Download Tense A Revision of English verb tenses Form Use Example Present

A Revision of English verb tenses
Tense
Example
Form Use
Present simple
Base form
Present continuous
Present of be + ing
Past simple
Base form + ed of regular
verbs/ past form (second
column) of irregular verbs
Present perfect
Present of have + past
participle
Present perfect continuous
Have + been + ing
Past continuous
Past form of be + ing
Past perfect
Had + past participle
Past perfect continuous
Had been + ing
Future simple
Will + base form
Going to
Be going to + base form
Future continuous
Will be + ing
Future perfect
Will have + past participle
Future perfect continuous
Will have been + ing
Present conditional
Would + base form
Past conditional
Would have + past
participle
Permanent situations,
habits
Actions occurring at the
moment of speaking,
temporary situations,
arrangements
For past habits/states, for
finished actions with time
words like
ago,last,yesterday...
With periods of time that have
not finished yet, like this year,
with expressions like already,
yet, just, ever/never, recentiy,
for actions which have a
connection with the present
For actions which started in
the past and which continue
up to the moment of speaking
For actions which were in
progress during a period of
time in the past
A past event which
happened before another
past event
For actions which had been in
progress up to the time in the
past we are talking about
Decisions made at the
moment of speaking,
predictions (often with I
think/hope/expect.. offers,
promises, threats
Intentions, predictions
when there is evidence
For actions in progress at a
future time
For actions that will finish at
a time in the future
I use my mobile phone every
day
I'm staying with a friend at
the moment
I'm having my hair cut
tomorrow
The first modern Olympics
took place in Athens more
than a hundred years ago
They have bought a new
house (=they can now go and
live in it)
He has done a lot in his life (
he's alive)
I've been doing my
homework since three
o'clock (=1 haven't
finished it yet)
I was sleeping at eleven
o'clock last night
After they had eaten, they
cleared the table
They had been climbing for
five hours before they reached
the top of the mountain
OK, I'll see you at eight I'll
love you forever I won't speak
to you ever again!
I'm going to phone him
tomorrow
That building is going to
collapse
This time next week, she'll be
flying to New York
It's half past three. Rosie says
she will have finished her
essay by five o'clock
By the time he takes part in the
Olympics, he'll have been
training for four years
If I had enough money, I'd
retire (Second conditional)
For actions which will have
been in progress ata specific
point in the future
To talk about unlikely
situations in the present or
future
To talk about an event or
If Bruce had asked me, I
situation that did not happen in would have said "yes" (Third
the past
conditional)