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Master the 12 Tenses in English

Learn and understand the different types of tenses in English, with definitions and examples.

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Learning tenses is one of the most essential skills that is required while studying the English language. It
is important while communicating both verbally and in written form because it helps us clearly indicate
the time at which something has happened.

So, if you wish to convey your message accurately in the English language, then learning about tenses
becomes important.

Tenses in English

What is tense? A tense is a form of the verb that allows you to express time. The tense of the verb tells
us when an event or something existed or when a person did something. Past, present, and future are
the three main types of tenses.

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Tenses in English grammar with examples

The three main types of tenses in English are: past, present and future.

Past tense

The past tense is used to describe an activity or an event that has happened in the past or a past state of
being and needs to include a time marker for when the event or action took place.

Structural formula:

Subject + verb (2nd form) + object.

Examples:

We met yesterday.

He bought a new laptop last week.

Present tense

The simple present tense or present tense is one of the most basic tenses in English.

We use present tense to talk about something that is currently going on, something that is habitually
performed, or a state that generally or currently exists.

Structural formula:
Subject + verb (s/es) + object.

Examples:

She lives in Spain.

Bob drives a taxi.

Future tense

The future tense is a verb tense used to describe an event or action that has not yet happened and is
expected to happen in the future.

Structural formula:

Subject + shall/will+ verb (s/es) + object.

Example:

He will be here soon.

Now that we have understood the three main types of tenses, communicating in English with a native
English speaker will become easier. But to make communication in English easier and simpler, we need
to learn more about tenses and how to conjugate them. For a complete guide on how to conjugate
tenses, check out our guide on English conjugation.
Apart from the three main types of tenses - present, past, and future - there are different subtypes of
tenses which are mentioned below.

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What are the subtypes of tenses?

Past continuous tense

The past continuous tense is used to describe events or actions that have already occurred in the past.
It's employed to describe any action which has happened in the past.

Structural formula:

Subject + helping verb (was/were) + verb (ing) + object.

Examples:

I was watching TV.

We were sleeping.

She wasn’t eating her lunch.

Past perfect tense

The past perfect tense is used to describe an event that occurred before a completed action in the past.

Structural formula:

Subject + had + verb (ed) + object.

Examples:

He had gone when she became ill.

She had not lived in New York.

They had not been married long when I was born.

Past perfect continuous tense

The past perfect continuous tense represents any action or event that started in the past and sometimes
continued into another action or another time.

Structural formula:

Subject + had been + Verb (ing) + object (optional) + time of action.

Examples:

We had been playing games for 6 hours when Dad came home.
She had been reading magazines for 1 month before she decided to apply for the job.

Had she been washing dishes all day?

Want to know more about the past participle tense? Check out our guide and know more about the
usage of the past participle.

Present continuous tense

The present continuous tense is used to talk about the ongoing actions, events, or conditions that are
still not finished.

Structural formula:

Subject + helping verb (is / am/ are) + main verb (ing) + object.

Examples:

She is playing basketball.

Birds are flying in the sky.

I’m learning English.

Present perfect tense

The present perfect tense is used to describe a situation or event that has already occurred but has
immediate ramifications. The present perfect tense can be used to describe experiences, and situations
that occurred in the past but still have an influence on the present. We don't use it with time markers.
Structural formula:

Subject + helping verb (have/has) + verb (ed) + object.

Examples:

She has not finished her work yet.

I have seen that movie twice.

We have visited LA several times.

Present perfect continuous tense

The present perfect continuous tense shows a situation that has started in the past and continues in the
present.

Structural formula:

Subject + helping verb (have/has) + been + verb (ing) + object (optional) + since / for + time duration +
object.

Examples:

I have been learning English for many years.

He has been working here since 2010.

We have been saving money.

Want to know more about the present participle? Check out our guide on how to use the present
participle.

Future continuous tense

The future continuous tense is used to describe an ongoing action that will occur or occur in the future.

Structural formula:

Subject + shall/will be + verb (ing) + object.

Example:

He will be coming to visit us next week.

She will be watching TV.

He will be writing a letter to Mary.

Future perfect tense

The future perfect is used to describe an action that will be completed between now and a certain point
in the future.
Structural formula:

Subject + shall/will + have + verb (3rd form) + object.

Examples:

They will have finished the film before we get home.

She will have cleaned the house by 9pm.

Future perfect continuous tense

We use the future perfect continuous to focus on the duration of an action before a specific time in the
future.

Structural formula:

Subject + shall/will + have been + verb (ing) + object (optional) + time instant.

Examples:

He will have been studying hard for 2 weeks before the exam.

By the time the alarm goes off, we will have been sleeping for 8 hours.

tenses-en

Examples of tenses in English

Tense Present Past Future

Simple He rides a bike He rode a bike He will ride a bike

Continuous He is riding a bike He was riding a bike He will be riding a bike

Perfect He has ridden a bike He had ridden a bike He will have ridden a bike

Perfect continuous He has been riding a bike since the morning He had been riding a bike since
8 am He will have been riding a bike at 8 am tomorrow

Put your new knowledge into practice

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