The 12 Verb Tenses
Past Prosent oy
ate piven ea pizza il ent pizza
yesterday. everyday. ‘tomorow.
set0 suo sewirveo
vas eating pizza am eating pizza wil be eating pizza
when you arrived. Tight now, ‘when you arive.
Sa ttn 8 Selanne ing 4 Be 6 wang eo
had eaten al of te pie have eaten aloft pizza, | wil have eate all of be pizza
‘when you arrived. by the time you arive,
Thad been eating vices have been eating pizza | will have been eating pizza
{foe 2 hours when you rived. for? hours. for 2 hours when you ave.
5 Yaa 0+ Senna + Uae +0 {hme bo + Hera+o
Legend:
Subject = Object V=Wer (Vs = prosent / Vi past / Vs past parila)
SIMPLE “An action that endedin | An action that ie ‘plan foran action in
the past hrabitual orrepeated. the future,
Formuta Pointed Paints/Paint Will pant.
Word cue He painted yesterday | She paints every ‘She will paint
weekend. tomartow.
‘conTINUOUS “An action that was ‘An action is nthe ‘An action that wil
(be)+ (verb) + ing, happening (past process of happening | happen in the future for
continuous) when now. 2 length of time.
another action finished
{simple past)
Formuta Was/were painting | AmJare/is painting Willbe painting
Word clue ‘was paintingwhen! | Sheispaintingnow. | They willbe painting
saw the accident, when you arrive
tomorrow.
PERFECT “An action that finished | Anaction that ‘An action that wil fish
(have}s (verb) before another action happened at an unsaid before another action
ortime inthe past. _| time in thepast or time in the future
Formula Had painted. Have/has painted Will have painted
Word clue Wehadpainted the | Shehas painted many | He will have painted the
house before the rain | portraits bedroom before his
started, ‘daughter comes home,
PERFECT CONTINUOUS | An action that ‘Anaction that happens | Anaction that happens |
(have)s been « (verd]s | happened avertime in | aver time, starting in| overtime in the future
ing the past before another | the past and continuing | before another action.
action, Into the present.
Formula ‘Had been painting Have/has been painting | Will have been painting
Word clue ‘she had been painting | Ihave been painting | We will have been
for awhile when she | landscapes since | ppalnting for several
started classes, started school, hours before we can
see how it looks.