English Verb Tenses – ESLnote Grammar

English verbs change form to show time and aspect. The three times are present, past, and future. Each time has four aspects: simple, continuous (progressive), perfect, and perfect continuous. Together they make the 12 basic tenses.

Aspect quick view:
Simple = a fact or habit • Continuous = in progress • Perfect = before another time • Perfect Continuous = how long, up to a time

All 12 Tenses (Forms, Uses & Examples)

Use V for base verb (go), V-s for 3rd person singular (goes), V-ing (going), and V3 for past participle (gone).

Tense	Form	Main Use	Example	Signal Words
Present SimplePresent	`V` / `V-s`	Habits, facts, schedules	She works* at a hospital.*	always, usually, often, every day, on Mondays
Present Continuous	`am/is/are + V-ing`	Action happening now; temporary plans	They are studying* right now.*	now, at the moment, today, this week
Present Perfect	`have/has + V3`	Life experience; result now; unfinished time	I have visited* Japan twice.*	ever, never, already, yet, so far, since, for
Present Perfect Continuous	`have/has been + V-ing`	Duration up to now; recently stopped	She has been reading* for two hours.*	for, since, lately, recently, all day
Past SimplePast	`V2` (worked/went)	Finished action at a finished time	We watched* a movie yesterday.*	yesterday, last…, in 2019, ago, then
Past Continuous	`was/were + V-ing`	Action in progress at a time in the past; background	I was cooking* when he called.*	while, when, at 6 pm
Past Perfect	`had + V3`	Earlier past (before another past event)	They had left* before the rain started.*	by the time, before, after, already
Past Perfect Continuous	`had been + V-ing`	How long before a past point	She had been studying* for hours when I arrived.*	for, since, before
Future Simple (will)Future	`will + V`	Decisions now; predictions; promises	I will help* you with the report.*	I think, probably, promise, don't worry
Future Continuous	`will be + V-ing`	Action in progress at a future time	This time tomorrow, we will be flying.	this time tomorrow, at 6 pm next…
Future Perfect	`will have + V3`	Finished before a future time	By Friday, she will have finished* the project.*	by, by the time, before
Future Perfect Continuous	`will have been + V-ing`	Duration up to a future time	Next month, I will have been working* here for 5 years.*	for, since, by

Quick Patterns & Notes

Questions: move the first helper (auxiliary) before the subject. She is working → Is she working? / They have finished → Have they finished?
Negatives: add not after the first helper. is not / are not / do not / did not / will not. Present Simple/Past Simple use do/does/did + not + V.
Since/for go with perfect tenses to show duration or start time: since 2019, for three hours.
State verbs (know, love, believe, own, understand, need, want) are not usually used in continuous forms: say I know, not I am knowing.

Common Mistakes

❌ I am agree → ✅ I agree. (state verb)
❌ He don’t works → ✅ He doesn’t work. (base form after doesn’t)
❌ I have went → ✅ I have gone. (use V3 after have/has)
❌ By 6, I will finish (result before a future time) → ✅ By 6, I will have finished.

Mini Timeline

Past — had (V3) → Now — have/has (V3) → Future — will have (V3).
Continuous forms focus on the action in progress: was/are/will be (V-ing). Perfect continuous adds been: has been / had been / will have been (V-ing).