Verb Tenses for ESL Learners:
Tenses Summary
What is the present simple tense?
The Present Simple tense is a verb tense used to show general truths.
Present Simple
- I study every day. (Singular Subject)
- You study every day. (SS)
- John studies every day. (SS)
- We study every day. (Plural Subject)
- You study every day. (PS)
- They study every day. (PS)
What is the future simple tense?
The future simple tense in English is a word construction used to express the intention for action in the future.
Future Simple
- I will study tomorrow. (Singular Subject)
- You will study tomorrow. (SS)
- Mary will study tomorrow. (SS)
- We will study tomorrow. (Plural Subject)
- You will study tomorrow. (PS)
- They will study tomorrow. (PS)
What is the past simple tense?
The Past Simple tense is a verb tense used to show completed actions, habits and states from the past.
Past Simple
- I studied yesterday. (Singular Subject)
- You studied yesterday. (SS)
- Frank studied yesterday. (SS)
- We studied yesterday. (Plural Subject)
- You studied yesterday. (PS)
- They studied yesterday. (PS)
What is the present perfect tense?
The present perfect tense in English expresses actions or states from indefinite periods in the past.
Present Perfect
- I have studied for the test. (Singular Subject)
- You have studied for the test. (SS)
- Mark has studied for the test. (SS)
- We have studied for the test. (Plural Subject)
- You have studied for the test. (PS)
- They have studied for the test. (PS)
What is the future perfect tense?
The future perfect tense is an English tense used to talk about an action that will be completed sometime between the present and a specific point in the future.
Future Perfect
- I will have studied by then. (Singular Subject)
- You will have studied by then. (SS)
- Tom will have studied by then. (SS)
- We will have studied by then. (Plural Subject)
- You will have studied by then. (PS)
- They will have studied by then. (PS)
What is the past perfect tense?
The past perfect tense is used to express something that happened in the past before something else that also happened in the past.
Past Perfect
- I had studied for the test. (Singular Subject)
- You had studied for the test. (SS)
- Ellen had studied for the test. (SS)
- We had studied for the test. (Plural subject)
- You had studied for the test. (PS)
- They had studied for the test. (PS)
What is the present continuous tense?
The present continuous tense is an English tenses that is commonly used to express ongoing or unfinished actions happening now.
Present Continuous
- I am studying right now. (Singular Subject)
- You are studying right now. (SS)
- Tom is studying right now. (SS)
- We are studying right now. (Plural Subject)
- You are studying right now. (PS)
- They are studying right now. (PS)
What is the future continuous tense?
The future continuous tense is used to express actions in the future that are anticipated to last some length of time.
Future Continuous
- I will be studying later tonight. (Singular Subject)
- You will be studying later tonight. (SS)
- Carrie will be studying later tonight. (SS)
- We will be studying later tonight. (Plural Subject)
- You will be studying later tonight. (PS)
- They will be studying later tonight. (PS)
What is the past continuous tense?
The past continuous tense is a tense commonly used to express ongoing actions that happened in the past.
Past Continuous
- I was studying when you called. (Singular Subject)
- You were studying when I called. (SS)
- Tom was studying when you called. (SS)
- We were studying when you called. (Plural Subject)
- You were studying when they called. (SS)
- They were studying when you called. (SS)
What is the present perfect continuous tense?
The present perfect continuous tense is commonly used to express ongoing actions that began in the past and that continue into the present. A common use of the tense is to express the duration of an action.
Present Perfect Continuous
- I have been studying for two hours. (Singular Subject)
- You have been studying for two hours. (SS)
- Cindy has been studying for two hours. (SS)
- We have been studying for two hours. (Plural Subject)
- You have been studying for two hours. (PS)
- They have been studying for two hours. (PS)
What is the future perfect continuous tense?
The future perfect continuous tense expresses anticipated ongoing actions in the future up to another specified point or time in the the more distant future.
Future Perfect Continuous
- In fifteen minutes I will have been studying for three hours. (Singular Subject)
- In fifteen minutes you will have been studying for three hours. (SS)
- In fifteen minutes he will have been studying for three hours. (SS)
- In fifteen minutes we will have been studying for three hours. (Plural Subject)
- In fifteen minutes you will have been studying for three hours. (PS)
- In fifteen minutes they will have been studying for three hours. (PS)
What is the past perfect continuous tense?
The past perfect continuous tense expresses ongoing actions in the past with a clearly defined ending. The actions precede or go before another event in the past.
Past Perfect Continuous Tense
- I had been studying for three hours. (Singular Subject)
- You had been studying for three hours. (SS)
- Mary had been studying for three hours. (SS)
- We had been studying for three hours. (PS)
- You had been studying for three hours. (PS)
- They had been studying for three hours. (PS)
