top of page

B2 Grammar :       The 12 Tenses in English

In English grammar, there are three main tenses, and they are each further classified into four different forms, which sum up to twelve tenses in total.

The 12 Tenses in English 

There are 12 Basic English Tenses ;

1. Present simple 

2. Present Continuous 

3. Present Perfect 

4. Present Perfect Continuous 

​

5. Past Simple 

6. Past Continuous 

7.Past Perfect Tense

8.Past Perfect Continuous 

- The 4 Past Tenses 

​

9. Future Simple 

10. Future Continuous

11. Future Perfect 

12. Future Perfect Continuous 

​

Present Tenses

1. Present simple Tense 

Present simple

​

Level: beginner

The present tense is the base form of the verb:

I work in London. 

But with the third person singular (she/he/it), we add an –s:

She works in London.

Present simple questions

Look at these questions:

Do you play the piano?
Where do you live?
Does Jack play football?
Where does he come from?
Do Rita and Angela live in Manchester?
Where do they work?

We use do and does to make questions with the present simple. We use does for the third person singular (she/he/it) and do for the others.

We use do and does with question words like where, what and when:

Where do Angela and Rita live?
What does Angela do?
When does Rita usually get up?

But questions with who often don't use do or does:

Who lives in London?
Who plays football at the weekend?
Who works at Liverpool City Hospital?

Here are some useful questions. Try to remember them:

Where do you come from?
Do you come from …?
Where do you live?
Do you live in ...?What work do you do?
Do you like …?
Do you know …?

​

Present simple negatives

Look at these sentences:

I like tennis but I don't like football. (don't = do not)
I don't live in London now.
I don't play the piano but I play the guitar.
They don't work at the weekend.
John doesn't live in Manchester. (doesn't = does not)
Angela doesn't drive to work. She goes by bus.

We use do and does to make negatives with the present simple. We use doesn't for the third person singular (she/he/it) and don't for the others.

​

Present simple and present time

We use the present simple to talk about:

  • something that is true in the present:

I'm nineteen years old.
I'm a student.
He lives in London.

  • something that happens regularly in the present:

I play football every weekend.

  • something that is always true:

The human body contains 206 bones.
Light travels at almost 300,000 kilometres per second.

We often use adverbs of frequency like sometimes, always and never with the present simple:

I sometimes go to the cinema.
She never plays football.

​

Here are some useful sentences. Complete them so that they are true for you and try to remember them:

My name is … .
I'm … years old.
I come from … .
I live in … .I'm a(n) … .
I … at the weekend.
I often … .
I never … .

​

Complete these sentences so that they are true for a friend and try to remember them:

Her/His name is … .
She's/He's … years old.
She/He comes from … .
She/He lives in … .She's/He's a(n) … .
She/He … at the weekend.
She/He often … .
She/He never … .

​

Level: intermediate

Present simple and future time

We also use the present simple to talk about:

  • something that is fixed in the future:

The school term starts next week.
The train leaves at 19.45 this evening.
We fly to Paris next week.

  • something in the future after time words like when, after and before and after if and unless:

I'll talk to John when I see him.
You must finish your work before you go home.
If it rains we'll get wet.
He won't come unless you ask him.

​

Level: advanced

We sometimes use the present simple to talk about the past when we are: 

  • telling a story:

I was walking down the street the other day when suddenly this man comes up to me and tells me he has lost his wallet and asks me to lend him some money. Well, he looks a bit dangerous so I'm not sure what to do and while we are standing there …

  • summarizing a book, film or play:

Harry Potter goes to Hogwarts School. He has two close friends, Hermione and …

Shakespeare's Hamlet is the Prince of Denmark. One night he sees his father's ghost. The ghost tells him he has been murdered …

​

2. Present Continuous Tense 

Present continuous

Level: beginner

The present continuous is made from the present tense of the verb be and the –ing form of a verb:

I amworking

You areplaying

He istalking

She isliving

It iseating

We arestaying

They aresleeping

We use the present continuous to talk about:

  • activities at the moment of speaking:

I'm just leaving work. I'll be home in an hour.
Please be quiet. The children are sleeping.

​

  • future plans or arrangements:

Mary is going to a new school next term.
What are you doing next week?

​

Present continuous questions

We make questions by putting am, is or are in front of the subject:

Are you listening?
Are they coming to your party?
When is she going home?
What am I doing here?

​

Present continuous negatives

We make negatives by putting not (or n't) after am, is or are:

I'm not doing that.
You aren't listening. (or You're not listening.)
They aren't coming to the party. (or They're not coming to the party.)
She isn't going home until Monday. (or She's not going home until Monday.)

​

Stative verbs

We do not normally use the continuous with stative verbs. Stative verbs include:

  • verbs of thinking and feeling:

believe
dislike
know
likelove
hate
prefer
realiserecognise
remember
suppose
think (= believe)understand
want
wish
 

  • verbs of the senses:

appear
feellook
seemsmell
soundtaste
 

  • others:

agree
bebelong
disagreeneed
oweown
possess

We normally use the simple instead:

I understand you. (NOT I am understanding you.)
This cake tastes wonderful. (NOT This cake is tasting wonderful.)

Level: intermediate

We also use the present continuous to talk about:

  • something which is happening before and after a specific time:

At eight o'clock we are usually having breakfast.
When I get home the children are doing their homework.

  • something which we think is temporary:

Michael is at university. He's studying history.
I'm working in London for the next two weeks.

  • something which is new and contrasts with a previous state:

These days most people are using email instead of writing letters.
What sort of clothes are teenagers wearing nowadays?
What sort of music are they listening to?

  • something which is changing, growing or developing:

The children are growing up quickly.
The climate is changing rapidly.
Your English is improving.

  • something which happens again and again:

It's always raining in London.
They are always arguing.
George is great. He's always laughing.

Note that we normally use always with this use.

​

Level: advanced

We can use the present continuous to talk about the past when we are:

  • telling a story:

The other day I'm just walking down the street when suddenly this man comes up to me and asks me to lend him some money. Well, he's carrying a big stick and he looks a bit dangerous, so I'm wondering what to do …

  • summarising a book, film or play:

Harry Potter is a pupil at Hogwarts school. One day when he is playing Quidditch he sees a strange object in the sky. He wonders what is happening …

​

​

​

3. Present Perfect Tense 

Present perfect

Level: beginner

The present perfect is formed from the present tense of the verb have and the past participle of a verb.

We use the present perfect:

  • for something that started in the past and continues in the present:

They've been married for nearly fifty years.
She has lived in Liverpool all her life.

  • when we are talking about our experience up to the present:

I've seen that film before.
I've played the guitar ever since I was a teenager.
He has written three books and he is working on another one.

We often use the adverb ever to talk about experience up to the present:

My last birthday was the worst day I have ever had.

and we use never for the negative form:

Have you ever met George?
Yes, but I've never met his wife.

​

  • for something that happened in the past but is important in the present:

I can't get in the house. I've lost my keys.
Teresa isn't at home. I think she has gone shopping.

​

have been and have gone

We use have/has been when someone has gone to a place and returned:

A: Where have you been?
B: I've just been out to the supermarket.

A: Have you ever been to San Francisco?
B: No, but I've been to Los Angeles.

But when someone has not returned, we use have/has gone:

A: Where's Maria? I haven't seen her for weeks.
B: She's gone to Paris for a week. She'll be back tomorrow. 

​

Present perfect with time adverbials 

We often use the present perfect with adverbials which refer to the recent past:

recentlyjustonly just

​

Scientists have recently discovered a new breed of monkey.
We have just got back from our holidays.

or adverbials which include the present:

so far     until now     up to now
ever (in questions)
yet (in questions and negatives)

Have you ever seen a ghost?
Where have you been up to now?
A: Have you finished your homework yet?
B: No, so far I've only done my history.

After a clause with the present perfect we often use a clause with since to show when something started in the past:

I've worked here since I left school.
I've been watching that programme every week since it started.

​

Be careful!

​

We do not use the present perfect with adverbials which refer to a finished past time:

yesterdaylast week/month/yearin 2017when I was youngeretc.

I have seen that film yesterday.
We have just bought a new car last week.
When we were children we have been to California.

​

but we can use the present perfect with adverbials which refer to a time which is not yet finished:

todaythis week/month/yearnow that I am 18etc.

Have you seen Helen today?
We have bought a new car this week.

​

Level: intermediate

Present perfect continuous

The present perfect continuous is formed with have/has been and the -ing form of the verb.

We normally use the present perfect continuous to emphasise that something is still continuing in the present:

She has been living in Liverpool all her life.
It's been raining for hours.
I'm tired out. I've been working all day.
They have been staying with us since last week.

We do not normally use the present perfect continuous with stative verbs. We use the present perfect simple instead:

I've always been liking liked John.

​

Present perfect for future

We normally use the present simple to talk about the future in clauses with before, after, until, etc.:

I'll keep looking until I find my book.
We'll begin when everyone arrives.

but we can also use the present perfect:

I'll keep looking until I have found my book.
We'll begin when everyone has arrived.

​

4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense 

Present perfect continuous (I have been working)

​

Present perfect continuous: form

We use have/has + been + the -ing form of the verb.

( + ) 

she, he, it                              has  

I, you, we, they                      have                              been working

​

( - )                                      (Full Form) 

she, he, it                              has not 

I, you, we, they                      have not                         been working 

​

( - )                                       (Short Form) 

she, he, it                               hasn't

I, you, we, they                       hadn't                           been working

​

( ?+ ) 

Has                                       He/She/it

Have                                     I/You/We/They              been working?

​

( ? + ) 

(full form)

Has                                       He/She/It

Have                                     I/You/We/They        not  been working?

​

( ? - ) 

(short form)

Hasn’t                                    He/She/It 

Haven’t                                  I/You/We/They             been working? 

​

Present perfect continuous: uses

Recent past activities

We use the present perfect continuous to talk about a finished activity in the recent past. Using the present perfect continuous focuses on the activity.

We don’t give a specific time. Even though the activity is finished, we can see the result in the present:

I’ve just been cleaning the car. (The car is wet and clean.)

It’s been snowing. (The ground is covered in snow.)

What have you been buying?

One continuing event

We use the present perfect continuous for a single activity that began at a point in the past and is still continuing:

I’ve been reading your book – it’s great. (I’m still reading it.)

He’s been living in the village since 1995. (He is still living in the village.)

She has been writing her autobiography since 1987.

Repeated continuing events

We use the present perfect continuous to talk about repeated activities which started at a particular time in the past and are still continuing up until now:

I’ve been going to Spain on holiday every year since 1987.

I haven’t been eating much lunch lately. I’ve been going to the gym at lunchtimes.

She’s been playing tennis on and off for three years.

How long …?

We often use the present perfect continuous to ask and answer questions about the duration of an activity. We use the question How long …+ present perfect continuous:

A:

How long have you been waiting for me?

B:

About ten minutes. Not too long. (I’ve been waiting for about ten minutes.)

​

External Links : 

Present Simple - https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/english-grammar-reference/present-simple

Present Continuous - https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/english-grammar-reference/present-continuous

Present Perfect - https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/english-grammar-reference/present-perfect

Present Perfect Continuous ---> https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/grammar/british-grammar/present-perfect-continuous-i-have-been-working

​

Past

5. Past Simple Tense

With most verbs, the past tense is formed by adding –ed:

calledlikedwantedworked

​

But there are a lot of irregular past tense forms in English. Here are the most common irregular verbs in English, with their past tense forms:

​

Base form                                                                       Past Tense

be                                                                                  Was/Were 
begin                                                                            Began
break                                                                            Broke
bring                                                                            Brought
buy                                                                               Bought
build                                                                             Built
choose                                                                           Chose
come                                                                              Came
cost                                                                                Cost 
cut                                                                                  Cut
do                                                                                  Did 
draw                                                                              Drew
drive                                                                               Drove
eat                                                                                  Ate
feel                                                                                 Felt       
find                                                                                 Found        
get                                                                                  Got       
give                                                                                Gave        
go                                                                                  Went       
have                                                                               Had         
hear                                                                               Heard       
hold                                                                               Held      
keep                                                                               Kept     
know                                                                              Knew       
leave                                                                              Left     
lead                                                                               Led  
let                                                                                  Let           
lie                                                                                  Lie         
lose                                                                                Lost            
make                                                                              Made                 
mean                                                                              Meant                   
meet                                                                               Met                 
pay                                                                                 Paid              
put                                                                                  Put               
run                                                                                 Ran
say                                                                                 Said
sell                                                                                 Sold
send                                                                               Sent
set                                                                                  Set
sit                                                                                   Sat 
speak                                                                             Spoke
spend                                                                             Spent
stand                                                                              Stood
take                                                                                Took
teach                                                                              Taught
tell                                                                                  Told
think                                                                               Thought
understand                                                                      Understood        
wear                                                                              Wore
win                                                                                 Won
write                                                                               Wrote

 

We use the past tense to talk about:

  • something that happened once in the past:

I met my wife in 1983.
We went to Spain for our holidays.
They got home very late last night.

  • something that happened several times in the past:

When I was a boy, I walked a mile to school every day.
We swam a lot while we were on holiday.
They always enjoyed visiting their friends.

  • something that was true for some time in the past:

I lived abroad for ten years.
He enjoyed being a student.
She played a lot of tennis when she was younger.

  • we often use expressions with ago with the past simple:

I met my wife a long time ago.

​

Past simple questions and negatives

We use did to make questions with the past simple:

Did she play tennis when she was younger?
Did you live abroad?
When did you meet your wife?
Where did you go for your holidays?

But questions with who often don't use did:

Who discovered penicillin?
Who wrote Don Quixote?

​

We use didn't (did not) to make negatives with the past simple:

They didn't go to Spain this year.
We didn't get home until very late last night.
I didn't see you yesterday. 

​

Level: intermediate

Past simple and hypotheses

We can also use the past simple to refer to the present or future in hypotheses (when we imagine something). See these pages:

​

​

6. Past Continuous Tense

Level: beginner

The past continuous is made from the past tense of the verb be and the –ing form of a verb:

I was
You were
He was                   Working
She was                  Playing
It was                      Living
We were                 Talking
You were                  etc. 
They were 

​

We use the past continuous to talk about the past:

  • for something which happened before and after another action:

The children were doing their homework when I got home.

Compare: The children did their homework when (= after) I got home.

This use of the past continuous is very common at the beginning of a story:

The other day I was waiting for a bus when …
Last week, as I was driving to work, … 

  • for something that happened before and after a specific time:

It was eight o'clock. I was writing a letter.

Compare: At eight o'clock I wrote (= started writing) some letters.

  • to show that something continued for some time:

My head was aching.
Everyone was shouting.

  • for something that happened again and again:

I was practising every day, three times a day.
They were meeting secretly after school.
They were always quarrelling.

  • with verbs which show change or growth:

The children were growing up quickly.
Her English was improving.
My hair was going grey.
The town was changing quickly.

We do not normally use the past continuous with stative verbs. We use the past simple instead:

When I got home, I really needed (NOT was needing) a shower.

​

Level: intermediate

Past continuous and hypotheses

We can also use the past continuous to refer to the present or future in hypotheses (when we imagine something). See these pages:

​

7.Past Perfect Tense - 

Time up to a point in the past

We use the past perfect simple (had + past participle) to talk about time up to a certain point in the past.

She'd published her first poem by the time she was eight. 
We'd finished all the water before we were halfway up the mountain.
Had the parcel arrived when you called yesterday?

​

Past perfect for the earlier of two past actions

We can use the past perfect to show the order of two past events. The past perfect shows the earlier action and the past simple shows the later action.

When the police arrived, the thief had escaped.

It doesn't matter in which order we say the two events. The following sentence has the same meaning.

The thief had escaped when the police arrived.

Note that if there's only a single event, we don't use the past perfect, even if it happened a long time ago.

The Romans spoke Latin. (NOT The Romans had spoken Latin.)

​

Past perfect after before

We can also use before + past perfect to show that an action was not done or was incomplete when the past simple action happened.

They left before I'd spoken to them.
Sadly, the author died before he'd finished the series.

​

Adverbs

We often use the adverbs already (= 'before the specified time'), still (= as previously), just (= 'a very short time before the specified time'), ever (= 'at any time before the specified time') or never (= 'at no time before the specified time') with the past perfect. 

I called his office but he'd already left.
It still hadn't rained at the beginning of May.
I went to visit her when she'd just moved to Berlin.
It was the most beautiful photo I'd ever seen.
Had you ever visited London when you moved there?
I'd never met anyone from California before I met Jim.

​

8.Past Perfect Continuous Tense 

The past perfect continuous tense, also known as the past perfect progressive tense, is used to describe a continuous action that started in the past, continued for a period of time, and was still ongoing before another action or event in the past. It emphasizes the duration or continuity of the action leading up to a specific point in the past.

Here's a detailed explanation of the past perfect continuous tense:

  1. Formation of the Past Perfect Continuous Tense:

    • The past perfect continuous tense is formed by using the past perfect tense of the auxiliary verb "had," the past participle form of "been," and the present participle form (-ing form) of the main verb.

    • Example: "She had been studying."

  2. Usage of the Past Perfect Continuous Tense:

    • Describing an ongoing action that started in the past and continued up until another past action or event:

      • Example: "They had been working all day before they decided to take a break."

    • Expressing the duration of an action that was ongoing in the past, often with a sense of interruption:

      • Example: "He had been practicing the guitar for two hours when the power went out."

    • Referring to a continuous action that had a result or impact on the past:

      • Example: "She was tired because she had been running for a long time."

    • Talking about an ongoing action that was completed in the past:

      • Example: "I was out of breath because I had been exercising."

  3. Examples of the Past Perfect Continuous Tense:

    • "She had been studying for hours when her friends arrived."

    • "They had been working on the project for months before they finally completed it."

    • "He was exhausted because he had been running for miles."

    • "We were all wet because it had been raining heavily."

    • "I was tired because I had been working all day long."

  4. Time Expressions Used with the Past Perfect Continuous Tense:

    • Time expressions such as "for," "since," "all day," "before," "by the time," or a specific period in the past are commonly used with the past perfect continuous tense to indicate the duration of the action.

    • Example: "She had been practicing the piano for five years before she gave her first concert."

  5. Negative and Interrogative Forms:

    • To form negative sentences, add "not" after the auxiliary verb "had."

      • Example: "They had not been playing basketball."

    • For interrogative sentences, invert the subject and the auxiliary verb "had."

      • Example: "Had you been studying for the test?"

 

The past perfect continuous tense allows us to describe continuous actions that started in the past, continued for a period of time, and were ongoing until a specific point in the past. It helps us convey the duration and continuity of actions leading up to past events or actions. By using this tense correctly, we can effectively express the duration of actions in relation to other past events in English.

​

​

External Links:

Past Simple ---> https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/english-grammar-reference/past-simple

Past Continuous ---> https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/english-grammar-reference/past-continuous

Past Perfect ---> https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/b1-b2-grammar/past-perfect 

Past Perfect Continuous ---> https://ieltsonlinetests.com/ielts-grammar/past-perfect-continuous-tense

4 Past Tenses Explained ---> https://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/past_tense.htm

Future

9. Future Simple Tense

There is no future tense in English. We use several different ways to talk about the future. The most common are:

​

They’re going to build a new shopping centre here. (be going to)

 

Leena is working in Singapore next week. (present continuous)

 

I think they will postpone the match. (modal verb will)

 

Nadia arrives in about half-an-hour from now. (present simple)

 

I’ll be running ten kilometres a day for the next two weeks to get ready for the marathon. (future continuous)

 

We’re late. Do you think the lecture will have started? (future perfect)

 

We’re just about to leave for the cinema. (be about to)

 

The president is to visit Brazil in November. (be to)

 

The visitors are due to arrive at the factory early in the morning. (be due to)

 

I was on the point of leaving my job but then I got promoted so I changed my mind. (be on the point of)

​

She promised she would return soon. (future in the past)

 

They said they were having a holiday next April. (future in the past)

​

​

10. Future Continuous - 

Future continuous

We can use the future continuous (will/won't be + -ing form) to talk about future actions that: 

  • will be in progress at a specific time in the future:

When you come out of school tomorrow, I'll be boarding a plane.
Try to call before 8 o'clock. After that, we'll be watching the match.
You can visit us during the first week of July. I won't be working then.

  • we see as new, different or temporary:

Today we're taking the bus but next week we'll be taking the train.
He'll be staying with his parents for several months while his father is in recovery.
Will you be starting work earlier with your new job?

​

11. Future Perfect  

Future perfect

We use the future perfect simple (will/won't have + past participle) to talk about something that will be completed before a specific time in the future.

The guests are coming at 8 p.m. I'll have finished cooking by then.
On 9 October we'll have been married for 50 years.
Will you have gone to bed when I get back?

We can use phrases like by or by the time (meaning 'at some point before') and in or in a day's time / in two months' time / in five years' time etc. (meaning 'at the end of this period') to give the time period in which the action will be completed.

I won't have written all the reports by next week.
By the time we arrive, the kids will have gone to bed.
I'll have finished in an hour and then we can watch a film.
In three years' time, I'll have graduated from university.

​

12. Future perfect continuous (I will have been working here ten years)

Future perfect continuous: form

We use will/shall + have + been + the -ing form of the verb.

We use shall only for future time reference with I and we. Shall is more formal and less common than will. 

​

singular and plural

( + )                                        (Full Form) 

I, we                                       will / shall                  

she, he, it, you, they                     will                             have been working

​

                                             (Short Form) 

I, she, he, it, you, we, they             'll                              have been working

​

( - )                                          (Full Form)                              

I, we                                  will not or shall not                have been working

she, he, it, you, they                   will not                           have been working

​

                                              (Short Form) 

I, we                                      won't or shan't                   have been working

she, he, it, you, they                       won't                          have been working 

​

​

? + Will             , she, he, it, you, we, they                       have been working? 

? − Won’t

​

Note: Shall I, shall we and shan’t I, shan’t we in future perfect continuous questions are rare.

​

Future perfect continuous: use

Emphasising the length of an event at a time in the future

We use the future perfect continuous form when we are looking back to the past from a point in the future and we want to emphasise the length or duration of an activity or event:

In September the head teacher will have been teaching at the school for 20 years.

In September, she will have been living in France for a year.

I will have been studying English for three years by the end of this course.

We’re late. I think they’ll have been waiting for us. We’d better go.

See also:

​

External Links : 

Future Simple - https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/future

Future Continuous - https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/b1-b2-grammar/future-continuous-future-perfect

Future Perfect - https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/b1-b2-grammar/future-continuous-future-perfect

Future Perfect Continuous - https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/future-perfect-continuous-i-will-have-been-working-here-ten-years 

​

The 12 Tenses Video

The 12 Tenses in English Quizzes 

More B2 Level English Grammar Topics

Section Title

This is a Paragraph. Click on "Edit Text" or double click on the text box to start editing the content and make sure to add any relevant details or information that you want to share with your visitors.

Slide Title

This is a Paragraph. Click on "Edit Text" or double click on the text box to start editing the content.

bottom of page