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AN OVERVIEW OF THE TENSES

THE CONTENTS OF THIS PAGE

(More information will be added to this page from time to time.  Please report any errors or send any suggestions)

• TABLE-1: The names of the tenses

• TABLE-2: Separating the tenses into two sets

• TABLE-3: Auxiliary tenses + Verb Forms

• TABLE-4: Forming the tenses (affirmative)

• TABLE-5: Forming the tenses (negative)

• TABLE-6: The passive forms

• TABLE-7: Reported speech

• TABLE-8: Using the Present Perfect in conjunction with the Past Simple, Future Simple, Present Simple and Present Continuous

• CONCEPT QUESTIONS:  Contrasting tenses & constructions:

  • Be used to doing something v used to do something

  • Simple future v be going to

  • Present perfect v simple past

   

• With gratitude to Xochitl Bravo for pointing out an error on this page

RELATED PAGES ON THIS WEBSITE

• Irregular Verb List

• Grammar Overview (Section 4)

• Tense Practice using music

• Tense Practice using text

The following tense diagram is my favourite (US spelling: favorite), as it can be used to explain much about how the tenses work.  In order to make the diagram as clear as possible, I have made a number of diagrams to show different information.  Diagrams cannot really help you unless you know them very well.  Therefore, create a blank copy of the following diagram and test yourself as follows:-

1. With the names of the tenses

2. Then with the different auxiliaries required

3. Then by conjugating the verb CHOOSE with different subjects (I, he, they, John, etc.)

4. Then create sentences using any verb (regular and irregular)

AN OVERVIEW OF THE TENSES By Bibi Baxter

PAST

PRESENT

FUTURE

B

A

R

R

I

E

R

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

PAST CONTINUOUS

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

FUTURE CONTINUOUS

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

AN OVERVIEW OF THE TENSES By Bibi Baxter

TABLE-5: FORMING THE TENSES (NEGATIVE)

PAST

PRESENT

FUTURE

had not eaten

I/he/she/it/we/you/they did not eat

B

A

R

R

I

E

R

I/we/you/they have not eaten

he/she/it has not eaten

I/we/you/they do not eat

he/she/it does not eat

I/he/she/it/we/you/they will not eat

I/he/she/it/we/you/they will not have eaten

I/he/she/it/we/you/they had not been eating

we/you/they were not eating

I/he/she/it was not eating

I/we/you/they have not been eating

he/she/it has not been eating

I am not eating

he/she/it is not eating

we/you/they are not eating

I/he/she/it/we/you/they will not be eating

I/he/she/it/we/you/they will not have been eating

AN OVERVIEW OF THE TENSES By Bibi Baxter 

USING THE PRESENT PERFECT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SIMPLE PAST & THE PRESENT TENSES

(See the important note below for details of changes which are occurring in American spoken English)

TABLE-8:  For your convenience, the examples are numbered and colour-coded

PAST (Rules)

PRESENT

FUTURE

PAST SIMPLE (Detailed finished past)

• 1. My car broke down yesterday, so I took it to the garage.

• 2A. James started school in 1995

• 2B: Yes, I went last week.

• 3A.  When did she go? She went in 1976.

• 3B.  Who did she go with?   She went with her brother.

• 3C.  Why did she go?  She went for a holiday.

• 4A:  When did you eat them?  Were they nice?

• 5B: I didn't mean to break the window!

B

A

R

R

I

E

R

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE (See notes below)

• 1.It hasn't been repaired yet. (UNFINISHED PAST)

• 2A.  He hasn't left school yet. (UNFINISHED PAST)
• 2B: Have you been skiing yet?  Yes, I have/No, not yet/  No, I haven't yet.  (UNFINISHED PAST)
• 3.  Jenny has been to Tunisia.  (VAGUE FINISHED PAST)

• 4.  Have you ever eaten snails? (ever = in all your life and your life is unfinished.)  (UNFINISHED PAST)
• 4A: Yes, I have  (VAGUE FINISHED PAST)
• 4B: No, I haven't.(so far)  (UNFINISHED PAST)
• 4B:  Why haven't you tried them (so far)?  (UNFINISHED PAST)
• 4B:  Because I have never had the opportunity to try them. (but I might have the opportunity before I die)  (UNFINISHED PAST)

• 5: What have you done?
• 5A: I have just finished my homework (RECENTLY FINISHED PAST)

PRESENT SIMPLE

• 1. It is still in the garage.

• 2A. It is now 2002.

• 3. Jenny is not in Tunisia now.

• 4B.  Do you think (you will ever eat them?) 

FUTURE SIMPLE

• 4B:  (Do you think) you will ever eat them?

• 6.  Well, (it is because) until a few minutes ago, I was playing football

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

• 2A.  James has been attending school for 7 years. (UNFINISHED PAST)
• 2B  James has been attending school since 1995 (UNFINISHED PAST)

• 6.  Your clothes are filthy.  What have you been doing? (RECENTLY FINISHED PAST)
• 6.  I have been playing football (RECENTLY FINISHED PAST)

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

• 1. It is still not working

• 2. James is still at school.

THE PRESENT PERFECT FOR VAGUE FINISHED PAST OR RECENTLY FINISHED ACTIONS

JUST, RECENTLY, ONCE

THE PRESENT PERFECT FOR UNFINISHED PAST

There is no connection between the finished past and the present;  therefore, both present perfect tenses link the detailed finished past with the present 

• Present perfect (negative) + YET, SO FAR 

• Present Perfect + FOR + length of time

• Present Perfect + SINCE + point in time

• Have you ever .....?  (ever = in all your life = from life to death, whenever that will be) 

IMPORTANT NOTE:  (with gratitude to Juan Manual Suarez for his query about this important subject)

EUROPEAN LANGUAGES:  Many European languages have a tense which is conjugated like the English Present Perfect (e.g. German, French, etc).  These similarities are false friends, because the rules of the present perfect do not correspond with these 'lookalikes'.  

AMERICAN ENGLISH:  Due to the integration of many non-native speakers of English into American society, certain grammatical errors have been adopted into standard American English.  The most dramatic change has occurred in the use of the Simple Past and Present Perfect;  many Americans are now reversing the above rules when speaking English, i.e.  Simple present + YET, Present perfect + YESTERDAY.  This is all very well as a regional variation;  however, I am unsure as to how widespread this is, as it can be heard more frequently in many American films and TV programmes. (program/programme)  I would therefore be interested to know whether this use is considered acceptable in American-based exams and whether the correct grammatical version is therefore considered 'wrong' in the same exams, because it is difficult to advise multi-national students in British classrooms, who may later take TOEFL exams, or similar.

Australian English, South African English, New Zealand English have not adopted the American changes.

More free practice  ....