In this blog post, you will learn the easiest way to understand English tenses. This lesson includes 12 tense charts, their rules, and practical examples to help you master English grammar. By exploring the different verb tenses, you will improve your fluency and express a wide range of actions more effectively.
Verb Tenses
Here are some examples of verb tenses using the verb “to travel“.
Simple Tenses
- I travel to the city.
- I traveled to Boston yesterday.
- I will travel to Las Vegas next year.
Continuous Tenses
- I’m traveling to New York right now.
- I was traveling to San Diego last Monday.
- I will be traveling to Beijing next month.
Perfect Tenses
- I have traveled to many cities.
- I had traveled to many countries by the time I went to college.
- I will have traveled five thousand miles by the end of next year.
- I have been traveling ever since I joined the company.
- I had been traveling for years before I found a place to live.
- I will have been traveling for five days by the time I reach Cairo.
The 12 English Tenses
A verb only has two primary forms: the past tense and the present tense. The other tenses are constructed by adding words called auxiliary verbs, such as is, are, has, had, have, will, and many others. They are also known as helping verbs.
Present Tense
1. Present Simple Tense
Learn useful grammar rules to use the Present Simple Tense in English.
- Subject + Verb + Object
Examples:
- I’m nineteen years old.
- The plane arrives at 18.00 tomorrow.
2. Present Continuous Tense
Learn how and when to use the Present Continuous Tense in English.
- Subject + is/am/are + Verb + ING + Object
Examples:
- They are swimming in the pool.
- John’s driving his father’s car while his own car is in the workshop.
3. Present Perfect Tense
Learn how and when to use the Present Perfect Tense in English.
- S + has/have + Past Participle (PP.) of the Verb + O
Example:
- Teresa isn’t at home. I think she has gone shopping.
- She has worked in the bank for five years.
4. Present Perfect Continuous
Learn how to use the Present Perfect Continuous tense (also known as the Present Perfect Progressive tense) in English.
- S + has been/have been + V + ING + O + since/for
Example:
- You have been writing a letter for three hours.
- He has been living in Bangkok since he left school.
Present Tense Rules & Examples Charts
Past Tense
1. Simple Past Tense
Learn useful grammar rules to use the Past Simple Tense in English.
- Subject + Past Form of the Verb + Object
Examples:
- He wrote a letter.
- I went to Egypt in 1988.
- He drank his whiskey almost bottoms up.
2. Past Continuous Tense
Learn how and when to use the Past Continuous Tense (or Past Progressive) in English with useful grammar rules and examples.
- Subject + was/were + Verb + ING + Object
Examples:
- I was writing a letter.
- Everyone was shouting.
- They were always quarreling.
3. Past Perfect Tense
Learn how and when to use the Past Perfect Tense in English with rules and examples.
- S + had + Past Participle (PP.) of the Verb + O
Examples:
- She had written a letter.
- After he had finished work, he went straight home.
4. Past Perfect Continuous Tense
Learn how and when to use the Past Perfect Continuous Tense in English.
- S + had been + V + ING + O + since/for
Examples:
- We had been writing a letter since morning.
- She had been working at that company for three years when it went out of business.
Past Tense Rules & Examples Charts
Future Tense
1. Simple Future Tense
The Simple Future tense indicates that an action is in the future relative to the speaker or writer.
- S + will/shall + V + O
Examples:
- I will eat Japanese food tomorrow.
- We shall write a letter.
2. Future Continuous Tense
Learn how and when to use the Future Continuous Tense in English.
- S + will be/shall be + V + ING + O
Examples:
- She will be cooking food.
- You‘ll be missing the sunshine once you’re back in England.
3. Future Perfect Tense
Learn how and when to use the Future Perfect Tense in English.
- S + will have/shall have + Past participle (PP.) of the Verb + O ….
Example:
- By the time I finish this course, I will have taken ten tests.
- She will have written a letter before we go.
4. Future Perfect Continuous Tense
Learn how and when to use the Future Perfect Continuous Tense in English.
- S + will have been/shall have been + V + ING + O + since/for
Examples:
- They will have been writing a letter since morning.
- I will have been watching TV for 3 hours when you arrive.
Future Tense Rules & Examples Chart
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