Comprehensive English Verb Tenses Guide

English Verb Tenses

Past Simple

Form:

• Regular verbs: Base form + -ed (e.g., wanted)
• Irregular verbs: Consult an irregular verb list (e.g., went)
• Negative: Did not + base form (e.g., didn't want)

Uses:

• Completed actions in the past (e.g., last year, yesterday, in 1937)

Past Continuous

Form:

• Was/Were + present participle (-ing form) (e.g., was walking, were talking)

Uses:

• Actions in progress at a specific time in the past
• Often used with "when" (past simple for the interrupting action) and "while" (past continuous for the longer action)

Present Perfect

Form:

• Have/Has + past participle (e.g., have talked, has eaten)

Uses:

• Actions completed at an unspecified time in the past
• Actions that started in the past and continue to the present
• Often used with "never," "ever," "for," "since," "already," "yet," and "just"

Present Perfect Continuous

Form:

• Have/Has + been + present participle (-ing form) (e.g., have been talking, has been eating)

Uses:

• Actions that started in the past and continue to the present (emphasizing duration)
• Often used with "for" (duration) and "since" (starting point)
• Also used with "lately" and "recently"

Past Perfect

Form:

• Had + past participle (e.g., had talked, had eaten)

Uses:

• Actions completed before another action in the past
• Often used with "by the time," "before," "when," "in the past," and "until"

Past Perfect Continuous

Form:

• Had + been + present participle (-ing form) (e.g., had been talking, had been eating)

Uses:

• Actions that were in progress before another action in the past (emphasizing duration)
• Often used with "for" and "since"

Present Simple

Form:

• Base form (e.g., talk, eat)
• Third person singular (he/she/it): Base form + -s (e.g., talks, eats)
• Negative: Do not/Does not + base form (e.g., don't talk, doesn't eat)

Uses:

• Habits, routines, and facts
• Often used with adverbs of frequency (e.g., always, every day, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, hardly ever, never)

Present Continuous

Form:

• Am/Is/Are + present participle (-ing form) (e.g., am walking, is talking, are eating)

Uses:

• Actions happening at the moment of speaking
• Temporary actions happening around now
• Future arrangements
• Often used with "at the moment," "now," "today," "this week," "currently," "lately," "these days," "tonight," and "tomorrow"

Future Simple

Form:

• Will + base form (e.g., will talk, will eat)

Uses:

• Predictions, promises, and spontaneous decisions
• Often used with "I think," "I believe," and "I promise"

Be Going To

Form:

• Am/Is/Are + going to + base form (e.g., am going to talk, is going to eat)

Uses:

• Plans and intentions
• Predictions based on present evidence

Future Continuous

Form:

• Will be + present participle (-ing form) (e.g., will be talking, will be eating)

Uses:

• Actions in progress at a specific time in the future
• Often used with time expressions (e.g., by 5 o'clock, five years from now)

Future Perfect

: will have  +3 colum. Se usa el futuro perfecto para acciones que ya se habrá terminado antes de otra acción en el futuro