12 basic tenses in English

1. Present Simple

a. Definition: Present Simple is a verb tense used to describe a fact or generalization,

repetition or habitual action, in some cases, scheduled events in the near future and
actions happening now.

b. Forms:

To be
Statement S + am/is/are + …
Negative S + am/is/are + not + …
Question ~ Yes - No question:
Q: Am/ Are/ Is (not) + S …?
A: Yes, S + am/ are/ is.
No, S + am not/ aren’t/ isn’t.
~ Wh- questions:
Wh- + am/ are/ is (not) + S …?
Verbs
S + V(s/es) + …
~ I, You, We, They + V (infinitive)
~ He, She, It + V (s/es)
S + do/ does + not + V (inf) …
~ Yes - No question:
Q: Do/ Does (not) + S + V(inf) …?
A: Yes, S + do/ does.
No, S + don’t/ doesn’t.
~ Wh- questions:
Wh- + do/ does (not) + S + V(inf) …?

c. Signs:
~ Always, usually, often , frequently, sometimes, seldom, rarely, hardly, never, generally,
regularly, ...
~ Every day, every week, every month, every year, every morning, …
~ Daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly, …
~ Once/ twice/ three times/ four times… a day/ week/ month/ year,…

2. Past Simple

a. Definition: a verb tense used to describe a completed action happening at a specific

time in the past, or talk about facts and habits in the past that are no longer now.

b. Forms:
To be Verbs
Statement S + was/ were + O S + V(ed) / V (irregular)
~ S = I/ He/ She/ It + was
~ S = We/ You/ They + were
Negative S + was/were not + O S + did not + V (inf)
Question Q: Was/Were+ S + O Q: Did + S + V(inf)?
A: ~ Yes, I/ he/ she/ it + was. A: Yes, S + did.
No, I/ he/ she/ it + wasn’t No, S + didn’t.
~ Yes, we/ you/ they + were.
No, we/ you/ they + weren’t
 c. Signs:
~ yesterday, ago, last (week, year, month), in the past, the day before,…
~ as if, as though, it’s time, if only, wish, would sooner/ rather ,…

3. Future Simple

a. Definition: a verb tense used to express a prediction about something that will take
place at a specific time in the future, it is also used to express a promise or a voluntary
action.

b. Forms:
To be Verbs
Statement S + will + be + N/Adj S + will + V(inf)
Negative S + will not + be + N/Adj S + will not + V(inf)
Question Q: Will + S + be + O ? Will + S + V(inf)?
A: Yes, S + will A: Yes, S + will.
No, S + won’t No, S + won’t.

c. Signs:
~ in + time
~ tomorrow, next day, next week, next month, next year…
~ think, believe, suppose…
~ perhaps, probably, promise…

4. Present Continuous

a. Definition: a verb tense used to describe an action that is happening at the moment of
speech (or not necessarily right now but still happening). In some cases, it can be used to
complain about a repetitive action or indicate something that will happen in the near
future.

b. Forms:

Statement S + is/ am/ are + V-ing + O

Negative S + is/ am/ are + NOT + V-ing + O
Question Is/ am/ are + S+ V-ing + O ?

c. Signs:
~ Now, right now, at present, at the moment,…
~ Look!, Watch! Be quite!, ...
~ Always, constantly,…

5. Past Continuous
a. Definition: a verb tense used to describe an action that was happening at a specific
time in the past, or an action that was happening and then was interrupted by another action in
the past.

b. Forms:

Statement S + was/were + V-ing + O

Negative S + wasn’t/weren’t+ V-ing + O
Question Was/Were + S+ V-ing + O?

c. Signs:
While, when, as, at … (hour) last night,…

6. Future Continuous

a. Definition: a verb tense used to describe an action that will be happening at a specific
time in the future, or an action that will be happening and get interrupted by another action in
the future.

b. Forms:

Statement S + shall/will + be + V-ing+ O

Negative S + shall/will + not + be + V-ing + O
Question Shall/Will+S + be + V-ing + O?

c. Signs:
at this time/ at this moment + future time ( at this time next week )
at + hour + future time ( at 6.00 tomorrow )

7. Present Perfect

a. Definition: a verb tense used to describe an action happened at an unspecified time

before present, or to show that an action has taken place once or many times before now.

b. Forms:

Statement S + have/ has + V(past participle) + O.

Negative S + have/ has + NOT+ V(past participle) + O
Question Have/ has +S+ V(pp) + O?

c. Signs:
 ~ since + point of time, for + period of time (since 1945, for a year…)
~ already, yet, just, ever, never, recently, lately...
~ so far = until now = up to now = up to the present
~ many times, … times , …

8. Past Perfect

a. Definition: a verb tense used to show that an action took place once or many times
before another point in the past.

b. Forms:

Statement S + had + V(pp/ed) + O

Negative S + had+ not + V(pp/ed) + O
Question Had +S + V(pp/ed) + O ?

c. Signs:
~ until then, by the time, prior to that time, before, after, for, as soon as, by, when by, by the
time, by the end of + time in the past ,…

9. Future Perfect

a. Definition: a verb tense to describe something that will happen before another action
or a specific time in the future.

b. Forms:

Statement S + shall/will + have + V(pp/ed)

Negative S + shall/will + not + have + V(pp/ed)
Question Shall/Will+ S + have + V(pp/ed) ?

c. Signs:
~ By + future time
~ By the end of + future time
~ Before + future time
~ By the time…

10. Present Perfect Continuous

a. Definition: a verb tense used to describe an action that started in the past and has
continued up until the present moment.

b. Forms:
Statement S has/have + been + V-ing + O
Negative S+ hasn’t/ haven’t+ been+ V-ing + O
Question Has/have+ S+ been+ V-ing + O?

c. Signs:
all day, all week, all month, since, for, for a long time, almost every day this week, recently,
lately, in the past week, in recent years, up until now, and so far.

11. Past Perfect Continuous

a. Definition: used to indicate an action that started in the past and continued up to
another point in the past.

b. Forms:

Statement She+ had + been + V-ing + O

Negative S+ hadn’t+ been+ V-ing + O
Question Had+S+been+V-ing + O?

c. Signs:
until then, by the time, prior to that time, before, after…

12. Future Perfect Continuous

a. Definition: used to describe that an action that will happen and continue up until
another point of time in the future.

b. Forms:

Statement S + shall/will + have been + V-ing + O

Negative S + shall/will + not + have + been + V-ing
Question Shall/Will + S+ have been + V-ing + O ?

c. Signs:

For + period of time + by/ before + future point of time