Tenses

What is a tense?

A tense shows when an action happens and how it happens (once, continuing, completed). English has three times — present, past and future — and four aspects — simple, continuous, perfect and perfect continuous — giving twelve tenses.

Present tenses

Simple present — V1 (s/es for he, she, it)

Uses:

1. Habits and routines: He goes for a walk every morning.
2. General truths and scientific facts: Water boils at 100 °C. The earth moves round the sun.
3. Fixed timetables and schedules (near future): The train leaves at 6.
4. Statements of state with verbs of thinking, feeling, possession: I know the answer. She loves music.
5. Instructions and commentary: Take the first left.
6. Future in time/condition clauses: If it rains, we will stay home. (not will rain)

Markers: always, usually, often, sometimes, never, every day, seldom, generally.

Present continuous — am/is/are + V-ing

1. An action happening now: He is writing a letter.
2. A temporary situation: I am staying with a friend this week.
3. A planned future action: We are leaving tomorrow.
4. Irritating habits with always: He is always complaining.
5. Changing situations: Prices are rising.

Markers: now, at present, at the moment, currently, today, this week.

Present perfect — has/have + V3

1. An action completed at an unspecified time in the past, with present relevance: I have finished my work.
2. An action that began in the past and continues (with since/for): He has lived here since 2015.
3. Life experience: Have you ever visited Goa?
4. A recent action: The train has just arrived.

Markers: already, yet, just, ever, never, since, for, so far, recently, lately, till now, up to now, this week.

Present perfect continuous — has/have been + V-ing

An action that started in the past and is still going on (or has just stopped, with visible results), stressing duration: He has been working since morning. It has been raining for three hours.

Past tenses

Simple past — V2

1. A completed action at a definite past time: He left yesterday.
2. Past habits: He played cricket daily in his youth. (also used to play)
3. A series of past actions: He came, saw and left.

Markers: yesterday, ago, last night, in 2010, once, then, when.

Past continuous — was/were + V-ing

1. An action in progress at a past moment: At 8 last night I was reading.
2. Interrupted action: I was walking when it began to rain. (long action in past continuous, short action in simple past)
3. Two simultaneous past actions: While he was cooking, she was reading.

Past perfect — had + V3

The earlier of two past actions: The train had left before I reached the station. Also used for unreal past in conditionals (If he had studied, he would have passed).

Markers: before, after, by the time, when, already, just, hardly ... when, no sooner ... than.

Past perfect continuous — had been + V-ing

Duration up to a moment in the past: He had been working for five hours when I met him.