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English tenses: all 12 tenses in one chart

Present, Past and Future — each as Simple, Continuous, Perfect and Perfect Continuous. On one page: the forms, when to use each tense, signal words and the tenses people mix up most, with quizzes to check yourself.

  • 12 tenses in one chart
  • Forms + − ?
  • Signal words
  • How to choose a tense
  • Quizzes with explanations
To the chartTest yourself

All the tenses at a glance

Rows show when (present, past, future), columns show how (fact, process, result, duration). Tap a tense to open its rule.

All the tenses at a glance
TimeSimpleContinuousPerfectPerfect Continuous
PresentPresent SimpleV1 / V-sI work · she worksPresent Continuousam / is / are + V-ingI’m workingPresent Perfecthave / has + V3I’ve workedPresent Perfect Continuoushave / has been + V-ingI’ve been working
PastPast SimpleV2 / V-edI workedPast Continuouswas / were + V-ingI was workingPast Perfecthad + V3I had workedPast Perfect Continuoushad been + V-ingI had been working
FutureFuture Simplewill + V1I’ll workFuture Continuouswill be + V-ingI’ll be workingFuture Perfectwill have + V3I’ll have workedFuture Perfect Continuouswill have been + V-ingI’ll have been working

English tenses chart with forms

Positive, negative and question forms, when we use each tense and the words that signal it.

English tenses chart with forms
TensePositiveNegativeQuestionWhen we use itSignal words
Present
Present SimpleI work · she worksdon’t / doesn’t + V1Do / Does + subject + V1?habits, facts, timetables, permanent statesalways · usually · often · every day
Present Continuousam / is / are + V-ingam not / isn’t / aren’t + V-ingAm / Is / Are + subject + V-ing?actions now, temporary situations, future arrangementsnow · at the moment · today · Look!
Present Perfecthave / has + V3haven’t / hasn’t + V3Have / Has + subject + V3?experience, a result now, still trueever · never · already · yet · just · for · since
Present Perfect Continuoushave / has been + V-inghaven’t / hasn’t been + V-ingHave / Has + subject + been + V-ing?still going on; just stopped with visible resultsfor · since · all day · How long…?
Past
Past SimpleV2 / V-ed: worked, wentdidn’t + V1Did + subject + V1?finished actions at a specific past timeyesterday · last week · ago · in 2020
Past Continuouswas / were + V-ingwasn’t / weren’t + V-ingWas / Were + subject + V-ing?in progress at a past moment, background to eventswhile · when · at 5 pm yesterday · all evening
Past Perfecthad + V3hadn’t + V3Had + subject + V3?before another past action or momentby the time · before · after · already · never before
Past Perfect Continuoushad been + V-inghadn’t been + V-ingHad + subject + been + V-ing?duration up to a past moment, the cause of a past situationfor · since · by the time · all day · when
Future
Future Simplewill + V1won’t (will not) + V1Will + subject + V1?instant decisions, promises, offers, predictionstomorrow · next week · soon · I think · probably
Future Continuouswill be + V-ingwon’t be + V-ingWill + subject + be + V-ing?in progress at a future moment; polite questions about plansthis time tomorrow · at 8 tonight · all day tomorrow
Future Perfectwill have + V3won’t have + V3Will + subject + have + V3?completed before a future momentby Friday · by the time · by then · before
Future Perfect Continuouswill have been + V-ingwon’t have been + V-ingWill + subject + have been + V-ing?duration up to a future momentby … for · by the time … for

V1 — the base form (work, go), V2 — the past form (worked, went), V3 — the past participle (worked, gone), V-ing — the -ing form.

How to choose a tense: four questions

First decide when the action happens (now, in the past, in the future), then what you want to say about it.

  • Simple

    A fact, a habit, a sequence

    What matters is that the action happens (happened, will happen) — as a fact or regularly.

    I work. I worked. I will work.

  • Continuous

    A process at a moment

    What matters is that the action is in progress at the moment we’re talking about.

    I’m working now. I was working at 5.

  • Perfect

    A result by a moment

    What matters is that the action is complete by a certain moment and there’s a result.

    I’ve finished. I had finished by 5.

  • Perfect Continuous

    How long it has lasted

    What matters is how long the action has been going on up to a moment (and maybe still is).

    I’ve been working for two hours.

Tenses people mix up most

Three pairs that trip up even B1–B2 learners. A short rule — and a quiz to make it stick.

  • Present Simple or Present Continuous

    Simple for habits and facts (I drink coffee every morning), Continuous for what’s happening now or for a while (I’m drinking tea today).

    Take the quiz

  • Present Perfect or Past Simple

    Past Simple when there’s a finished time in the past (I saw him yesterday). Present Perfect when the result matters, not the time (I’ve seen this film).

    Take the quiz

  • Will or going to

    Will for decisions made while speaking and predictions (I’ll call you). Going to for plans made earlier (I’m going to call her tonight).

    Take the quiz

Test yourself

A quiz for each group of tenses: choose an answer and see the explanation straight away.

FAQ

Didn’t find your answer? Send us a request — we’ll tell you everything.

How many tenses are there in English?

Traditionally 12: three times (present, past, future), each in four aspects (Simple, Continuous, Perfect, Perfect Continuous). Linguists count differently, but this is the handiest way to learn them.

Which tenses matter most?

For everyday conversation: Present Simple, Present Continuous, Past Simple, Present Perfect and the future with will and going to. They cover most situations; the rest come at B1–B2.

Where should I start?

With the Present Simple: it teaches the logic of the auxiliaries do / does. Then Present Continuous, Past Simple and the future. The perfect tenses are easier once these are automatic.

How can I remember all the tenses?

Don’t learn the chart by heart. Learn the logic: the auxiliary shows the time (do, did, will) and the form of the main verb shows the aspect (V-ing — a process, V3 — a result). Then practise with quizzes and in conversation.

Do native speakers use all 12 tenses?

Yes, but not equally often. The Future Perfect Continuous is rare, while the Present Simple and Past Simple come up in every conversation. Understand them all; actively use the main ones first.

All English resources

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