Was watching what time it is. English tenses for dummies: a simple explanation of each aspect

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In front of you table of English times with examples and translation. For convenience, each sentence highlights the most important points that are worth paying attention to. This refers to auxiliary verbs, endings, as well as indicators of a particular tense. A table of English tenses with examples makes it possible to analyze the use of each tense thanks to the column “Use.”

Table of English tenses with examples and translation

Tense	Use	Example	Time indicators
1. Present Simple (simple present)	well-known facts, regular activities, actions repeated time after time	She go es abroad every summer(She goes abroad every summer)	often, every day, rarely, sometimes, rarely, regularly, every year, etc.
2. Present Continuous(present continuous)	something is in progress	I "m read ing a new novel this week(I'm reading a new novel this week)	now, at the moment, this week, this month, etc.
3. Present Perfect Simple (present perfect)	smth happened but result is important, not concrete time. The action is connected with present somehow. Smth happened in the past but we see & talk about the results now.	I have read this book before(I've read this book before) I have met him today(I met him today)	already, just, yet, recently, today, this year, this week
4. Present Perfect Continuous (present perfect continuous tense)	The action started in the past and is still going on now or has just finished.	I have been writing this essay for 2 hours already (I've been writing this essay for 2 hours) I have known him for ages (I've known him forever)	for, since NB! If the verb cannot be used in Continuous, apply Present Perfect Simple
5. Past Simple (simple past)	actions happened in the past and we know when.	When I was a child, I ate a lot of vegetables (When I was a child, I ate a lot of vegetables)	yesterday, the day before, last Monday, in 1991, etc.
6. Past Continuous (past continuous)	the action was going on at a concrete moment in the past. We want to stress the process.	She was reading a book when I phoned her(She was reading a book when I called her)	at 5 p.m. yesterday, at this time last Monday, etc.
7. Past Perfect (past perfect tense, prepast tense)	the action happened before one more event in the past	I had forgotten to ask him that question before I left (I forgot to ask him that question before leaving)	before, after, etc.
8. Past Perfect Continuous (past perfect continuous tense)	shows that some process was going on before the action in the past.	I had been watching TV before you came (I was watching TV before you came)	before, since
9. Future Simple (simple future)	decisions taken at the moment of speech, promises, repeated actions in the future	I will always love you (I will always love you)	always, later, when I arrive, next year, next month, etc.
10. Present Continuous (for future)	smth is going to happen in the nearest future. You have the verb of movement and concrete information as for the time or day.	They "re leaving for Paris today(They are leaving for Paris today)	today, tomorrow, tonight, this Monday, etc.
11. to be going to(for future)	smth will happen from your point of view. You are not sure if it is going to happen. For talking about weather.	It is going to rain (It's going to rain) Look out! You are going to fall (Careful! You will fall)	today, tomorrow, some day, in some time, next week, year, etc.
12. Future Perfect(future perfect)	The action will happen by concrete time in the future.	I will have finished the project by the time you come (I will complete the project by the time you come).	by the time you…, by this time tomorrow, by 6 p.m. tomorrow, etc.

I advise you to now immediately move on to composing your own sentences for each tense. This will allow you to better remember and begin to apply table of English times with examples and translation.

Want to spend more time on each rule? We offer a general English course at our school! You can sign up by simply contacting Skype fluentenglish24

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The main difficulty of the English language for beginners is tenses. There are only 12 tenses in the English language, but due to the specifics of some tenses, confusion occurs. In this article I will tell you in detail about the tenses of the English language with an example of use.

From the article you will learn:

English tenses with examples and translation into Russian

In English, there are traditionally 12 tenses. English tenses are divided into 3 groups:

1. Simple (Indefinite),
2. Continuous (Progressive),
3. Perfect.

They, in turn, in combination with the basic tense forms Present, Past and Future, form the corresponding tenses. Let's start with the group Indefinite.

Present Simple (Presen Indefinite) - Present Simple

How is it formed:

I form of the verb. This form is used in all persons and numbers, except for the third person singular: then the endings – s, -es – are added.

When to use:

1. The action occurs with a certain frequency. Used with such adverbs as always (always), rarely (rarely), often (often), usually (usually), never (ever), etc., in addition, with the word every (every day, every month, every year etc.)

She never listens to me.- She never listens to me.

I always go abroad in summer.— In the summer I always go abroad.

He goes to the theater every weekend.— He goes to the theater every weekend.

2. The effect is scientifically proven.

Water boils at 100 degrees.— Water boils at 100 degrees.

3. The sequence of actions is described.

I get up, wash my hands and face, have breakfast etc.— I get up, wash, have breakfast, etc.

Present Continuous - Present Continuous

It should be noted that some English present tenses can indicate the future.

How is it formed:

verb to be + I form of the verb + ing ending.

When used: 1. action takes place in at the moment.

I am watching TV now.— I'm watching TV now.

2. the action will take place in the near future, which is planned (!).

I am flying to New York next month.— Next month I'm flying to New York.

Present Perfect - Present Perfect

The peculiarity is that the English tenses of the Perfect group can denote the past, although they are called present.

Formation: have / has + III form of the verb.

When to use the present perfect tense:

1. the action happened today, this year, this week, etc., i.e. the period has not yet ended.

Has not written 10 books and he is just twenty!- He wrote 10 books, and he’s only twenty! (life goes on)

We have met this month.— We saw each other this month (the month has not ended)

He has met me today.- Today he met me.

2. with adverbs yet (yet), just (only), recently (recently), ever (always), never (never), already (already), etc.

I have just found out about this.- I just found out about this.

I've never been to England.— I've never been to England.

She has already done this work.- She has already done this work.

3. Action in the past affects the present state

We have gone to the forest and now he has a cold.— We went to the forest, and he caught a cold.

Past Simple - Past Simple

How to form the past simple tense:

II form of the verb, i.e. verb+ending –ed ( regular verbs), or II form irregular verb.

When to use:

1. The presence of a time marker yesterday (yesterday), last (past, last) or other.

He visited doctor last week.— Last week he visited the doctor.

I met him when I studied at the University.— I met him when I was at university.

2. The action happened in the past without any conditions.

I knew you would come.- I knew you would come.

3. Sequence of actions.

He took the taxi, asked to stop at the Time Square, looked through the window etc.— He took a taxi, asked to stop at Time Square, looked out the window, etc.

Past Continuous - Past Continuous

How to form the past continuous tense:

Verb to be in 2nd form + verb+ ing ending.

When to use:

1. The process lasted for a long time without interruption.

For example.

He was playing the piano the whole evening.— He played the piano all evening.

2. The process was interrupted by another action.

They came in when she was speaking by the phone.— They came in while she was talking on the phone.

Past Perfect - Past Perfect

How is it formed:

2nd form of the verb have + 3rd form of the verb.

When to use:

1. When agreeing on times.

He said that he had not noticed you.- He said he didn't notice you.

2. One action happened before the other.

Example: He had left before I could figure out something.“He left before I could understand anything.”

3. There is a temporary excuse by.

He had made his decision by summer.— By the summer he made a decision.

Future Simple - Future Simple

How is it formed:

Shall (used only with 1st person) will+I form of the verb.

When to use:

The action will take place in the future. Used with time markers tomorrow, next, or a deadline is indicated.

I will call you tomorrow.- I'll call you tomorrow.

He will visit us in 3 weeks.— He will visit us in 3 weeks.

Future Continuous - Future Continuous

How it is formed.

Auxiliary verb will/shall+be+1 verb form+ing

When used. The process continues into the future.

She will be dancing the whole day tomorrow.- Tomorrow she will dance all day.

Present Perfect Continuous - Present Perfect Continuous

How is it formed:

Have/has + been + verb+ing

When to use:

1. The action lasts from a moment in the past to a moment in the present (translated by the present)

I have been waiting for this moment all my life.“I’ve been waiting for this moment all my life.”

2. with the preposition since (s).

Their family has been owning this castle since 17th century.— Their family has owned this castle since the 17th century.

Past Perfect Continuous - Past Perfect Continuous

How is it formed:

Had + been + verb+ing

When to use:

One action is interrupted by another or is its cause.

I had been working hard the whole year, so I was exhausted. “I worked hard all year and was just exhausted.

Future Perfect Continuous - Future Perfect Continuous

English tenses such as Future Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous are used extremely rarely.

How is it formed:

Will/shall + have + been + verb+ ing

When to use:

The period of past and future is affected, the preposition of time by.

For example: I will have been working in this company for 10 years by 1st May.— By May 1, it will be 10 years that I have been working in this company.

Thus, we looked at 10 tenses of the English language (all based on 3 main ones).

“...only having mastered to the possible perfection... our native language, we will be able to master a foreign language to the possible perfection, but not before...” (F. M. Dostoevsky)

I subscribe to every word you say, Fedor Mikhailovich. If they are in your head basic knowledge native language AS A SYSTEM, logical and understandable, then we can easily learn the laws of a foreign language. For such a complex category as “tense” and the part of speech “verb” this is doubly relevant. For reference: at the philology department, 1 semester is devoted to the verb and 1 to all other parts of speech - it alone is more difficult than all of them combined! So, let's deal with English verb tenses once and for all.

Why do they confuse us? English verb tenses

When I read articles/manuals about English verbs, sometimes it even becomes funny from phrases like this: “English has 12 tenses, but Russian only has 3. That’s why it’s difficult for us.”

Is it true: We have 3 hours and it’s difficult for us.

Lie: in English there are 12 tenses (there are 3, like ours).

Additionally: Believe me, our verbs also have a lot of their own “problems”. If we understand them, we will understand English faster. Now we will do just that: we will analyze the Russian system of tenses, and then “overlay” it on the English tenses of verbs.

By the way, I didn’t make a mistake. There are 3 tenses in English:

• Past (past),
• Present (present),
• Future (future).

But each of them has 4 forms:

• Simple,
• Continuous,
• Perfect
• Perfect Continuous.

Thanks to such a detailed system, tenses in English describe the situation in detail and even without context verbs give more information than the Russians.

Get to know your native verbs a little better

Regarding Russian verbs, we will focus on only two features: tense and aspect. Understanding these categories will “give us strength” to comprehend the system of English times.

1. The tense of the verb expresses the relationship between the time of action and the moment of speech.

Everything is simple here: if the action took place before the moment of speech, it is in the past, if it takes place after, it is in the future, if during the time, it is in the present.

2. The type characterizes the action as completed or incomplete.

If the action is completed and cannot continue (its limit has been reached), then the verb is perfect and answers the question “what to do?”

Example: Freeze, sleep, run, go away, etc.

If the action is extended, “there is no end in sight,” then the verb is imperfect and answers the question “what to do?”

Example: freeze, sleep, run, leave, etc.

Aspect is a constant attribute of a verb; a verb does not “change in appearance,” but is always either perfect or imperfect.

IMPERFECT verbs have all three tenses.

Example: I was looking - I am looking for - I will look (compound form of the future tense)

PERFECT verbs have only past and future forms.

Example: found - I will find.

Pay attention to this: if the action is completed (everything, its limit has been reached), then in Russian it cannot be in the present tense.

3. The real tense and the grammatical form of the verb do not always coincide:

Example: He yesterdaycomesto me andspeaks: “Finally the sun is out!”

The action takes place yesterday (that is, in the past in relation to the moment of speech), but we express it in the forms of the present tense.

Another example: “The train leaves at three o’clock”

We talk about the future, but use the present tense.

Pay attention to this, because in the English language there are also similar “inconsistencies” (and you don’t need to be afraid of this).

4. We can talk about absolute and relative times.

For example, verbs "gone" And "fell asleep"– both past tense (absolute). But if we insert them into a sentence “After I left, he fell asleep.”, then the action "gone" will be in the past relative to the action "fell asleep". It turns out that relative time is the one that we see only from the context. Remember this moment.

Relative tense can be expressed not only by subordinate clauses, as in the example above, but also with the help of participles and gerunds.

An example with a perfect participle:Having cooked cake, sheremoved put it in the refrigerator. (first I cooked it, and then I put it away, here one action follows another)

An example with an imperfect participle:Cooking cake, shereadbook (actions are simultaneous, parallel).

Example with participle:Removedmom's apartmentlay downrest (first cleaned up and then lay down).

Main differences: how to quickly learn English verb tenses

Now we are ready to move on to English verb tenses. As I said above, their tenses provide more comprehensive information about the action even without context (it is laid down grammatically). I will name 5 more important differences between verb forms in English that I discovered while writing this article.

1. A different attitude to the concept of “moment of speech.”

Example: a Russian person says "I live in Russia". The moment I talk about it, I live. That's it, the time is present (we have only one).

In English "I live in London" It can be “always, constantly” or “at the moment, limited, and then something can change.” The choice of tense (Present Simple or Present Continuous) depends on these conditions.

2. This leads to another significant difference - the importance of the “segment of time” in which the action is performed.

This is perfectly illustrated by the example described above, and all the tenses of the Continuous “family”. Let me give you another one:

Compare: "Iwasin MoscowVlast year" and "Iwasin Moscowthroughoutall summer"

For a Russian verb there is no difference: past tense, imperfect form.

However, in English we will translate the first option into Past Simple, and the second into Past Continuous, since the period of time is indicated.

I was in Moscow last year. – I was living in Moscow all summer.

It turns out that indicating a period of time involves using the Continuous form.

3. Also important is the “point in time” at which the action will take place.

Example: a Russian person can say "II'll ordersoup"(verb of the future tense, perfect form).

In English, such a sentence will be constructed in the Future Simple: I will order a bowl of soup(spontaneous decision made at the moment of speech).

To make a verb perfect (perfective, if we draw an analogy with Russian), you need to indicate a specific point in time by which the action will be completed:

I will have called him backby six o'clock. - I'll call him backcloser to six o'clock(the action will be completed by a certain moment, use Future Perfect)

It turns out that indicating a point in time involves using the Perfect form.

By the way, by interval and moment of time we mean NOT only the direct meaning “from 17:00 to 18:00” or “by two o’clock in the morning”, but also time RELATIVE to another action/event/state (I did it while you did it).

He will have bought a new car before his wife comes back from a trip to London. – He will buy a car before his wife returns from a trip to London (he will complete the action BEFORE a certain moment, we use the Future Perfect).

4. In English, as in Russian, there is the concept of “completeness of action” (perfect). BUT!

There is a difference that causes English speakers to have a perfect present tense: is the result of an action performed in the past or in the present? If in the present, then we use the Present Perfect.

I have broken the cup - resulting in fragments;

Our son has learned how to read - as a result, he can read.

By the way, speaking of the Present Perfect, we will return again to the “moment and period of time.” If the action has completed BY NOW (just, already) or in a period of time that has NOT ENDED YET (today, this week/month/year), then the time is considered present.

5. In English there are perfect continuous verbs (in Russian they are either perfect or imperfect).

She had been working all night long - the translation of “She worked all night” will be logical, but the most accurate meaning of the sentence “She aboutworkedall night andfinished workin the morning,” that is, the action took place over a period of time and ended at its end.

It turns out that indicating both a segment and a point in time requires the use of the Perfect Continuous form.

English verb tenses with examples

We've sorted out the theory - let's move on to practice. Let's talk about each specific time. Let me make a reservation right away that I will NOT describe all cases of using tenses - this information can be found in different sources. I will simply describe the BASIC cases of using tenses in English (with examples) and explain their logic.

What's happening in the present

Present Simple used when we talk about a regular, constant, typical action that is NOT tied to the moment of speech.

Example: She speaks 2 foreign languages ​​– She speaks two foreign languages(that is, she knows how to speak them, this is her constant characteristic).

Present Continuous used when we want to show that an action is being performed right now (now). BINDED to the moment of speech.

Example: The doctor is performing an operation now - The doctor is now performing an operation (he is doing it right now, at the time of the speaker’s speech).

Present Perfect used when the action has completed (there is a result), but the time has not ended.

Example: He has called me today. - He called me today. (the action has already ended, but “today” has not yet ended).

Present Perfect Continuous used when an action began in the past and is still continuing in the present (we emphasize its duration).

Example: She has been watching TV all day. – She watches TV all day (from the very morning until now, can you imagine? It’s been all day!).

What happened in the past

Past Simple used to express an action that occurred at a certain time in the past, while the period of time has already ENDED.

Example: I saw him yesterday. – I saw him yesterday (that day is already over).

Past Continuous indicates a process that LASTED at a certain moment or period in the past.

Example: I was reading a book at midnight - I read a book at midnight (this process was in the past and lasted for some period of time).

Past Perfect remember Russian relative time. Do you remember mom who went to bed after cleaning? She cleaned the house in the Past Perfect. This “PRE-PAST” tense.

Example: I had studied English before I moved to Moscow - I learned English BEFORE I moved to Moscow (first I learned the language, and then I moved).

Past Perfect Continuous indicates an action that began in the past, continued for some “span of time” and ended at its end (or did not end).

Example: She had been cooking dinner for an hour before I came - She was preparing dinner for an hour before I came (The action lasted for a certain period of time, and then ended at a certain moment).

What will happen in the future

Future Simple used to denote any fact, decision or intention in the future, made at the time of speech.

We will take a taxi. – We will take a taxi (showing the intention in the future, accepted now).

Future Continuous indicates a process that will begin before a certain point in the future and will still be ongoing at that point.

I will be studying at university in a year. – I will study at the university in a year (the sentence does not indicate when the event will begin or end, we are talking about this specific moment in time, which lasts now, but in a year).

Future Perfect used to express a future action that will take place before a certain point in the future.

He will have gone by then. – He will have already left by that time (the action will be completed by the moment indicated in the context).

Future Perfect Continuous shows an action that will begin EARLIER than another future action, will have a certain RESULT at that moment, but will CONTINUE after it.

We will have been living together for 12 years next year - Next year we will live together for 12 years (the moment is indicated - next year, the duration is shown - for 12 whole years! But the action does not even think of ending).

But this form is used extremely rarely and is replaced either by the Future Continuous or the Future Perfect.

Looking for logic in everything: tenses in English “for dummies”

By the way, if you understand the logic of the main meaning of a particular time, then additional cases of use will fit perfectly into it.

1. For example: using the Present Continuous when we want to show dissatisfaction, irritation.

He is always coming late! - He's always late.

We're talking about habit! Why is the Present Simple not used? Because we indicate the duration and incessancy of this action. “Well, how long can this continue?” the Present Continuous is indignant in this case.

2. Another example: the use of Present Simple in schedules of buses, trains, movie shows, etc.

The train leaves at 8 a.m. – The train leaves at 8 am.

Why is the present tense used for actions that will take place in the future? Because these are periodically repeated actions. A more detailed comparison of Simple and Continuous.

So, in almost every case you can find a completely clear explanation. If it still doesn’t work out, well, you’ll have to remember. Still, a different language means a different way of thinking :)

Our YouTube video will help you figure it out even better.

Is it easy to learn English in a few lessons, as numerous calls from an army of teachers who consider themselves experts in the field of education promise? The experience of an even larger army of students cramming English lessons for beginners shows that not everything is as easy as promised. And the first stone in the study of English grammar, over which all beginners without exception stumble, immediately knocks off the patina of aplomb and ambition of future language users.

Such strange English times

Diligent Russian-speaking students get acquainted with the examples in the tables English courses starting to master the rules of English verb behavior. What a strange phenomenon is this part of speech in English grammar! What a system of incomprehensible word forms that should express an action in a particular time period! And why is this necessary, when everything is so clear in the native language: one present, one past and one future.

How many tenses are there in English grammar?

However, in such simple English, through which half the world communicates, and another quarter wants to learn it, there are as many as twelve tense forms of the verb only in the active voice. Thus, the present tense in English expresses a moment in time in reality in different ways. Native speakers, without thinking about grammar, will use one form of the verb when they talk about what they do always, sometimes, often or usually, and another if it is important for them to emphasize that they are busy with something at a given moment in time. In the first case, they will use that cell of their innate grammatical memory where verbs are collected in the form of the Present Simple, and in the second - the present continuous

For a Russian-speaking student, it is important to understand that the action about which we're talking about, can be momentary or extended over time, it can just happen or happen usually, as always, rarely or often. Each such action in English requires the use of a verb in a strictly defined form. In Russian, the nuances of relative time are defined lexically; participants in the dialogue specify in words how and when the action occurs: now, usually, often, from some point or during a certain period.

Present tense “ours” and “alien”

Those who explain English tenses for dummies know that it is most clear to understand the rule based on their native language. For example, we say “I (now) watch TV” or “I (usually) watch TV after dinner.” In both expressions, the verb “I look” is used in the present tense. But it’s a completely different matter if the same phrases are spoken by an Englishman. He will say: I am watching television and I watch television after dinner. They themselves, without additional lexical means, show that in the first case the action occurs right now, this very minute, and in the second the action is repeated, ordinary, daily.

Grammar tense system

It is not easy to understand the meaning of verbal diversity in expressing temporal layers of reality in the English language. Just a small example of usage different forms the present tense already puzzles the student. But there is also a past and a future.

Such an abundance of tenses surprises Russian-speaking students who are just beginning to grapple with the vagaries of the English verb. But later they even have to do numerous exercises on English tenses, honing the skills of correct word use in the flow of spoken language. Practice shows that it is easiest to master the tense forms of the verb in the system. Thus, by placing English tenses with examples in tables, it is easier to understand their grammatical multi-layered nature.

Apartment house for English verb

This house has four floors. Each floor is a grammatical tense: Simple, Continuous, Continuous. On each floor there are three apartments, in each of which residents settled - word forms of the present (Present), past (Past) and time. An example for settlement would be the incorrect verb “drink (drink)” and the correct verb “watch (watch)”.

English times. English Tenses

	I drink tea (always, often...) I watch television	I drank tea (yesterday...) I watched television	I will drink tea I will drink tea (tomorrow...) I will watch television
	I am drinking tea I'm drinking tea (now) I'm watching television	I was drinking tea I was drinking tea (at that moment in the past when you called...) I was watching television	I will be drinking tea I will drink tea (at some point in time in the future) I will be watching television
	I have drunk tea I drank tea (just now, already...) I have watched television	I drank tea (already, at some point in the past) I had watched television	I will have drunk tea I will already have tea (at some point in the future) I will have watched television
Perfect Continuous	I have been drinking tea for 2 h. I have been watching television since 5 o'clock	I had been drinking tea for 2 h. I had been watching television since 5 o'clock	I will have been drinking tea for 2 h. I will have been watching television since 5 o'clock

The English tenses presented with examples in the tables give a systematic idea of ​​the variety of verb word forms. Beginners in mastering the topic should practice with different English verbs, substituting them into the cells of the table. But in order to correctly use tense forms in speech, written and spoken, this is not enough. It is important to understand the situation in which the speaker is. Each verb form precisely points to a point in time, not absolute, but relative.

How to solve a grammar problem

Effective exercises include translating phrases from your native language into English. This way you can easily learn the rules of English tenses based on your native grammar. It is important to understand why this or that word form is required in a given context, and also to see the lexical and grammatical signals that will tell you which window of the table to look into.

What are you doing in the evenings?

I usually watch TV.

What are you doing now?

I drink tea and watch TV.

What were you doing yesterday when I called?

I was watching TV when you called.

I'll call you tomorrow at 5. What will you do?

Tomorrow at 5 I will watch TV.

This one, when translated, requires the use of six forms of verb tense, of which two are present, two are past and two are future. What are these forms? English times with examples in tables will help those who want to master difficult rules and apply them in practice.

In the Russian version there are hint words: “usually”, “in the evenings”, “now”, “tomorrow”. And also an indication of one action in relation to another: “When you called, I was watching TV,” “Tomorrow (when you call) I will be watching TV.” Look at the table and solve this grammar problem.

Phrases from dialogues in Russian will also help you learn the meaning of English tenses from the lower floor of “Perfect Continuous”.

How long have you been watching TV?

I watch TV from 5 o'clock (for two hours).

When you called (yesterday), I had already been watching TV for two hours (since 5 o’clock).

Tomorrow, by the time you come, I will have been watching TV for two hours already (from 5 o’clock).

How to say it in English?

In English lessons for beginners as they accumulate vocabulary Increasingly complex grammar exercises are included. But already from the first lessons the concept of tenses is given. First, about simple ones - from the Simple and Continuous groups, later the use of tenses of the Perfect and Perfect Continuous groups is practiced. Language is easier to learn in speech situations. That's why no rule in the frame will replace practical training. The material for this is available all around: on the street, at home, at work. Everywhere you can train the skill “How would I say this in English.”

There is one topic in language learning that we can probably talk about endlessly. Of course, we mean tenses in English. It is sometimes difficult for students new to the language to get used to the way English-speaking people divide their time for themselves. In fact, each tense form in English has its own analogue in Russian, we just don’t distinguish these forms separate groups. Therefore, understanding tenses is not at all difficult, and today you will see for yourself.

First, let's do a quick overview of all the time groups so you have an idea of ​​what we'll be talking about today. As in Russian, English sentences can be built in the past, present and future. But besides these tenses, English also has 4 tense forms, namely: Simple, Continuous, Perfect and Perfect Continuous. In general, it turns out that one idea can be expressed in twelve temporary forms. Each form has a different way of forming the verbs that appear in a sentence. With their help you can determine the time. Detailed table for clarity:

Formation of tenses in English
Time/View	Simple	Continuous or Progressive (long)	Perfect	Perfect Continuous / Progressive (perfect continuous)
Past (past)	V2	to be (2nd form) + V-ing	had + V3	had + been + V-ing
Present (present)	V1	to be (1st form) + V-ing	have / has + V3	have / has + been + V-ing
Future (future)	will + V1	will be + V-ing	will + have + V3	will + have + been + V-ing

Having briefly examined English tenses, let's move on to their more detailed study and consider the rules for forming tenses with examples.

Why are tenses needed in English?

But first I would like to dwell on the question of why tenses of the English language are needed and whether it is worth learning them all. The tense system in English helps to correctly convey your thoughts to others. That is, you can make it clear what action we are talking about. Was it in the past or present? Has it already ended or is it still going on? Or maybe it happens regularly? - all these questions will disappear on their own , if it is known what tense was used in the sentence.

“So I’m just starting to learn the language, and I’ll immediately have to learn all 12 tenses of the English language?” - you ask. Ideally, yes, you need to learn all tenses. But, most likely, you will not be able to do this at once. Therefore, start your training from the times of the Simple group. Knowing the simple tense, you will be able to explain what happened or will happen to you, what you need and why. But you shouldn’t limit yourself to this time, and therefore, having dealt with it, gradually continue to study other groups. The latest one to consider is the Perfect Continuous group. It is often resorted to when the language level of the students already “exceeds” the average, because the tenses of this group are used quite rarely and are used more to demonstrate their knowledge.

Tenses in English: Simple group

Simple		Present	Past	Future
	+	V1	V2	will + V1
	—	do / does + not + V1	did + not + V1	will + not + V1
	?	Do/Does... V1?	Did... V1?	Will...V1?

Present Simple

Present Simple or simple present tense , is perhaps the most used. The use of this English tense is necessary to express regularly repeated actions, habits, schedules and facts.

As you may have noticed from the table above, the present tense is formed using a verb in its initial form, that is, in the form in which the word is indicated in the dictionary. However, this form may vary slightly depending on the person and number. So, if an action is performed by a third person in the singular, the verbs have an ending -s (-es):

To form negative and interrogative sentences, the auxiliary verb do is used. If it is used with third persons in the singular, then this verb turns into does, because it takes away the ending -s (-es) from the semantic verb.

Examples:

As you can see, this tense does not have any complex grammatical rules.

Past Simple

Past Simple or simple past tense in English is used to express the same simple repeated actions, but only in the past. To form it, a verb in the second form is used. It comes in two types. If the verb is regular, then it is enough to add the ending –ed. If it is irregular, then you just need to memorize the second form, because each irregular verb has its own one. Compare:

In this case, the person performing the action does not affect the verb in any way, that is, for all persons the form of the verb is the same. Let's look at the use of this time using examples:

To form negative and interrogative sentences in this case, the auxiliary verb did is used. It takes over the function of the past tense determiner, so the semantic verb returns to its initial form:

Future Simple

Future Simple or simple future tense in English is used to express simple actions that will happen in the future. It has the auxiliary verb will in all three sentence forms:

	She will help you.	She will help you.
	I will explain you how to do this.	I'll explain to you how to do it.
	They will share their main ideas.	They will share their main ideas.
	You will not (won’t) remember anything.	You won't remember anything.
	She won’t be available because she’ll turn off her phone.	She won't be available because she will turn off her phone.
	They won't sign the documents.	They won't sign the documents.
	Will you be with me?	Will you be with me?
	Will they like the description of the product?	Will they like the product description?
	Will he lie or not?	Will he lie or not?

Tenses in English: Continuous group

Continuous / Progressive (Long)		Present	Past	Future
	+	to be (1st form) + V-ing	to be (2nd form) + V-ing	will be + V-ing
	—	to be (1st form) + not + V-ing	to be (2nd form) + not + V-ing	will + not + be + V-ing
	?	to be (1st form) ... V-ing?	to be (2nd form) ... V-ing?	Will...be V-ing?

Present Continuous

Present Continuous (Present Progressive) or present continuous tense in English (also known as continuous tense in English) is a tense that shows that an action is ongoing, that is, in the process of being performed at a given moment in time. It is usually constructed using the auxiliary verb to be, which is expressed in three forms, depending on person and number:

Examples:

	I am typing him a message right now.	I'm typing a message to him right now.
	We are watching TV all day long.	We watch TV all day.
	They are translating the text at the moment.	They are currently translating the text.
	He is not (isn’t) reading now.	He's not reading now.
	Jim isn’t writing a new post.	Jim doesn't write a new post.
	I am not (‘m not) learning Turkish.	I don't study Turkish.
	Is she working here till summer?	Is she working here until the summer?
	Are you doing this on purpose, huh?	You're doing this on purpose, right?
	Are they studying the course at the moment?	Are they currently studying this course?

Past Continuous

(Past Progressive) or past continuous tense is used to show that some action lasted at a certain point in the past. Its formation also requires auxiliary and semantic verbs. The same verb to be acts as an auxiliary verb, but only in the past tense:

Pronouns	to be in the past tense
I	was
We	were

The semantic verb is formed in the same way as for the present continuous tense.

Examples:

	I was sleeping when he called me.	I was sleeping when he called me.
	She was cooking while I was reading a newspaper.	She was cooking while I was reading the newspaper.
	They were watching a cartoon when the electricity was suddenly cut off.	They were watching a cartoon when suddenly the lights went out.
	He was not (wasn’t) surfing the Internet at 8 in the evening.	He wasn't surfing the Internet at 8 p.m.
	They were not (weren’t) talking to each other when I came in.	They weren't talking to each other when I walked in.
	I wasn't analyzing the results.	I didn't analyze the results.
	Was she laughing during your presentation?	Did she laugh during your presentation?
	Were they training in the evening?	Did they train in the evening?
	Was she teaching her student at 3 p.m.?	Was she tutoring her student at 3pm?

Future Continuous

Accordingly, Future Continuous (Future Progressive) or future continuous tense shows an action that will occur at a specific moment in the future. All 3 sentence forms in this tense need an auxiliary verb will be and a semantic verb ending in –ing:

	When I come back, they will be listening to music.	When I return, they will listen to music.
	I will be passing the exam this time tomorrow.	Tomorrow at this time I will be taking the exam.
	They will be rehearsing here at 9 p.m.	They will be rehearsing here at 9 pm.
	Diana will not (won’t) be recording a song tonight.	Diana won't be recording the song tonight.
	Unfortunately, I will not be spending time with my friends during my vacations.	Unfortunately, I won't be spending time with my friends during my vacation.
	They will not be building a website this time on Monday.	They will not be developing the website at this time on Monday.
	Will they be chilling the whole day?	Will they chill out all day?
	Will she be washing the dishes when we go downstairs?	Will she be washing the dishes when we go downstairs?
	Will they be conducting a research?	Will they do the research?

Tenses in English: Perfect group

Perfect (Perfect)		Present	Past	Future
	+	have / has + V3	had + V3	will + have + V3
	—	have / has + not + V3	had + not + V3	will + not + have + V3
	?	Have/Has…V3?	Had...V3?	Will...have V3?

Present Perfect

Present Perfect or present perfect tense is a tense in English used to express actions that have completed by now. It differs from the simple past tense in that it places emphasis on the result in the present that caused an action in the past.

This tense form requires the auxiliary verb have, which changes to has for the third person. But with verbs used as semantic ones, not everything is so simple. They are answered by the past participles. The participle can be formed in two ways:

• If the verb is correct, then it is enough to add the ending –ed:

Example sentences:

	The son has broken the window with a ball.	My son broke a window with a ball.
	My children have already made the list of presents.	My children have already made a gift list.
	I have heard this story many times.	I've heard this story many times.
	I have not (haven’t) hurt people ever.	I've never hurt people.
	She has not (hasn’t) decided yet.	She hasn't made a decision yet.
	They haven’t learned these formulas by heart; that’s why I’m sure they have written cheat sheets	They didn't memorize these formulas, so I'm sure they wrote spurs.
	Has she been to Europe?	Has she been to Europe?
	Have you ever watched an eclipse?	Have you ever watched an eclipse?
	Have they met him yet?	Have they already met him?

Past Perfect

Or the past perfect tense is used to show that some action took place before a specific moment in the past. It is formed using the auxiliary verb had and the same past participles:

	I had prepared a surprise for my children by 7 o’clock in the evening.	I have prepared a surprise for children by 7 p.m.
	We had considered all suggestions by Friday.	We reviewed all proposals by Friday.
	I wanted to visit her but she had moved already.	I wanted to visit her, but she had already moved.
	She had not (hadn’t) spent too much time before she understood the concept.	It didn't take her long before she understood the concept.
	They hadn’t finished the construction by the deadline.	They didn't finish construction by the deadline.
	We hadn't published the magazine by Monday.	We had not published the magazine by Monday.
	Had she edited everything by the end of the day?	Did she edit everything before the end of the day?
	Had he learned the details carefully before he started doing the project?	Did he study all the details carefully before starting the project?
	Had she come back by Thursday?	Was she back by Thursday?

Future Perfect

Future Perfect or future perfect tense, as you might have guessed, shows that the action will be completed by a certain point in the future. To form this tense, in addition to the auxiliary verb have, you will need the verb will. The meaning is the past participle:

	I will have changed everything by this time.	By this time I will change everything.
	She will have been in the Maldives at 3 a.m.	She will be in the Maldives at 3 am.
	The builders will have built the stadium by next winter.	Builders will build the stadium by next winter.
	They will not (won’t) have spent much time on family until they understand its value.	They will not spend much time on family until they understand its value.
	She won’t have reached her goals until she starts working.	She won't achieve her goals until she starts working.
	I think George and Quincy won’t have made up before your birthday party.	I don't think George and Quincy will make up until your birthday.
	Will they have made it by March?	Will they do it by March?
	Will she have got his real intentions before they get married?	Will she understand his true intentions before they get married?

Tenses in English: Perfect Continuous group

Perfect (Perfect)		Present	Past	Future
	+	have / has + been + V-ing	had + been + V-ing	will + have + been + V-ing
	—	have / has + not + been + V-ing	had + not + been + V-ing	will + not + have + been + V-ing
	?	Have / Has … been + V-ing?	Had... been + V-ing?	Will... have + been + V-ing?

Present Perfect Continuous

Present Perfect Continuous or present perfect continuous tense is a tense used to show an action that began and lasted up to a certain moment or continues to last now.

It has auxiliary verbs have been, which change to has been for the third person. The semantic one is the same verb that was used in Continuous tenses. Among all the English tenses of this group, the Present Perfect Continuous tense is the most commonly used:

	It has been raining all day long.	It rained all day.
	My friend has been persuading me to go with him for an hour.	My friend convinces me to go with him for an hour.
	I’m tired because we have been creating a studio all night.	I was tired because we had been setting up the studio all night.
	She has not (hasn’t) been learning French since she moved from Canada.	She doesn't study French since I moved from Canada.
	Bryan hasn’t been enjoying his weekends since his mother-in-law came to visit them.	Brian didn't enjoy the weekend because his mother-in-law was visiting.
	We haven't been sleeping all night.	We didn't sleep all night.
	How long have you been living here?	How long have you lived here?
	Have you been fighting again?	Did you fight again?
	Who has been touching my documents?!	Who touched my documents?!

Past Perfect Continuous

The Past Perfect Continuous or past perfect continuous tense is used in the same way as the Present Perfect Continuous, only in this case the action ends at a certain point in the past. Sentences are formed in this tense using the auxiliary verbs had been and the semantic verb ending in –ing. Since this form is not used very often and there are not many options for its use, let's look at just a few examples:

Future Perfect Continuous

Future Perfect Continuous or future perfect continuous tense implies a certain moment in the future. Time is used in very rare cases. It uses the auxiliary verbs will have been and the same semantic verb:

That's it. We hope that the explanation of the topic helped you, and the use of tenses in English is no longer a problem for you. Try to use all tense forms as often as possible when speaking, make up examples with them, do various exercises on English tenses and make translations.

To avoid having to constantly return to this article, redraw or create your own table of English tenses. It will be like a cheat sheet for you. Refer to it periodically, even if you have finished studying this topic, since repeating what you have covered will never do any harm. If you still have a little confusion with the tenses at first, with enough practice you will quickly understand how to use them. The main thing is that we deal with all the tenses step by step and do not move from one group to another until we have completely mastered the material.