Learning each type of tenses in English makes it easy. English tenses are the main part of the grammar, if you have strength on these 12 tenses, then no one can stop you from speaking English fluently. Learning English grammar isn’t an easy task if you are learning English as a second language. But our team will help you to provide an easy way that is going to improve your English grammar skills. After leaving this page, you will be able to understand the differences between present, past, and future tenses. Let’s learn…
Why 12 Tenses?
We will start from the basics of the English language, why there are 12 tenses, and how to use them to talk about our daily, past, and upcoming lives in the English language.
In English, there are three main types of tenses known as present, past, and future tense. But if we dig deeper, there are 12 types, which teach us to talk about our daily, past, and future lives. First of all, we will understand about the main types of English grammar tenses:
Present Tense
By the name of this tense, we got an idea for which purpose this tense is used in the English language. Present tense is used to talk about:
- Habitual Actions (something done regularly): She travels to work every day.
- General Facts/Truths (something always true): The sun rises in the east.
- Scheduled Future Events (in timetables or plans): The train leaves at 6 PM.
- Ongoing Actions (actions happening now): She is traveling to Paris right now.
- Emotional or mental states (expressing current feelings): I feel happy today.
But if we talk more about the types of present tense, then there is a lot to learn new things in the English grammar. Let’s learn the short explanation of the four types of present tense with examples and formulas:
Types of Present Tense
There are four types of the present tense in English grammar, known as:
Present Simple Tense:
When you refer to habitual actions, customs, and facts, use simple present verb forms.
- Positive: Subject + base verb (s/es)
- Example: She travels to Paris every summer.
- Negative: Subject + do/does not + base verb
- Example: She does not travel to Paris every summer.
- Question: Do/Does + subject + base verb?
- Example: Does she travel to Paris every summer?
Present Continuous Tense:
When you refer to a temporary situation or an activity in progress, use the present progressive.
- Positive: Subject + am/is/are + verb + ing
- Example: She is traveling to Paris now.
- Negative: Subject + am/is/are + not + verb + ing
- Example: She is not traveling to Paris now.
- Question: Am/Is/Are + subject + verb + ing?
- Example: Is she traveling to Paris now?
Present Perfect Tense:
Use the present perfect when you want to refer to a situation that originated in the past but continues into the present or to refer to a past experience that has current relevance.
- Positive: Subject + have/has + past participle
- Example: She has traveled to Paris several times.
- Negative: Subject + have/has + not + past participle
- Example: She has not traveled to Paris yet.
- Question: Have/Has + subject + past participle?
- Example: Has she traveled to Paris yet?
Present Perfect Continuous Tense:
When you want to refer to an action, a state, or an event that originated in the past but is still ongoing or incomplete, use the present perfect progressive.
- Positive: Subject + have/has + been + verb + ing
- Example: She has been traveling to Paris for two hours.
- Negative: Subject + have/has + not + been + verb + ing
- Example: She has not been traveling to Paris for long.
- Question: Have/Has + subject + been + verb + ing?
- Example: Has she been traveling to Paris for two hours?
Past Tense
In this section, we will talk about the past tense uses, examples, types, formulas, and formation of sentences in English.
- Completed Actions (finished at a specific time): She traveled to Paris last year.
- Past Habits (things done regularly in the past): He drove to work every day when he lived in New York.
- Actions in Progress in the Past (ongoing at a specific moment): She was traveling to Paris when the news broke.
- Actions Completed Before Another Action (past perfect): She had already traveled to Paris before the lockdown began.
- Repeated Actions in the Past (happened multiple times): They visited their grandparents every summer.
- Emotional or Mental States in the Past: I felt nervous before the exam.
Now, let’s talk about the types of the past tense with structure and example sentences:
Past Simple Tense
When you refer to past or completed actions, states, or events, use simple past verb forms.
- Positive: Subject + past form of verb
- Example: She traveled to Paris last year.
- Negative: Subject + did not + base verb
- Example: She did not travel to Paris last year.
- Question: Did + subject + base verb?
- Example: Did she travel to Paris last year?
Past Continuous Tense
When you refer to a past action, state, or event that is incomplete or in progress, use the past progressive.
- Positive: Subject + was/were + verb + ing
- Example: She was traveling to Paris when I called.
- Negative: Subject + was/were + not + verb + ing
- Example: She was not traveling to Paris when I called.
- Question: Was/Were + subject + verb + ing?
- Example: Was she traveling to Paris when I called?
Past Perfect Tense
Use the past perfect when you want to refer to a past action, state, or event that occurred prior to another time in the past. The more recent past time may be expressed as a prepositional phrase or as a clause in which another action, state, or event is mentioned.
- Positive: Subject + had + past participle
- Example: She had traveled to Paris before the pandemic.
- Negative: Subject + had not + past participle
- Example: She had not traveled to Paris before the pandemic.
- Question: Had + subject + past participle?
- Example: Had she traveled to Paris before the pandemic?
Past Perfect Continuous Tense
When you want to refer to an action, a state, or an event that originated prior to another time in the past but is still ongoing or incomplete, use the past perfect progressive.
- Positive: Subject + had + been + verb + ing
- Example: She had been traveling to Paris before the lockdown.
- Negative: Subject + had not + been + verb + ing
- Example: She had not been traveling to Paris before the lockdown.
- Question: Had + subject + been + verb + ing?
- Example: Had she been traveling to Paris before the lockdown?
Future Tense
The future tense is used to describe actions or events that will happen after the present moment. Let’s learn more about the future tense:
- Simple Future Actions (something that will happen): She will travel to Paris next month.
- Predictions (what we think will happen): I think it will rain tomorrow.
- Planned Future Events (scheduled or arranged): They are going to meet their friends tonight.
- Future Actions in Progress (continuous actions happening at a specific time in the future): She will be traveling to Paris at this time tomorrow.
- Future Completion Before a Time (actions that will be completed before a certain point in the future): She will have traveled to Paris by the end of the year.
Each form of the Future Tense (simple, continuous, perfect, and perfect continuous) is used to express different kinds of actions or events that will take place in the future.
Types of Future Tenses
Future Simple Tense
When you are referring to a future action, state, or event, use the simple future.
- Positive: Subject + will + base verb
- Example: She will travel to Paris next summer.
- Negative: Subject + will not + base verb
- Example: She will not travel to Paris next summer.
- Question: Will + subject + base verb?
- Example: Will she travel to Paris next summer?
Future Continuous Tense
Use the future progressive when you refer to an action or event that will be ongoing at some time or for some period of time in the future.
- Positive: Subject + will + be + verb + ing
- Example: She will be traveling to Paris at this time tomorrow.
- Negative: Subject + will + not + be + verb + ing
- Example: She will not be traveling to Paris at this time tomorrow.
- Question: Will + subject + be + verb + ing?
- Example: Will she be traveling to Paris at this time tomorrow?
Future Perfect Tense
Use the future perfect when you want to refer to a future action, state, or event that will be completed by a specific time in the future.
- Positive: Subject + will + have + past participle
- Example: She will have traveled to Paris by next week.
- Negative: Subject + will + not + have + past participle
- Example: She will not have traveled to Paris by next week.
- Question: Will + subject + have + past participle?
- Example: Will she have traveled to Paris by next week?
Future Perfect Continuous Tense
When you want to refer to an ongoing action, state, or event or to a habitual action that will continue until or through a specific time, use the future perfect progressive.
- Positive: Subject + will + have + been + verb + ing
- Example: She will have been traveling to Paris for five hours by 8 PM.
- Negative: Subject + will + not + have + been + verb + ing
- Example: She will not have been traveling to Paris for five hours by 8 PM.
- Question: Will + subject + have + been + verb + ing?
- Example: Will she have been traveling to Paris for five hours by 8 PM?