English Verb Tenses

PRESENT

Verb tense | Form | Use | Time expressions |
Present simple | Infinitive + s in 3rd person singular | Habits, facts, scheduled events and stative verbs | Always, usually, sometimes,normally, seldom, never |
Present continuous | To be + (verb)ing | Actions in progress, temporary actions and definite plans for the near future | Now, right now, at the moment, today, these days,this month |
Present perfect | Have/has + past participle | Actions that began in the past and continue in the present and actions that stopped recently | Never, ever, already, just, yet, recently,for, since, until now, so far |

PAST

Verb tense | Form | Use | Time expressions |
Past simple | Verb+ed or irregular verbs | Completed actions in the past and series of completed actions inthe past | Yesterday, last week, two days ago, in 2007, in the 1980s, the other day, when, then |
Past continuous | Was/were + (verb)ing | Incomplete actions in progress at an specific time in thepast, incomplete actions interrupted by other actions and two incomplete actions in progress at the same time in the past | Last night, last week, last year, at 4 o’clock, when, while, as |
Pastperfect | Had + past participle | Completed actions that took place before other actions in the past | Already, by the time, after, before, until, never, just |

FUTURE

Verb tense | Form | Use |Time expressions |
Future simple | Will + infinitive | Predictions, planned schedules, spontaneous decisions | This evening, in an hour, at 2’oclock, later, tomorrow, soon, in the future |Future continuous (going to) | To be + going to be + verb(ing) | Planned actions in the future and actions that are about too happen | This evening, in an hour, at 2’oclock, later, tomorrow, soon, in thefuture |
Future perfect | Will have + past participle | Completed actions at a certain time in the future | By this time next week, by 3 o’clock, by the end of…, by then, by August, in four months |