English Verb Tenses Explained: The 12 Tenses with Examples

Understanding verb tenses in English is essential for clear communication, natural speaking, and accurate writing. Whether you’re preparing for exams, learning English for work, or simply improving your confidence, knowing how each tense is used will help you express time clearly. In this guide, you’ll learn all 12 tenses in English with simple explanations and examples.

What Are Verb Tenses in English?

A tense shows the time an action happens. In English, verb tenses help us explain whether something happened in the past, is happening now, or will happen in the future. Each verb tense also has an aspect, which explains how the action happens.

The three main verb tenses are:

• Past tense

• Present tense

• Future tense

Each of these has four aspects:

• Simple

• Continuous (progressive)

• Perfect

• Perfect continuous

Together, these create the 12 tenses used in British English. Each tense is used to describe different types of actions, different times, and different situations.

Present Simple

The present simple tense is used to describe habits, routines, facts, and general truths. This tense is used to describe an action that happens regularly.

Structure: root form of the verb (he/she/it + verb + s)

Examples:

• I walk to work every day.

• She plays the piano beautifully.

This is one of the main tenses in English grammar and is often the first tense English learners study.

Present Continuous

The present continuous tense is used to describe actions happening now or around this moment.

Structure: am / is / are + verb-ing

Examples:

• We are studying English now.

• She is cooking dinner.

This tense is used to describe an ongoing action in the present.

Present Perfect

The present perfect tense is used to describe an action that started in the past and still continues, or an action that has just finished. It focuses on the result.

Structure: have / has + past participle

Examples:

• I have just eaten.

• He has visited London several times.

This verb tense is used to describe actions connected to the present.

Present Perfect Continuous

This tense is used to describe an activity that started in the past and is still continuing now. It focuses on the action, not the result.

Structure: have / has + been + verb-ing

Examples:

• She has been working all morning.

• We have been studying for hours.

This tense is used to describe an ongoing action that started in the past and continues into the present.

Past Simple

The past simple tense is used to describe an action that happened in the past at a specific time. The past tense is used in stories, conversations, and everyday speech.

Structure: regular or irregular verb form (went, had, played)

Examples:

• We watched a film last night.

• She travelled to France last year.

The past simple is used to describe actions that happened in the past clearly and simply.

Past Continuous

The past continuous tense is used to describe an ongoing action at a specific moment in the past.

Structure: was / were + verb-ing

Examples:

• I was walking to work when it started to rain.

• They were eating dinner when the phone rang.

This tense is used to describe background actions in past stories.

Past Perfect

The past perfect tense is used to show that one action happened before another action in the past.

Structure: had + past participle

Examples:

• I realised I had left my wallet at home.

• They had finished dinner before we arrived.

This tense is used to express clear order between past actions.

Past Perfect Continuous

The past perfect continuous tense is used to describe an ongoing action that happened before another past action.

Structure: had + been + verb-ing

Examples:

• She was tired because she had been running all morning.

• I had been studying for hours before the exam.

This tense is used to describe actions that continued up to a moment in the past.

Future Simple (Will)

The future simple tense describes actions that will happen in the future. It is also used for spontaneous decisions.

Structure: will + verb

Examples:

• I’ll visit my friend tomorrow.

• He’ll help you later.

This tense is used to describe planned and unplanned future actions.

“Going to” Future

This tense is used to talk about plans and intentions.

Structure: am / is / are + going to + verb

Examples:

• We are going to travel next month.

• I am going to buy a new laptop.

  
  

Future Continuous

The future continuous tense describes an ongoing action that will be happening at a specific time in the future.

Structure: will + be + verb-ing

Examples:

• She will be working at 10am tomorrow.

• We’ll be travelling this time next year.

This tense is used to describe a future action in progress.

Future Perfect

The future perfect tense is used to describe an action that will be completed before a certain time in the future.

Structure: will + have + past participle

Examples:

• By next year, I will have finished my course.

• They will have completed the project by Friday.

This tense is used to describe an action that will be completed before another event.

Future Perfect Continuous

This tense describes a long, ongoing action that continues up to a point in the future.

Structure: will + have + been + verb-ing

Examples:

• By 4pm, I will have been working for eight hours.

• They will have been travelling for hours by the time they arrive.

This tense is used to describe an action that will have continued for a period of time.

Common Problems English Learners Face

Many English learners confuse simple tenses and perfect tenses. The perfect tense is used to describe an action with a time connection, while the simple tenses describe one clear moment.

Another common issue is using stative verbs in continuous tenses. These verbs describe states, not actions, so they are not usually used in continuous forms.

Tips for Mastering Tenses in English

• Listen to British media to hear how tense forms are used in stories.

• Practise writing short paragraphs using different tenses.

• Learn how to use irregular verbs through repetition and examples.

• Compare similar tense forms to understand the differences.

Using tenses confidently takes practice, but the system becomes clearer over time.

Key Points to Remember

• English has 12 tenses, each used to describe different types of actions.

• The present, past, and future tenses each have four aspects.

• Perfect tenses show time relationships; continuous tenses show ongoing actions.

• British English uses clear terminology: past simple, present simple, future simple, etc.

• Practising with examples, listening, and writing will help you use tenses naturally.