The 12 Tenses in English Explained with Examples
1) Simple Present Tense
Structure: verb + s / es / ies
He /
She / It / Singular Noun + verb + s / es / ies
Example: He studies in school.
I /
You / We / They / Plural Noun + verb (no change)
Example: The girls sing a song
Negative Sentences:
He /
She / It / Singular Noun + does + not + verb (no change)
Example: He does not study in school.
I /
You / We / They / Plural Noun + do + not + verb (no change)
Example: The girls do not sing a song.
Interrogative Sentences (Questions):
Does
+ He / She / It / Singular Noun + verb (no change)?
Example: Does he study in school?
Do +
I / You / We / They / Plural Noun + verb (no change)
Example: Do girls sing a song?
To
be forms
I + am
He / She / It / Singular Noun + is
You / We / They / Plural Noun + are
2) Simple Past Tense
Structure: Verb + ed (or irregular verb)
He /
She / It / I / You / We / They / singular noun / plural noun / + verb + ed (or irregular verb)
Example: You played the game.
He ran away.
Negative Sentences:
He /
She / It / I / You / We / They / singular noun / plural noun / + did + not + verb (no change)
Example: She did not go with me.
We
did not work yesterday.
Interrogative Sentences (Questions):
Did
+ He / She / It / I / You / We / They / Singular Noun / Plural Noun + verb (no
change)?
Example: Did they work at home?
Did
you go to Mumbai?
To
be forms
I / He / She / It / Singular Noun + was
You / We / They / Plural Noun + were
He /
She / It / I / singular noun + was + not
+ verb (no change)
Example: She was
not there.
You
/ We / They / plural noun / + were + not
+ verb (no change)
Example: You were not happy.
Was + I
/ He / She / It / Singular Noun + verb (no
change)?
Example: Was I right?
Were +
You / We / They / Plural Noun + verb (no
change)?
3) Present Continuous Tense
Structure: is / am / are + verb + ing
He /
She / It / Singular Noun + is + verb + ing
Example: He is studying in school.
I +
am + verb + ing
Example: I am speaking to you.
We /
They / You + are + verb + ing
Example: You are
reading a book.
Negative Sentences:
He /
She / It / Singular Noun + is + not + verb + ing
Example: He is not playing football.
You
/ We / They / Plural Noun + are + not + verb + ing
Example: They are not playing football.
I +
am + not + verb + ing
Example: I am not playing football.
Interrogative Sentences (Questions):
Is +
He / She / It / Singular Noun + verb ing?
Example: Is he playing football?
Are
+ You / We / They / Plural Noun + verb + ing
Example: Are they playing football?
Am +
I + verb + ing
4) Past Continuous Tense
Structure: Was / Were + verb + ing
He /
She / It / I / singular noun + was + verb + ing
Example: I was reading a book.
You
/ We / They / plural noun + were + verb + ing
Example: They were reading a book.
Negative Sentences:
He /
She / It / I / singular noun + was + not + verb + ing
Example: He was not playing football.
You
/ We / They / Plural Noun + were + not + verb + ing
Example: They were not playing football.
Interrogative Sentences (Questions):
Was
+ He / She / It / I / Singular Noun + verb ing?
Example: Was he playing football?
Were
+ You / We / They / Plural Noun + verb + ing
Example: Were they playing football?
5) Present Perfect Tense
Structure: Have / Has + verb + ed
He
/ She / It / Singular Noun + Has + verb
+ ed
Example: He has cleaned the table.
I /
You / We / They / Plural Noun + Have + verb + ed
Example: They have cleaned the table.
Negative Sentences:
He /
She / It / Singular Noun + has + not + verb + ed
Example: He has not played football.
I /
You / We / They / Plural Noun + have + not + verb + ed
Example: They have not played football.
Interrogative Sentences (Questions):
Has
+ He / She / It / Singular Noun + verb + ed?
Example: Has he played football?
Have
+ I / You / We / They / Plural Noun + verb + ed?
Example: Have they played football?
6) Past Perfect Tense
Structure: Had + Verb + ed or irregular
verb
He /
She / It / I / You / We / They / singular noun / plural noun / + Had + verb + ed (or irregular verb)
Example: I had finished my homework.
Priya had left the job.
Negative Sentences:
He /
She / It / I / You / We / They / singular noun / plural noun / + Had + not + verb + ed (or irregular verb)
Example: He had not played football.
We
had not left.
Interrogative Sentences (Questions):
Had
+ He / She / It / I / You / We / They / singular noun / plural noun / + verb + ed (or irregular verb)
Example: Had he played football?
Had
they eaten dinner?
7) Present Perfect Continuous Tense
Has / Have + been + verb + ing
He
/ She / It / Singular Noun + Has been +
verb + ing
Example: He has been playing football.
I /
You / We / They / Plural Noun + Have been + verb + ing
Example: They have been playing football.
Negative Sentences:
He /
She / It / Singular Noun + has + not + been + verb + ing
Example: He has not been playing football.
I /
You / We / They / Plural Noun + have + not + been + verb + ing
Example: We have not been playing football.
Interrogative Sentences (Questions):
Has
+ He / She / It / Singular Noun + been + verb + ing?
Example: Has he been playing football?
Have
+ I / You / We / They / Plural Noun + been + verb + ing?
Example: Have they been playing football?
8) Past Perfect Continuous Tense
Structure: Had + been + verb + ing
He /
She / It / I / You / We / They / singular noun / plural noun / + Had + been + verb + ing
Example: I had been playing football.
We
had been working.
Negative Sentences:
He /
She / It / I / You / We / They / singular noun / plural noun / + Had + not + been + verb + ing
Example: He had not been playing football.
We
had not been playing football.
Interrogative Sentences (Questions):
Had
+ He / She / It / I / You / We / They / singular noun / plural noun / + been + verb + ing
Example: Had he been playing football?
Had
they been waiting long?
9) Simple Future Tense
Structure: Will/shall + verb
Example: I shall go to my home town tomorrow.
10)_Future Continuous Tense
Structure: Will be / Shall be + verb +
ing
Example: I shall be going to my home town tomorrow.
Am/is/are
+ going to be + verb + ing
Example: I am going to be watching the news at 9 pm.
11) Future Perfect Tense
Structure: Will have / Shall have + verb + ed
Example: I will have played the game.
Am/is/are
+ going to have + verb + ed
Example: I am going to have played the game.
12) Future Perfect Continuous Tense
Structure: Will have been + verb + ing
Example: I will have been watching the news for over ten
minutes before you join me.
Am/is/are
+ going to have been + verb + ing
Example: I am going to have been watching the news for
over ten minutes before you join me.