksheet Pack covers positive, negative, and question forms across 7 worksheets.
Past Simple
> Structure: regular past form verbs (-ed endings) or irregular past forms (e.g., went, saw, ate, took, came)
Verb Conjugation – Past Simple
| Subject Pronouns | Regular Verb – to visit | Irregular Verb – to wake |
|---|---|---|
| I (1st person singular) | visited | woke |
| You (2nd person singular) | visited | woke |
| He / She / It (3rd person singular) | visited | woke |
| We (1st person plural) | visited | woke |
| You (2nd person plural) | visited | woke |
| They (3rd person plural) | visited | woke |
> Functions: The past simple tense is used to talk about completed actions, habits, and sequential events in the past.
– Completed Past Actions:
- We visited Rome last summer.
- They moved to Canada in 2019.
- I’m not hungry. I only ate breakfast an hour ago.
Past simple usage usually needs a time reference, either stated directly (e.g., yesterday, 2019, last year) or understood from context. For example:
- Direct time reference:
– I sent you a message this morning.- Contextual time reference:
– A: Did you get my message?
– B: Yes, sorry. I was in a meeting all morning.
Without a time reference, a sentence can sound incomplete or unnatural. For example, saying ‘I went to Paris.’ without any time clue feels incomplete and could leave the listener wondering why and when the speaker went to Paris.
– Past Habits:
- When I was young, I walked to school every day.
- We watched cartoons every Saturday morning as kids.
- At university, I stayed up late studying almost every night.
– Sequential Past Events:
These are actions that happened one after another in the past, often connected by and, then, or commas.
- “I came, I saw, I conquered.” – Julius Caesar
- She opened the door, walked in, sat down, and didn’t say anything.
- He woke up, showered, ate breakfast, and left for work.
Want more practice? Our Past Simple Worksheet Pack covers positive, negative, and question forms across 7 worksheets.
Future Simple
> Structure: modal will + base verb
Verb Conjugation – Future Simple
| Subject Pronouns | Regular Verb – will arrive | Irregular Verb – will make |
|---|---|---|
| I (1st person singular) | will arrive | will make |
| You (2nd person singular) | will arrive | will make |
| He / She / It (3rd person singular) | will arrive | will make |
| We (1st person plural) | will arrive | will make |
| You (2nd person plural) | will arrive | will make |
| They (3rd person plural) | will arrive | will make |
> Functions: The future simple tense expresses predictions, decisions, facts, and offers and promises about the future.
– Predictions:
- It will rain later.
- I think house prices will fall next year.
- The economy will improve soon.
– Decisions:
- I’ll make dinner tonight.
- I’ll call her back later.
- I’ll help you move house this weekend.
– Offers and Promises:
- I will carry that for you.
- I promise I will be there on time.
- We will give you a lift to the airport.
– Future Facts:
- The train will arrive at platform 3.
- The meeting will begin at 9 am sharp.
- The sun will rise at 6:42 am tomorrow.
Continuous Tenses
Continuous constructions allow us to talk about actions that happen over time, as opposed to simple completed events.
They use forms of be + -ing (e.g., I am reading).
Present Continuous
> Structure: auxiliary am / is /are + present participle (-ing)
Verb Conjugation – Present Continuous
| Subject Pronouns | Verb Example – to cook |
|---|---|
| I (1st person singular) | am cooking |
| You (2nd person singular) | are cooking |
| He / She / It (3rd person singular) | is cooking |
| We (1st person plural) | are cooking |
| You (2nd person plural) | are cooking |
| They (3rd person plural) | are cooking |
> Functions: The present continuous tense allows us to talk about actions happening right now, temporary situations, current trends, or planned future arrangements.
– Ongoing Actions:
- I am watching Netflix. What are you doing?
- I’m cooking pasta. Do you want any?
- The neighbours are having another party – it’s so loud.
– Temporary Situations:
- She is studying for her final exams this week.
- She’s living with her parents while she saves for a deposit.
- He is staying with friends while his house is being renovated.
– Current Trends:
- More people are working from home these days.
- Fewer people are reading physical books – it’s all digital now.
- More and more people are doing their shopping online nowadays.
– Planned Future Arrangements:
- We are moving house next week.
- I am flying to New York next Tuesday.
- I am taking my dog to the vets tomorrow morning.
Past Continuous
> Structure: auxiliary was / were + present participle (-ing)
Verb Conjugation – Past Continuous
| Subject Pronouns | Verb Example – to read |
|---|---|
| I (1st person singular) | was reading |
| You (2nd person singular) | were reading |
| He / She / It (3rd person singular) | was reading |
| We (1st person plural) | were reading |
| You (2nd person plural) | were reading |
| They (3rd person plural) | were reading |
> Functions: The past continuous tense is used to describe actions that were in progress at specific past times, interrupted actions, parallel past actions, and polite statements.
– Actions in Progress at Specific Past Times:
- I was still working at midnight.
- At lunchtime, I was already sunbathing.
- We were always arguing about politics in those days.
– Interrupted Past Actions:
- I was reading in bed when the fire alarm went off.
- I was outside gardening when you rang.
- He was driving to the airport when he realised he had forgotten his passport.
– Parallel Past Actions:
These are two or more actions that were happening at the same time in the past.
- He was washing the dishes and I was drying them.
- She was texting while pretending to listen to the lecture.
- I was making breakfast while you were still snoring upstairs.
– Polite or Indirect Requests:
- I was hoping you could help me.
- I was wondering if you could cover my shift on Saturday.
- We were thinking you might like to join us for dinner.
Future Continuous
> Structure: auxiliary will + be + present participle (-ing)
Verb Conjugation – Future Continuous
| Subject Pronouns | Verb Example – to go |
|---|---|
| I (1st person singular) | will be going |
| You (2nd person singular) | will be going |
| He / She / It (3rd person singular) | will be going |
| We (1st person plural) | will be going |
| You (2nd person plural) | will be going |
| They (3rd person plural) | will be going |
> Functions: The future continuous tense is used to express actions that will be in progress at specific future times and future inquiries.
– Future Actions in Progress:
- This time next week, I will be relaxing on the beach.
- Please don’t call at 8 PM because I will be having dinner.
- I will either be celebrating or crying when the results come in.
– Future Inquiries:
- Will you be using the car tonight?
- Will you be working late again tonight?
- Will you be going to the shops later?
Perfect Tenses
Perfect constructions typically connect actions to specific reference points in time.
They use have / has / had / will have + past participle.
Present Perfect
> Structure: auxiliary have / has + past participle
Verb Conjugation – Present Perfect
| Subject Pronouns | Have / Has | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|
| I (1st person singular) | have | gone |
| You (2nd person singular) | have | gone |
| He / She / It (3rd person singular) | has | gone |
| We (1st person plural) | have | gone |
| You (2nd person plural) | have | gone |
| They (3rd person plural) | have | gone |
> Functions: The present perfect tense is used to describe something that is still true or has present relevance, a person’s experience, or unfinished time periods.
– Ongoing Situations / Experiences:
- I have lived in Spain for ten years.
- He’s never liked spicy food of any kind.
- She has been self-employed since 2019.
– Completed Actions with Current Relevance:
- He has just left.
- He has forgotten his password. He can’t access his account.
- We have run out of milk. We need to go to the shop.
– Life Experiences:
- I have never been on a cruise ship.
- Have you ever visited Japan?
- She’s worked in five different countries.
– Unfinished Time Periods:
- We have had four meetings this week already.
- He has scored six goals this season.
- They have visited five countries so far on their trip.
Notice how we don’t use present perfect with finished time expressions (e.g., yesterday, last week, last summer in 2020). If we mention a specific past time, it is preferable to use past simple. For example:
❌ – I have been to Paris last summer. (present perfect with finished time expression)
✅ – I went to Paris last summer. (past simple with finished time expression)
The choice between present perfect and past simple depends on what you want to say about the situation. Past simple shows the situation is completely finished, while present perfect shows it continues to now or has present relevance. For example:
- He lived in Madrid for three years. (past simple: lived)
> Here, the past simple tense implies that he no longer lives in Madrid. The period of living there is completely finished.- I have lived in Madrid for three years. (present perfect: have lived)
> Here, the present perfect tense implies the speaker still lives in Madrid up to the present day.
Past Perfect
> Structure: auxiliary had + past participle
Verb Conjugation – Past Perfect
| Subject Pronouns | Had | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|
| I (1st person singular) | had | eaten |
| You (2nd person singular) | had | eaten |
| He / She / It (3rd person singular) | had | eaten |
| We (1st person plural) | had | eaten |
| You (2nd person plural) | had | eaten |
| They (3rd person plural) | had | eaten |
> Functions: The past perfect tense is used to talk about actions completed before other past events or times. It establishes the sequence of past events.
– Actions Completed Before Other Past Actions:
- When I arrived, everyone had already left. (everyone left → I arrived)
- She had studied French before moving to Paris. (she studied French → she moved to Paris)
- The movie had started by the time we got there. (movie started → we arrived)
– Past Experiences Before Specific Past Times:
- He had never flown before his honeymoon.
- She had never seen snow before moving to Canada.
- I had never tried sushi until last month, and now I can’t stop eating it.
Future Perfect
> Structure: modal will + auxiliary have + past participle
Verb Conjugation – Future Perfect
| Subject Pronouns | Will + Have | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|
| I (1st person singular) | will have | finished |
| You (2nd person singular) | will have | finished |
| He / She / It (3rd person singular) | will have | finished |
| We (1st person plural) | will have | finished |
| You (2nd person plural) | will have | finished |
| They (3rd person plural) | will have | finished |
> Functions: The future perfect tense is used to describe actions that will be completed before specific future times or events, as well as to express how long something will have lasted by a future point.
– Completion Before a Future Time:
- By the time you arrive, we will have left.
- The builders will have completed the house by Christmas.
- Will you have finished your homework before dinner?
– Future Duration Up to a Specific Point:
- Next year, we will have been married for 25 years.
- In December, we will have lived here for 10 years.
- This month, I will have worked at this company for 5 years.
Perfect Continuous Tenses
Perfect continuous constructions focus on how long actions continue up to particular moments in time.
Present Perfect Continuous
> Structure: Auxiliary have / has + been + present participle (-ing)
Verb Conjugation – Present Perfect Continuous
| Subject Pronouns | Have / Has + Been | Present Participle |
|---|---|---|
| I (1st person singular) | have been | cooking |
| You (2nd person singular) | have been | cooking |
| He / She / It (3rd person singular) | has been | cooking |
| We (1st person plural) | have been | cooking |
| You (2nd person plural) | have been | cooking |
| They (3rd person plural) | have been | cooking |
> Functions: The present perfect continuous tense shows how long actions have been continuing from the past until the present.
– Duration Leading to Present:
- I have been waiting for you for two hours.
- How long have you been studying English?
- She has been working there for five years now.
– Recent Activities with Present Evidence:
- Have you been crying?
- It has been raining all morning.
- She has been working out a lot recently.
– Temporary Actions Over Time:
- She’s been learning Spanish this year.
- They have been renovating their house since January.
- I’ve been taking driving lessons for the past month.
Past Perfect Continuous
> Structure: auxiliary had + been + present participle (-ing)
Verb Conjugation – Past Perfect Continuous
| Subject Pronouns | Had + Been | Present Participle |
|---|---|---|
| I (1st person singular) | had been | reading |
| You (2nd person singular) | had been | reading |
| He / She / It (3rd person singular) | had been | reading |
| We (1st person plural) | had been | reading |
| You (2nd person plural) | had been | reading |
| They (3rd person plural) | had been | reading |
> Functions: The past perfect continuous tense typically shows duration of actions up to specific past times.
– Duration Before Past Events:
- We had been renovating the house for months before we could move in.
- He had been feeling unwell for weeks before he went to the doctor.
- The political leaders had been discussing a trade deal for hours until negotiations suddenly broke down.
– Causes of Past Situations:
- The ground was soaking wet because it had been raining heavily.
- She felt sick because she had been eating too much chocolate.
- The kitchen was a mess because the kids had been baking cakes.
Future Perfect Continuous
> Structure: modal will + auxiliary have + been + present participle (-ing)
Verb Conjugation – Future Perfect Continuous
| Subject Pronouns | Will + Have + Been | Present Participle |
|---|---|---|
| I (1st person singular) | will have been | living |
| You (2nd person singular) | will have been | living |
| He / She / It (3rd person singular) | will have been | living |
| We (1st person plural) | will have been | living |
| You (2nd person plural) | will have been | living |
| They (3rd person plural) | will have been | living |
> Functions: The future perfect continuous tense shows how long actions will have been continuing up to specific future times.
– Duration Until Future Moments:
- In June, we will have been living in this house for 20 years.
- Next month, I will have been teaching here for 10 years.
- Next week, the construction will have been going on for six months.
Present Simple – Third Person Singular Spelling Rules
When we use the present simple with he, she, it, or a name, we add -s to the verb. However, with some verbs, we can’t just simply tack on an -s. There are specific spelling rules to follow.
Regular -s Endings
In most cases, we simply add an -s to the base verb to form the third person singular of present simple.
- work – He works on an oil rig. (work → works)
- run – She runs most mornings. (run → runs)
- rain – It rains here all the time. (rain → rains)
Verbs Ending in -ss / -sh / -ch / -x / -z / -o
When a verb ends in –ss, –sh, –ch, –x, –z, or –o, we add –es.
- wash – He washes his car every weekend. (wash → washes)
- watch – My dad watches football religiously. (watch → watches)
- go – She goes to the gym three times a week. (go → goes)
Verbs Ending in ‘Consonant + -y’
When a verb ends in consonant + -y, we change the –y to –ies.
- study → He studies medicine at university. (study → studies)
- worry → My mum worries about everything. (worry → worries)
- try → She tries her best in everything she does. (try → tries)
Verbs Ending in ‘Vowel + -y’
When a verb ends in vowel + –y, we just add -s.
- play → Steve plays bass guitar in a band. (play → plays)
- buy → He buys way too much stuff online. (buy → buys)
- stay → She always stays late at the office nowadays. (stay → stays)
Irregular Third Person Forms
Some verbs change unpredictably. They don’t follow any pattern, except that they still end in -s. It just so happens that some of the most common English verbs do this. For example:
- be → He is always late. (be → is)
- have → She has two dogs. (have → has)
- do → It does the job perfectly. (do → does)
Tense Reference Table
Summary Table of English Verb Tenses
| Tense | Form | Example | Main Functions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present Simple | base verb / base verb + -s | I work / She works | – general truths, habits, states, long-term situations, instructions, commentary, scheduled future events, and proverbs |
| Present Continuous | am / is /are + present participle (-ing) | I am working | – current actions, temporary situations, future plans |
| Present Perfect | have / has + past participle | I have worked | – actions with present relevance, experiences, unfinished time periods |
| Present Perfect Continuous | have / has + been + present participle (-ing) | I have been working | – continuing past actions with present relevance, temporary actions over time |
| Past Simple | verb-ed / irregular past | I worked / I went | – completed past actions, past habits, sequential past events |
| Past Continuous | was / were + present participle (-ing) | I was working | – actions in progress at specific past times, interrupted actions, parallel past actions |
| Past Perfect | had + past participle | I had worked | – actions completed before other past events or times |
| Past Perfect Continuous | had + been + present participle (-ing) | I had been working | – duration of actions up to specific past times |
| Future Simple | will + base verb | I will work | – predictions, decisions, facts, and offers and promises |
| Future Continuous | will + be + present participle (-ing) | I will be working | – future actions in progress, polite future inquiries |
| Future Perfect | will + have + past participle | I will have worked | – completed actions before specific future times or events, future duration up to a specific point |
| Future Perfect Continuous | will + have + been + present participle (-ing) | I will have been working | – duration until future moments |