All Tenses Chart with Formulas and Example Sentences

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A tenses chart can be extremely helpful when learning English because it shows the different ways we talk about time. English has several tenses, and each one is used to explain events that happen in the past, present, or future. With this chart, you’ll find simple formulas and sentence examples that make it easier to master these tenses, making your speaking and writing clearer and more precise.

Present Simple Tense Chart

Type	Formula	Examples
Affirmative	Subject + Base verb (+ “s/es” for 3rd person)	– She reads novels. – They watch movies. – I walk to school.
Negative	Subject + do/does + not + Base verb	– He doesn’t like coffee. – We don’t travel often. – I don’t eat meat.
Interrogative	Do/Does + Subject + Base verb?	– Does she play the guitar? – Do they enjoy hiking? – Does he work on Sundays?

Present Continuous (Progressive) Tenses Chart

Type	Formula	Examples
Affirmative	Subject + am/is/are + Base verb + ing	– I am studying for exams. – They are playing in the park. – She is reading a book.
Negative	Subject + am/is/are + not + Base verb + ing	– He isn’t driving right now. – We aren’t watching TV. – I’m not feeling well.
Interrogative	Am/Is/Are + Subject + Base verb + ing?	– Are they coming to the party? – Is she cooking dinner? – Am I speaking loudly?

Present Perfect Tense

Type	Formula	Examples
Affirmative	Subject + have/has + Past Participle (V3)	– I have finished my homework. – They have visited France. – She has baked a cake.
Negative	Subject + have/has + not + Past Participle	– He hasn’t met her before. – We haven’t seen that movie. – I haven’t been to the zoo recently.
Interrogative	Have/Has + Subject + Past Participle?	– Have they tried sushi? – Has she called you? – Have we lost the keys?

Present Perfect Continuous Tense Chart

Type	Formula	Examples
Affirmative	Subject + have/has + been + Base verb + ing	– I have been waiting here for over an hour. – They have been playing football since morning. – She has been working for three years.
Negative	Subject + have/has + not + been + Base verb + ing	– He hasn’t been feeling well lately. – We haven’t been going to the gym. – They haven’t been attending classes regularly.
Interrogative	Have/Has + Subject + been + Base verb + ing?	– Have you been reading this book for long? – Has she been sleeping since afternoon? – Have they been watching TV all day?

Past Simple Tenses Chart

Type	Formula	Examples
Affirmative	Subject + Past Verb + Object	– She played football. – They watched a movie. – He read a book.
Negative	Subject + didn’t + Base Verb + Object	– She didn’t play football. – They didn’t watch a movie. – He didn’t read a book.
Interrogative	Did + Subject + Base Verb + Object?	– Did she play football? – Did they watch a movie? – Did he read a book?

Past Continuous Tense

Type	Formula	Examples
Affirmative	Subject + was/were + Verb-ing	– She was playing football. – They were watching a movie. – He was reading a book.
Negative	Subject + wasn’t/weren’t + Verb-ing	– She wasn’t playing football. – They weren’t watching a movie. – He wasn’t reading a book.
Interrogative	Was/Were + Subject + Verb-ing?	– Was she playing football? – Were they watching a movie? – Was he reading a book?

Past Perfect Tense Chart

Type	Formula	Examples
Affirmative	Subject + had + Past Participle	– She had played football. – They had watched a movie. – He had read a book.
Negative	Subject + hadn’t + Past Participle	– She hadn’t played football. – They hadn’t watched a movie. – He hadn’t read a book.
Interrogative	Had + Subject + Past Participle?	– Had she played football? – Had they watched a movie? – Had he read a book?

Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Type	Formula	Examples
Affirmative	Subject + had been + Verb-ing + time	– She had been playing football for an hour. – They had been watching a movie since evening. – He had been reading for two hours.
Negative	Subject + hadn’t been + Verb-ing + time	– She hadn’t been playing football for an hour. – They hadn’t been watching a movie since evening. – He hadn’t been reading for two hours.
Interrogative	Had + Subject + been + Verb-ing + time?	– Had she been playing football for an hour? – Had they been watching a movie? – Had he been reading for two hours?

Simple Future Tenses Chart

Type	Formula	Examples
Affirmative	Subject + will/shall + Base verb + Object	– She will play football tomorrow. – They will visit the museum next week. – He shall write a letter.
Negative	Subject + will/shall + not + Base verb + Object	– She will not play football tomorrow. – They won’t visit the museum next week. – He shall not write a letter.
Interrogative	Will/Shall + Subject + Base verb + Object?	– Will she play football tomorrow? – Will they visit the museum next week? – Shall he write a letter?

Future Continuous Tense Chart

Type	Formula	Examples
Affirmative	Subject + will/shall + be + Present Participle	– She will be playing football at this time tomorrow. – They will be visiting the museum when you arrive. – He shall be writing a letter when we call.
Negative	Subject + will/shall + not + be + Present Participle	– She will not be playing football at 4 PM. – They won’t be visiting the museum. – He shall not be writing a letter tonight.
Interrogative	Will/Shall + Subject + be + Present Participle?	– Will she be playing football at 3 PM? – Will they be visiting the museum on Friday? – Shall he be writing a letter in the evening?

Future Perfect Tense

Type	Formula	Examples
Affirmative	Subject + will/shall + have + Past Participle	– She will have played football by the time you arrive. – They will have visited all museums by the end of their trip. – He shall have written three letters by noon.
Negative	Subject + will/shall + not + have + Past Participle	– She will not have played football by 5 PM. – They won’t have visited the museum by then. – He shall not have written the letters.
Interrogative	Will/Shall + Subject + have + Past Participle?	– Will she have played football by evening? – Will they have visited the museum? – Shall he have written all letters by Friday?

Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Type	Formula	Examples
Affirmative	Subject + will/shall + have + been + Present Participle	– She will have been playing football for two hours by 5 PM. – They shall have been visiting museums all day. – He will have been writing the report for three hours.
Negative	Subject + will/shall + not + have + been + Present Participle	– She will not have been playing football for long. – They shall not have been visiting museums for a week. – He will not have been writing for long.
Interrogative	Will/Shall + Subject + have + been + Present Participle?	– Will she have been playing football for an hour? – Shall they have been visiting museums for a while? – Will he have been writing the report for long?