Simple, Continuous, and Perfect Tenses in English

Classified in English

Written at February 23, 2025 on English with a size of 6.55 KB.

Present Simple, Past Simple, and Future with Will

Tense	Uses	Examples	Formation
Present Simple	Routines Universal truths Verbs of emotions, mental processes, etc. Scheduled future events	On Mondays, I get up at 6:30 AM. I don't like this movie. Does he live in Manchester?	do, does 3rd person singular -S
Past Simple	Finished actions in the past	Yesterday, I met Harry. I didn't study, and I failed the test. Did you attend school last week?	-ed did / didn't
Future with Will	Promises Predictions Spontaneous decisions	I will always love you. I'm sure it will be a good day. Wait! I will help you with those bags.	will / won't + base form

Present Continuous and Past Continuous

Tense

Uses

Examples

Formation

Present Continuous

Actions in progress
Arrangements
Temporary actions or changing routines

Where are you going with that suitcase?
I'm not seeing Alice tomorrow.
Today, he is having lunch with me.

am / is / are + -ing

Past Continuous

Actions in progress in the past:

Two simultaneous actions
An action in progress interrupted by another past action

I was sleeping when the alarm went off.
They weren't studying when I saw them.
Were you working while I was sleeping?

was / were + -ing

Present Perfect Continuous and Past Perfect

Tense	Uses	Examples	Formation
Present Perfect Continuous	Actions that started in the past and continue to the present (often without specific numbers or with non-permanent situations)	They have been working all morning.	have / has + been + -ing
Past Perfect	An action in the past that occurred before another past action	When they arrived, the movie had already finished.	had + past participle

"Be Going To" and Present Perfect

Tense	Uses	Examples	Formation
Be Going To	Intentions Predictions based on evidence	Look at that man! He is going to rob the bank. I'm not going to visit my parents this weekend. Are you going to study medicine when you finish high school?	am / is / are + going to + base form
Present Perfect	Finished actions with present relevance Life experiences Unfinished actions with for or since	I have failed the test, and now I have to do extra exercises. I haven't seen John for the last two weeks. Have you ever been to Paris?	have / has + past participle

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present perfect present simple english grammar past simple be going to examples past continuous formation verb tenses grammar rules past perfect verb conjugation future with will present continuous future simple english tenses