English tenses: all 12, explained simply

All 12 tenses in one table

Read the table as a grid: the first word of each name tells you when (present, past, future), the rest tells you how you look at the action — as a simple fact, as something in progress, as something completed before a point, or as something that has been going on up to a point.

In everyday English, two more future forms matter as much as will: be going to (plans and predictions from evidence: I'm going to start a new job) and the present continuous for arrangements (I'm meeting Anna on Friday). They are covered in the future section.

Present tenses

Present simple

For things that are true in general or that happen regularly: routines, habits, facts, timetables. Remember the -s with he, she and it — it is the most common mistake in spoken English at every level.

• She works in a bank.
• I drink coffee every morning.
• Water boils at 100 degrees.

Signal words: every day, usually, often, never, on Mondays

Present continuous

For actions happening at the moment of speaking, or around now, and for temporary situations. It also describes changes in progress: Prices are going up.

• She is working from home today.
• Look — it is raining.
• I am reading a great book at the moment.

Signal words: now, right now, at the moment, today, these days

Present perfect

Connects the past to the present. Use it for experiences (no time given), for past actions whose result matters now, and with since / for for periods that have not finished. As soon as you name a finished time (yesterday, in 2019), switch to the past simple.

• I have lost my keys.
• Have you ever been to Italy?
• We have lived here since 2019.

Signal words: ever, never, already, yet, just, since, for, so far

Present perfect continuous

Like the present perfect, but it puts the focus on the activity and its duration rather than the result. Often the answer to How long…? Verbs that describe states (know, like, own) do not normally take this form.

• I have been waiting for an hour.
• She has been learning English for three years.
• You're out of breath — have you been running?

Signal words: for, since, all day, lately, how long

Past tenses

Past simple

The basic past tense: a finished action at a finished time. Regular verbs add -ed; the common verbs are irregular (go – went, see – saw, buy – bought) and simply have to be learned. Questions and negatives use did + the base verb: Did you go? I didn't go.

• We moved here in 2019.
• I saw her yesterday.
• Did you watch the match last night?

Signal words: yesterday, last week, in 2019, two days ago, when

Past continuous

Describes an action in progress at a moment in the past. It is often the background, interrupted by a shorter event in the past simple: I was walking home when I saw him.

• I was cooking when you called.
• At eight o'clock we were having dinner.
• While she was driving, it started to snow.

Signal words: while, when, at that time, at 8 o'clock yesterday

Past perfect

Shows which of two past events happened first. You only need it when the order is not already clear; with before or after the past simple is usually enough.

• The train had left when we arrived.
• I had never seen the sea before that trip.
• She was tired because she had worked all night.

Signal words: before, after, by the time, already, never … before

Past perfect continuous

The past version of the present perfect continuous: how long an activity had been going on before a moment in the past. Rare in conversation, common in stories.

• She had been working there for ten years before she left.
• The ground was wet — it had been raining.
• We had been waiting for an hour when the bus came.

Signal words: for, since, before, by the time, how long

Future forms

English has no single future tense. Will is one of several ways to talk about the future, and the choice depends on whether something is a decision, a plan, an arrangement or a prediction.

Future simple (will)

For decisions made at the moment of speaking, predictions based on opinion (I think…), offers and promises. For plans you have already made, going to sounds more natural.

• I'll call you tonight.
• I think it'll be sunny tomorrow.
• "It's cold." — "I'll close the window."

Signal words: tomorrow, I think, probably, maybe, next year

Future continuous

For an action that will be in progress at a particular moment in the future. It is also a polite way to ask about plans: Will you be joining us?

• This time tomorrow I'll be flying to Rome.
• Don't call at nine — I'll be working.
• Will you be using the car tonight?

Signal words: this time tomorrow, at 9 tonight, all evening

Future perfect

For an action that will already be complete before a point in the future. Almost always appears with by (by Friday, by then).

• By June I'll have finished the course.
• By the time you arrive, we will have eaten.
• She will have left by then.

Signal words: by June, by then, by the time, before

Future perfect continuous

Measures the duration of an activity up to a point in the future. You will meet it in writing far more than in conversation.

• In May I'll have been living here for five years.
• By 6 pm she will have been driving for ten hours.

Signal words: by … for, by the time … for

be going to and the present continuous

be going to + base verb is used for intentions you have already decided on (I'm going to learn to drive) and predictions from what you can see (Watch out — you're going to fall!). The present continuous is used for fixed arrangements with a time and often other people (We're flying to Madrid on Monday). In conversation, these two are far more frequent than will for plans.

The pairs learners mix up most

• Present perfect vs past simple. I have seen that film (an experience, no time) vs I saw it last week (a finished time). With yesterday, last year, in 2019, ago the present perfect is wrong: I have seen it yesterday ✗.
• Present simple vs present continuous. I work in Madrid (permanent) vs I'm working in Madrid this month (temporary). Verbs of state — know, want, like, need, believe — normally stay simple: I know, not I am knowing.
• will vs going to. "The phone's ringing." — "I'll get it." (decided now) vs I'm going to call her tonight (decided earlier).
• Past continuous vs past simple. The long background action takes the continuous, the short event takes the simple: I was having a shower when the doorbell rang.
• for vs since. Both go with the perfect tenses: for + a period (for two years), since + a starting point (since 2019, since Monday).

Why tenses are hard: it depends on your first language

The difficulty with English tenses is rarely the forms; it is that your first language divides time differently. A few patterns cause trouble for learners from many countries:

• No perfect aspect. Many languages have no equivalent of the present perfect, or use their basic past tense where English needs it. The result is I live here since 2019 instead of I have lived here since 2019.
• One present for two. If your language has a single present form, the choice between I work and I'm working feels arbitrary. Ask yourself: is this permanent or temporary, routine or happening now?
• Time words instead of verb endings. Languages such as Chinese, Vietnamese and Indonesian mark time with words, not endings, so learners often drop -ed and -s in speech even when they know the rule.
• A compound past used as the simple past. In German, French and Italian the "have + participle" form is the everyday past, which leads to I have seen him yesterday ✗.

Each language version of this guide explains how the tenses of that language map onto English, with the typical mistakes.

Which tenses you need for speaking

You do not need all twelve to hold a conversation. Most everyday speech is carried by five forms: present simple, present continuous, past simple, present perfect and going to / will. The perfect continuous forms and the future perfect are rare in conversation — learn to recognise them, but do not wait to master them before you speak.

Try this: answer each question aloud in two or three sentences. Each one calls for a different tense.

1. What do you do? → Present simple
2. What are you working on these days? → Present continuous
3. What did you do last weekend? → Past simple
4. Have you ever lived in another city? → Present perfect
5. What are you going to do next year? → going to

If you notice yourself pausing to build the verb, that tense is not automatic yet. Practise it in speech, not on paper: say ten short sentences with it about your own life.

Quiz: 12 sentences

Put the verb in brackets into the right tense. Decide first, then open the answer.

Nine or more correct: your tense knowledge is solid — now make it automatic in speech. Fewer than six: work through the sections above one at a time, starting with the present perfect.

Practising tenses with TalkSmart

Tenses improve fastest when you study a rule and then use it in speech the same day. In TalkSmart's grammar section, lessons are ordered by CEFR level — from the present simple at A1 to the perfect continuous forms higher up — each with a short explanation and exercises that check your answers. The grammar exercises page has a free quiz by level.

Then use the tenses in a real conversation: the speaking partner asks about your past, your plans and your experiences, and the report after the session shows your corrected sentences — including the tense mistakes you made without noticing.

Open the grammar lessons → Start a speaking session

Frequently asked questions