TENSES made easy How and when to use the different tenses Explained simply, with easy to understand examples Andy Paul iSLCollective.com 1 The aim of this guide is to introduce the twelve tenses in a general way and to give a brief introduction of the main uses of them. The description of them are given in an easy to understand way and backed up with examples, but there will be other more complex versions of the tenses which can be researched following the basic understanding which is outlined here. In this guide V1 refers to the present simple form of the verb, V2 the past tense and V3 the past participle. The most common irregular verbs are listed at the end of this guide. All tenses can be used in the positive, negative or question form. The following ‘time lines’ may also help to improve understanding. Simple tenses are used whenever we are talking about a point in time. Continuous tenses are used whenever we are talking about a length of time. Perfect tenses are used whenever we are talking about a point in time before another point in time. Perfect continuous tenses are used whenever we are talking about a length of time up to a point in time. iSLCollective.com 2 Simple Tense Present Simple Subject + verb (V1) + (passive voice – S + is/am/are + verb (V3) + ...) Used for statements which are true at the moment, and may, or may not continue. This tense is also used for actions which regularly happen. I live in Thailand. He wears glasses. They always go to work at eight. Past simple Subject + verb (V2) + (passive voice – S + was/were + verb (V3) + ...) We use this tense to talk about events or actions which happened in the past, and are now finished. I saw Jo in the market last night. Jan called a while ago. I ate breakfast this morning. Future Simple Subject + will/shall + verb (V1) + (passive voice – S + will be + verb (V3) + ...) This is for events which are expected to happen sometime in the future, usually used with some time reference like later, tomorrow, in a minute, next year etc. I will go to America next month. He will visit his parents this evening. I’ll meet you at four o’clock. We can also talk about the future using the present continuous tense and often used with a time reference for the future. I’m going to …………. He’s arriving …………… They’re visiting …………. iSLCollective.com 3 Continuous Tense Present Continuous Subject + is/am/are + verb (V1) …ing + (passive voice – S + is/am/are + being + verb (V3) + ...) We use this tense for events or situations which are in progress at the time of speaking and are expected to continue. Often used with adverbs like now, at the moment, this week, etc. I’m living in Thailand now. They are working in Bangkok this week. The present continuous can also be used for planned actions in the future. With these we generally need a time reference. He’s arriving tomorrow. We’re spending next winter in England. Past Continuous Subject + was/were + verb (V1) …ing + (passive voice – S + was/were + being + verb (V3) + ...) Used to describe situations or actions that were in progress some time in the past, and actions that began before something else happened. Generally used with a time adverb or a second event. If used with a second event, this will normally be in the simple past. I was living abroad in 2008. She was working on her computer last night. While we were having dinner, the telephone rang. Future Continuous Subject + will/shall + be + verb (V1) …ing + (passive voice – not generally used) This tense is used for actions which will be in progress some time in the future. Often used to talk about a future activities already planned, and usually with some time reference. For example, later, soon, next year, etc. The manager will be arriving soon. They will be driving to Chaing Mai tomorrow. The future continuous and present continuous can often both have the same meaning when referring to planned events. He will be arriving tomorrow. / He’s (He is) arriving tomorrowWe’ll (We will) be spending this winter in England. / We’re (We are) spending this winter in England. iSLCollective.com 4 Perfect Tense Present Perfect Subject + have/has + verb (V3) + (passive voice – S + has/have + been + verb (V3) + ...) Used to describe actions occurring (or not occurring) at an unspecified time in the past but with some connection to the present, or if the time isn’t finished. e.g. this week, this year. I have lived here for five years. (and I still live here) I’ve (I have) just cleaned the house. She’s (She has) never eaten mango before. I have done a lot of work this month. We often use words like before, so far, up till now, just, recently, already etc. with this tense. Past Perfect Subject + had + verb (V3) + (passive voice – S + had been + verb (V3) + ...) The main use is to show which of two events happened first. The two events don’t necessarily have to be related, but the later event will also be in the past. Mainly using before, after and when. The man had left the party by the time the cake was cut. I had arrived at work before the rain started. Note that the event that happened first does not need to be listed first. Before the rain started, I had arrived at work. Future Perfect Subject + will/shall + have + verb (V3) + (passive voice – S + will have been + verb (V3) + ...) This tense is usually used to show an action that will already be completed by a certain time in the future. It often uses by, until, not.... until, plus a time, and with words that imply completion – build, complete, finish etc. or used after verbs like expect, hope, believe ....... I will have retired by the year 2015. I will have completed my house by this time next year. I expect you will have changed your mind by tomorrow. I will not have finished my homework until Monday. iSLCollective.com 5 Perfect Continuous Tense Present Perfect Continuous Subject + have/has + been + verb (V1) ...ing + (passive voice – not generally used) This tense is used when an activity has been in progress throughout a period of time, often with consequences now. The activity may, or may not still be in progress now. She has been typing all day. (she may still be typing, or has recently stopped) I’ve (I have) been working at Honda for fifteen years. (depending on the context – I still am, or recently changed jobs or retired) Past Perfect Continuous Subject + had + been + verb (V1) ...ing + (passive voice – not generally used) We use this tense similarly to the present perfect continuous, but for earlier activities often with a consequence then, rather than now. She had been typing letters all day. (the action has now finished) When I first met her, she had been working at Honda for fifteen years. (at that time she was still working, or recently finished) Future Perfect Continuous Subject + will/shall + have + been + verb (V1) ...ing + (passive voice – not generally used) Used to signify what is in progress now considered from a point in the future. Either the event, or time reference, can be listed first. By this time next week, I will have been working here for two years. We will have been living here for a year on September 5th. On September 5th, we will have been living here for a year. iSLCollective.com 6 Irregular verbs Present Past Past Participle 3rd Person Singular (V1) (V2) (V3) (he, she, it) Present Participle / Gerund Be (Is/am/are) Was/Were Been Is Being Beat Beat Beaten Beats Beating Become Became Become Becomes Becoming Begin Began Begun Begins Beginning Bite Bit Bitten Bites Biting Bleed Bled Bled Bleeds Bleeding Break Broke Broken Breaks Breaking Bring Brought Brought Brings Bringing Build Built Built Builds Building Burn Burnt Burnt Burns Burning Buy Bought Bought Buys Buying Catch Caught Caught Catches Catching Choose Chose Chosen Chooses Choosing Come Came Come Comes Coming Cost Cost Cost Costs Costing Cut Cut Cut Cuts Cutting Do Did Done Does Doing Draw Drew Drawn Draws Drawing Dream Dreamt Dreamt Dreams Dreaming Drink Drank Drunk Drinks Drinking Drive Drove Driven Drives Driving Eat Ate Eaten Eats Eating Fall Fell Fallen Falls Falling Feel Felt Felt Feels Feeling Fight Fought Fought Fights Fighting Find Found Found Finds Finding Fly Flew Flown Flies Flying Forget Forgot Forgotten Forgets Forgetting Freeze Froze Frozen Freezes Freezing Get Got Got Gets Getting iSLCollective.com 7 Present Past Past Participle 3rd Person Singular (V1) (V2) (V3) (he, she, it) Present Participle / Gerund Give Gave Given Gives Giving Go Went Gone/Been Goes Going Grow Grew Grown Grows Growing Have Had Had Has Having Hear Heard Heard Hears Hearing Hide Hid Hidden Hides Hiding Hit Hit Hit Hits Hitting Hold Held Held Holds Holding Hurt Hurt Hurt Hurts Hurting Keep Kept Kept Keeps Keeping Kneel Knelt/Kneeled Knelt/Kneeled Kneels Kneeling Know Knew Known Knows Knowing Lay Laid Laid Lays laying Lead Led Led Leads Leading Learn Learnt/Learned Learnt/Learned Learns Learning Leave Left Left Leaves Leaving Lend Lent Lent Lends Lending Let Let Let Lets Letting Lose Lost Lost Loses Losing Make Made Made Makes Making Mean Meant Meant Means Meaning Meet Met Met Meets Meeting Pay Paid Paid Pays Paying Put Put Put Puts Putting Read Read Read Reads Reading Ride Rode Ridden Rides Riding Ring Rang Rung Rings Ringing Run Ran Run Runs Running Say Said Said Says Saying See Saw Seen Sees Seeing Sell Sold Sold Sells Selling iSLCollective.com 8 Present Past Past Participle 3rd Person Singular (V1) (V2) (V3) (he, she, it) Present Participle / Gerund Send Sent Sent Sends Sending Set Set Set Sets Setting Shake Shook Shaken Shakes Shaking Shine Shone Shone Shines Shining Show Showed Shown Shows Showing Shut Shut Shut Shuts Shutting Sing Sang Sung Sings Singing Sit Sat Sat Sits Sitting Sleep Slept Slept Sleeps Sleeping Smell Smelt/Smelled Smelt/Smelled Smells Smelling Sow Sowed Sown Sows Sowing Speak Spoke Spoken Speaks Speaking Spell Spelt/Spelled Spelt/Spelled Spells Spelling Spend Spent Spent Spends Spending Spoil Spoilt/Spoiled Spoilt/Spoiled Spoils Spoiling Stand Stood Stood Stands Standing Steal Stole Stolen Steals Stealing Swim Swam Swum Swims Swimming Take Took Taken Takes Taking Teach Taught Taught Teaches Teaching Tell Told Told Tells Telling Think Thought Thought Thinks Thinking Throw Threw Thrown Throws Throwing Wake Woke Woken Wakes Waking Wear Wore Worn Wears Wearing Win Won Won Wins Winning Write Wrote Written Writes Writing These are the most common irregular verbs, although there are other less common ones. For regular verbs, just add an ...ed to the present tense (V1) for both the past (V2) and the past participle (V3). iSLCollective.com
