How the tenses are built
Every tense combines a time (present, past or future) with an aspect: simple, progressive (also called continuous), perfect or perfect progressive.
| Aspect | Form | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Simple | base verb, verb + -s, V2, will + verb | a fact, a habit or a completed action |
| Progressive | be + verb-ing | an action in progress at a certain time |
| Perfect | have + past participle (V3) | an action or situation before, or up to, a certain time |
| Perfect progressive | have been + verb-ing | an action that continued up to a certain time, often with its duration |
V1 = base form (go), V2 = simple past (went), V3 = past participle (gone). Irregular verbs must be learned by heart: see the irregular verbs list.
Present tenses
Present simple
I/you/we/they work · he/she/it works · do/does not work
Habits and routines, facts, timetables, and state verbs (know, like, want, own, need, believe).
- The platoon trains every morning at 0600.
- Water freezes at 0 °C.
- The bus to the base leaves at 7:15 tomorrow.
Signal words: always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never, every day, on Mondays, once a week.
Present progressive
am / is / are + verb-ing
An action happening now or around now, a temporary situation, or a fixed arrangement in the future.
- Be quiet. The captain is speaking.
- I am staying in the barracks this week.
- We are meeting the new instructor on Friday.
Signal words: now, right now, at the moment, currently, these days, Look! Listen!
Present perfect
have / has + V3
A past action with a result now, an experience at an unknown time, or a situation that started in the past and continues now.
- I have lost my ID card. (I don't have it now.)
- She has never been to Texas.
- He has served in the Navy since 2015.
Signal words: since, for, already, yet, just, ever, never, so far, recently, up to now, this week.
Present perfect progressive
have / has been + verb-ing
An action that started in the past and is still going on, or has just stopped, with the focus on how long.
- We have been waiting for the helicopter for two hours.
- Your eyes are red. Have you been reading all night?
Signal words: for, since, how long, all day, lately.
Common mistakes
- ✗Wrong: She works here since 2020.✓Right: She has worked here since 2020.
- ✗Wrong: I am knowing the answer.✓Right: I know the answer.
Past tenses
Past simple
V2 (worked, went) · did not + verb
A finished action at a finished time.
- The exercise ended yesterday.
- They flew to Germany two years ago.
Signal words: yesterday, last week, ago, in 2019, when I was a child.
Past progressive
was / were + verb-ing
An action in progress at a moment in the past, often interrupted by a shorter action in the past simple.
- I was cleaning my rifle when the alarm went off.
- At 9 p.m. last night we were driving back to the base.
Signal words: while, when, as, at that moment, at 5 o'clock yesterday.
Past perfect
had + V3
The earlier of two past actions.
- When we arrived, the convoy had already left.
- He had never seen snow before he moved to Alaska.
Signal words: before, after, by the time, already, when + past simple.
Past perfect progressive
had been + verb-ing
An action that continued up to a moment in the past.
- The troops were tired because they had been marching since dawn.
Common mistakes
- ✗Wrong: I have seen him yesterday.✓Right: I saw him yesterday.
Future tenses
Future simple
will + verb
Predictions, promises, offers, and decisions made at the moment of speaking.
- I think it will rain tonight.
- Wait, I'll help you with that box.
Future progressive
will be + verb-ing
An action in progress at a moment in the future.
- This time tomorrow we will be flying over the Atlantic.
Future perfect
will have + V3
An action completed before a moment in the future.
- By Friday, the engineers will have repaired the bridge.
Signal words: by, by the time, by then, before.
Future perfect progressive
will have been + verb-ing
How long an action will have continued at a moment in the future.
- In June, she will have been working here for ten years.
Other ways to talk about the future
| Form | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| be going to + verb | a plan or intention decided before now | We're going to paint the barracks next week. |
| be going to + verb | a prediction based on what you can see now | Look at those clouds. It's going to rain. |
| present progressive | a fixed arrangement, with a time and a place | I'm seeing the doctor at 10 tomorrow. |
| present simple | timetables and schedules | The flight departs at 0830. |
| be about to + verb | something that will happen very soon | Hurry up, the bus is about to leave. |
| be to + verb | official plans and orders | The general is to visit the base on Monday. |
ECL tipAfter when, before, after, as soon as, until, if and unless, use a present tense for the future: "Call me when you arrive" (not when you will arrive).
Common mistakes
- ✗Wrong: When he will come, I will tell him.✓Right: When he comes, I will tell him.
Signal words at a glance
| You see… | Think of… |
|---|---|
| since, for, yet, already, ever, just | present perfect (simple or progressive) |
| yesterday, ago, last…, in 2010 | past simple |
| while, at that moment (in the past) | past progressive |
| by the time, before (two past actions) | past perfect |
| by + a future time | future perfect |
| now, at the moment, Look! | present progressive |
| every…, usually, always | present simple |
In American English, just, already and yet also go with the past simple: "Did you eat yet?" And for + a finished period takes the past simple: "He served in the Army for ten years" (he is not in the Army now).
Quick check
Choose an answer: the explanation appears straight away.
1By the time the medic arrived, the soldier ___ consciousness.
2She ___ in this unit since 2019.
3Look at that smoke! The engine ___ fire any second.
4I ___ my report when the power went out, so I couldn't finish it.
5This time next week, we ___ on the beach.
More practice: sample questions on this topic, with answers.
All 86 questions on this topic, in a new order each time.