Verb Tenses in English: A Comprehensive Look
Present Tenses
Present Simple
This verb tense is used to express permanent states or actions that take place in the present and with a certain frequency (e.g., daily, every morning, etc.).
- I eat a lot.
- He eats a lot.
Present Continuous
This verb tense is used to express actions that are taking place in the present, at the same time the sentence is stated, or actions organized for the future.
- I am eating a hot dog.
- He is eating a hot dog.
Present Perfect Simple
This verb tense is used to express actions that have occurred in the very recent past, actions that began in the past and continue to the present or have just completed, or have consequences in the present.
- I’ve / I have walked for two hours.
- He’s / He has walked for two hours.
Present Perfect Continuous
This verb tense is used to talk about a past action that has just ended (and the result is obvious), or to talk about an action that began in the past and may have recently completed or is continuing in the present. It highlights the duration of the activity with “for” or “since”.
- I’ve / I have been running this morning.
- He’s / He has been running for one hour.
Past Tenses
Simple Past
This verb tense is used to express actions that occurred in the past, regardless of the specific time.
- I played in the park.
- I ate a lot.
Past Continuous
This tense expresses actions that took place in the past, but at a particular time.
- I was eating a hot dog.
- You were sleeping in the park.
Past Perfect Simple
This verb tense expresses actions that occurred in a less recent past than that expressed in the Present Perfect. It is often called the “past of the past.” An action that took place before another in the past.
- I’d / I had gone when they arrived.
- He’d / He had gone when they arrived.
Past Perfect Continuous
This tense is used to emphasize the duration of a past action, which happened before another past action.
- I’d / I had been running this morning.
- He’d / He had been running…
Future Tenses
Simple Future
This verb tense is used to express a prediction of the future, make promises, make an offering, or make a decision at the time of speaking.
- You’ll / You will return tonight.
- He’ll / He will return tonight.
Future Continuous
This verb tense is used to express an action that will be happening at a certain time in the future, emphasizing the duration of an action in the future.
- You’ll / You will be traveling to Rome this time tomorrow.
Future Perfect Simple
This verb tense is used to express actions that will be finished at a particular point in the future.
- I will have completed this job next week.
Future Perfect Continuous
This verb tense is used to express an unfinished action or unfinished period at a point in the future.
- Tomorrow, he’ll / he will have been working for a week.
Future with “Going To”
This verb tense is used to express intentions, talk about future plans, or forecast the future through plain facts in the present.
- I’m going to stay at home.
Conditional Tenses
Simple Conditional
This verb tense is used to express a hypothetical action conditioned by a present circumstance, or to express an action of a hypothetical future from a past perspective.
- I’d / I would eat an ice-cream (if I had money).
Continuous Conditional
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- I would be working if they hadn’t cancelled the project.
Conditional Perfect
This verb tense is used to express a hypothetical action of the past, conditional on other past actions.
- You would have seen him (if you had met him).
Common Irregular Verbs
Here are some common irregular verbs in English:
- be – was/were – been
- begin – began – begun
- bite – bit – bitten
- break – broke – broken
- bring – brought – brought
- buy – bought – bought
- catch – caught – caught
- choose – chose – chosen
- come – came – come
- cost – cost – cost
- cut – cut – cut
- do – did – done
- draw – drew – drawn
- drink – drank – drunk
- drive – drove – driven
- eat – ate – eaten
- fall – fell – fallen
- feel – felt – felt
- find – found – found
- fly – flew – flown
- forget – forgot – forgotten
- get – got – got/gotten (US)
- get up – got up – got up
- give – gave – given
- go – went – gone
- grow – grew – grown
- have – had – had
- hear – heard – heard