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 English Verb Tenses
Every language in the world has verb tenses. These tenses, which refer to the present, past, and
future, explain when something — such as an action, event, or state -– happened. The problem is
that although all languages have verb tenses, not all languages have the same verb tenses or use
them in a similar way. That’s why English tenses are often confusing to ESL students.

The charts below provide a quick reference to help you understand the tenses in English more
easily:

• Chart 1 lists each English tense and explains when to use it.
• Chart 2 gives an example of each tense, in active and passive form.
• Chart 3 provides time words & expressions to help you recognize when to use each tense.

1 • English Verb Tenses more free resources, lessons, and quizzes at

www.engVid.com
by Rebecca Ezekiel

© LangVid Language Training, 2011

 Overview of English Verb Tenses
Usage: general action, habitual action, general truth
Present Simple
Example: I work in a hospital.

Usage: ongoing or temporary action

Present Continuous
Present Progressive
Example: Sorry, I can’t talk right now. I am working.

Usage: completed action or condition

Past Simple
Example: I worked for ten hours yesterday.

Usage: past ongoing action, past interrupted action

Past Continuous
Past Progressive
Example: I was working on my project when you called.

Usage: planned or unplanned future action

Future
Example: I will work at the main branch next week.

action that happened at an indefinite time in the past and

Usage:
continues to the present
Present Perfect
Example: I have worked at the bank for three years.

Usage: past action that happened before another past action.

Past Perfect
I had already worked for several years before I got
Example:
married.

Usage: future action that will happen before another future action
Future Perfect
Example: I will have worked here for five years next July.

past action that started in the past and continues to the

Usage:
Present Perfect Continuous present
Present Perfect Progressive
Example: I have been working on that project for the last two weeks.

past ongoing action that was completed before some

Usage:
Past Perfect Continuous other past action
Past Perfect Progressive
Example: I had been sleeping at my desk when my boss fired me.

Usage: future ongoing action that will occur before another action
Future Perfect Continuous
Future Perfect Progressive I will have been working here for ten years tomorrow, so
Example:
we’re having a party.

2 • English Verb Tenses more free resources, lessons, and quizzes at

www.engVid.com
by Rebecca Ezekiel

© LangVid Language Training, 2011

 Examples of English Verb Tenses
Verb Tense Example – Active Form Example –Passive Form

Present Simple I work. The work is done.

Present Continuous
I am working. The work is being done.
Present Progressive

Past Simple I worked. The work was done.

Past Continuous
I was working. The work was being done.
Past Progressive

I will work. The work will be done.

Future I’m going to work. The work is going to be done.

Present Perfect I have worked. The work has been done.

Past Perfect I had worked. The work had been done.

Future Perfect I will have worked. The work will have been done.

Present Perfect Continuous

I have been working. –
Present Perfect Progressive

Past Perfect Continuous

I had been working. –
Past Perfect Progressive

Future Perfect Continuous

I will have been working. –
Future Perfect Progressive

3 • English Verb Tenses more free resources, lessons, and quizzes at

www.engVid.com
by Rebecca Ezekiel

© LangVid Language Training, 2011

 Common Time Expressions for English Verb Tenses
Verb Tense Example – Active Form Time Clues
every day / morning / afternoon
every evening / night
always
never
Present Simple I work. sometimes
usually
frequently
rarely
seldom
now
Present Continuous right now
I am working.
Present Progressive at the present time
this weekend
yesterday
Past Simple I worked. last night / week / month / year
last summer / winter

Past Continuous while

I was working.
Past Progressive when

tomorrow
I will work. next week / month / year
Future I’m going to work. in the future
soon
since
until now
ever
Present Perfect I have worked.
never
for two hours / days / months
many times
already
by the time
Past Perfect I had worked.
till then
till that time

by the time...
Future Perfect I will have worked.
already

for the past four years

Present Perfect Continuous
I have been working. for the last two days
Present Perfect Progressive up to now
before
Past Perfect Continuous
I had been working. since
Past Perfect Progressive for three hours / days / weeks

Future Perfect Continuous by the time

I will have been working.
Future Perfect Progressive for six months / years

4 • English Verb Tenses more free resources, lessons, and quizzes at

www.engVid.com
by Rebecca Ezekiel

© LangVid Language Training, 2011

 MIXED TENSE REVISION
Complete the sentences with the suitable form of the verbs in
brackets.

1.- If I __________ (find) a good job, I’ll move to Madrid.

2.- He met his wife when he __________ (work) in Brussels.
3.- You can turn off the radio. I ____________ (not
listen) to it.
4.- Where _________ (you / have) dinner yesterday?
5.- This exercise is difficult. I __________ (help) you
to do it.
6.- What ____________ (you / cook) tonight?
7.- ____________ (you / finish) your homework yet?
8.- My father ___________ (go) to the bank. He’ll be back soon.
9.- What __________ (they / do) at 9.00 last night?
10.- It __________ (snow) when we _________ (leave) the library.
11.- I usually __________ (listen) to the news in the car.
12.- My cousin is a writer. He __________ (write) three novels.
13.- Be careful! The baby _________ (put) those keys in
his mouth!
14.- When ______________ (Barack Obama / become)
president of the USA?
15.- My students _____________ (not listen) when I gave
the instructions.
16.- Gonzalo is thirsty! I ___________ (get) him a glass of
water!
17.- If it ___________ (not rain) we’d lie on the beach.
18.- It’s my birthday next week- Don’t worry! I ____________
(not forget) it.
19.- I think it ___________ (rain) this afternoon.
20.- John _________ (speak) to Susan a minute ago.
21.- If you ask him nicely, he _________ (help) you.
22.- Would you like a coffee? No, thanks. I ________
(already / have) four cups today.
23.- ____________ (you /ever / have) an argument
with your parents about clothes.
24.- I’m sure they __________ (lose) the match.
25.- My neighbour has broken his leg. He _________
(not play) tennis this weekend.
26.- If I had the receipt, I __________ (return) these jeans.
27.- What would you like? I __________ (have) some orange juice.
28.- If my brother __________ (not arrive) soon, I’ll send him a text
message.
29..-I __________ (not see) my grandparents since last summer.
30.- If you found a purse, __________ (you / give) it to the teacher?
ANSWER KEY

1.- find
2.- was working
3.- am not listening
4.- did you have
5.- will help
6.- are you going to cook
7.- have you finished
8.- has gone
9.- were they doing
10.- was snowing / left
11.- listen
12.- has written
13.- is putting
14.- did Barack Obama
15.- were listening
16.- will get
17.- didn’t rain
18.- won’t forget
19.- it’s going to rain
20.- spoke
21.- will help
22.- have already had
23.- have you ever had
24.- will lose
25.- is not going to play
26.- would return
27.- will have
28.- doesn’t arrive
29.- haven’t seen
30.- would you give
 B1 All Tenses T035

Fill in the correct form of the verb given.

1. Jeff ____________ our bank manager at the moment. He _________________ here for three
years. (BE, BE)
2. I ____________________ when the alarm ____________________ off at 5.30 this morning. (STILL
SLEEP, GO)
3. If everyone donates $5, we ____________________ enough to buy a new machine. (HAVE)
4. There ______________ a great documentary on TV yesterday evening. ____________________
it? – No, I didn't. I ______________ to take my television set back to the store to have it
repaired. (BE, YOU SEE, HAVE)
5. When I ____________________ to the car park I didn't know where I ____________________ my
car. (RETURN, PARK)
6. My uncle ____________________ the same pullover the whole winter. I guess he ____________
it. (WEAR, LOVE)
7. Mum ____________________ dinner when the doctor __________________. (PREPARE, ARRIVE)
8. He ____________________ around with a limp since he ____________________ his accident a
few weeks ago. (WALK, HAVE)
9. You look pretty worried. – What ____________________? (HAPPEN)
10. When we ____________________ at the theatre the play ______________________. (ARRIVE,
ALREADY START)
11. When she ________________ home, she ________________ that her husband
____________________ for some time. (COME, SEE, DRINK)
12. ____________________ the good news? – Stan and Margie ____________________ married! –
That's not new. – I ____________________ about it for a few weeks. (YOU HEAR, GET,
KNOW)
13. I ____________________ to call you the whole week! – Where ______________________? (TRY,
YOU BE)
14. The manager ____________________ to an important customer at the moment, but he
____________________ you in a few minutes. (SPEAK, SEE)
15. Do you realize that you ____________________ on my toes? – It hurts! (STAND)
16. I think I ____________________ a break. I surely deserve one. (TAKE)
17. I wonder if he ____________________ my number. I ______________________ for him to call for
the last two hours. (FORGET, EXPECT)
18. The novel is about a man who ____________________ home from the war and
____________________ a new life. (COME, START)
19. When I ____________________ for my passport a few days ago, I ____________________ across
this old photo of our family reunion. (LOOK, COME)
20. I am sorry that I ____________________ to leave your party so early last night. I
____________________ myself. (HAVE, REALLY ENJOY)
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KEY

1. Jeff is our bank manager at the moment. He has been here for three years. (BE, BE)
2. I was still sleeping when the alarm went off at 5.30 this morning. (STILL SLEEP, GO)
3. If everyone donates $5, we will have enough to buy a new machine. (HAVE)
4. There was a great documentary on TV yesterday evening. Did you see it? – No, I didn't. I
had to take my television set back to the store to have it repaired. (BE, YOU SEE, HAVE)
5. When I returned to the car park I didn't know where I had parked my car. (RETURN,
PARK)
6. My uncle has been wearing the same pullover the whole winter. I guess he loves it.
(WEAR, LOVE)
7. Mum was preparing dinner when the doctor arrived. (PREPARE, ARRIVE)
8. He has been walking around with a limp since he had his accident a few weeks ago.
(WALK, HAVE)
9. You look pretty worried. – What happened/ has happened? (HAPPEN)
10. When we arrived at the theatre the play had already started. (ARRIVE, ALREADY
START)
11. When she came home, she saw that her husband had been drinking for some time.
(COME, SEE, DRINK)
12. Have you heard the good news? – Stan and Margie are getting married! – That's not
new. – I have known about it for a few weeks. (YOU HEAR, GET, KNOW)
13. I have been trying to call you the whole week! – Where have you been? (TRY, YOU
BE)
14. The manager is speaking to an important customer at the moment, but he will see
you in a few minutes. (SPEAK, SEE)
15. Do you realize that you are standing on my toes? – It hurts! (STAND)
16. I think I will take a break. I surely deserve one. (TAKE)
17. I wonder if he has forgotten/forgot my number. I have been expecting for him to
call for the last two hours. (FORGET, EXPECT)
18. The novel is about a man who came home from the war and started a new life .
(COME, START)
19. When I was looking for my passport a few days ago, I came across this old photo of
our family reunion. (LOOK, COME)
20. I am sorry that I had to leave your party so early last night. I was really enjoying
myself. (HAVE, REALLY ENJOY)

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