Verb tenses of English

1 1

5

The Present

Thinking about the future.

Thinking about the past.

The Past

The time line

The Future

Present simple: states facts and routine Present Continuous: analyses specific moments

6

Present Future Past

working am

work

Past Simple: describes a fact from the past Past Continuous: describes a specific moment in progress

7

was

Present Future Past

working

worked

Thinking about the past.

Will: decisions/predictions without evidence going to: plans/predictions with evidence

8

will

am going to

Present Future Past

working

be

work

will

am going to

9

Present Future Past

Notice that “working” is in the past, present and future. It does not show us which tense is being

used. It is just a continuation of an action which is marked by the “ing”.

working am was working will working be

Present Future Past have

been

working

have

worked

Present Perfect Continuous: describes a moment which started in the past and continues now Present Perfect Simple: describes a fact from the past with relevance now

Hybrid tenses: depend on how you feel about the past or how recent the fact or moment is to you.

Past Perfect: more distant past Past Perfect Continuous: Action in progress+ how long

Present Future Past Past/Past had worked

working

yesterday day

before

had been

for 3 hours

Past continuoust: action in progress in the past Past Perfect Continuous: Action in progress in the past + how long

Present Future Past Past/Past

was

working

yesterday day

before

had

been

for 3 hours

working

13

have

been

working

Present Future Past Past/Past

had

been

working

Notice that both present perfect and past perfect are used to talk about the past. The

difference lies in how close to the present the action/state is

Future perfect Simple: makes a prediction for the outcomes of the future

14

Present Future Past tomorrow

will have

worked

by 18:00

Future Perfect Continuous: describes moments in progress in the future.

Present Future Past

tomorrow

will

have been

working

by 2