English Tenses
● Present
○ Simple Present
■ Usage: General facts, routines, habits, or things happening now.
■ Structure: Subject + verb's first form (+ s/es for singular subject)
■ Example: I play soccer. She reads books.
○ Present Continuous
■ Usage: Actions happening right now or current ongoing actions.
■ Structure: Subject + am/is/are + verb's first form + ing
■ Example: She is reading a book. We are playing soccer.
○ Present Perfect
■ Usage: Actions that happened at an unspecified time before now. The
time is not important.
■ Structure: Subject + has/have + verb's third form
■ Example: She has read the book. I have played soccer.
○ Present Perfect Continuous
■ Usage: Actions that started in the past and continue to the present.
■ Structure: Subject + has/have + been + verb's first form + ing
■ Example: I have been reading the book. They have been playing soccer.
● Past
○ Simple Past
■ Usage: Actions that happened and finished in the past.
■ Structure: Subject + verb's second form
■ Example: I read the book. They played soccer.
○ Past Continuous
■ Usage: Actions that were ongoing at a specific time in the past.
■ Structure: Subject + was/were + verb's first form + ing
■ Example: I was reading the book. They were playing soccer.
○ Past Perfect
■ Usage: Actions that happened before another action in the past.
■ Structure: Subject + had + verb's third form
■ Example: I had read the book. They had played soccer.
○ Past Perfect Continuous
■ Usage: Actions that were ongoing in the past and were completed before
another past action.
■ Structure: Subject + had + been + verb's first form + ing
■ Example: I had been reading the book. They had been playing soccer.
● Future
○ Simple Future
■ Usage: Actions that will happen in the future.
■ Structure: Subject + will/shall + verb's first form
■ Example: I will read the book. They will play soccer.
● Present
○ Simple Present
■ Usage: General facts, routines, habits, or things happening now.
■ Structure: Subject + verb's first form (+ s/es for singular subject)
■ Example: I play soccer. She reads books.
○ Present Continuous
■ Usage: Actions happening right now or current ongoing actions.
■ Structure: Subject + am/is/are + verb's first form + ing
■ Example: She is reading a book. We are playing soccer.
○ Present Perfect
■ Usage: Actions that happened at an unspecified time before now. The
time is not important.
■ Structure: Subject + has/have + verb's third form
■ Example: She has read the book. I have played soccer.
○ Present Perfect Continuous
■ Usage: Actions that started in the past and continue to the present.
■ Structure: Subject + has/have + been + verb's first form + ing
■ Example: I have been reading the book. They have been playing soccer.
● Past
○ Simple Past
■ Usage: Actions that happened and finished in the past.
■ Structure: Subject + verb's second form
■ Example: I read the book. They played soccer.
○ Past Continuous
■ Usage: Actions that were ongoing at a specific time in the past.
■ Structure: Subject + was/were + verb's first form + ing
■ Example: I was reading the book. They were playing soccer.
○ Past Perfect
■ Usage: Actions that happened before another action in the past.
■ Structure: Subject + had + verb's third form
■ Example: I had read the book. They had played soccer.
○ Past Perfect Continuous
■ Usage: Actions that were ongoing in the past and were completed before
another past action.
■ Structure: Subject + had + been + verb's first form + ing
■ Example: I had been reading the book. They had been playing soccer.
● Future
○ Simple Future
■ Usage: Actions that will happen in the future.
■ Structure: Subject + will/shall + verb's first form
■ Example: I will read the book. They will play soccer.
