12 Tenses in English Grammar with Examples (PDF)

Mastering the 12 tenses in English grammar is essential for effective communication and writing. In this guide, we break down each tense with easy-to-understand example sentences, ensuring you grasp the nuances of English grammar quickly. Plus, don’t miss out on our free downloadable PDFs that provide quick-reference guides for each tense, making your learning journey even easier!

English has 12 basic tenses which are divided into three main categories: past, present and future. All tenses have different forms for affirmative, negative and interrogative statements.

12 English Tenses PDF

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The 12 English Tenses: Formulas, Rules, and Examples

Learn about the 12 English tenses with usage explanations, formulas, and examples to improve your grammar skills.

1. Simple Present Tense

Formula:

• Affirmative: Subject + Base Verb (V1) + Object
• Negative: Subject + Do/Does + Not + Base Verb (V1) + Object
• Interrogative: Do/Does + Subject + Base Verb (V1) + Object?

Usage: Describes habits, general truths, and everyday activities.
Examples:

• Affirmative: I play soccer every Saturday.
• Negative: I do not play soccer on any day other than Saturday.
• Interrogative: Do I play soccer every day of the week?

2. Present Continuous Tense

Formula:

• Affirmative: Subject + Am/Is/Are + Verb (-ing) + Object
• Negative: Subject + Am/Is/Are + Not + Verb (-ing) + Object
• Interrogative: Am/Is/Are + Subject + Verb (-ing) + Object?

Usage: Describes ongoing actions happening at the present moment.
Examples:

• Affirmative: I am playing soccer right now.
• Negative: I am not playing soccer right now.
• Interrogative: Am I playing soccer right now?

3. Simple Past Tense

Formula:

• Affirmative: Subject + Verb (Past Form – V2) + Object
• Negative: Subject + Did + Not + Base Verb (V1) + Object
• Interrogative: Did + Subject + Base Verb (V1) + Object?

Usage: Describes actions completed in the past.
Examples:

• Affirmative: I played soccer yesterday.
• Negative: I did not play soccer yesterday.
• Interrogative: Did I play soccer yesterday?

4. Past Continuous Tense

Formula:

• Affirmative: Subject + Was/Were + Verb (-ing) + Object
• Negative: Subject + Was/Were + Not + Verb (-ing) + Object
• Interrogative: Was/Were + Subject + Verb (-ing) + Object?

Usage: Describes ongoing actions in the past.
Examples:

• Affirmative: I was playing soccer when she called.
• Negative: I was not playing soccer when she called.
• Interrogative: Was I playing soccer when she called?

5. Simple Future Tense

Formula:

• Affirmative: Subject + Will/Shall + Base Verb (V1) + Object
• Negative: Subject + Will/Shall + Not + Base Verb (V1) + Object
• Interrogative: Will/Shall + Subject + Base Verb (V1) + Object?

Usage: Describes actions or events in the future.
Examples:

• Affirmative: I will play soccer tomorrow.
• Negative: I will not play soccer tomorrow.
• Interrogative: Will I play soccer tomorrow?

6. Future Continuous Tense

Formula:

• Affirmative: Subject + Will Be + Verb (-ing) + Object
• Negative: Subject + Will Not Be + Verb (-ing) + Object
• Interrogative: Will + Subject + Be + Verb (-ing) + Object?

Usage: Describes ongoing actions in the future.
Examples:

• Affirmative: I will be playing soccer at this time tomorrow.
• Negative: I will not be playing soccer at this time tomorrow.
• Interrogative: Will I be playing soccer at this time tomorrow?

7. Present Perfect Tense

Formula:

• Affirmative: Subject + Has/Have + Past Participle (V3) + Object
• Negative: Subject + Has/Have + Not + Past Participle (V3) + Object
• Interrogative: Has/Have + Subject + Past Participle (V3) + Object?

Usage: Describes actions that happened at an unspecified time before now.
Examples:

• Affirmative: I have played soccer.
• Negative: I have not played soccer.
• Interrogative: Have I played soccer?

8. Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Formula:

• Affirmative: Subject + Has/Have Been + Verb (-ing) + Object
• Negative: Subject + Has/Have + Not Been + Verb (-ing) + Object
• Interrogative: Has/Have + Subject + Been + Verb (-ing) + Object?

Usage: Describes ongoing actions that started in the past and continue in the present.
Examples:

• Affirmative: I have been playing soccer for an hour.
• Negative: I have not been playing soccer for an hour.
• Interrogative: Have I been playing soccer for an hour?

9. Past Perfect Tense

Formula:

• Affirmative: Subject + Had + Past Participle (V3) + Object
• Negative: Subject + Had + Not + Past Participle (V3) + Object
• Interrogative: Had + Subject + Past Participle (V3) + Object?

Usage: Describes actions completed before another action in the past.
Examples:

• Affirmative: I had played soccer before I went to the party.
• Negative: I had not played soccer before I went to the party.
• Interrogative: Had I played soccer before I went to the party?

10. Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Formula:

• Affirmative: Subject + Had Been + Verb (-ing) + Object
• Negative: Subject + Had + Not Been + Verb (-ing) + Object
• Interrogative: Had + Subject + Been + Verb (-ing) + Object?

Usage: Describes ongoing actions that continued up to a point in the past.
Examples:

• Affirmative: I had been playing soccer for two hours before the game ended.
• Negative: I had not been playing soccer for two hours before the game ended.
• Interrogative: Had I been playing soccer for two hours before the game ended?

11. Future Perfect Tense

Formula:

• Affirmative: Subject + Will Have + Past Participle (V3) + Object
• Negative: Subject + Will + Not Have + Past Participle (V3) + Object
• Interrogative: Will + Subject + Have + Past Participle (V3) + Object?

Usage: Describes future actions completed by a specific time.
Examples:

• Affirmative: By next year, I will have played soccer for ten years.
• Negative: By next year, I will not have played soccer for ten years.
• Interrogative: Will I have played soccer for ten years by next year?

12. Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Formula:

• Affirmative: Subject + Will Have Been + Verb (-ing) + Object
• Negative: Subject + Will + Not Have Been + Verb (-ing) + Object
• Interrogative: Will + Subject + Have Been + Verb (-ing) + Object?

Usage: Describes ongoing actions continuing up to a point in the future.
Examples:

• Affirmative: By the end of the day, I will have been playing soccer for six hours.
• Negative: By the end of the day, I will not have been playing soccer for six hours.
• Interrogative: Will I have been playing soccer for six hours by the end of the day?