Basic Verb Tenses

Present Tenses

Simple Present

This tense describes present actions that are habitual or facts that are always true.

I walkYou walkHe/She/It walksWe walkThey walk

Present Progressive

This tense describes an action occurring at the moment of speaking or writing.

I am walkingYou are walkingHe/She/It is walkingWe are walkingThey are walking

What’s the difference?

It can be easy to confuse the simple present and the present progressive tenses. In fact the two tenses can be used to describe the same action, but the speaker would use them at different times and in different situations.For instance, if you asked a friend what he or she was doing, the friend might reply: “I am going to the store.” However, if you asked your friend when he or she shops, the friend might say “I go to the store on Tuesdays.”

Present Perfect

Present perfect describes a present condition that is influenced by past events.

“I have walked” means that I am in the condition of having walked.

Though present perfect describes past events it is a present tense.

I have walkedYou have walkedHe/She/It has walkedWe have walkedThey have walked

Past Tenses

Simple Past

Use the past tense for events that happened in the past.

I walkedYou walkedHe/She/It walkedWe walkedThey walked

Past Progressive

Past progressive still describes events that have already happened, but were ongoing, and is often used to compare an ongoing past event to an event in the simple past.

Ex. I was eating lunch when I saw the car.

I was walkingYou were walkingHe/She/It was

walkingWe were walkingThey were walking

Past Perfect

Past perfect is used for past events which occurred prior to another past event.

Ex.: I had eaten all the sandwiches when you got home.

I had walkedYou had walkedHe/She/It had walkedWe had walkedThey had walked

Future Tenses

Simple Future

Use the simple future tense to describe events that will happen in the future.

I will walkYou will walkHe/She/It will walkWe will walkThey will walk

Simple Future with “Going to”

You can also use “going to” to describe future events.

I am going to walkYou are going to walkHe/She/It is going to

walkWe are going to walkThey are going to

walk

Future Progressive

Use this tense for future ongoing events. It is often used in the context of other future events.

Ex. I will be running when the show comes on.

Tip!: Notice how the second verb “comes” is in present tense, but still refers to a future event.

I will be walkingYou will be walkingHe/She/It will be

walkingWe will be walkingThey will be walking

Future Perfect

The future perfect tense describes a future state influenced by events that took place prior to that time.

It also uses a second verb in present tense that really talks about a future event.

Ex. I will have eaten supper by the time you get home.

I will have walkedYou will have walkedHe/She/It will have

walkedWe will have walkedThey will have walked