Present
Present Simple
Facts, habits, and routines
Structure
+ Subject + base verb (he/she/it + verbs)
− Subject + do/does + not + base verb
? Do/Does + subject + base verb?
− Subject + do/does + not + base verb
? Do/Does + subject + base verb?
When to use
Permanent facts and general truths
Regular habits and routines
Scheduled events (timetables, calendars)
States, feelings, and opinions
Examples
+She works at a bank in London.
−I don't drink coffee in the evening.
?Do you speak French?
Signal Words
always
usually
often
sometimes
never
every day/week
on Mondays
Remember: Add -s or -es to the verb for he/she/it. "He goes to work" not "He go to work."
Present Continuous
Actions happening right now or temporary situations
Structure
+ Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing
− Subject + am/is/are + not + verb-ing
? Am/Is/Are + subject + verb-ing?
− Subject + am/is/are + not + verb-ing
? Am/Is/Are + subject + verb-ing?
When to use
Actions happening right now, at this moment
Temporary situations
Changing or developing situations
Future arrangements already planned
Examples
+They are working on a new project this month.
−He isn't listening to the presentation.
?Are you coming to the meeting tomorrow?
Signal Words
now
right now
at the moment
currently
this week/month
today
Watch out: Stative verbs (know, believe, want, like, own) are not normally used in the continuous. Say "I know the answer" — not "I am knowing the answer."
Present Perfect
Past actions connected to the present
Structure
+ Subject + have/has + past participle (V3)
− Subject + have/has + not + past participle
? Have/Has + subject + past participle?
− Subject + have/has + not + past participle
? Have/Has + subject + past participle?
When to use
Life experiences (unspecified time)
Actions that started in the past and continue now
Recent actions with a present result
With "just," "already," and "yet"
Examples
+I have visited Japan three times.
−She hasn't finished the report yet.
?Have you ever worked abroad?
Signal Words
already
yet
just
ever / never
since
for
so far
recently
Key difference: Use Present Perfect when when doesn't matter. Use Past Simple when you mention a specific time. "I've been to Paris" vs. "I went to Paris last year."
Present Perfect Continuous
Duration of an action that started in the past and continues
Structure
+ Subject + have/has + been + verb-ing
− Subject + have/has + not + been + verb-ing
? Have/Has + subject + been + verb-ing?
− Subject + have/has + not + been + verb-ing
? Have/Has + subject + been + verb-ing?
When to use
Emphasize the duration of an ongoing activity
An action that recently stopped but has visible results now
Express annoyance about a repeated action
Examples
+I have been studying English for two years.
−He hasn't been sleeping well lately.
?How long have you been waiting?
Signal Words
for
since
how long
all day/morning
lately
recently
Present Perfect vs. Present Perfect Continuous: "I've read three books" (focus on the result — 3 books). "I've been reading all morning" (focus on the activity/duration).
Past
Past Simple
Completed actions at a specific time in the past
Structure
+ Subject + verb-ed (or irregular V2)
− Subject + did + not + base verb
? Did + subject + base verb?
− Subject + did + not + base verb
? Did + subject + base verb?
When to use
Completed actions at a definite time in the past
A series of completed actions (narratives, stories)
Past habits (often with "used to")
Examples
+We signed the contract last Friday.
−I didn't attend the conference in March.
?Did you receive my email yesterday?
Signal Words
yesterday
last week/month/year
ago
in 2020
when I was…
then
Irregular verbs are key! There's no shortcut — learn the most common ones: go→went, see→saw, take→took, make→made, give→gave, write→wrote.
Past Continuous
Actions in progress at a specific point in the past
Structure
+ Subject + was/were + verb-ing
− Subject + was/were + not + verb-ing
? Was/Were + subject + verb-ing?
− Subject + was/were + not + verb-ing
? Was/Were + subject + verb-ing?
When to use
An action in progress when another action interrupted it
Two or more actions happening at the same time in the past
Setting the scene/background in a story
Examples
+I was preparing the slides when the power went out.
−They weren't paying attention during the training.
?What were you doing at 9 PM last night?
Signal Words
while
when
as
at that time
all day yesterday
Classic pattern: Past Continuous + when + Past Simple. "I was walking home when it started to rain."
Past Perfect
An action completed before another past action
Structure
+ Subject + had + past participle (V3)
− Subject + had + not + past participle
? Had + subject + past participle?
− Subject + had + not + past participle
? Had + subject + past participle?
When to use
An action completed before another action in the past
To show the cause of a past situation
In reported speech and third conditionals
Examples
+By the time I arrived, the meeting had already started.
−She hadn't read the email before the call.
?Had you met him before the interview?
Signal Words
before
after
by the time
already
just
never…before
until then
Think of it as "the past of the past." If the story is in Past Simple, the Past Perfect shows what happened even earlier.
Past Perfect Continuous
Duration of an action before another past event
Structure
+ Subject + had + been + verb-ing
− Subject + had + not + been + verb-ing
? Had + subject + been + verb-ing?
− Subject + had + not + been + verb-ing
? Had + subject + been + verb-ing?
When to use
Emphasize the duration of an activity before a past event
Show the cause of a past condition ("He was tired because…")
Examples
+She had been working for 10 hours when she finally took a break.
−We hadn't been waiting long before the bus arrived.
?How long had they been living there before they moved?
Signal Words
for
since
how long
before
by the time
all day/week
Compare: "He had worked there for 5 years" (fact/result) vs. "He had been working there for 5 years" (emphasizes the long, ongoing nature of the activity).
Future
Future Simple
Predictions, spontaneous decisions, promises
Structure
+ Subject + will + base verb
− Subject + will + not (won't) + base verb
? Will + subject + base verb?
− Subject + will + not (won't) + base verb
? Will + subject + base verb?
When to use
Predictions based on opinion or belief
Spontaneous decisions (made at the moment of speaking)
Promises, offers, and requests
Facts about the future
Examples
+I will send you the proposal by Friday.
−She won't be at the office tomorrow.
?Will you help me with this project?
Signal Words
tomorrow
next week/year
I think
probably
perhaps
in the future
"Will" vs. "Going to": Use will for decisions made NOW ("I'll have the salad"). Use going to for plans already decided ("I'm going to visit my parents this weekend").
Future Continuous
Actions in progress at a specific future time
Structure
+ Subject + will + be + verb-ing
− Subject + will + not + be + verb-ing
? Will + subject + be + verb-ing?
− Subject + will + not + be + verb-ing
? Will + subject + be + verb-ing?
When to use
An action that will be in progress at a specific future time
Polite inquiries about someone's plans
Parallel future activities
Examples
+This time tomorrow, I will be flying to Berlin.
−They won't be using the conference room after 3 PM.
?Will you be attending the webinar on Thursday?
Signal Words
this time tomorrow
at 3 PM
when you arrive
all day tomorrow
next Monday at…
Polite English: "Will you be joining us?" sounds softer and more professional than "Will you join us?" — great for business emails.
Future Perfect
Actions completed before a specific future time
Structure
+ Subject + will + have + past participle (V3)
− Subject + will + not + have + past participle
? Will + subject + have + past participle?
− Subject + will + not + have + past participle
? Will + subject + have + past participle?
When to use
An action that will be completed before a specific future time or event
Looking back from a future point
Examples
+By December, we will have launched the new website.
−I won't have finished the course by then.
?Will they have completed the renovation by June?
Signal Words
by + time
by the time
before
by next year
by then
Deadline thinking: The Future Perfect is perfect for talking about deadlines and achievements. "By the end of this year, I will have saved €5,000."
Future Perfect Continuous
Duration of an action up to a specific future point
Structure
+ Subject + will + have + been + verb-ing
− Subject + will + not + have + been + verb-ing
? Will + subject + have + been + verb-ing?
− Subject + will + not + have + been + verb-ing
? Will + subject + have + been + verb-ing?
When to use
Emphasize the duration of an activity leading up to a future point
Show cause and effect at a future time
Examples
+By June, I will have been teaching for 10 years.
−She won't have been working here long enough to qualify.
?How long will you have been living here by next year?
Signal Words
by + time
for + duration
by the time
when
by next month
This is the rarest tense, but it's powerful for milestones. "Next month, I will have been studying Japanese for a year!" Focus is on how long the activity has been going.