English Present

Past and
Tenses Future
They ate breakfast this morning. They eat breakfast.
Simple I didn’t play the drums yesterday. I don’t play the drums.
Did you live in England last year? Do you live in England?

They were eating breakfast. They are eating breakfast.

be -ing I wasn’t playing the drums. I’m not playing the drums.
Progressive Were you living in England then? Are you living in England now?

They had eaten breakfast. They have eaten breakfast.

have -en I hadn’t played the drums that day. I haven’t played the drums today.
Perfect Had you lived in England before? Have you lived in England?

They would eat breakfast, but they’re not hungry. They will eat breakfast.
will If I was in a band, I wouldn’t play the drums. I won’t play the drums.
Future / Conditional Simple Would you live in England? Will you live in England?

They had been eating breakfast for an hour. They have been eating breakfast for an hour.
have been -ing I had some new drums but I hadn’t been playing them. I haven’t been playing the drums recently.
Perfect Progressive Had you been living in England long when you met your wife? Have you been living in England long?

I thought they would be eating breakfast now. They will be eating breakfast now.
will be -ing It was decided: I wouldn’t be playing the drums at the concert. I won’t be playing the drums at the concert.
Future / Conditional Progressive Would you be living in England if you could? Will you be living in England then?

I thought they would have already eaten breakfast. They will have already eaten breakfast.
will have -en I wouldn’t have played the drums if I knew how loud they were. I won’t have played the drums before next rehearsal.
Future / Conditional Perfect If they offered you a job there, would you have lived in England? When you’re 40, will you have lived in England?

will have been -ing They would have been eating breakfast for an hour.
I wouldn’t have been playing the drums at the concert, if I hadn’t practiced.
They will have been eating breakfast for an hour.
I won’t have been playing the drums, I’ll be too busy.
Future / Conditional Perfect Progressive Would you have been living in England then? Will you have been living in England long?

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