English Grammar: Tenses

Present Tense

Present Simple

• Used to describe:
  • Habitual or routine actions
  • General truths
  • Fixed schedules or timetables
• Form: Base form of the verb (e.g. I go, you eat, she lives)
• Examples:
  • I wake up at 7am every day.
  • Water boils at 100°C.

Present Continuous

• Used to describe:
  • Actions happening at the moment of speaking
  • Temporary or changing situations
  • Trends or developments
• Form: am/is/are + present participle (e.g. I am studying, you are working, she is reading)
• Examples:
  • I'm studying for my exam right now.
  • The company is expanding its business.

Past Tense

Past Simple

• Used to describe:
  • Completed actions in the past
  • Specific times or dates
• Form: past tense of the verb (e.g. I went, you ate, she lived)
• Examples:
  • I went to the store yesterday.
  • She lived in Paris for 5 years.

Past Continuous

• Used to describe:
  • Actions that were in progress at a specific point in the past
  • Interrupted actions
• Form: was/were + present participle (e.g. I was studying, you were working, she was reading)
• Examples:
  • I was studying when you called.
  • They were watching TV at 9pm last night.

Present Perfect Tense

• Used to describe:
  • Actions that started in the past and continue up to the present
  • Actions that have a connection to the present
• Form: has/have + past participle (e.g. I have eaten, you have studied, she has lived)
• Examples:
  • I have eaten lunch already.
  • She has been studying English for 3 years.

Past Perfect Tense

• Used to describe:
  • Actions that happened before another action in the past
  • Completed actions that are relevant to another action in the past
• Form: had + past participle (e.g. I had eaten, you had studied, she had lived)
• Examples:
  • I had eaten before I went to the party.
  • They had never seen that movie before.

Future Tense

Future Simple

• Used to describe:
  • Actions that will happen in the future
  • Predictions or assumptions
• Form: will + base form of the verb (e.g. I will go, you will eat, she will live)
• Examples:
  • I will attend the meeting tomorrow.
  • It will rain tomorrow.

Future Continuous

• Used to describe:
  • Actions that will be in progress at a specific point in the future
  • Temporary or changing situations
• Form: will be + present participle (e.g. I will be studying, you will be working, she will be reading)
• Examples:
  • I will be studying for my exam at 8pm tonight.
  • They will be moving to a new house next month.

Future Perfect

• Used to describe:
  • Actions that will be completed at a specific point in the future
  • Actions that will have a connection to another action in the future
• Form: will have + past participle (e.g. I will have eaten, you will have studied, she will have lived)
• Examples:
  • I will have finished my project by next week.
  • They will have been married for 10 years by next year.

Future Perfect Continuous

• Used to describe:
  • Actions that will continue up to a specific point in the future
  • Actions that will have a connection to another action in the future
• Form: will have been + present participle (e.g. I will have been studying, you will have been working, she will have been reading)
• Examples:
  • I will have been studying English for 5 years by next year.
  • They will have been living in Paris for 3 years by next month.