Tenses and Verb forms: Tenses - Learning English Online

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Tenses

Here is an overview of all English tenses. You can either just read through it or use the slideshow to practise the rules.

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Present: Simple Present

Use

Describing routines, regular events or facts, feelings or states

Structure

I/you/we/they + Infinitive
he/she/it + Infinitive + s

Signal words

always, never, often, seldom, rarely, sometimes, usually, normally, regularly, etc.
every day, every week, every month, …

Positive statement

I walk, she walks, they take, he takes

Negative statement

I don’t walk, she doesn’t walk, they don’t take, he doesn’t take

Question

Do I walk? Does she walk? Do they take? Does he take?

Present: Simple Present Progressive

Use

Describing things that happen at the moment of speech or things that happen exceptionally; talking about a plan that happens in the near future

Structure

am/are/is (simple present form of to be) + Infinitive + ing

Signal words

at the moment, right now, just, now, at present, currently, Look!

Positive statement

I am walking, she is walking, they are taking, he is taking

Negative statement

I am not walking, she isn't walking, they aren't taking, he isn't taking

Question

Am I walking? Is she walking? Are they taking? Is he taking?

Past: Simple Past

Use

Talking about things that happened in the past and are completed or over at the moment of speech

Structure

Regular verbs: Infinitive + ed
Irregular verbs: simple past form

Signal words

yesterday, the other day, in 2009, when, at that time
two days ago, a week ago, a month ago, …
last night, last week, last month, …

Positive statement

I walked, she walked, they took, he took

Negative statement

I didn't walk, she didn't walk, they didn't take, he didn't take

Question

Did I walk? Did she walk? Did they take? Did he take?

Past: Past Progressive

Use

Describing actions or things that were in progress in the past, even if something else suddenly interrupted this progress

Structure

was/were (simple past form of to be) + Infinitive + ing

Signal words

while

Positive statement

I was walking, she was walking, they were taking, he was taking

Negative statement

I wasn't walking, she wasn't walking, they weren't taking, he wasn't taking

Question

Was I walking? Was she walking? Were they taking? Was he taking?

Past: Present Perfect Simple

Use

Emphasising the result of something, talking about things that happened at an unknown time in the past, describing things that happened in the past and are not yet completed or over at the moment of speech

Structure

have/has (simple present form of to have) + past participle

Signal words

since, for, already, yet, before, ever, never, still not, so far, just, up to now, recently, until now

Positive statement

I have walked, she has walked, they have taken, he has taken

Negative statement

I haven't walked, she hasn't walked, they haven't taken, he hasn't taken

Question

Have I walked? Has she walked? Have they taken? Has he taken?

Past: Present Perfect Progressive

Use

Emphasising the duration of something, describing things that started happening in the past and are still going on at the moment of speech and/or influence the present

Structure

have/has (simple present form of to have) + been + Infinitive + ing

Signal words

for, since, how long, all day, all day long, the whole day/week/month/year

Positive statement

I have been walking, she has been walking, they have been taking, he has been taking

Negative statement

I haven't been walking, she hasn't been walking, they haven't been taking, he hasn't been taking

Question

Have I been walking? Has she been walking? Have they been taking? Has he been taking?

Past: Past Perfect Simple

Use

Emphasising that something in the past stopped or was over when something else began, describing the fact that something happened before a certain time

Structure

had (simple past form of to have) + past participle

Signal words

already, until that day, never, just

Positive statement

I had walked, she has walked, they had taken, he had taken

Negative statement

I hadn't walked, she hadn't walked, they hadn't taken, he hadn't taken

Question

Had I walked? Had she walked? Had they taken? Had he taken?

Past: Past Perfect Progressive

Use

Emphasising the progress or duration of something, describing things that happened in the past and stopped or were over at a certain time later in the past

Structure

had (simple past form of to have) + been + Infinitive + ing

Signal words

for, since, how long, all day, after, before

Positive statement

I had been walking, she had been walking, they had been taking, he had been taking

Negative statement

I hadn't been walking, she hadn't been walking, they hadn't been taking, he hadn't been taking

Question

Had I been walking? Had she been walking? Had they been taking? Had he been taking?

Future: Will-Future

Use

Describing things that will certainly happen in the future, talking about expectations, hopes or assumptions, spontaneous decisions

Structure

will + Infinitive

Signal words

tomorrow, next week/month/year, in 2011, expect, believe, hope, suppose, think, probably

Positive statement

I will walk, she will walk, they will take, he will take

Negative statement

I won't walk, she won't walk, they won't take, he won't take

Question

Will I walk? Will she walk? Will they take? Will he take?

Future: Going to-Future

Use

Describing plans and aims in the future, implications, talking about things that will happen in the near future

Structure

am/are/is (simple present form of to be) + going to + Infinitive

Signal words

tomorrow, next week/month/year, in 2011

Positive statement

I am going to walk, she is going to walk, they are going to take, he is going to take

Negative statement

I am not going to walk, she isn't going to walk, they aren't going to take, he isn't going to take

Question

Am I going to walk? Is she going to walk? Are they going to take? Is he going to take?

Future: Future Progressive

Use

Describing things that will be in progress in the future, talking about things that usually happen in the future

Structure

will + be + Infinitive + ing

Signal words

tomorrow, next week/month/year, in 2041

Positive statement

I will be walking, she will be walking, they will be taking, he will be taking

Negative statement

I won't be walking, she won't be walking, they won't be taking, he won't be taking

Question

Will I be walking? Will she be walking? Will they be taking? Will he be taking?

Future: Future Perfect

Use

Talking about things that will be completed or over at a certain time in the future

Structure

will + have + past participle

Signal words

until, before
by the end of the day, by the end of the week, by the end of the month, …

Positive statement

I will have walked, she will have walked, they will have taken, he will have taken

Negative statement

I won't have walked, she won't have walked, they won't have taken, he won't have taken

Question

Will I have walked? Will she have walked? Will they have taken? Will he have taken?

Source: http://www.learning-english-online.net/areas/grammar/tenses-and-verb-forms/tenses/

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Content

Tenses

Present: Simple Present

Present: Simple Present Progressive

Past: Simple Past

Past: Past Progressive

Past: Present Perfect Simple

Past: Present Perfect Progressive

Past: Past Perfect Simple

Past: Past Perfect Progressive

Future: Will-Future

Future: Going to-Future

Future: Future Progressive

Future: Future Perfect

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