Complete English Tenses β€” Notes & Exercises

Objectives: Complete English Tenses β€” Notes & Exercises SUMMARY

Complete English Tenses β€” Notes & Exercises

Complete Notes on English Tenses

A full, clear guide to the 12 main English tenses. Read carefully and use the exercises at the end. This page uses only Bootstrap for styling.

Quick Summary

English has three main time categories: Present, Past, and Future. Each has four aspects: Simple, Continuous (Progressive), Perfect, and Perfect Continuous. That makes 12 core tenses.

TimeSimpleContinuousPerfectPerfect Continuous
PresentSimple PresentPresent ContinuousPresent PerfectPresent Perfect Continuous
PastSimple PastPast ContinuousPast PerfectPast Perfect Continuous
FutureSimple FutureFuture ContinuousFuture PerfectFuture Perfect Continuous

Present Tenses (with forms, uses, signal words and examples)

Form
  • Affirmative: Subject + base verb (+ s/es for he/she/it) β€” e.g. She eats.
  • Negative: Subject + do/does + not + base verb β€” e.g. She does not eat.
  • Question: Do/Does + subject + base verb? β€” e.g. Does she eat?
Uses
  • Habits and routines: I brush my teeth every morning.
  • General truths/facts: Water boils at 100Β°C.
  • Scheduled events (timetables): The train leaves at 6 pm.
  • Stative verbs (like, know, believe) normally use simple present.
Signal words

always, usually, often, sometimes, never, every day/week/month, on Mondays, rarely

Examples

I work from home. β€” She speaks English. β€” They play football on Sundays.

Form

Affirmative: Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing β€” e.g. They are reading.

Negative: Subject + am/is/are + not + verb-ing.

Question: Am/Is/Are + subject + verb-ing?

Uses
  • Actions happening now: She is studying right now.
  • Temporary situations: I am living with my friend this month.
  • Planned near-future events: We are meeting him tomorrow.
  • Trends or changing situations: Prices are rising.
Signal words

now, right now, at the moment, currently, today, this week

Examples

He is listening to music. β€” I am learning Bootstrap.

Form

Affirmative: Subject + have/has + past participle β€” e.g. She has visited.

Negative: Subject + have/has + not + past participle.

Question: Have/Has + subject + past participle?

Uses
  • Actions at an unspecified time before now: I have seen that movie.
  • Experience: She has lived in Kenya.
  • Change over time: He has become more confident.
  • Actions with present relevance: I have finished my homework (so I can go out).
  • With time expressions: today, this week, so far, already, yet, ever, never, just, recently
Signal words

already, yet, ever, never, so far, just, recently, today

Examples

They have eaten lunch. β€” I have already finished the book.

Form

Affirmative: Subject + have/has + been + verb-ing β€” e.g. I have been studying.

Uses
  • Actions that started in the past and continue to the present (focus on duration): She has been working here for five years.
  • Recently finished actions with present result (often with "for"/"since"): He has been crying β€” his eyes are red.
Signal words

for, since, all day, how long, recently, lately

Examples

We have been waiting for an hour. β€” She has been practicing the piano since May.

Past Tenses

Form

Affirmative: Subject + past form of verb β€” e.g. I went.

Negative: Subject + did + not + base verb β€” e.g. I did not go.

Question: Did + subject + base verb?

Uses
  • Completed actions at a specific time in the past: The concert started at 7 pm yesterday.
  • Series of completed actions: He entered, sat down, and started to read.
  • Habits in the past: When I was small, I played football every day.
Signal words

yesterday, ago, last (week/month/year), in 2010, when I was young, on Monday

Form

Affirmative: Subject + was/were + verb-ing β€” e.g. They were talking.

Uses
  • Actions in progress at a specific moment in the past: At 8 pm I was eating dinner.
  • Interrupted past actions (use with simple past): I was watching TV when the phone rang.
  • Parallel actions in the past: She was cooking while he was setting the table.

Form

Affirmative: Subject + had + past participle β€” e.g. She had left.

Uses
  • An action completed before another action in the past: By the time I arrived, they had finished.
  • Reported speech with a past-in-past idea: He said he had seen the movie.

Form

Affirmative: Subject + had + been + verb-ing β€” e.g. She had been studying.

Uses
  • Focus on duration of an action before another past action: He had been waiting for two hours before the bus came.

Future Tenses

Form

Affirmative: Subject + will + base verb β€” e.g. I will go. (Also: "be going to" for plans/intention β€” I am going to study.)

Uses
  • Predictions: It will rain tomorrow.
  • Spontaneous decisions: OK, I will help you.
  • Promises/offers: I will call you later.

Form

Affirmative: Subject + will + be + verb-ing β€” e.g. They will be travelling.

Uses
  • Actions in progress at a specific future time: This time tomorrow I will be flying.
  • Polite enquiries about plans: Will you be using the car tonight?

Form

Affirmative: Subject + will + have + past participle β€” e.g. By next year, I will have graduated.

Uses
  • Show that something will be completed before a specific future time: She will have finished the report by Friday.

Form

Affirmative: Subject + will + have + been + verb-ing β€” e.g. By July, they will have been working here for two years.

Uses
  • Focus on duration up to a point in the future: By 5 pm she will have been teaching for six hours.

Common Mistakes & Tips

  • Don't use continuous with stative verbs: *I am knowing* — wrong. Correct: I know.
  • Use present perfect for unspecified past time and present relevance; use simple past for specific past times.
  • With "for" and "since": use perfect forms. I have lived here for 5 years; since 2018.
  • "Will" vs "be going to": "be going to" for plans/intention and things that are already decided; "will" for spontaneous decisions and weaker predictions.

Exercises (Practice)

Try these. Answers are hidden β€” click to reveal.

  1. He ___ (go) to school every day. (habit β€” simple present)
  2. Right now she ___ (write) a letter. (present continuous)
  3. They ___ (finish) their homework already. (present perfect)
  4. I ___ (see) that movie last week. (simple past)
    1. He goes to school every day.
    2. Right now she is writing a letter.
    3. They have finished their homework already.
    4. I saw that movie last week.
More challenging (fill with correct tense)
  1. By the time you arrive, we ___ (leave). (future perfect)
  2. She ___ (study) for three hours before the exam started. (past perfect continuous)
  3. At 8 pm tomorrow I ___ (watch) the match. (future continuous)
  4. He ___ (write) letters since 9 am. (present perfect continuous)
    1. By the time you arrive, we will have left.
    2. She had been studying for three hours before the exam started.
    3. At 8 pm tomorrow I will be watching the match.
    4. He has been writing letters since 9 am.
Short test: Choose the correct tense

1) "I ___ (live) here since 2010." a) lived b) have lived c) am living

Correct: have lived (b). Use present perfect with since + point in time.

Created for learners who want complete, clear English tenses notes. Use the page to study, practice and test yourself.

Reference Book: N/A

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