Table of Verb Tenses in English Grammar
Introduction
Verb tenses show us when an action takes place: in the present, past or future. Each of the three main tenses has a progressive, perfect and perfect progressive aspect which give us more information about the time, progression or completion of an action.
This table of tenses in English grammar provides an overview of the 12 different verb tenses with examples in the positive, negative and interrogative or question form. You will also find tips on the usage of each tense and common signal words to help you recognise the tenses. For a detailed lesson including exercises, click on the name of the tense.
tense | positive/negative/question | usage | signal words |
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Simple Present
Present |
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always, every …, never, normally, often, seldom, sometimes, usually if-clause type I (If I talk, …) |
Present Progressive
Present Continuous |
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at the moment, just, just now, Listen!, Look!, now, right now |
Simple Past
Preterite |
P: He spoke. N: He did not speak. Q: Did he speak? |
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yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in 1990, the other day, last Friday if-clause type II (If I talked, …) |
Past Progressive
Preterite Continuous |
P: He was speaking. N: He was not speaking. Q: Was he speaking? |
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while, as long as |
Present Perfect
Perfect |
P: He has spoken. N: He has not spoken. Q: Has he spoken? |
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already, ever, just, never, not yet, so far, till now, up to now |
Present Perfect Progressive
Perfect Continuous |
P: He has been speaking. N: He has not been speaking. Q: Has he been speaking? |
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all day, for 4 years, since 1993, how long?, the whole week |
Past Perfect
Pluperfect |
P: He had spoken. N: He had not spoken. Q: Had he spoken? |
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already, just, never, not yet, once, until that day if-clause type III (If I had talked, …) |
Past Perfect Progressive
Pluperfect Continuous |
P: He had been speaking. N: He had not been speaking. Q: Had he been speaking? |
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for, since, the whole day, all day |
Future (will) | P: He will speak. N: He will not speak. Q: Will he speak? |
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in a year, next …, tomorrow if-clause type I (If you ask her, she will help you.) supposition: I think, probably, perhaps |
Future (going to) | P: He is going to speak. N: He is not going to speak. Q: Is he going to speak? |
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in one year, next week, tomorrow |
Future Progressive
Future Continuous |
P: He will be speaking. N: He will not be speaking. Q: Will he be speaking? |
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in one year, next week, tomorrow |
Future Perfect | P: He will have spoken. N: He will not have spoken. Q: Will he have spoken? |
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by Monday, in a week |
Future Perfect Progressive
Future Perfect Continuous |
P: He will have been speaking. N: He will not have been speaking. Q: Will he have been speaking? |
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for …, the last couple of hours, all day long |
Conditional I
Subjunctive II Present |
P: He would speak. N: He would not speak. Q: Would he speak? |
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if-clause type II (If I were you, I would go home.) |
Conditional I Progressive
Subjunctive II Continuous (Present) |
P: He would be speaking. N: He would not be speaking. Q: Would he be speaking? |
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Conditional II
Subjunctive II (Past) |
P: He would have spoken. N: He would not have spoken. Q: Would he have spoken? |
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if-clause type III (If I had seen that, I would have helped.) |
Conditional II Progressive
Subjunctive II Continuous (Past) |
P: He would have been speaking. N: He would not have been speaking. Q: Would he have been speaking? |
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