Tenses in English Made Simple (With Easy Chart)

English tenses help us understand when an action happens — in the present, past, or future.
Many learners feel confused because English has 12 tenses, but the truth is:
👉 Once you understand the pattern, tenses become very easy.

In this guide, we’ll explain English tenses step by step, with a simple chart and examples.

---

📘 What Are Tenses in English?

Tense shows the time of an action or state.

English has 3 main time frames:

1. Present
2. Past
3. Future

Each time frame has 4 forms:

• Simple
• Continuous
• Perfect
• Perfect Continuous

👉 3 × 4 = 12 tenses

---

🧠 The Golden Rule of Tenses

• Simple → habit / fact
• Continuous → action in progress
• Perfect → completed action
• Perfect Continuous → duration of action

---

📊 English Tenses Chart (Simple & Clear)

Time	Tense	Structure	Example
Present	Simple Present	V¹ / V¹+s	She works daily.
	Present Continuous	am/is/are + V-ing	She is working now.
	Present Perfect	has/have + V³	She has finished work.
	Present Perfect Continuous	has/have been + V-ing	She has been working for 2 hours.
Past	Simple Past	V²	She worked yesterday.
	Past Continuous	was/were + V-ing	She was working at 5 pm.
	Past Perfect	had + V³	She had finished before I came.
	Past Perfect Continuous	had been + V-ing	She had been working for hours.
Future	Simple Future	will + V¹	She will work tomorrow.
	Future Continuous	will be + V-ing	She will be working at 5 pm.
	Future Perfect	will have + V³	She will have finished by evening.
	Future Perfect Continuous	will have been + V-ing	She will have been working for 5 hours.

---

🟢 Present Tenses Explained

✔️ Simple Present

Used for habits, routines, facts

• I wake up at 6 am.
• She teaches English.

✔️ Present Continuous

Used for actions happening now

• I am reading a book.
• They are watching TV.

✔️ Present Perfect

Used for past actions with present effect

• I have completed the task.
• She has visited Delhi.

✔️ Present Perfect Continuous

Used to show duration till now

• I have been studying for 2 hours.

---

🔵 Past Tenses Explained

✔️ Simple Past

Used for finished actions in the past

• I met him yesterday.

✔️ Past Continuous

Used for actions in progress in the past

• I was sleeping at 10 pm.

✔️ Past Perfect

Used for earlier past action

• She had left before I arrived.

✔️ Past Perfect Continuous

Used to show how long an action continued

• He had been working all day.

---

🟣 Future Tenses Explained

✔️ Simple Future

Used for decisions, predictions

• I will call you later.

✔️ Future Continuous

Used for future action in progress

• I will be travelling tomorrow.

✔️ Future Perfect

Used for action completed before a future time

• I will have finished the work by evening.

✔️ Future Perfect Continuous

Used for duration till a future point

• I will have been studying for 3 years.

---

⚠️ Common Mistakes Learners Make

❌ I am knowing the answer.
✅ I know the answer.

❌ She has went to school.
✅ She has gone to school.

❌ I will going tomorrow.
✅ I will go tomorrow.

---

📝 Quick Practice

Choose the correct tense:

1. She ___ (study) English every day.
2. I ___ (watch) TV right now.
3. They ___ (finish) the work already.
4. We ___ (travel) tomorrow morning.

Answers:

1. studies
2. am watching
3. have finished
4. will travel

---

🎯 Learn Tenses the Easy Way with Sujyoti

At Sujyoti Language School, we teach tenses logically and practically, not by memorisation.

Our A1–C2 CEFR-based courses include:

• Grammar with sentence structure
• Speaking & pronunciation practice
• Weekly one-to-one exams
• In-house books & certification

👉 Want to master tenses without confusion?
Book your Free Demo Class here:
👉 https://slsapp.sujyoti.org/contact_us

---