A tense is the form of a verb that marks the time of an action and whether it is finished, ongoing, or repeated. English has 12 of these forms, built from three times, present, past, and future, and four aspects, simple, continuous, perfect, and perfect continuous, so three times across four aspects produce twelve. A tenses chart lists all 12 in one place, with the structure, the signal words, and an example for each tense, rather than in separate lessons.
Two elements determine the structure of any tense: the auxiliary verb (am, is, has, had, will) and the form of the main verb (V1, V2, V3). She writes is simple present, she has written is present perfect, she had been writing is past perfect continuous. The auxiliary and the verb form change; the subject remains the same.
12 Tenses Chart in English
This tense chart uses the verb write in all twelve rows, so the form changes as the time and aspect change.
| Tense | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Simple present | Sub + V1 (+s/es) | She writes a letter. |
| Present continuous | Sub + am/is/are + V1-ing | She is writing a letter. |
| Present perfect | Sub + has/have + V3 | She has written a letter. |
| Present perfect continuous | Sub + has/have been + V1-ing | She has been writing a letter. |
| Simple past | Sub + V2 | She wrote a letter. |
| Past continuous | Sub + was/were + V1-ing | She was writing a letter. |
| Past perfect | Sub + had + V3 | She had written a letter. |
| Past perfect continuous | Sub + had been + V1-ing | She had been writing a letter. |
| Simple future | Sub + will + V1 | She will write a letter. |
| Future continuous | Sub + will be + V1-ing | She will be writing a letter. |
| Future perfect | Sub + will have + V3 | She will have written a letter. |
| Future perfect continuous | Sub + will have been + V1-ing | She will have been writing a letter. |
Three Types of Tenses in English
Every tense belongs to one of three times:
- Present tense: actions happening now, habits, and general truths.
- Past tense: actions that already happened.
- Future tense: actions that will happen later.
The Four Aspects of Tenses
Each of the three times splits into four aspects, and that split is what turns three times into twelve tenses:
- Simple: a plain action, habit, or fact, with no focus on duration.
- Continuous: an action in progress, formed with be plus the -ing verb.
- Perfect: a completed action linked to another point in time, formed with have plus V3.
- Perfect continuous: a continuing action measured over a period of time, formed with have been plus the -ing verb.
Short Forms Used in the Tenses Chart
The structures below use a few short forms. Here is what each one means:
- Sub: the subject, the person or thing doing the action (I, She, They).
- V1: the base verb (play, run, eat).
- V2: the past form (played, ran, ate).
- V3: the past participle (played, run, eaten).
- Obj: the object, the noun or pronoun receiving the action (a book, the ball).
- Auxiliary verb: a helping verb such as is, have, had, or will that supports the main verb.
Tenses Chart With Formulas and Usage
Each tense below includes its structure, when to use it, the signal words that mark it, and two example sentences.
Simple Present Tense
The simple present expresses habits, routines, general truths, and fixed schedules.
- Affirmative: Sub + V1 (+s/es) + Obj
- Negative: Sub + do/does not + V1 + Obj
- Question: Do/Does + Sub + V1 + Obj?
- Wh- question: Wh- word + do/does + Sub + V1 + Obj?
Signal words: every day, always, usually, often, never, on Sundays.
Examples:
- She plays tennis every weekend.
- They do not visit the park on weekdays.
Present Continuous Tense
An action in progress at the moment of speaking appears in the present continuous, which also states fixed arrangements in the near future.
- Affirmative: Sub + am/is/are + V1-ing + Obj
- Negative: Sub + am/is/are + not + V1-ing + Obj
- Question: Am/Is/Are + Sub + V1-ing + Obj?
- Wh- question: Wh- word + am/is/are + Sub + V1-ing + Obj?
Signal words: now, right now, at the moment, currently, tonight, tomorrow.
Examples:
- He is reading a book at the moment.
- They are not working on the project today.
Present Perfect Tense
The present perfect reports a finished action at an unstated time, or one whose result remains relevant now.
- Affirmative: Sub + has/have + V3 + Obj
- Negative: Sub + has/have + not + V3 + Obj
- Question: Has/Have + Sub + V3 + Obj?
- Wh- question: Wh- word + has/have + Sub + V3 + Obj?
Signal words: already, just, yet, ever, never, so far, recently.
Examples:
- She has finished her homework.
- They have not visited Paris yet.
Present Perfect Continuous Tense
When an action began earlier and continues into the present, the present perfect continuous expresses it and emphasizes its duration.
- Affirmative: Sub + has/have been + V1-ing + Obj + since/for
- Negative: Sub + has/have not been + V1-ing + Obj + since/for
- Question: Has/Have + Sub + been + V1-ing + Obj + since/for?
- Wh- question: Wh- word + has/have + Sub + been + V1-ing + Obj?
Signal words: since, for, all day, all week, lately, how long.
Examples:
- I have been studying for two hours.
- They have been playing football since morning.
Simple Past Tense
A completed action at a definite time in the past belongs to the simple past.
- Affirmative: Sub + V2 + Obj
- Negative: Sub + did not + V1 + Obj
- Question: Did + Sub + V1 + Obj?
- Wh- question: Wh- word + did + Sub + V1 + Obj?
Signal words: yesterday, last week, ago, in 2019, then.
Examples:
- She wrote a letter yesterday.
- They did not visit the museum last week.
Past Continuous Tense
The past continuous describes an action in progress at a past moment, often interrupted by a second, shorter action.
- Affirmative: Sub + was/were + V1-ing + Obj
- Negative: Sub + was/were + not + V1-ing + Obj
- Question: Was/Were + Sub + V1-ing + Obj?
- Wh- question: Wh- word + was/were + Sub + V1-ing + Obj?
Signal words: while, when, as, at 7 p.m., all evening.
Examples:
- He was cooking dinner when I called.
- They were not watching TV at that time.
Past Perfect Tense
The past perfect identifies the earlier of two past actions, the one completed before the other began.
- Affirmative: Sub + had + V3 + Obj
- Negative: Sub + had not + V3 + Obj
- Question: Had + Sub + V3 + Obj?
- Wh- question: Wh- word + had + Sub + V3 + Obj?
Signal words: before, after, by the time, already, when.
Examples:
- She had finished her task before the meeting.
- They had not left when we arrived.
Past Perfect Continuous Tense
A past action that continued up to a later past point appears in the past perfect continuous, which emphasizes its duration.
- Affirmative: Sub + had been + V1-ing + Obj + since/for
- Negative: Sub + had not been + V1-ing + Obj + since/for
- Question: Had + Sub + been + V1-ing + Obj + since/for?
- Wh- question: Wh- word + had + Sub + been + V1-ing + Obj?
Signal words: for, since, before, how long, all day.
Examples:
- He had been working there for five years before he quit.
- They had been waiting for an hour before the bus arrived.
Simple Future Tense
The simple future states a plan, a prediction, or a promise about a time still to come.
- Affirmative: Sub + will + V1 + Obj
- Negative: Sub + will not + V1 + Obj
- Question: Will + Sub + V1 + Obj?
- Wh- question: Wh- word + will + Sub + V1 + Obj?
Signal words: tomorrow, next week, soon, later, in the future.
Examples:
- I will visit you tomorrow.
- They will not attend the concert next week.
Future Continuous Tense
An action expected to be in progress at a specific future moment appears in the future continuous.
- Affirmative: Sub + will be + V1-ing + Obj
- Negative: Sub + will not be + V1-ing + Obj
- Question: Will + Sub + be + V1-ing + Obj?
- Wh- question: Wh- word + will + Sub + be + V1-ing + Obj?
Signal words: at 6 p.m., this time tomorrow, next month, later.
Examples:
- She will be working at 6 p.m.
- They will not be travelling to Japan next month.
Future Perfect Tense
The future perfect marks an action that will be complete before a stated future point.
- Affirmative: Sub + will have + V3 + Obj
- Negative: Sub + will not have + V3 + Obj
- Question: Will + Sub + have + V3 + Obj?
- Wh- question: Wh- word + will + Sub + have + V3 + Obj?
Signal words: by tomorrow, by then, by next year, before.
Examples:
- By tomorrow, I will have completed the project.
- She will not have graduated by next year.
Future Perfect Continuous Tense
When an action will have continued for a period up to a future point, the future perfect continuous expresses it and emphasizes its duration.
- Affirmative: Sub + will have been + V1-ing + Obj + since/for
- Negative: Sub + will not have been + V1-ing + Obj + since/for
- Question: Will + Sub + have been + V1-ing + Obj + since/for?
- Wh- question: Wh- word + will + Sub + have been + V1-ing + Obj?
Signal words: by then, for, by next month, all day.
Examples:
- By next month, I will have been working here for two years.
- They will have been travelling for a week by the time they return.
Common Mistakes With Tenses
A few errors account for most tense mistakes. Compare each incorrect sentence with the correct one below, and note the reason.
Present perfect used with a finished time
- I have seen her yesterday. ❌
- I saw her yesterday. ✅
Yesterday places the action in finished time, so the simple past is correct.
Stative verbs pushed into a continuous form
- I am knowing the answer. ❌
- I know the answer. ✅
Verbs like know, believe, like, and own describe states, not actions, so they use the simple form, not the continuous.
Dropping “been” from a perfect continuous
- She has working here for years. ❌
- She has been working here for years. ✅
The perfect continuous always keeps has/have/had plus been before the -ing verb.
Base form instead of the past form
- He go to school yesterday. ❌
- He went to school yesterday. ✅
Simple past needs V2 (went), never the base form (go).
Missing -s in the third person
- She write a page every morning. ❌
- She writes a page every morning. ✅
Present simple adds -s or -es for he, she, and it.
How to Remember the 12 Tenses
- Identify the time first, present, past, or future, then apply the four aspects to each.
- Learn the auxiliary that marks each aspect: am/is/are for continuous, has/have for perfect, has/have been for perfect continuous, will for future.
- Use one verb in all twelve forms, as the tenses chart above does with write. Repeating a single verb makes each form easier to recognize.
- Use the signal words. Since and for indicate the perfect continuous, yesterday indicates the simple past, by indicates the future perfect.
- Test yourself. Naming the tense in a real sentence is more effective than rereading the rules.
FAQs
The 12 tenses are simple present, present continuous, present perfect, present perfect continuous, simple past, past continuous, past perfect, past perfect continuous, simple future, future continuous, future perfect, and future perfect continuous.
Both answers hold, from different angles. English has three times (present, past, future), and each one splits into four aspects, which gives 12 working tenses.
Yes. Many sentences mix tenses when one action frames another, as in “She was cooking when the phone rang” or “I know that he left early.”
Tie each tense to a moment. Say what you do every day (present), what you did yesterday (past), and what you will do tomorrow (future). A simple timeline and a few acting-out games make the three times click before you add the aspects.
You May Also Like
- Present Indefinite Tense Worksheets
- Present Continuous Tense Worksheets
- Present Perfect Tense Worksheets
- Present Perfect Continuous Worksheets
- Past Continuous Tense Worksheets
- Worksheet Tenses
- Choose the Correct Direct Narration
12 English Tenses Chart Quiz
12 English Tenses Chart
Name the tense.
She writes a page every morning.
The marker the base verb with -s for a habit identifies the present simple.
match the auxiliary and verb form to the tense
She writes a page every morning.
Name the tense.
She is writing a page right now.
The marker am/is/are plus the -ing form identifies the present continuous.
match the auxiliary and verb form to the tense
She is writing a page right now.
Name the tense.
She has written three pages today.
The marker has/have plus the past participle identifies the present perfect.
match the auxiliary and verb form to the tense
She has written three pages today.
Name the tense.
She has been writing for an hour.
The marker has/have been plus the -ing form identifies the present perfect continuous.
match the auxiliary and verb form to the tense
She has been writing for an hour.
Name the tense.
She wrote a page yesterday.
The marker the past form with a finished time identifies the past simple.
match the auxiliary and verb form to the tense
She wrote a page yesterday.
Name the tense.
She was writing when I called.
The marker was/were plus the -ing form identifies the past continuous.
match the auxiliary and verb form to the tense
She was writing when I called.
Name the tense.
She had written the page before noon.
The marker had plus the past participle for an earlier past identifies the past perfect.
match the auxiliary and verb form to the tense
She had written the page before noon.
Name the tense.
She had been writing for an hour when he arrived.
The marker had been plus the -ing form identifies the past perfect continuous.
match the auxiliary and verb form to the tense
She had been writing for an hour when he arrived.
Name the tense.
She will write the page tomorrow.
The marker will plus the base verb identifies the future simple.
match the auxiliary and verb form to the tense
She will write the page tomorrow.
Name the tense.
She will be writing at noon tomorrow.
The marker will be plus the -ing form identifies the future continuous.
match the auxiliary and verb form to the tense
She will be writing at noon tomorrow.
Name the tense.
She will have written the page by Friday.
The marker will have plus the past participle identifies the future perfect.
match the auxiliary and verb form to the tense
She will have written the page by Friday.
Name the tense.
By then she will have been writing for hours.
The marker will have been plus the -ing form identifies the future perfect continuous.
match the auxiliary and verb form to the tense
By then she will have been writing for hours.
Name the tense.
The train left an hour ago.
The marker the past form with a finished time marker identifies the past simple.
match the auxiliary and verb form to the tense
The train left an hour ago.
Name the tense.
I am meeting the client tomorrow.
The marker am/is/are plus -ing for a fixed arrangement identifies the present continuous.
match the auxiliary and verb form to the tense
I am meeting the client tomorrow.
Name the tense.
He was sleeping when the alarm rang.
The marker was/were plus -ing around a past moment identifies the past continuous.
match the auxiliary and verb form to the tense
He was sleeping when the alarm rang.
Name the tense.
We had eaten before the film started.
The marker had plus the past participle for the earlier action identifies the past perfect.
match the auxiliary and verb form to the tense
We had eaten before the film started.
Name the tense.
She has been teaching since 2010.
The marker has been plus -ing with 'since' identifies the present perfect continuous.
match the auxiliary and verb form to the tense
She has been teaching since 2010.
True or false?
'They play football on Sundays' is in the present simple.
A repeated action with the base verb is the present simple.
present simple names habits and facts
They play football on Sundays.
True or false?
'I have seen that film' is in the past simple.
'Have seen' is the present perfect — has/have plus the past participle, not the past simple.
has/have + participle = present perfect
I have seen that film.
Name the tense.
By 2030 we will have moved abroad.
The marker will have plus the past participle before a future point identifies the future perfect.
match the auxiliary and verb form to the tense
By 2030 we will have moved abroad.
Turn on JavaScript for the interactive quiz. The full practice set is shown above.
