The basic forms of the English verb tenses:

positive negative question

present subject + verb (+ s ) subject + do / does + not + verb (question word +) do / does + subject +
simple I eat. I don’t eat toast. verb?
She eats toast. She doesn’t eat fish. Do you eat breakfast every day?
When does she eat lunch?
present subject + am / is / are subject + am / is / are + not (question word +) am / is / are +
simple I am hungry. I’m not hungry. subject…?
with ‘be’ She is in a cafe. She isn’t happy. Is he at home?
Why are you hungry?
present subject + am / is / are + verb-ing subject + am / is / are + not + verb- (question word +) am / is / are +
continuous She’s eating toast. ing subject + verb-ing?
They are eating lunch now. He isn’t eating. When are they eating?
We are not eating at home. Is he eating now?
present subject + have / has + past subject + have / has + not + past (question word +) have / has + subject
perfect participle participle + past participle?
I’ve eaten breakfast. We haven’t eaten yet. What have you eaten today?
He has eaten lunch. She hasn’t eaten the chocolate. Has she eaten lunch?
present subject + have / has + been + verb- subject + have / has + not + been + (question word +) have / has + subject
perfect ing verb-ing + been + verb-ing?
continuous I’ve been eating. They haven’t been eating. What has she been eating?
She’s been eating biscuits all day. He has not been eating toast. Have they been eating breakfast?
past subject + past simple (verb +ed) subject + did + not + verb (question word +) did + subject + verb?
simple I ate an apple. She didn’t eat anything. Did you eat the chocolate?
She ate some rice. They did not eat breakfast. What did they eat for lunch?
past subject + was / were subject + was / were + not (question word +) was / were +
simple I was hungry. We weren’t hungry. subject…?
with ‘be’ They were in a restaurant. She wasn’t at home. Why was she hungry?
Were you hungry?
past subject + was / were + verb-ing subject + was / were + not + verb- (question word +) was / were + subject
continuous I was eating. ing + verb-ing?
They were eating lunch. You weren’t eating. Where were you eating?
She wasn’t eating a sandwich. Was she eating an apple?
past subject + had + past participle subject + had + not + past participle (question word +) had + subject + past
perfect I had eaten. We hadn’t eaten. participle
She’d eaten lunch. He had not eaten an apple. Why had you eaten?
Had they eaten fish before?
past subject + had + been + verb-ing subject + had + not + been + verb- (question word +) had + subject + been
perfect I had been eating chocolate all day. ing + verb-ing?
continuous She’d been eating breakfast. I hadn’t been eating. Why had he been eating?
She hadn’t been eating an apple. Had they been eating enough fruit?
future subject + will + verb subject + will + not + verb (question word +) will + subject +
simple I will eat later. We won’t eat anything tonight. verb?
She will eat at home. He will not eat fish. What will you eat for lunch?
Will she eat meat?
future subject + will + be + verb-ing subject + will + not + be + verb-ing (question word +) will + subject + be +
continuous I will be eating at 8pm. They won’t be eating. verb-ing?
She will be eating a sandwich. He will not be eating anything. What will you be eating?
Will they be eating at 6pm?
future subject + will + have + past subject + will + not + have + past (question word +) will + subject + have
perfect participle participle + past participle?
I will have eaten lunch by 3 o’clock. He won’t have eaten lunch yet. When will you have eaten?
She’ll have eaten all the chocolate. They will not have eaten their Will she have eaten dinner by nine?
sandwiches.
future subject + will + have + been + subject + will + not + have + been + (question word +) will + subject + have
perfect verb-ing verb-ing + been + verb-ing?
continuous They will have been eating fruit. I won’t have been eating fish. What will she have been eating?
We’ll have been eating all day. They will not have been eating Will you have been eating chocolate?
lunch.

© www.perfect-english-grammar.com
May be freely copied for personal or classroom use.
 ALWAYS TRUE
Two and two make four. PERMANENT SITUATIONS
I live in London.

SHORT ACTIONS NOW

He takes the ball and scores a goal!

PRESENT
HABITS
She plays tennis every Tuesday.

Use with: twice a month, on

Fridays, often, sometimes.

PRESENT SIMPLE

FUTURE

FUTURE TIMETABLES
Our train leaves at 11am.
FUTURE IN TIME CLAUSES
Use with: this evening, at 10 I won't go out until it stops raining.
o'clock, tomorrow.
Use with: until, when, as soon as,
after, before.
UNFINISHED ACTIONS NOW
I'm working at the moment.

Use with: now, at the moment.

TEMPORARY SITUATIONS
I'm living in London.

Use with: at the moment, for a few

weeks, for a couple of months.

PRESENT

TEMPORARY HABITS
He's eating a lot these days.

Use with: at the moment, these

days.

ANNOYING HABITS
PRESENT You're forever losing your keys!
CONTINUOUS Use with: always, forever,
constantly.

FUTURE

DEFINITE FUTURE PLANS

I'm meeting my father tomorrow.

Use with: tomorrow, later, at 7pm

tonight, on Tuesday.
 UNFINISHED

HOW LONG

PRESENT I've known Karen since 1994.

She's lived in London for three years.
PERFECT SIMPLE
Use with: since 2010, since July,
for ten years, for three days.

UNFINISHED TIME WORD

I haven't seen her this month.
FINISHED
Use with: this week, today, this
month, this year.

PRESENT RESULT
I've lost my keys (so I can't get into my
house).
LIFE EXPERIENCE
I've been to Tokyo.

Use with: ever, never.

NEWS / RECENT EVENTS
The Queen has given a speech.

Use with: just / yet / already / recently.

 PRESENT PERFECT
CONTINUOUS

FINISHED

PRESENT RESULT
I've been working (that's why I'm tired).
UNFINISHED

HOW LONG
TEMPORARY SITUATIONS
I've been living in London for two years.
She's been working here since 2004. I've been going to the gym a lot recently.

Use with: recently.

Use with: since 2010, since July, for
ten years, for three days.
FINISHED TIME WORD
I went to the cinema yesterday.
Use with: yesterday, last night, in
2003, 6 months ago.
FINISHED TIME PERIOD
Leonardo painted the Mona Lisa.

PAST
DETAILS OF NEWS
I've hurt my leg. I fell off a ladder.

Use with: the present perfect.

ACTIONS IN STORIES
He sat down and ordered a coffee.
PAST SIMPLE
Use with: the past continuous.

PRESENT / UNREAL / IMAGINARY THINGS

FUTURE
If I won the lottery, I would buy a house.

Use with: wish, it's time, second

conditional.
 OVERLAPPING ACTION
I was walking to the station when I
met John.

Use with: when + past simple,

two o'clock, 7pm. STORY BACKGROUND
The birds were singing and the sun
was shining. Amy sat down.

Use with: the past simple.

SOME PAST HABITS

She was constantly singing.

Use with: always, forever,

constantly, at that time, in those
days. PAST
CONTINUOUS

EMPHASIS OF LENGTH OF ACTION

I was working in the garden all day.

Use with: all day, all evening, for hours.

ACTION FINISHED BEFORE ANOTHER PAST ACTION
When we arrived, the film had started.

Use with: when + past simple, June, last Tuesday.

HOW LONG TO A POINT IN THE PAST

When he graduated, he had been in London for six years.

Use with: when + past simple, for + time.

PAST
PERFECT

UNREAL THINGS IN THE PAST

I wish I hadn't gone to bed so late!

Use with: third conditionals, wish.

 PAST PERFECT
CONTINUOUS

HOW LONG TO A POINT

IN THE PAST
She had been working at that company
for a year when she met James.

Use with: when + past simple, for

+ time. RESULT AT A TIME IN THE
PAST

The pavement was wet. It had been

raining.

Use with: the past simple.

FUTURE PREDICTION
The sun will rise at 7 am.
I think the Conservatives will win the
next election.
PROMISES / REQUESTS /
REFUSALS / OFFERS
I'll help you with your homework.

WILL FUTURE CONDITIONALS

If it doesn't rain, we'll go to the park.

Use with: the first conditional.

homework.

FUTURE SIMPLE PLANS AND INTENTIONS

A: We've run out of milk.
B: I know. I'm going to buy some.

BE GOING FUTURE PREDICTION

TO
The sky is getting darker and darker. It's
going to rain.
 FUTURE
CONTINUOUS

OVERLAPPING ACTION
I'll be waiting when you arrive.

Use with: when + present simple, at 8pm.

FUTURE AS A MATTER OF COURSE

The government will be making a statement later.

Use with: later, tonight, next week on the 2nd of September.

 HOW LONG TO A POINT IN THE FUTURE
When we get married, I'll have known Robert for four years.

Use with: when + present simple, by the time +

present simple, for + time.

FUTURE
PERFECT SIMPLE

ACTION FINISHED BEFORE A POINT IN THE FUTURE

By ten o'clock, I will have finished my homework.

Use with: by three o'clock, by Friday, when + present simple, by the time
+ present simple.
 HOW LONG TO A POINT IN THE FUTURE
In April, she will have been teaching for twelve years.

Use with: when + present simple, by the time + present

simple, for + time.

FUTURE
PERFECT
CONTINUOUS

ACTION FINISHED BEFORE A POINT IN THE FUTURE

When I see you, I'll have been studying, so I'll be tired.

Use with: when + present simple, by the time + present simple.