English Tenses: A Comprehensive Guide
1. **Present Simple** (e.g., I work every day.)
- Used for habits, general facts, and routines.
- Structure: Subject + base verb (or s/es for third-person singular).
2. **Present Continuous** (e.g., I am working right now.)
- Used for actions happening at the moment of speaking.
- Structure: Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing.
3. **Present Perfect** (e.g., I have worked here for five years.)
- Used for actions that happened at an unspecified time but are still relevant.
- Structure: Subject + have/has + past participle.
4. **Present Perfect Continuous** (e.g., I have been working for two hours.)
- Used for actions that started in the past and are still ongoing.
- Structure: Subject + have/has + been + verb-ing.
5. **Past Simple** (e.g., I worked yesterday.)
- Used for actions completed at a specific time in the past.
- Structure: Subject + past form of the verb.
6. **Past Continuous** (e.g., I was working when you called.)
- Used for actions happening at a particular moment in the past.
- Structure: Subject + was/were + verb-ing.
7. **Past Perfect** (e.g., I had worked before he came.)
- Used for actions completed before another action in the past.
- Structure: Subject + had + past participle.
8. **Past Perfect Continuous** (e.g., I had been working for two hours when you called.)
- Used for actions that were ongoing before another action in the past.
- Structure: Subject + had + been + verb-ing.
9. **Future Simple** (e.g., I will work tomorrow.)
- Used for actions that will happen in the future.
- Structure: Subject + will + base verb.
10. **Future Continuous** (e.g., I will be working at 5 p.m.)
- Used for actions that will be in progress at a certain point in the future.
- Structure: Subject + will be + verb-ing.
11. **Future Perfect** (e.g., I will have worked by next week.)
- Used for actions that will be completed before a certain point in the future.
- Structure: Subject + will have + past participle.
12. **Future Perfect Continuous** (e.g., I will have been working for two hours by 5 p.m.)
- Used for actions that will be ongoing until a point in the future.
- Structure: Subject + will have been + verb-ing.
### Summary of Forms
| Tense | Structure |
|------------------------------|------------------------------------|
| Present Simple | Subject + Base Verb (or s/es) |
| Present Continuous | Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing |
| Present Perfect | Subject + have/has + past participle|
| Present Perfect Continuous | Subject + have/has + been + verb-ing|
| Past Simple | Subject + Past Form of Verb |
| Past Continuous | Subject + was/were + verb-ing |
| Past Perfect | Subject + had + past participle |
| Past Perfect Continuous | Subject + had + been + verb-ing |
| Future Simple | Subject + will + base verb |
| Future Continuous | Subject + will be + verb-ing |
| Future Perfect | Subject + will have + past participle|
| Future Perfect Continuous | Subject + will have been + verb-ing|
This guide should help you in reviewing the tenses. The key is understanding the time frame of the
action (present, past, or future) and the form of the verb used.
Good luck with your review!
