English tenses overview

In this English tenses table you can find all English tenses with information about the use, the
form, signal words and some examples.

Tense Use Form Examples Signal words

I cook. always,
I don’t cook. every day,
habits, something happens
often,
Simple repeatedly, generalizing Infinitive
She cooks. sometimes,
Present statements, instructions he/she/it + -(e)s
She doesn’t usually,
cook. normally,
never
something is happening at the
moment, fixed plans, repeated (right) now,
acts. just
I am cooking. at that
Present to be + Infinitive
The Simple Past is used for I’m not moment,
continous + -ing
actions that started and cooking. this week,
finished at a specific time in today,
the past. still

I cooked. yesterday,
Infinitive + -ed
I didn’t cook. the other day,
action finished in the past
Past special form for last Tuesday,
Simple I drew. in 2012,
irregular
I didn’t draw. a month ago
verbs (draw):
actions in the past that lasted
for a while, something
was/were I was cooking.
Past starting in the past, while while,
+ Infinitive I wasn’t
Progressive something else was already as long as
+ -ing cooking.
happening

has/have + up until now,

I have cooked.
Infinitive yet,
I haven’t
something happened in the + -ed (past so far,
Present cooked.
past that has a connection to participle ) since,
Perfect
the present ever,
simple I have drawn. recently,
irregular verbs
I haven’t lately, never,
(draw):
drawn. for
action that started in the past has/have I have been
Present for hours,
and has just stopped or is still + been cooking.
Perfect all afternoon,
ongoing + Infinitive I haven’t been
continuous how long?
+ -ing cooking.
Past actions that ended before a had + Infinitive I had cooked. before,
Perfect specific point in the past + -ed (past I hadn’t after,
participle ) cooked. when,
irregular verbs I had drawn. as soon as,
(draw): I hadn’t drawn. until that day,
 once

I had been
Past actions that happened over a had + been since,
cooking.
Perfect certain time in the past before + Infinitive for,
I hadn’t been
Progressive something else happened + -ing how long?
cooking.
predictions about the future,
Will-Future
general statements about the I will cook.
(Future will + Infinitive
future, spontaneous decisions I won’t cook.
Simple) tomorrow,
next week,
I am going to in the summer
fixed plans for the future,
Going to- to be + going cook.
logical assumptions
Future to + Infinitive I’m not going
to cook.
during the
actions that will happen in the I will be
will + be summer,
Future future and last for a certain cooking.
+ Infinitive while,
Progressive time I won’t be
+ -ing for several
cooking.
weeks
will + have I will have
+ Infinitive cooked.
+ -ed (past I won’t have
something will have participle ) cooked.
Future by Tuesday,
happened in the future
Perfect I will have within a year
irregular verbs drawn.
(draw): I won’t have
drawn.
by the time
something will already have I will have been
Future will + have that,
happened before a certain cooking.
Perfect + been for the longest
time in the future I won’t have
Progressive + Infinitive + -ing time,
been cooking.
all day long
Past simple