English Tenses — Complete Study Sheet

Type

Simple → action Continuous → be + V-ing Perfect → have + V3 Perfect Cont. → have + been + V-ing

Time

Present → now Past → before Future → later

Verb forms

V1 base: go, eat, study V2 past: went, ate, studied V3 participle: gone, eaten, studied

Simple Present

Habits, routines, facts, and general truths

+ S + V1 / V1+s/es

− S + do/does + not + V1

? Do/Does + S + V1?

Subject rules

I / you / we / they → V1 · do · do not · Do…?

he / she / it / this / that → V1+s/es · does · does not · Does…?

Positive

I study every morning.
You work very hard.
We eat dinner together.
They play football on Sundays.
He reads before sleeping.
She works at a hospital.
It runs on solar power.
This machine makes noise.
That dog barks at night.

Negative

I do not like coffee.
You do not work on weekends.
We do not have a car.
They do not live here.
He does not speak French.
She does not drive.
It does not work properly.
This does not make sense.
That does not help at all.

Question

Do I need to sign?
Do you speak English?
Do we have time?
Do they play football?
Does he know the answer?
Does she work here?
Does it cost a lot?
Does this belong to you?
Does that make sense?

Present Continuous

Happening right now, temporary actions, near-future plans

+ S + am/is/are + V-ing

− S + am/is/are + not + V-ing

? Am/Is/Are + S + V-ing?

Subject rules

I → am · am not · Am I…?

he / she / it / this / that → is · is not · Is…?

you / we / they → are · are not · Are…?

Positive

I am studying right now.
You are doing great.
We are planning a trip.
They are working late.
He is reading a book.
She is cooking dinner.
It is raining outside.
This is getting complicated.
That is working perfectly.

Negative

I am not sleeping.
You are not trying hard.
We are not wasting time.
They are not coming today.
He is not listening.
She is not watching TV.
It is not responding.
This is not helping.
That is not working.

Question

Am I speaking too fast?
Are you listening?
Are we going the right way?
Are they working?
Is he coming?
Is she studying?
Is it working?
Is this the right door?
Is that your bag?

Present Perfect

Completed actions with relevance to the present

+ S + have/has + V3

− S + have/has + not + V3

? Have/Has + S + V3?

Subject rules

I / you / we / they → have · have not · Have…?

he / she / it / this / that → has · has not · Has…?

Positive

I have finished the report.
You have done well.
We have met before.
They have left already.
He has called twice.
She has visited Paris.
It has stopped working.
This has happened before.
That has always been true.

Negative

I have not replied yet.
You have not seen this film.
We have not decided.
They have not arrived.
He has not eaten today.
She has not replied.
It has not changed.
This has not been tested.
That has not been fixed.

Question

Have I missed anything?
Have you eaten?
Have we met before?
Have they arrived?
Has he finished?
Has she called?
Has it been repaired?
Has this ever worked?
Has that been confirmed?

Present Perfect Continuous

Started in the past, still continuing now — emphasises duration

+ S + have/has + been + V-ing

− S + have/has + not + been + V-ing

? Have/Has + S + been + V-ing?

Subject rules

I / you / we / they → have been · have not been · Have…been?

he / she / it / this / that → has been · has not been · Has…been?

Positive

I have been studying for 3 hours.
You have been working hard.
We have been living here for years.
They have been waiting since noon.
He has been running daily.
She has been working all day.
It has been raining since morning.
This has been causing issues.
That has been happening a lot.

Negative

I have not been sleeping well.
You have not been trying enough.
We have not been talking much.
They have not been practicing.
He has not been feeling well.
She has not been eating properly.
It has not been working right.
This has not been helping.
That has not been updating.

Question

Have I been talking too much?
Have you been feeling okay?
Have we been doing it right?
Have they been waiting long?
Has he been working here?
Has she been studying?
Has it been running all night?
Has this been going on long?
Has that been fixed yet?

Simple Past

Completed actions at a specific time in the past

+ S + V2

− S + did + not + V1

? Did + S + V1?

Subject rules

I / you / we / they / he / she / it / this / that →

V2 · did not + V1 · Did…?
                    (same for all)

Positive

I visited Delhi last year.
You called me yesterday.
We finished the project.
They played well.
He left early.
She cooked dinner.
It stopped working.
This worked perfectly before.
That happened last week.

Negative

I did not go to the party.
You did not call back.
We did not call him.
They did not win.
He did not eat lunch.
She did not answer.
It did not arrive on time.
This did not work.
That did not make sense.

Question

Did I do something wrong?
Did you call her?
Did we miss anything?
Did they win?
Did he leave?
Did she come?
Did it break?
Did this happen before?
Did that work?

Past Continuous

Action in progress at a specific moment in the past

+ S + was/were + V-ing

− S + was/were + not + V-ing

? Was/Were + S + V-ing?

Subject rules

I / he / she / it / this / that → was · was not · Was…?

you / we / they → were · were not · Were…?

Positive

I was studying at 8 pm.
You were sleeping when I called.
We were watching a movie.
They were playing outside.
He was reading all evening.
She was cooking when I arrived.
It was raining heavily.
This was working fine earlier.
That was causing the problem.

Negative

I was not sleeping.
You were not paying attention.
We were not arguing.
They were not practicing.
He was not reading.
She was not listening.
It was not functioning.
This was not helping.
That was not the issue.

Question

Was I being too loud?
Were you sleeping?
Were we late?
Were they playing?
Was he working?
Was she driving?
Was it snowing?
Was this running before?
Was that the cause?

Past Perfect

Completed before another past action

+ S + had + V3

− S + had + not + V3

? Had + S + V3?

Subject rules

I / you / we / they / he / she / it / this / that →

had · had not · Had…?
                    (same for all)

Positive

I had left before she came.
You had already eaten.
We had met before that day.
They had left the city.
He had studied well.
She had finished her work.
It had already expired.
This had happened before.
That had always been the rule.

Negative

I had not eaten lunch.
You had not replied.
We had not spoken in years.
They had not prepared.
He had not seen it before.
She had not replied.
It had not worked before.
This had not been tested.
That had not been confirmed.

Question

Had I done anything wrong?
Had you met her before?
Had we agreed on this?
Had they left already?
Had he eaten?
Had she arrived?
Had it happened before?
Had this ever worked?
Had that been fixed?

Past Perfect Continuous

Ongoing action that continued until another past event

+ S + had + been + V-ing

− S + had + not + been + V-ing

? Had + S + been + V-ing?

Subject rules

I / you / we / they / he / she / it / this / that →

had been · had not been · Had…been?
                    (same for all)

Positive

I had been working for hours.
You had been practicing daily.
We had been living there for years.
They had been waiting for an hour.
He had been running before it rained.
She had been studying all night.
It had been leaking for days.
This had been causing errors.
That had been happening for weeks.

Negative

I had not been sleeping.
You had not been trying hard.
We had not been talking.
They had not been practicing.
He had not been trying.
She had not been eating well.
It had not been working.
This had not been running.
That had not been updating.

Question

Had I been causing problems?
Had you been feeling sick?
Had we been doing it right?
Had they been waiting long?
Had he been working?
Had she been studying?
Had it been running all day?
Had this been failing?
Had that been active?

Simple Future

Future actions, spontaneous decisions, predictions

+ S + will + V1

− S + will + not + V1

? Will + S + V1?

Subject rules

I / you / we / they / he / she / it / this / that →

will · will not · Will…?
                    (same for all)

Positive

I will travel tomorrow.
You will love it.
We will meet on Friday.
They will join the meeting.
He will finish by evening.
She will call you later.
It will take some time.
This will solve the problem.
That will never happen.

Negative

I will not attend.
You will not regret it.
We will not be late.
They will not agree.
He will not quit.
She will not come.
It will not work.
This will not fix itself.
That will not be enough.

Question

Will I pass the exam?
Will you join us?
Will we make it on time?
Will they come?
Will he help?
Will she be there?
Will it be ready?
Will this work?
Will that be enough?

Future Continuous

Ongoing action at a specific future time

+ S + will be + V-ing

− S + will not be + V-ing

? Will + S + be + V-ing?

Subject rules

I / you / we / they / he / she / it / this / that →

will be · will not be · Will…be?
                    (same for all)

Positive

I will be working at noon.
You will be sleeping by then.
We will be waiting for you.
They will be studying tonight.
He will be presenting tomorrow.
She will be traveling this time.
It will be running in the background.
This will be processing your request.
That will be causing delays.

Negative

I will not be staying long.
You will not be attending.
We will not be sleeping.
They will not be working.
He will not be joining.
She will not be coming.
It will not be available.
This will not be running.
That will not be used.

Question

Will I be disturbing you?
Will you be studying?
Will we be meeting?
Will they be working?
Will he be here?
Will she be joining?
Will it be processing?
Will this be ready?
Will that be finished?

Future Perfect

Completed before a specific future point in time

+ S + will have + V3

− S + will not have + V3

? Will + S + have + V3?

Subject rules

I / you / we / they / he / she / it / this / that →

will have · will not have · Will…have?
                    (same for all)

Positive

I will have finished by 5 pm.
You will have learned a lot.
We will have landed by then.
They will have completed the task.
He will have eaten already.
She will have left before you arrive.
It will have updated by morning.
This will have expired by then.
That will have been resolved.

Negative

I will not have arrived yet.
You will not have finished.
We will not have met.
They will not have completed it.
He will not have slept.
She will not have replied.
It will not have loaded.
This will not have been fixed.
That will not have been approved.

Question

Will I have done enough?
Will you have finished?
Will we have met?
Will they have arrived?
Will he have eaten?
Will she have completed it?
Will it have updated?
Will this have been processed?
Will that have been approved?

Future Perfect Continuous

Ongoing until a future point — emphasises duration

+ S + will have been + V-ing

− S + will not have been + V-ing

? Will + S + have been + V-ing?

Subject rules

I / you / we / they / he / she / it / this / that →

will have been · will not have been · Will…have been?
                    (same for all)

Positive

I will have been working for 10 hours.
You will have been waiting too long.
We will have been living here for a decade.
They will have been waiting since morning.
He will have been running for an hour.
She will have been studying all day.
It will have been running for 24 hours.
This will have been processing for hours.
That will have been active for a week.

Negative

I will not have been sleeping.
You will not have been waiting.
We will not have been living there.
They will not have been practicing.
He will not have been studying.
She will not have been working.
It will not have been running.
This will not have been active.
That will not have been used.

Question

Will I have been working too long?
Will you have been waiting?
Will we have been living here?
Will they have been practicing?
Will he have been training?
Will she have been studying?
Will it have been running?
Will this have been processing?
Will that have been active?