English Tenses

A complete table of the twelve English tenses. Use the “use” column to choose the right tense before worrying about the form.

English & Writing Grammar · B1–C1 Updated Nov 1, 2026

Present

Tense	Form	Use	Example
Present simple	V / V-s	Habits, facts, schedules	She works here.
Present continuous	am/is/are + V-ing	Actions happening now	They are studying.
Present perfect	have/has + V3	Past action with present relevance	I have lost my keys.
Present perfect continuous	have/has been + V-ing	Ongoing action up to now	He has been waiting for an hour.

Past

Tense	Form	Use	Example
Past simple	V2	Finished action at a known time	We visited Rome in 2024.
Past continuous	was/were + V-ing	Action in progress in the past	I was reading at 8 pm.
Past perfect	had + V3	Earlier past action	She had left before I arrived.
Past perfect continuous	had been + V-ing	Ongoing action before another past action	They had been driving for hours.

Future

Tense	Form	Use	Example
Future simple	will + V	Predictions, decisions	I will call you.
Future continuous	will be + V-ing	Action in progress at a future time	We will be flying at noon.
Future perfect	will have + V3	Completed before a future point	She will have finished by Friday.
Future perfect continuous	will have been + V-ing	Duration up to a future point	By June, I will have been working here for a year.

Common mistakes

Using present perfect with a finished time: I have seen him yesterday → I saw him yesterday.
Forgetting the third form: I have went → I have gone.
Using present continuous for habits: I am going to school every day → I go to school every day.
Mixing will and going to for plans already decided: use going to.

Worked examples

Present perfect vs past simple

Choose the correct sentence: “I have finished my homework” or “I finished my homework yesterday”.

Both are correct, but they answer different questions. Use have finished when the time is not stated; use finished with a finished time such as yesterday.

Future forms

A plan made before speaking: “I will study medicine” or “I am going to study medicine”?

Use am going to for a plan or intention already decided.

FAQ

Do I need all twelve tenses?

For exams and academic writing, yes. For everyday conversation, six cover most situations.

What is V1, V2, V3?

V1 = base form, V2 = past simple, V3 = past participle.

Last updated November 1, 2026. Formulas are checked against standard references. Read the editorial policy.