Verb Tense Table & Explanation
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Listen to the explanation as you read the information in the table below.
|
Present Tense |
Example Sentence |
Meaning/When to Use |
|---|---|---|
|
Simple Present |
I work. |
General statements, truths, facts, permanent situations, habits, everyday activities |
|
Present Progressive (be + ing) |
I am working. |
Activities/events in progress at the moment of speaking |
|
Past Tense |
|
|
|
Simple Past |
I worked. |
A completed activity/event in the past |
|
Past Progressive (be + ing) |
I was working. |
An activity/event that was in progress for a period of time in the past |
|
Future Tense |
|
|
|
Simple Future |
I will (am going to) work. |
Prediction or plan in the future. Decision made at the moment of speaking |
|
Future Progressive (be + ing) |
I will be working. |
An activity/event that will be in progress for a period of time in the future |
|
Perfect & Perfect Progressive Tenses |
|
|
|
Present Perfect (have + past participle) |
I have worked... |
An activity/event that began in the past and continue until the present |
|
Present Perfect Progressive (have + been + ing) |
I have been working... |
Expresses how long an activity/event that began in the past has been in progress |
|
Past Perfect (have + past participle) |
I had worked... |
Expresses an activity/event that was complete before another activity in the past (2 past events) |
|
Past Perfect Progressive (have + been + ing) |
I had been working... |
Emphasizes the duration/how long an activity was in progress before another activity in the past |
|
Future Perfect (have + past participle)* |
I will have worked... |
Expresses an activity/event that will be completed before another event in the future (2 future events) |
|
Future Perfect Progressive (have + been + ing)* |
I will have been working... |
Emphasizes the duration/how long an event will be in progress before another event in the future |
Progressive = Continuous
*More advanced & less common
