[ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY 1]

What is tense?

Tense is defined as :
- a set of verb forms that indicates a particular time or period of time in the past, present or
future.

Present tense ;

past

future perfect
progressive

simple

future perfect

present

future
progressive

future

TENSES

simple
past

simple future

present perfect
progressive

present perfect

past
progressive

pres
ent
progr
essiv
e

simpl
e
pres
ent

past perfect
progressive

to talk about the present

to talk about the future

to talk about the past when we are telling a story

in spoken english or when we are summarising a
book,film and etc

[ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY 1]

Talk about action that have begun but
have not ended at the time of speaking

present continuous

ex : they are
participating in an essaywriting competition

For actions that are

repeated or habitual

present
perfect
ex have you
ever eaten
fried
scorpions?

prese
nt
tense
simple
tense
ex: simon
doesnt
Express opinion and
read very
feelings
well

To indicate the duration of

an action

present
perfect
continuous
example : how
long has the
baby been
crying?

[ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY 1]

Past tense :

to about the past

to talk about
hypothese
for politeness

Simple past :

[ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY 1]

to indicate a past habit
ex : when i was younger, i wore
braces

simpl
e
past
for completed actions with or
without mentioning a specific
time
ex : we painted the walls in bright
colours

Past continuous

for stating a wish

ex : i wish i had many
siblins

[ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY 1]

for actions that were in progress

at some time in the past
ex : were you trying fish just
now?

to indicate
gradual
development
without a time
expression
ex: it was
getting dark.

past
continu
os

Past perfect

past perfect

Past perfect continuous

to show two actions

happening
simultaneously in the
past
ex: wendy dropped
her purse while she
was shopping in the
mall.

[ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY 1]

past perfect
continuous

Future tense

to talk about how

long something
went on up to a
particular time
ex: he had been
working hard, so
he deserved a
year end bonus.

to mark an event
going on in the
park when a
second one took
place
ex: mother had
been baking in
the kitchen when
the power supply
was cut.

[ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY 1]

Simple future
to make a
prediction based
on our opinion or
our past
experience
ex : the dog will
find its way back
to its owner.

simpl
e
futur
e
to predict that
something will
happen in the
future
ex: she looks pale.
i thinks she's
going to faint

Future continuou

s
to express future
without intention
ex: the children
better hurry as it
will be getting
dark soon.

future
continuou
s

to talk about an activity or

event going on at
particular time or over a
particular period in the
future
ex: afterthe operation, my
father wont be doing any
strenous exercises forn a
while.

future
perfect

[ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY 1]

to say something will be ended,

completed or achieved by a particular
point in the future
ex: when he is 40, he will have learnt
mandarin for ten years

also used for prediction

ex: if i stop drinking now, in
two month's i will have saved
enough to buy a new pair of
shoes

future perfect
continuous
to talk about future
when the event is
been as a definite
fact just as the
simple present form
is used to express a
fact in the present
time.
ex: tomorrow is
monday

to indicate the very

near future.
ex: the shows about
to begin

References :
http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/english-grammar/verbs/past-tense