ENGLISH TENSES

The word ‘Tense; means time. Came from the Latin word ‘Tempus’ which means time.
Tense shows the time of the action(verb).
There are three (3) principal(main) tenses in English.
1. The Present
2. The past
3. The Future
Each of these three tenses have 4 tenses. (Total tenses 3 x 4 = 12)

Tense Signal words Use Form Examples Examples Examples

affirmative negative interrogative
Infinitive(v1)
Simple every day something happens I work. I don't work. Do I work?
Present sometimes repeatedly, habitual Subject+V1+Object
always actions, daily routines. He works. He doesn't Does he work?
often how often something he/she/it: work.
regularly happens infinitive + s/es I go. Do I go?
usually one action follows I don't go.
seldom another He goes. Does he go?
never things in general He doesn't go.
first ... then with verbs like (to love,
to hate, to think, etc.)
future meaning:
timetables, programs
I worked. I didn't work. Did I work?
Last week/
month/ year, action took place in Subject+V2+Object He worked. He didn't work. Did he work?
Simple ago, in 1990, the past, mostly
Past yesterday connected with an I went. I didn't go. Did I go?
expression of time (no
connection to the He went. He didn't go. Did he go?
present)
predictions about the I shall work. I won't work. Will I work?
Tomorrow, future (you think that Sub+will/shall+V1+Obj
next, soon, sth will happen) He will work. He won't work. Will he work?
Simple shortly, after you decide to do sth. I, We: shall
future a year, spontaneously at the He,She,It,You,They:will We shall go. I won't go. Will I go?
time of speaking
main clause in type I of He will go. He won't go. Will he go?
 the Conditional sentences

Tense Signal words Use Form Examples Examples Examples

affirmative negative interrogative

Present Now, Something is Sub+(am/are/is) + I am I am not Am I working?

Continuous at the happening at the same V1 + ing+Obj working. working.
/ moment, time of speaking or Is he working?
Progressive presently, around it I: am He is He isn't
Don’t disturb, future meaning: when you We,You,They: are working. working. Am I going?
these days, have already decided and He,She,It: is
nowadays, arranged to do it (a fixed I am going. I am not going. Is he going?
Look! plan, date)
Listen! He is going. He isn't going.

Past While, when, an action happened in Sub+was/were+ I was I wasn't Was I working?
Continuous at this time the middle of another V1 + ing+obj working. working.
/ yesterday… action Was he
Progressive someone was doing sth. I, He, She, It: was He was He wasn't working?
at a certain time (in the You, We, They: were working. working.
past) – you don't know Was I going?
whether it was finished or I was going. I wasn't going.
not Was he going?
He was He wasn't
going. going.

Future By this time An action will be in Sub+will/ I shall be I won't be Will I be

Continuous tomorrow, progress at a certain shall+be+ working. working. working?
/ when+simple time in the future. This V1+ing+Obj
Progressive present action has begun before He will be He won't be Will he be
the certain time. working. working. working?
Something happens
because it normally I shall be I won't be Will I be going?
happens. going. going.
Will he be
He will be He won't be going?
going. going.
 Tense Signal words Use Form Examples Examples Examples
affirmative negative interrogative

Just, just Recently completed I have I haven't Have I

Present now actions. Sub+have/has + worked. worked. worked?
Perfect yet you say that sth. has past
never happened or is finished in participle(V3)+Obj He has He hasn’t Has he
ever already, the past and it has a worked. worked. worked?
so far, connection to I,We,You,They: have
up to now, the present He,She,It: has I have gone. I haven't gone. Have I gone?
since action started in the past
for and continues up to the He has gone. He hasn’t gone. Has he gone?
recently present

Already, just, mostly when two I had worked. I hadn't Had I worked?
never actions are related to Sub+ had + past worked.
Past When+simple each other: the action participle(V3)+Obj He had Had he
Perfect past…already which had already(first worked. He hadn't worked?
completed) happened worked.
is put into Past I had gone. Had I gone?
Perfect, the other action I hadn't gone.
into Simple Past He had gone. Had he gone?
He hadn't gone.

Future By the time+ I shall have I won't have Will I have

Perfect simple action will already Sub+will/ worked. worked. worked?
present, by have happened before shall+have + past
this time… a certain time in the participle(V3) +obj He will have He won't have Will he have
already future worked. worked. worked?

I shall have I won't have Will I have

gone. gone. gone?

He will have He won't have Will he have

gone. gone. gone?
 Tense Signal words Use Form Examples Examples Examples
affirmative negative interrogative
since I have been I haven't been Have I been
for action began in the past working. working. working?
all day and is still in progress.
the whole day, how long the action has He has been He hasn't been Has he been
Present how long been happening Sub+have/has working. working. working?
Perfect emphasis: length of time + been +V1 +
Continuous since= point of of an action ing+Obj I have been I haven't been Have I been
/ time (morning, going. going. going?
Progressive yesterday,
2004,etc) He has been He hasn't been Has he been
for= period of going. going. going?
time (1 hour,
10days, many
years, etc)
how long I had been I hadn't been Had I been
Past Perfect since Sub+had + working. working. working?
Continuous for +at the been +V1 +
/ time/simple how long something ing+Obj He had been He hadn't been Had he been
Progressive past tense had been happening working. working. working?
before something else
happened in the past I had been I hadn't been Had I been
going. going. going?

He had been He hadn't been Had he been

going. going. going?
I shall have I won't have Will I have
Future The action will have been working. been working. been working?
Perfect been happening Sub+ will/shall He will have
Continuous before/by a certain + have + been been working. He won't have Will he have
/ time in the future +V1 + ing+Obj been working. been working?
Progressive I shall have
emphasis: length of time been going. I won't have Will I have
of an action He will have been going. been going?
been going.
He won't have Will he have
been going. been going?