English Tenses – Graphic Comparison

Legend
 action that takes place once, never or
several times
moment in  actions that happen one after another
time  actions that suddenly take place

 action that started before a certain

moment and lasts beyond that moment
period of  actions taking place at the same time
time
 action taking place before a certain
moment in time
Result  puts emphasis on the result

 action taking place before a certain

moment in time
Course /  puts emphasis on the course or duration
Duration of the action
Simple Present infinitive (3rd person singular he, she, it: infinitive + -s)

1.1. repeated actions My friend often draws nice posters

 every day .1.2. things in general The sun rises in the east.
 often
 always 1.3. fixed arrangements, scheduled events The plane flies to London every Monday.
 sometimes
 never 1.4. sequence of actions in the present First I get up, then I have breakfast.

Present Progressive to be (am, are, is) + Infinitiv + -ing

1.1. actions happening at the moment of speaking Peter is reading a book now.

1.2. fixed plan in the near future We are going to Basel on Saturday.
 now
 at the moment 1.3. temporary actions I am working in Rome this month.
 Look!
 Listen! 1.4. actions happening around the moment of My friend is preparing for his exams.
speaking (longer actions)
More and more people are using their computers
1.5. trends to listen to music.

1.6. repeated actions which are irritating to the Andrew is always coming late.
speaker (with always, constantly, forever)
Simple Past regular verbs → infinitive + ed
irregular verbs → 2nd column of the table of the irregular verbs

 yesterday 1.1. action finished in the past I visited Berlin last week.
 last week
 a month ago 1.2. series of completed actions in the past First I got up, then I had breakfast.
 in 2010
1.3. together with the Past Progressive/Continuous They were playing cards, when the telephone
– the Simple Past interrupted an action which was rang.
in progress in the past.
1st action → Past Progressive → were playing
2nd action → Simple Past → rang

Past Progressive to be (was, were) + infinitive + -ing

or
Past Continuous

when, while, as long as 1.1. actions were in progress at special time in the
past
1.2. two actions were happening at the same time
(the actions do not influence each other)
1.3. together with Simple Past
Peter was reading a book yesterday evening.
Anne was writing a letter while Steve was
reading the New York Times.
While we were sitting at the breakfast table, the
telephone rang.

1.4. repeated actions irritating the speaker (with Andrew was always coming late.
always, constantly, forever)
Present Perfect Simple have/has + past participle *

* past participle:
regular verbs → infinitive + -ed
irregular verbs → 3rd column of the table of the irregular verbs

 just 1.1. Result of an action in the past is important in I have cleaned my room.
 yet the present
 never He has just played handball.
 already 1.2. Recently completed action
 ever We have lived in Canada since 1986.
 so far 1.3. State beginning in the past and still continuing
 up to now I have been to London recently.
 recently 1.4. together with lately, recently, yet
 since
 for

Present Perfect have/has + been + infinitive + -ing

Progressive

 all day 1.1. Actions beginning in the past and still I have been waiting for you for three hours. (It
 the whole day continuing (focus is on the action) - mostly with was too long.)
 since since (point of time) or for (period of time)
 for She has been watching too many videos. (It took
 Questions with 1.2. Recently completed actions (focus is on the too much time.)
how long action)
Past Perfect Simple had + past participle *

already, just, never, not 1.1. together with the Simple Past Mary had read the book before she watched a
yet, once, until that day film.
1.2. the past equivalent of the Present Perfect
He had played hockey.

Past Perfect had + been + infinitive + ing

Progressive
for, since, the whole how long something had been happening before I had been waiting for Susan for 2 hours when
day, all day something else happened she arrived.

Future I Simple will + infinitive

(will-future)
in a year, 1.1. Future actions happen without the speaker's The sun will shine tomorrow.
next …, intention
tomorrow I think Sue will arrive in Paris at 6 pm.
1.2. Predictions, assumptions
Hang on! I'll have a word with you.
1.3. Spontaneous actions

Future I Simple to be (am, are, is) + going to + infinitive

Or : Going to-future We use the will-future for predictions, assumptions, promises and when we do something
Or : Near future spontaneously.
We use the going to-future with planned actions.
in one year, 1.1. planned actions in the future We are going to sing at the party.
next week,
tomorrow 1.2. You are certain that sth. is going to happen in Look at that car! It is going to crash into the
the future. yellow one.
Future Perfect will + have + past participle

by Monday, I will have written the letter by tomorrow.

in a week sth. will already have happened before a certain
time in the future

action that will be finished at a certain time in the

future
Future Progressive will + be + infinitive + ing

in one year, 1.1. An action will be in progress at a certain time 3.1. When I come to school, the other kids will be
next week, in the future. This action has begun before the waiting for me.
tomorrow certain time.
3.2. We'll be going to the disco on Saturday.
1.2. Something happens because it normally
happens.