The 12 verb tenses

Past Present Future

I ate fruits yesterday. I eat fruits everyday. I will eat fruits
? Past habits. ? Habits / general tomorrow.
? Actions already truths. ? Actions /
Simple completed. ? Future events / conditions /
? With or without designated dates (as circumstances
adverbs of time. a part of a plan / which haven’t
arrangement). taken place yet.
I was eating fruits when I am eating fruits right I will be eating fruits
you arrived. now. when you arrive.
? Uncompleted actions of ? Actions going on at ? To indicate what
the past (with or the time of speaking. will be going on at
without time ? Temporary actions some time in the
Continuous reference). which may not be future.
? Persistence habits of happening at the time ? Planned future
the past (always, of speaking. events.
continuously, forever, ? Habitual action verbs,
etc). especially to indicate
a stubborn habit.
I had eaten all of the I have eaten all of the I will have eaten all
fruit salad when you fruit salad. of the fruit salad by
arrived. ? Past actions which the time you arrive.
? Completed actions of aren’t defined by a ? Actions that will
Perfect the past that time of occurrence. be complete
happened before ? Actions which started before another
another event took in the past and have event takes place.
place. continued until now.
I had been cooking dinner I have been cooking I will have been
for 2 hours when you dinner for 2 hours. cooking dinner for 2
arrived. ? Actions which started hours when you
? Actions in the past at some point in the arrive.
that began before a past and may or may ? Actions that will
Perfect
certain point in the not be completed. have happened for
continuous past and continued up some time and
until that time. won’t be complete
yet at a certain
point in the
future.