So, comrades, we have come to a very important and very difficult topic - the tense system of the English language. I don’t think there’s any need to explain why this topic is important: you won’t get far with the present tense alone. But the fact that this topic is unusually difficult, especially for Russian-speaking students, is, alas, an unfortunate medical fact. However, not everything is actually so bad, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves...
As we remember, verbs express relations of action or convey a state. And since these actions and states can relate to events that have already taken place or, on the contrary, are yet to come, then the need naturally arises to somehow express these actions in such a way as to distinguish them from actions occurring directly at the moment. The time system serves this purpose.
IN different languages- different systems of times: how things turned out. Thus, in English, 12 tense forms are classified. What causes sincere bewilderment in our people: where did they get so many of them and why are they needed when all you need is the past, present and future. Do not rush to be indignant, dear reader: as you will soon see, not everything is really so stupid. We will talk about how exactly the English system of tenses is structured, and what each of the twelve tense forms is needed for, as part of today’s lesson.
5.1 Why do you need a lot of time?
So, you say, three times is enough, right? Well, okay, let's say. Then let's look at the following passage:
"Mr. Trelawney lived in a tavern near the docks to watch the work on the schooner. To us, to my greatest joy, had to It's quite a long walk along the embankment, past many ships of various sizes, rigs and nationalities. On one worked And sang. On the other there are sailors high above my head hung on the ropes below seemed no thicker than cobwebs. Although all my life I lived on the seashore, here it is surprised me as if I saw his first time. The smell of tar and salt was new to me. I looked at carvings on the bows of ships that have been overseas. I'm greedy considered old sailors with earrings in their ears, with curled sideburns, with tarred pigtails, with a clumsy sea gait. They loitering along the shore. If instead of them I showed kings or archbishops, I rejoiced would be much less."
You, of course, recognize your favorite childhood book, Treasure Island. Please note that Jim Hawkins, from whose point of view the story is told, describes events of the past; accordingly, the predominant verb form in the passage is the past tense. But if we look closely, we will notice that the information contained in the passage reflects actions that are very different in length, completeness and simultaneity. Take a look at the attached timing diagram:
Let's now see what grammatical means puts our great and powerful at our disposal to express such a wide variety of time dependencies (the highlighted words in the above passage will help you with this). As you can easily see, there are very few such means: a single past tense, perfective/imperfect form and clarifying phrases in the function of additions. In addition, a significant burden in conveying shades of correlation between actions falls on the lexical component - derivative words formed by applying certain rules that are very difficult to formalize. Compare, for example: read/read/read/read, walked/walked/walked, etc.
To our delight, in English the same thing is done much simpler and more uniformly. Here's what the same passage looks like in Stevenson's original:
“Mr. Trelawney had taken up his residence at an inn far down the docks, to superintend the work upon the schooner. Thither we had now to walk, and our way, to my great delight, lay along the quays and beside the great multitude of ships of all sizes and rigs and nations. In one, sailors were singing at their work; in another, there were men aloft high over my head, hanging to threads that seemed no thicker than a spider's. Though I had lived by the shore all my life, I seemed never to have been near the sea till then. The smell of tar and salt was something new. I saw the most wonderful figureheads, that had all been far over the ocean. I saw, besides, many old sailors, with rings in their ears, and whiskers curled in ringlets, and tarry pigtails, and their swaggering, clumsy sea-walk; and if I had seen as many kings or archbishops I could not have been more delighted.”
We will not dwell now on the constructions used here; I just ask you to note that in the highlighted verb forms the presence of some kind of system is clearly visible. What kind of system is this? How is it structured? Read on.
5.2 Review of English tenses
Basically, main times ( times) in English there are really only three: present ( Present), past ( Past) and future ( Future). However, each of them has four forms ( tenses): simple ( Simple), continued ( Continuous), completed ( Perfect) and completed continuous tense ( Perfect Continuous). Composing the simplest three-by-four rectangular matrix, we obtain the required twelve tenses (unfortunately, in Russian English terminology there was no adequate analogue for tense, so we will have to use the general grammatical concept of time):
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As you can see, the system is quite harmonious and consistent. It remains only to find out what each of these temporary forms is used for. Well, let's start in order.
Please keep in mind: the material in this lesson is for reference purposes only. Yes, you will learn how the tenses of English verbs are formed, and perhaps get some idea of how they are used, but, alas, this knowledge will not be enough for any meaningful use. Skills in using verb forms will come gradually, with practice, and the information contained in this section is designed to help you complete practical tasks.
5.3 Present
5.3.1 Present simple
Formula: verb in basic form
Sample: I write
general characteristics
Attention! The simple present tense in English is not at all what first comes to our minds: like I’m sitting on a bench, Petya is knitting a stocking, and the bird is doing a roulade. To describe this kind of action (occurring directly at this moment) in English, the continuous present tense is used, and we will get to it later. Then where and for what is Present Simple tense used? It is used to express the following:
General descriptions, considerations
- The electron has three basic properties: electric charge, mass and spin- An electron has three main characteristics: charge, mass and spin.
- The area known as New England consists of six states- The region known as New England consists of six states.
- Brain cells process, relay and store information- brain cells process, transmit and store information.
Regular, repetitive actions
That is, actions that can be characterized as happening often, rarely, usually, always, sometimes, etc.:
- I play the guitar well- I (in life) play the balalaika well.
- Peter (usually) takes the bus to go to work- Petya (usually) goes to work by bus.
- Mary (regularly) goes to the gym- Masha (regularly) goes to the gym.
States, feelings, opinions, ideas
Here we will have to make a digression to introduce another category of verbs: Non-Continuous Verbs. This category is artificial, collective, and includes several groups of verbs, common to which is that, as a rule, Continuous tense forms are not applicable to them. The verbs in these groups express:
- possession: have(have), own(own), possess(have), need(need);
- attitude: envy(envy), hate(hate), love(be in love), like(like);
- feeling: feel(feel), look(to look like), smell(smell), see(see), hear(hear);
- opinion: believe(believe), consider(consider), deny(deny), agree(agree), think(think), suppose(believe);
- You look tired- you look tired.
- The soup smells really good- the soup smells very tasty.
- He feels much better- He feels much better.
- I think they are right- I think they are right.
5.3.2 Present Continuous
Formula: to be in the present tense + (Present) Participle of the semantic verb
Sample: I am writing
general characteristics
As you may have guessed, the Present Continuous is used to express actions that are happening directly at the moment: Mike can't pick up the phone: he is taking a shower- “Mike can’t answer the phone: he’s taking a shower right now.” But not always. The main uses of the Present Continuous are listed below.
Momentary actions
- I am talking to your uncle- I'm talking to your uncle.
- Your dog is running around like crazy- Your dog is running around there like crazy.
- The washer is working fine now- The washing machine is working fine now.
Exception: sensations, feelings and thoughts, including momentary ones - which, as we found out from the previous section, are transmitted (with reservations) in the form of the simple present tense: I feel, you seem, we think, etc.
Ongoing process
Here we are talking about actions that are not exactly happening at the moment; rather, the subject of the action is in the middle of some ongoing process. Well, something like the joke: “A prisoner lies on his bunk and thinks: how can I do this: like sitting(process), but it seems Lying(current action)?”
- Please tell me about the book you are working on- Please tell us about the book you are working on.
- I am receiving physio for my bad knee- I am undergoing physical therapy for a sore knee.
That is, once again, to make it clearer: here are two people sitting, talking. In this case, the writer does not hold a pencil and paper in his hands, and his interlocutor’s knee is not clamped in the vice of an electrophoresis apparatus. But at the same time, both are in the process: one is writing a book, and the other is taking medical procedures. For such cases, the use of Present Continuous is legal and justified.
Upcoming Actions
- I am playing golf this weekend- I'm playing golf this weekend.
- We are going out for dinner tonight- We're going out for dinner tonight.
- Bob is throwing a party next Friday- Bob is throwing a party next Friday.
Note that when using the Present Continuous to express upcoming actions, the sentence usually contains an explicit indication of the date or time of the upcoming event: this afternoon(at lunch), tomorrow(Tomorrow), next month(next month), etc.
5.3.3 Present perfect
Formula: have + Past Participle of the semantic verb
Sample: I have written
general characteristics
For Russian-speaking English students, the Present Perfect is a real stumbling block - it is so difficult for us to imagine how this action, which obviously belongs to the past, can be considered a form of the present tense. But I want to offer you one trick that will immediately help you put things in their place. The idea is to try to interpret the components of the present perfect construction verbatim. For example:
I have done the homework! Can I go play now?- I have homework done! Can I go for a walk now?
Of course, in Russian we would say “I did my homework,” but even in the anglicized version the statement looks quite meaningful. Yes, it sounds a little crooked for our taste, but for them this is the language norm, and since we have begun to learn English, like it or not, we will have to get used to these norms. After all, for an Anglophone this is not just a form of expression - he really feels it this way: I have seen this movie before- not “I have already seen this film”, but “I have seen this film.” That is, the emphasis for him, in terms of expressing the correlation of actions, is on the word “I have,” which, when used in the present tense, gives a touch of “realness” to the entire form as a whole.
Generally speaking, the Present Perfect form serves to reflect the fact that a certain action took place in the past (no matter when exactly), and by now (again, no matter how long ago) has successfully completed, and in Russian translated, as a rule, by a perfective verb in the past tense. But not necessarily! Unfortunately, there are some nuances to this issue. So, in what cases is the Present Perfect verb form used?
Expression of experience
- We have gone through these struggles before- We have gone through these difficulties before = We have already gone through these difficulties.
- Mike has already been there- Mike has been there = Mike has already been there.
- I have not tried your diet yet- I haven’t tried your diet yet = I haven’t tried your diet yet.
Reflection of change, new state
- I have finished the project- I have the project completed = I have finished working on the project.
- My brother has moved to a new place- My brother has moved to a new place = My brother has moved to another house.
- You have dropped something- You dropped something = You dropped something.
Reflection of an ongoing condition
- I have known him for ages- I have known him for a hundred years = I have known him for a hundred years.
- I have lived in this house since last summer- I have lived in this house since last summer = I have lived in this house since last summer.
- John has worked with us for ten years- John has worked with us for ten years = John has been working with us for ten years.
You may ask: what is the difference between the process from the previous section (Present Continuous) and a continuing state? Well, that’s the difference: there’s a process, and here there’s a state. And one more distinctive feature: the ongoing state, expressed in the form of the Present Perfect, is usually characterized by the moment of its beginning ( since) or duration ( for).
5.3.4 Present Perfect Continuous
Formula: have been + Present Participle of the semantic verb
Sample: I have been writing
general characteristics
To completely confuse you, the cunning bourgeoisie came up with another form of the present tense: Present Perfect Continuous. It is used, as a rule, in two cases.
A long-running activity that has just ended
- I have been waiting for you for two hours- I’ve been waiting for you, damn it, for two hours already.
Long-lasting action that is still ongoing
- It has been raining since Monday- It's been raining since Monday.
Just as in the case of the Present Perfect, the action of the semantic verb in the Present Perfect Continuous is usually specified in relation to either the beginning ( since), or duration ( for), although it is possible to use more general time adverbials, such as recently ( recently) or recently ( lately):
Mike has been watching too much TV lately Mike has been spending too much time in front of TV lately.
An attentive reader may notice: there are too many similarities between the Present Perfect and the Present Perfect Continuous. What's the difference then? Is it possible, for example, to use the completed continuous in the last example? Answer: yes, you can, but the meaning will change. Compare:
- Mike has read a lot lately- Mike has been reading a lot lately (subtext: is there food for the horse?)
- Mike has been reading a lot lately- Mike has been reading a lot lately (subtext: he shouldn’t overheat, poor fellow, otherwise he’s become really pale)
In general, the Present Perfect Continuous, as a rule, implies a close cause-and-effect relationship between an action and its effect. For example, if we ask: “Have you been exercising?”(do you go to the gym?), then it will sound like a compliment: thereby we make it clear that the interlocutor looks noticeably more fit.
This concludes the review of the forms of the “present” tense, and we begin to consider the past tense.
5.4 Past
5.4.1 Past simple
Formula: verb in Past form
Sample: I wrote
general characteristics
The simple past tense is the most common form for expressing actions that took place in the past. Past Simple is used in the following cases:
An event that has a precise time reference
- We went to the movies last night- We went to the cinema yesterday.
- I bought this car in January- I bought this car in January.
- Dinosaurs died out about 60 million years ago- Dinosaurs became extinct about 60 million years ago.
- Bob gave a great presentation at the conference- Bob gave a great performance at the conference.
Sequential storytelling
The old man sat down in the armchair. He drew out his pipe and started to fill it. His movements were swift and sharp- The old man sat down in a chair. He took out his pipe and began to fill it. His movements were fast and precise.
Expressing states, feelings or opinions (similar to Present Simple)
- She looked somewhat confused- She looked somewhat confused.
- I believed the time was right“I thought the moment was just right.”
- Kate needed more practice to be competitive- Katya needed more practice to compete on equal terms.
5.4.2 Past Continuous
Formula: to be in the past tense + (Present) Participle of the semantic verb
Sample: I was writing
general characteristics
When describing events that took place in the past, actions that imply some extent are conveyed in the Past Continuous form. In particular, this form is used in the following cases:
Action context notation
- I was driving home the other day, and on the 52nd there was a three car pile-up- I was driving home the other day, and I saw three cars piled up on the 52nd.
- We were taking a walk in the park when a heavy thunderstorm suddenly broke out- We were walking in the park when suddenly a thunderstorm began.
Actions of indefinite duration
- The night was beautiful, and the stars were shining in the cloudless sky- It was a wonderful night; the stars were shining in the cloudless sky.
- Butch sniffed the plate and woofed. He was trembling with anticipation- Butch sniffed the plate and growled. He was shaking all over with impatience.
Past Continuous is usually translated into Russian as an imperfective verb in the past tense.
5.4.3 Past perfect
Formula: had + Past Participle of the semantic verb
Sample: I had written
general characteristics
Form Past Perfect is used relatively rarely, and has the following main applications:
Reflection of events that have already completed by the moment the story is about
- I had finished high school when the Great Depression struck the country- When the Great Depression hit, I (had already) graduated from high school.
- Sarah had studied psychology for two years before she joined our lab- Sarah studied psychology for two years before joining our laboratory.
Coordination of tenses when transmitting indirect speech
- Mark told me he had missed the management meeting due to family circumstances- Mark told me he was absent from a management meeting for family reasons.
By the way, the coordination of times ( sequence of tenses) is a completely separate topic, so we won’t dwell on this issue in detail now, but will simply mention that there is such a thing in the English language.
5.4.4 Past Perfect Continuous
Formula: had been + Present Participle of the semantic verb
Sample: I had been writing
general characteristics
You don’t have to worry about this form at all: it is used extremely rarely, in oral speech - almost never, and if it suddenly appears somewhere in the text, its meaning should already be generally clear to you: this is some long-term action that immediately preceded the moment about which the story is being told.
When I finally woke up, the clock radio had been blaring for a good couple of hours- By the time I finally woke up, the radio alarm clock had been screaming for a good couple of hours.
5.5 Future
First of all, the future tense is a rather specific thing in the sense that we cannot know for sure what and how will happen in this very future, and whether it will happen at all. Well, like in the joke:
The doctor conducts a round in the children's department. He approaches the dystrophic boy, examines him, touches him. Asks:
- Boy, how old are you?
- In a month it will be ten.
- A month later? Will? Yes, brother, I see you are an optimist!
Therefore, speaking about future affairs, we can only express assumptions, wishes, intentions, predictions, forecasts and promises with varying degrees of confidence. Based on this premise, let's now look at the various forms of the future tense that exist in the English language.
5.5.1 Future simple
Formula: will (shall) + base verb form
Sample: I will write
general characteristics
Future Simple is the simplest, but by no means the only form for reflecting events that are yet to come. It is used in the following cases:
Simple, spontaneous impulses
- I" ll get the phone- I'll pick up the phone.
- I" ll go grab a cup of coffee- I'll go pour myself a cup of coffee.
Statements, announcements
- My son will go to school this year- My son will go to school this year.
- The next class will be on Monday at 5 PM- The next lesson will be on Monday at five in the evening.
- The office will be closed for Christmas- The office will be closed on Christmas.
Promises
- We will let you know as soon as possible- We will inform you as soon as we can.
- I will send you a check by mail- I'll send you a check by mail.
- I" ll pick you up at the airport- I will meet you at the airport.
Confident forecasts, predictions
- Tomorrow we" ll have more snow- There will be snow tomorrow too.
- The mayor will beat his opponent's hands down- The mayor will easily defeat his opponent.
Note: For less confident predictions, the construction is usually used going to+ infinitive:
- It is going to be cold tonight- It should get colder this evening.
- The Flames are going to win the series- The Flames must win the series.
5.5.2 Future Continuous
Formula: will be + Participle of the semantic verb
Sample: I will be writing
general characteristics
The Future Continuous is used with verbs that imply length in the following cases:
Scheduled Event
- We will be moving this Saturday- We will be moving this Saturday.
- I" will be working overtime for the rest of the week- I will work late until the end of the week.
Probable event
- The kids will be sleeping by then“The kids will be asleep by then.”
- Even in the morning, a few people will still be partying - Even in the morning, some will still continue to party.
5.5.3 Future Perfect
Formula: will have + Past Participle of the semantic verb
Sample: I will have written
5.5.4 Future Perfect Continuous
Formula: will have been + Participle of the semantic verb
Sample: I will have been writing
general characteristics
The last two tense forms on our list, Future Perfect and especially Future Perfect Continuous, are completely artificial constructions that linguists needed for the sole purpose of filling in the missing cells in their beautiful matrix tablet of twelve tenses. People don’t use these structures - there is no such need. And if the need arises, you can always rearrange the phrase in such a way as to avoid multi-story bends from function words. I will now give one example for each of the forms, and you decide how necessary these forms are.
Our accountant will have retired by the end of the year- Our accountant will retire by the end of the year.
Otherwise, he will have been working for the company for ten straight years- Otherwise, he will work in the office for ten years.
Just for example, these same two phrases in human language:
Our accountant is going to retire some time this year. But if he stays, it will be ten years that he has been with us- Our accountant is going to retire this year. But if he stays, it will be ten years since he has been with us.
5.6 Instead of a conclusion
As you just had the opportunity to see, the same idea can be conveyed different ways. And I tell you in all seriousness: people in everyday communication do not like tricky phrases and try in every possible way to avoid them - both in written and especially in oral speech. There are a lot of tricks that allow you to break a long ornate thought form into shorter, observable segments. The commandment runs through all style textbooks: write more simply. And this is all the more relevant given the average literacy level of the English-speaking (and not only) population. Even fully educated people are constantly confused about basic things like there And their, its And it's, and what can we say about simpler people.
That's why. Please memorize the table of 12 times. Moreover, she is all so compact and slender. Feel it, taste each construction on your tongue, and you will understand its logic. But keep in mind that in reality, in practice, half of all these times are actively used. Use this half. This will make it easier and more convenient for everyone, and first of all for you.
With a little practice, you'll soon see that English verb tenses are not as scary as they are made out to be, and that the system underlying them is more a friend than an enemy.
I just want to put an end to this, but for the sake of order I must give you another table: everything is the same, but for the passive voice. So that the service does not seem like honey. So:
5.7 English verb tenses in the passive voice
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Well, so that you don’t get too scared, I remind you: you will never, from anyone, under any circumstances, hear it will have been written. But for the sake of order - let it be. Still a beautiful table.
Oh, the times! Oh, morals! Tenses in the English language are considered to be the most difficult section of grammar. But this is one of the most common misconceptions. Along with the fact that the majority distinguishes a dozen tenses in English, and three in Russian. So: don’t trust anyone :) In the English language, experts will highlight more than 12 tenses (take at least Future-in-the-Past for warming up). And in Russian, in theory, there are also more than three. Need proof? Yes please.
Times in the Great and Mighty
Only a first grader thinks that we have past, present and future tense. But at the same time, everyone will feel the difference in these proposals:
I was walking home through the park yesterday.
I walked home through the park yesterday
Immediately a quick question: what is the tense in the sentences? Yeah, past. What verb did “went” come from? Well, yes, from the verb “to go.”
The English language also has tricky irregular verbs, which in the past tense take on such a form that you can try to guess the original one. So the myths that camouflage is practiced only in the English language can already be safely considered debunked.
Let's go back to "went" and "went". Can we smell the difference? In the first case, we are talking about some long time: I walked to myself and walked through the park, without touching anyone. And in the second - about what has already happened. The questions answered by “went” and “went” are also different: “what did you do?” and “what did you do?” Such forms of verb tenses in Russian are usually called imperfect/non-perfect form (what to do) and perfect/perfect (what to do).
And that is not all. For example, when we want to emphasize the duration of an action, we become more sophisticated and use synonyms of verbs that are very close in meaning. For example:
Yesterday I walked around the park in a great mood.
Now you can imagine how difficult it is for a foreigner when he wants to convey a long action using the verb “go”. Surely he will come up with something like “Yesterday I walked... mmm... walked... walked... through the park in a great mood.” And try to explain to him that to convey a long-term action, it is better to take the verb “to walk” and put it in the past tense in the non-perfect form.
Whose tense system is easier?
This is ours:
| Imperfect form (Indefinite) |
Perfect form ( Perfect) | ||
| long-term | regular | ||
| Present | I'm playing | — | — |
| Past (Past) | played | played | played |
| Future (Future) | I will play | I'll play | I'll play |
Moreover, in order to denote the present continuous or past imperfect tense, we will have to explain this further. Compare:
I play the guitar (that is, in principle I know how to play this instrument).
And
I'm currently playing the guitar (that is, I'm sitting and playing right now, I have nothing else to do).
Tenses in English
While we are getting more sophisticated with perfect/non-perfect forms of the verb, and also practicing finding synonyms, the English have created a completely logical and understandable system of tenses. Each verb easily forms 12 main groups. Let’s take the same “walk” (walk) and use it by default with the pronoun I (I).
Table of tenses in English with examples
| Simple | Continuous | Perfect | Perfect Continuous | |
| Present | I walk I walk (in general, in principle) |
I am walking I'm walking/walking (right now) |
I have walked I went (already) |
I have been walking I walked (did it and completed it by now) |
| Past | I walked I went (in general, in principle) |
I was walking I was walking/walking (a while ago) |
I had walked I was walking (the action had already ended at a certain point in the past) |
I had been walking I have walked (done this and completed it by a certain point in the past) |
| Future | I will walk I will walk (in general, in principle) |
I will be walking I will walk/walk (for a while) |
I will have walked I'm like (the action will end at a certain point in the future) |
I will have been walking I will walk (and complete it by some point in the future) |
Thus, when reading a sentence in English, one can easily understand what the person means. While in our country the use of explanatory words is mandatory. While we need to use explanatory words for this. For example, to convey the Future Perfect tense, we will add “I’ll finish” to the main semantic verb: “I’ll finish doing my homework by 5 pm.” These are the simple rules of English tenses that, thanks to exercises, are quickly memorized.
And whose tense system is ultimately easier?
Here you can find English Times in tables with examples / Tenses in English in a table with examples.
1. The Present Perfect Tense
The Present Perfect is formed using the auxiliary verb have/has and past participle forms of the verb (Past Participle). The ways of forming sentences with regular and irregular verbs are different.
- With regular verbs
- With irregular verbs.
Please note these rules in the examples in the table below.
Education Present Perfect |
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Affirmative form |
Negative form |
Interrogative form |
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He (she, it) has seen her We have seen her You have seen her They have seen her |
I have not seen her He (she, it) has not seen her We have not seen her You have not seen her They have not seen her |
Have I seen her? Has he (she, it) seen her? Have we seen her? Have you seen her? Have they seen her? |
Cases of using the Present Perfect |
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| 1. If an action is described, the result of which is visible in the present tense | The prisoners have laid an escape plan; here it is. |
The prisoners made an escape plan; here he is. |
| 2. Instead of Present Perfect Continuous with verbs that are not used with Continuous tenses (know, recognize, see, etc.) | Tom has known Mary for ten years | Tom has known Maria for 10 years |
2. The Past Perfect Tense
Past Perfect is formed with the help of an auxiliary of the verb had and past participle forms of the verb (Past Participle). The ways of forming sentences with regular and irregular verbs are different.
- With regular verbs
The ending -ed is added to the infinitive form.
- With irregular verbs.
The Past Participle form is used (third column of the table of irregular verbs).
Education Past Perfect |
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Affirmative form |
Negative form |
Interrogative form |
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He (she, it) had seen her You had seen her They had seen her |
I had not seen her He (she, it) had not seen her We had not seen her You had not seen her They had not seen her |
Had he (she, it) seen her? Had we seen her? Had you seen her? Had they seen her? |
Uses of Past Perfect |
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| 1. When describing an action that occurred before a certain point in the past or before another past action. | The students had shown us the presentation by three o"clock We had called them when you came |
The students gave us a presentation at three o'clock We called them when you arrived |
| 2. An action that began before another action in the past and was still being performed at the time of its occurrence. | Mary had waited for me for several hours, when I found her | Maria had already been waiting for me for several hours when I found her |
3. The Future Perfect Tense
The Past Perfect is formed using the auxiliary verb have in the form of the future tense (will have) and the past participle form of the verb (Past Participle). The ways of forming sentences with regular and irregular verbs are different.
- With regular verbs
The ending -ed is added to the infinitive form.
- With irregular verbs.
The Past Participle form is used (third column of the table of irregular verbs).
Education Future Perfect |
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Affirmative form |
Negative form |
Interrogative form |
I will have seen her He (she, it) will have seen her We will have seen her You will have seen her They will have seen her |
I will not have seen her He (she, it) will not have seen her We will not have seen her You will not have seen her They will not have seen her |
Will I have seen her? Will he (she, it) have seen her? Will we have seen her? Will you have seen her? Will they have seen her? |
Uses of Future Perfect |
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| 1. When a future action is described that will occur before a certain point in the future. |
The students will have shown the presentation when your manager comes |
The students will have already shown the presentation when your manager arrives. |
Perfect Continuous Times
1. The Present Perfect Continuous Tense
This tense is formed using the verb to be in the Present Perfect form (have been/has been) and the present participle form of the verb (Present Participle). In other words, the Present Perfect Continuous is formed by using the auxiliary verb have/has been and adding the ending -ing to the semantic verb.
Education Present Perfect Continuous |
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Affirmative form |
Negative form |
Interrogative form |
I have been waiting for you He (she, it) has been waiting for you We have been waiting for you You have been waiting for me |
I have not been waiting for you He (she, it) has not been waiting for you We have been waiting for you You have been waiting for me They have been waiting for you |
Have I been waiting for you? Has he (she, it) been waiting for you? Have we been waiting for you? Have you been waiting for me? Have they been waiting for you? |
Cases of using the Present Perfect Continuous |
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| 1. A continuous action that occurs in the present tense with an indication of how long it takes to complete. | They have been painting the walls since nine o"clock |
They've been painting the walls since nine o'clock. |
| 2. A long-term action that began in the past and ended immediately before the moment of speech. | Although the sun is shining, it is still cold as it has been raining hard. | Although the sun is shining, it is still cold as it has been raining heavily. |
2. The Past Perfect Continuous Tense
This tense is formed using the verb to be in the Past Perfect form (had been) and the present participle form of the verb (Present Participle). In other words, the Present Perfect Continuous is formed by using the auxiliary verb had been and adding the ending -ing to the semantic verb.
Formation Past Perfect Continuous |
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Affirmative form |
Negative form |
Interrogative form |
I had been waiting for you He (she, it) had been waiting for you We had been waiting for you You had been waiting for me They had been waiting for you |
I had not been waiting for you He (she, it) had not been waiting for you We had not been waiting for you You had not been waiting for me They had not been waiting for you |
Had I been waiting for you? Had he (she, it) been waiting for you? Had we been waiting for you? Had you been waiting for me? Had they been waiting for you? |
Cases of using Past Perfect Continuous |
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| 1. A continuous action in the past that occurred at the time of the occurrence of another past action, indicating how long it took to occur. | They had been painting the walls for three hours when we came |
They had already been painting the walls for three hours when we arrived. |
| 2. A long action in the past that ended just before the moment of another past action. | John felt tired as he had been playing tennis for four hours. | John felt tired because he had been playing tennis for four hours. |
You know that there are twelve tense forms in the English language. It is grammatical tenses that allow us to correctly construct sentences and prepare us for speaking. The table of tenses in English is very useful. It will help you find the tense you need, all three sentence forms and usage. In this table we also added the expression and all the forms. Exercises for tenses in English can be found below after the table.
A table of tenses in English with word clues is also available for download at PDF format below the table.
Table of English tenses with examples and words to help
A table of tenses in English with clue words can be downloaded using the button below!
| Grammatical tense | Use | Affirmative, negative, interrogative sentences. |
| *Present Simple Present simple tense |
1. Regularly repeated actions: As a rule, he has three meals a day. 2. Facts, scientific phenomena, laws of nature: Canada lies north of the United States. 3. Hobbies, traditions, habits: She is clever. Irish people drink a lot of beer. 4. The action is established by a schedule or schedule: The hypermarket opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 11 p.m.. 5. Headings of newspaper articles: Russian sportsmen win the Olympic Games. 6. Dramatic stories, sports commentaries: They shake hands and she bids him goodnight. John serves to Mike. 7. Proposal to do something (Why...): Why don’t we go for a run? |
Statement: She smiles. Negation: She does not smile. Question: Does she smile? |
| Present Continuous Present continuous tense |
1. Action that occurs at the moment of speech: I am carrying the groceries. 2. Temporary action taking place around the present moment: He is living in London at the moment, as she is studying at London University. 3. Developing and changing situations: Your Italian is improving. The world is changing. 4. Annoying habit (with the words always, forever, constantly, continually): She is always losing her keys. 5. Action planned for the near future: We're leaving tomorrow. |
Statement: She is smiling. Negation: She is not smiling. Question: Is she smiling? |
| Past Simple Simple past tense |
1. Actions happened one after another: I got out of my bed, opened the window and turned on computer. 2. Single fact, state in the past: Jack London was born in 1876 and died in 1916. 3. Past habits: When I was young I swam across the river. |
Statement: She spoke. Negation: She did not speak. Question: Did she speak? |
| Past Continuous Past continuous tense |
1. Action that took place at a certain time in the past: I was making a salad at 4 pm yesterday. 2. To express irritation: Luis was forever smoking in my room! 3. Action in the past interrupted by another action: They were entertaining friends when the parcel arrived. 4. Actions took place simultaneously: While I was preparing dinner, my parents were playing cards. 5. One action is shorter (Past Simple), the other is longer (Past Cont.): My brother telephoned me when I was having dinner. 6. Descriptions of events in history: It was raining the wind was blowing. |
Statement: She was speaking. Negation: She was not speaking. Question: Was she speaking? |
| Present Perfect Present perfect tense |
1. Personal changes: She has lost 25 kilos. 2. Emphasis on number: You have knocked on the door three times. 3. An action, quite recently, the result of which is obvious and important in the present: We’ve run out of milk (there is no milk at home). 4. An action that happened sometime in the past, but is important in the present: I have been to Africa several times. 5. An action that began in the past, lasted for some time and continues to last in the present: We have known each other for a long time. |
Statement: He has not spoken. Negation: He has not spoken. Question: Has he spoken? |
| Present Perfect Continuous Present perfect continuous tense |
1. The action began in the past and continues in the present: It has been snowing since yesterday morning (and it’s still snowing). 2. Past actions that have a visible result in the present: I have a sore throat. I have been talking on the phone all morning. 3. Expression of anger, irritation: Who's been drinking my orange juice? 4. Emphasis on duration, not result (with the words for, since, how long): The train has been waiting for three hours. |
Statement: He has not been speaking. Negation: He has not been speaking. Question: Has he been speaking? |
| Past Perfect Past perfect tense |
1. Completed action with a visible result in the past: I was sad because he had not called me. 2. Equivalent to Present Perfect. 3. An action that occurred before another action in the past or a moment in the past: They had finished the report by the end of the month. 4. Used with conjunctions hardly…when, scarcely…when, no sooner…than, barely…when.: The game had hardly begun when it started to rain. |
Statement: He had spoken. Negation: He had not spoken. Question: Had he spoken? |
| Past Perfect Continuous Past perfect continuous tense |
1. An action began in the past, lasted for some time and continued to last at a certain point in the past: How long had you been living in Moscow before you moved to Vienna? 2. Actions in the past with a certain duration and this action has a visible result in the past: Dad was angry. He had been arguing with Daisy. 3. Past Perfect Continuous is the equivalent of Present Perfect Continuous. |
Statement: He had been speaking. Negation: He had not been speaking. Question: Had he been speaking? |
| Future Simple Simple future tense |
1. A future that does not depend on the speaker, and which will definitely happen: She will be ten next month. 2. Assumption regarding the future (believe, think, sure, etc): I will probably call you, but I’m not sure. 3. Decisions made at the time of speech: I'll switch on the light. 4. Threat, promise, offer: He'll be punished! I'll talk to him. I'll carry these bags for you. 5. A request for advice or a request for information, an offer to help (1 person singular and plural in interrogative sentences): Shall I carry these heavy bags for you? (To the second person will). |
Statement: He will speak. Negation: He will not speak. Question: Will he speak? |
| Be going to | 1. Obvious actions that will definitely happen: Oh no! Our train is on fire! We are going to die. 2. The intention to do something, the decision was made before the conversation: I’m going to paint my car this summer. I've already chosen the color I want. |
Statement: He is going to speak. Negation: He is not going to speak. Question: Is he going to speak? |
| Future Continuous Future continuous tense |
1. Actions that will occur at a certain time in the future: At 8 o’clock tomorrow we’ll be having dinner. 2. Politely ask about the other person’s plans, especially when we want something done for us: I have something for my son. Will you be seeing him tonight? 3. Actions that result from routine: I’ll be having lunch with David tomorrow as usual. |
Statement: He will be speaking. Negation: He will not be speaking. Question: Will he be speaking? |
| Future Perfect Future perfect tense |
An action that will be completed by a specific time in the future: - I will have eaten breakfast by the time she gets up. - By 2023 I will have known them for thirty years. - I will have read all the books by the 1st of June. |
Statement: He will have spoken. Negation: He will not have spoken. Question: Will he have spoken? |
| Future Perfect Progressive Future perfect continuous tense |
The action will last until a certain time in the future: - By the 2nd of May I will have been reading for a fortnight. - By next January, they will have been living here for two years. - He’ll have been arguing with her all night. |
Statement: He will have been speaking. Negation: He will not have been speaking. Question: Will he have been speaking? |
| Future Simple in the Past | Designations of an action that was future from the point of view of the past. - I said I would go to the theater next week. |
Statement: He would speak. Negation: He would not speak. Question: Would he speak? |
| Future Continuous in the past | Denotes an action taking place at a certain moment, which was the future from the point of view of the past. - She said she would be working at 7 o’clock. |
Statement: He would be speaking. Negation: He would not be speaking. Question: Would he be speaking? |
| Future Perfect in the past | The designation of an action completed up to a certain point, which was the future from the point of view of the past. - I said I would have read all the books by the 2nd of June. |
Statement: He would have spoken. Negation: He would not have spoken. Question: Would he have spoken? |
| Future Perfect Continuous in the past | An action continuing over a period of time up to a certain point that was the future from the point of view of the past. - I said that by the 1st of May I would have been reading the book for a fortnight. |
Statement: He would have been speaking. Negation: He would not have been speaking. Question: Would he have been speaking? |
Listen to the story called The House On The Hill and try to retell it in English.
*Set expressions Present Indefinite
I hear = I know, I heard: I hear Lucy is getting married - I heard Lucy is getting married.
I see = I understand, as I understand: I see there’s been unrest in London again - As I understand it, there are riots in London again.
Expressions Here comes... (towards the speaker), There goes... (move away from the speaker).
Examples:
Look here comes your brother!
There goes our bus; we'll have to wait for the next.
Table of tenses in English with word clues.
Separate table with helper words
| Present Simple | Always, Usually, Generally, Occasionally, Frequently, Sometimes, Often, As a rule, Twice a year, Every day (week, month, summer), Every other day, Once in a while, From time to time, Seldom, Rarely, Hardly ever, Never, On Mondays. |
| Present Continuous | At the moment, Just now, Right now, At present, These days, Nowadays, Today, Tonight, Still, Always, Constantly, Continually, Forever, Never… again. |
| Past Simple | Ago, Yesterday, Last week (month, year), In 1993, Just now, As soon as, The moment, Once, In those days, The other day, Then, When. |
| Past Continuous | At 3 o’clock yesterday, From 3 to 6 o’clock last Friday, while, at the time, this time last year, when, as. |
| Present Perfect | Already (+?), Yet (-?), Still (-), Recently, lately, just, ever, never, for, since, so far, today, this week (month), before, always. |
| Present Perfect Continuous | How long, for, since, for the last (past) few days (weeks, months). |
| Past Perfect | After, before, by, by the time, until, till, when, for, since, already, just, never, yet, hardly…when, scarcely…when, barely…when, no sooner…than. |
| Past Perfect Continuous | For, since, etc. |
| Will/Be going to/ Future Continuous | Tomorrow, tonight, next week/month, in two / three days, the day after tomorrow, soon, in a week/month etc. |
| Future Perfect | By, by then, by the end of the year, before, by the time, until (only with negation). |
| Future Perfect Continuous | By … for, the last couple of hours, in 2030, by the summer, by the end of the week, (by) this time next week/month/year etc. |
Exercises for all English tenses
Take the online test to reinforce all the tenses you worked so hard to learn.
The cornerstone for everyone learning English is his time. Have you dismantled the group? Simple(Indefinite) and everything seems clear and easy. And you start the next one, and your head is already a mess. How to not just learn 12 tenses in English, but also to understand them in order to actually use them in speech, and not bury them in the “useful knowledge” section somewhere deeper in your head?
“Dreams and everyday life of a worm” - this visual table, which at one time blew up the Internet and helped millions stop making mistakes in time. If you are still “swimming” in this topic, take the picture from examples to yourself. Place it on your desk or print it and hang it in a visible place.
And right now, go through all 12 times. We learn fun, like children, and remember easily times in English!
Group Present (present)
Simple (Indefinite, simple): I eat apples every day. – I eat apples every day.
Continuous: We are eating the same apple now. – We are eating the same apple now.
Perfect (completed): I have already eaten this apple. - I have already eaten this apple.
Perfect Continuous (complete-long): I have been eating this apple since early morning. – I have been eating this apple since early morning.
Group Past (past tense)
Simple (Indefinite): I ate apples yesterday. – I ate apples yesterday.
Continuous: I was eating an apple when my mother came. – I was eating an apple when my mother came.
Perfect: We had already eaten apples when we began to eat plums. – We had already finished the apples when we started eating the plums.
Perfect Continuous: I had been eating apples for two hours when my friend arrived. – I had been eating apples for 2 hours when my friend came.
Future group (future tense)
Simple (Indefinite): I will eat apples in summer. - I will eat apples in the summer.
Continuous: I will be eating apples at 5 o'clock tomorrow. – I will eat apples at 5 o’clock tomorrow.
Perfect: I will have eaten this apple before the midnight. “I’ll finish this apple before midnight.”
Perfect Continuous: I will have been eating this apple for two hours before the guard comes. – I will be eating this apple for 2 hours before the watchman appears.
Friends, and finally, some useful advice: try to understand, not memorize 12 times of the English language. You need to clearly understand how the next time differs from the time you have already studied. If you still barely see the difference, it’s better to stop and bring this piece to perfection, and then move on.
Also, be sure to practice. At home, at work, with friends. We are confident that your environment will understand and support your desire to improve English. And you, thus, will take the learned rules from passive into active spoken language. Good luck and good mood!