The 12 English Verb Tenses
There are twelve basic English tenses, which can be divided into four categories: simple, progressive, perfect, and perfect progressive. The progressive verb tense, is also known as the continuous tense.
Simple Tenses
1. Present Simple: used to describe habitual actions, general truths or states that are always true.
Example: "I eat breakfast at 7 a.m. every day."
2. Past Simple: used to describe completed actions in the past.
Example: "I ate dinner at 6 p.m. last night."
3. Future Simple: used to describe actions that will happen in the future.
Example: "I will eat with my friends tomorrow."
Progressive Tenses
4. Present Progressive: used to describe actions that are happening right now or are currently in progress.
Example: "I am eating lunch right now."
5. Past Progressive: used to describe actions that were in progress in the past.
Example: "I was eating when you called me."
6. Future Progressive: used to describe actions that will be in progress in the future.
Example: "I will be eating dinner at 8 p.m."
Perfect Tenses
7. Present Perfect: used to describe actions that started in the past and are still relevant to the present.
Example: "I have eaten at that restaurant before."
8. Past Perfect: used to describe actions that were completed before another action in the past.
Example: "I had eaten by the time the guests arrived."
9. Future Perfect: used to describe actions that will be completed before another action in the future.
Example: "I will have eaten by the time you arrive."
Perfect Progressive Tenses
10. Present Perfect Progressive: used to describe actions that started in the past and are still in progress.
Example: "I have been eating healthier food lately."
11. Past Perfect Progressive: used to describe actions that were in progress for a period of time before another action in the past.
Example: "I had been eating for an hour when the movie started."
12. Future Perfect Progressive: used to describe actions that will be in progress for a period of time before another action in the future.
Example: "By the end of the month, I will have been eating at this restaurant for five years."
The 12 English Verb Tenses of ' To Study '
Present
1. Present Simple: I study every evening after dinner.
2. Present Continuous: I am studying for my exams right now.
3. Present Perfect: I have studied all the chapters already.
4. Present Perfect Continuous: I have been studying for three hours without a break.
Past
5. Past Simple: I studied for the test last night.
6. Past Continuous: I was studying when you called me.
7. Past Perfect: I had studied the material before the lecture.
8. Past Perfect Continuous: I had been studying for two hours when he arrived.
Future
9. Future Simple: I will study tomorrow morning.
10. Future Continuous: I will be studying at the library this afternoon.
11. Future Perfect: I will have studied all the topics by the time the exam starts.
12. Future Perfect Continuous: By next week, I will have been studying for this test for a month.
The 12 English Verb Tenses of ' To Walk '
Present
1. Present Simple: I walk to work every day.
2. Present Continuous: I am walking to the store right now.
3. Present Perfect: I have walked this path many times before.
4. Present Perfect Continuous: I have been walking for an hour without stopping.
Past
5. Past Simple: I walked to the park yesterday.
6. Past Continuous: I was walking home when it started to rain.
7. Past Perfect: I had walked to the store before it closed.
8. Past Perfect Continuous: I had been walking for ten minutes when I realized I forgot my wallet.
Future
9. Future Simple: I will walk to the meeting tomorrow.
10. Future Continuous: I will be walking my dog this evening.
11. Future Perfect: I will have walked 5 miles by the time I reach home.
12. Future Perfect Continuous: By the end of this week, I will have been walking every morning for a month.
The 12 English Verb Tenses of ' To Watch '
Present
1. Present Simple: I watch TV every evening.
2. Present Continuous: I am watching a movie right now.
3. Present Perfect: I have watched that series twice already.
4. Present Perfect Continuous: I have been watching this show for hours.
Past
5. Past Simple: I watched a documentary last night.
6. Past Continuous: I was watching the news when you called.
7. Past Perfect: I had watched the entire season before the new one started.
8. Past Perfect Continuous: I had been watching TV for an hour when the power went out.
Future
9. Future Simple: I will watch the game tomorrow.
10. Future Continuous: I will be watching my favorite show this evening.
11. Future Perfect: I will have watched all the episodes by the weekend.
12. Future Perfect Continuous: By the end of the week, I will have been watching this series for a month.