Tenses

Time Aspect
(thời gian) (thể/bản chất)
 Yesterday Every day
Tomorrow
A minute Today
A minute later
ago Now

Simple

Progressive
(continuous)

Perfect

Perfect
continuous
 Present Future
Past

Simple Yesterday, I learned English. Today, I learn Tomorrow, I will learn

English. English.

Progressive Yesterday, I was learning Today, I am learning Tomorrow, I will be learning

(continuous) English. English. English.

Perfect I had learned I have learned English for 1 day. I will have learned English for
English before I (yesterday => today) 30 years by tomorrow.
was 18. I have learned English here before.
(……… => today)

Perfect I had been I have been learning English for 1 I will have been learning
continuous learning English day. English tomorrow.
till college. (24 hours)
 Present Future
Past

Simple Yesterday, I learned English. Today, I learn Tomorrow, I will learn

English. English.

Progressive Yesterday, I was learning Today, I am learning Today’s

Tomorrow, I will be learning
(continuous) English. English.
lesson! English.

Perfect I had learned I have learned English for 1 day. I will have learned English for
English before I (yesterday => today) 30 years by tomorrow.
was 18. I have learned English here before.
(……… => today)

Perfect I had been I have been learning English for 1 I will have been learning
continuous learning English day. English tomorrow.
till college. (24 hours)
Quizziz
D. TIPS AND NOTES
The present continuous is not normally used with state verbs because the meaning of the verb itself is a
general truth rather than something temporary.
State verbs:
● Thought: agree, assume, believe, disagree, forget, hope, know, regret, remember, suppose, think,
understand.
I assume you’re too busy to play computer games.
● Feelings: adore, despite, dislike, enjoy, feel, hate, like, love, mind, prefer, want
Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?
● Senses: feel, hear, see, smell, taste
This pudding smells delicious.
● Possession: have, own, belong
My parents own a restaurant.
● Description: appear, contain, look, look like, mean, resemble, seem, smell, sound, taste, weigh
You look like your mother. (= a permanent situation, not a temporary one)