Verb Tenses Chart

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1) SIMPLE TENSES

Simple Present Tense

It snows in Alaska.
I watch television everyday.
I visit my cousin all the time.

In general, the simple present expresses events or situations that exist always, usually, habitually; they exist now, they have existed in the past, and will probably exist in the future. See Simple Present Tense for detailed grammar explanations.

PDFs: BE Positive   BE Negative   BE Questions   BE Mixed   WH Questions

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Simple Past Tense

It snowed yesterday.
I watched television last night.
I visited my cousin last year.

At one particular time in the past, this happened. It began and ended in the past. See simple past detailed explanations

PDFs: Regular Positive   Simple Past To Be   Irregular Positive   Irregular Negative & Questions   Mixed Exercise

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Simple Future Tense

It will snow tomorrow.
I will watch television tonight.
I will visit my cousin later.

At one particular time in the future, this will happen.
See Simple Future Tense for detailed explanations.

See Simple Tenses Practice

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2) PROGRESSIVE VERB TENSES

Present Progressive Tense

He is sleeping right now.

He is asleep at the moment. His sleep is in progress at the present time, and will probably continue.(at least for a while)
See Present Simple vs Present Continuous for detailed explanations.

PDFs: Positive   Negative & Questions   Simple Present vs Continuous 1   2

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Past Progressive Tense

He was sleeping when I arrived.

He went to sleep at 10:00 last night. I arrived at 11:00. He was still asleep. His sleep began before and was in progress at a particular time in the past. It probably continued.(at least for a while)
See Past Continuous Tense for detailed explanations.

PDFs: Past Simple vs Past Continuous Worksheet 1   Worksheet 2

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Future Progressive Tense

He will be sleeping when we arrive.

He will go to sleep at 10:00 tomorrow night. We will arrive around 11:00. The action of sleeping will begin before we arrive, and it will be in progress at a particular time in the future. His sleep will probably continue.(at least for a while) See Future Continuous Tense for details.

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3) PERFECT VERB TENSES

Present Perfect Tense

I have already eaten.

I finished eating something before now. The exact time is not important.
See Present Perfect Tense for details.

PDFs: Positive   Already / Just / Yet   After Because   Mixed
Past Simple vs Present Perfect Worksheet 1 / Worksheet 2

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Past Perfect Tense

I had already eaten when they arrived.

First I finished eating. Later they arrived. My eating was completely finished before another time in the past
See Past Perfect Tense for more details, examples and exercises.

PDFs: Past Perfect vs Past Simple Worksheet

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Future Perfect Tense

I will have already eaten when they arrive.

First I will finish eating. Later they will arrive. My eating will be completely finished before another time in the future. See Future Perfect Tense.

See Perfect Tenses Worksheet - Mixed

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4) PERFECT PROGRESSIVE VERB TENSES

Present Perfect Progressive Tense

I have been studying for two hours.

Event in progress: studying
When? Before now, up to now
How long? For two hours

See Present Perfect Continuous Tense for more explanations.

PDFs: Mixed   Mixed 2   Present Perfect vs Perfect Continuous Exercise 1 / 2

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Past Perfect Progressive Tense

I had been studying for two hours before my friends came.

Event in progress: studying
When? Before another event in the past
How long? For two hours
See Past Perfect Progressive Details

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Future Perfect Progressive Tense

I will have been studying for two hours by the time you arrive.

Event in progress: studying
When? Before another event in the future
How long? For two hours
See Future Perfect Continuous Tense Details


See Tenses Exercises

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