English Present Tenses Comparison

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Present tenses in English grammar

The present tenses in English Grammar are: the simple present, the present progressive (present continuous), the present perfect simple and the present perfect progressive (also present perfect continuous).

We can also use the future simple and progressive to make assumptions about something happening in the present.

Learn the difference between the present tenses in English grammar and how to use them correctly in a sentence. Put your knowledge to the test in the interactive exercises.

Example

  • Look! Buster is sleeping in the armchair!
  • I know. He sleeps there every day.
  • I have been looking for him outside for half an hour, you know. When I didn’t find him outside I thought, “He will probably be inside.”
  • Well, now you’ve found him.
  • How long has he been lying there?
  • For about an hour. Look, he is dreaming.
  • He will probably be dreaming of a nice bowl of milk.

When to use the English present tenses

The table below shows how to use the different English present tenses: simple present, present progressive, present perfect simple and present perfect progressive.

Tense Use
Simple Present

facts, general truths and regularly occurring actions

Example:
He sleeps there every day.
Buster is two years old.
Present Progressive

actions in progress at the moment of speaking

Example:
Look! Buster is sleeping in the armchair!
He is dreaming.
Present Perfect Simple

recently completed actions (often with just)

Example:
Now you have found him.
He’s just fallen asleep.

whether/how many times up to now (often with ever/never, how much/many)

Example:
The cat has never got lost.

completed action with a connection to the present

Example:
The cat has fallen asleep.

The cat is still asleep now.
Present Perfect Progressive

duration of an action that started in the past and is still ongoing at the moment of speaking (often with how long, for, since)

Example:
I have been looking for him outside for half an hour, you know.
How long has he been lying there?
will future

supposition about a condition/process in the present

Example:
He will probably be inside.
future progressive

supposition about what is currently happening

Example:
He will probably be dreaming of a nice bowl of milk.

Conjugation

For information on the conjugation of these tenses, see:

For information about verbs the can’t be used in the progressive form, see: