English Grammar

English Tenses | The 12 Basic English Tenses

There are 12 Basic English Tenses ; Present simple Tense, Present Continuous Tense, Present Perfect Tense, Present Perfect Continuous Tense, Past Simple Tense, Past Continuous Tense, Past Perfect Tense, Past Perfect Continuous Tense, Future Simple Tense, Future Continuous, Future Perfect Tense, Future Perfect Continuous Tense. Here is discussed every Tense with Examples and Structures. Learn Tenses in English with detailed discussion of structures. 

There are 12 Basic English Tenses ; Present simple Tense, Present Continuous Tense, Present Perfect Tense, Present Perfect Continuous Tense, Past Simple Tense, Past Continuous Tense, Past Perfect Tense, Past Perfect Continuous Tense, Future Simple Tense, Future Continuous, Future Perfect Tense, Future Perfect Continuous Tense. Here is discussed every Tense with Examples and Structures. Learn Tenses in English with detailed discussion of structures.

Present Tense

Type Structure Example Signal Words
+ S + V1 + O I eat pizza. Everyday, Sometimes, Always , Often ,Usually , Seldom, Never , First , Then
S + Do/Does Not +  V1 + O I do not eat pizza.
? Do/Does + S + V1 + O Do I eat pizza?
+ S + Is ,Am , Are + V1 + ing + O I am eating pizza. Now , At the moment , Look , Listen
S + Is ,Am ,Are + Not + V1 + ing + O I am not eating pizza.
? Is , Am , Are + S + V1 + ing + O Am I eating pizza?
+ S + Has/Have + V3 + O I have eaten pizza. Just, yet, never, ever, already, so far, up to now, since ,for, recently
S + Has/Have + Not + V3 + O I have not eaten pizza.
? Has/Have + S + V3 + O Have I eaten pizza?
+ S + Has/Have + Been + V1 + ing + O I have been eating pizza. all day, the whole day, how long, since, for
S + Has/Have + Not + Been + V1 + ing + O I have not been eating pizza.
? Has/Have + S + Been + V1 + ing + O Have I been eating pizza?

Past Tense

Type Structure Example Signal Words
+ S + V2 + O I ate pizza. Last , Years Ago , Yesterday
S + Did Not +  V1 + O I Did not eat pizza.
? Did + S + V1 + O Did I eat pizza?
+ S + Was, Were + V1 + ing + O I was eating pizza. While
S + Was , Were + Not + V1 + ing + O I was not eating pizza.
? Was , Were + S + V1 + ing + O  Was I eating pizza?
+ S + Had  + V3 + O I had eaten pizza. Already , just , never
S + Had + Not + V3 + O I had not eaten pizza.
? Had + S + V3 + O Had I eaten pizza?
+ S + Had + Been + V1 + ing + O I had been eating pizza. how long , since , for
S + Had + Not + Been + V1 + ing + O I had not been eating pizza.
? Had + S + Been + V1 + ing + O Had I been eating pizza?

Future Tense

Type Structure Example Signal Words
+ S + Will + V1 + O I will eat pizza.
S + Will Not +  V1 + O I will not eat pizza.
? Will + S + V1 + O Will I eat pizza?
+ S + Will + Be + V1 + ing + O I will be eating pizza.
S + Will + Not + Be + V1 + ing + O I will not be eating pizza.
? Will + S + Be + V1 + ing + O Will I be eating pizza?
+ S + Will + Have + V3 + O I will have eaten pizza.
S + Will + Not + Have + V3 + O I will not have eaten pizza.
? Has/Have + S + V3 + O Have I eaten pizza?
+ S + Will + Have + Been + V1 + ing + O I will have been eating pizza.
S + Will + Not + Have + Been + V1 + ing + O I will not have been eating pizza.
? Will + S + Have + Been + V1 + ing + O Will I have been eating pizza?

There are 12 Basic English Tenses ; Present simple Tense, Present Continuous Tense, Present Perfect Tense, Present Perfect Continuous Tense, Past Simple Tense, Past Continuous Tense, Past Perfect Tense, Past Perfect Continuous Tense, Future Simple Tense, Future Continuous, Future Perfect Tense, Future Perfect Continuous Tense. Here is discussed every Tense with Examples and Structures. Learn Tenses in English with detailed discussion of structures. 

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