Summary Charts of English Tenses

Meaning 1: Habitual, regular action in the present.

Time expressions: usually; every day; often; sometimes; rarely; never.

Examples: I usually work till seven o'clock. I often talk to him on the phone. He visits them sometimes.

Meaning 2: Stating a fact, general truth, state or condition.

Examples: He lives in Moscow and works at a bank. He plays the piano quite well. Her house is very small. The sun rises in the east.

Meaning 1: The action is going on right now.

Time expressions: now; right now; at the moment.

Examples: You are reading this material now. I'm writing a letter at the moment. Look! Anton is playing the piano.

Meaning 2: The action is going on at the present period of time (but not at the moment of speaking).

Time expressions: now; at present; today; this year.

Examples: She is writing a new novel now. He is studying German this year.

Meaning 1: The action has just ended.

Time expressions: already; just; yet.

Examples: He has already done it. I have just seen him.

Meaning 2: Reporting how things have developed by now.

Time expressions: by now; so far; never; ever; several times.

Examples: So far, he has read five books. He has never been there.

Meaning 3: The action has lasted for some time by now.

Time expressions: for a year; since; lately.

Example: He has lived here since 1995.

Meaning 1: The action has lasted for some time by now and is still going on.

Time expressions: for an hour; for a week; for five years; all day; since.

Examples: He has been sleeping for two hours already. She has been working as a teacher since she graduated from college. How long have you been waiting here?

Meaning 2: The action has been going on lately.

Examples: All of them have been working very hard lately. I have been thinking about starting my own business. We have just been talking about you.

Note: Simple present can replace the simple future with the meaning "according to schedule, timetable".

Examples: The ship arrives next week. He works tomorrow.

Note: Present continuous can replace the simple future with the meaning "preplanned action".

Examples: I'm going to leave tomorrow. I am leaving tomorrow.

Note: Present perfect may replace the present perfect continuous for the action that has lasted for some time by now.

Example: He has worked in this company for ten years.

Note: Present perfect continuous in Meaning 2 is often used without time expressions.

Example: It has been raining hard, and the ground is still wet.

Note: Simple present is used instead of the present continuous with stative verbs.

Examples: I see a little boy. I understand what you mean.

Note: Stative verbs "know, understand, remember, like, love, hate, want, see, hear, seem, look", etc., are generally not used in the continuous tenses.

Note: Present perfect is used instead of the present perfect continuous with stative verbs.

Examples: She has known them for six years. She has loved him all her life.

Note: Stative verbs "know, understand, remember, like, love, hate, want, see, hear, seem, look", etc., are generally not used in the continuous tenses.

Meaning: The action happened (started and ended) in the past.

Time expressions: yesterday; last week; last year; in 1995; in 2009; two hours ago; four years ago.

Examples: I saw him an hour ago. He came back last Friday. She went to the theater yesterday. They visited London in 2009.

Meaning: The action was going on (1) when another past action happened or (2) at some point of time in the past.

Time expressions: while; when; at five o'clock yesterday.

Examples: When he came in, I was reading a letter. We were watching TV at three o'clock yesterday.

Meaning: The action happened before another past action or before some point of time in the past.

Time expressions: by the time; before; after; by 1998; by yesterday; by last Sunday.

Examples: By the time he returned, she had already left. He left only after he had finished his work.

Meaning: The action lasted for some time before another past action or before some point of time in the past.

Time expressions: by the time; before; after; by yesterday; by 2005; for two hours; for a long time.

Examples: By the time he returned, I had been working for six hours. By 2006, he had been living there for twenty years.

Note: Simple past is used for completed past actions, including past actions that lasted for some time or happened one after another.

Example: He sold cars for two years, and then he quit his job and began to write novels.

Note: Simple past is used instead of the past continuous with stative verbs.

Example: She looked tired when I saw her at the party yesterday.

Note: Past perfect may replace the past perfect continuous for the action that lasted for some time before another action in the past.

Example: By the time he returned, I had worked for six hours.

Note: Past perfect is used instead of the past perfect continuous with stative verbs.

Example: She had known him for five years by the time they got married.

Meaning: The action will happen in the future.

Time expressions: tomorrow; in a few days; next week; in 2025; in the future.

Examples: I think he will return next week. I will probably see him in a few days. We'll be home after eight.

Meaning: The action will be going on (1) when another future action happens or (2) at some point of time in the future.

Time expressions: at three tomorrow; at this time next year; when.

Examples: He'll be sleeping at two o'clock. When you come to the library, I'll be sitting by the central window.

Meaning: The action will happen before another future action or before some point of time in the future.

Time expressions: by the time; by 2035; by tomorrow; before.

Examples: By the time I get there, she will have left. By 2050, scientists will have found the cure for cancer.

Meaning: The action will last for some time before another future action or before some point of time in the future.

Time expressions: by the time; by 2030; before; for two hours.

Examples: By the time he returns, I will have been working for nine hours. By 2025, he will have been living here for fifty years.

Meaning 1: Habitual, regular action in the present.

Time expressions: usually; every day; often; sometimes; rarely.

Examples: Mail is usually delivered at eight o'clock. This blog is updated every day.

Meaning 2: Stating a fact, general truth, state or condition.

Examples: English is spoken in many countries. Water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen.

Meaning: The action is going on now.

Time expressions: now; right now; at the moment.

Examples: He is being examined by the doctor at the moment. The report is being typed right now.

Meaning 1: The action has just ended.

Time expressions: already; just; yet.

Examples: The letter has already been sent. We have just been informed of his arrival.

Meaning 2: Reporting how things have developed by now.

Time expressions: by now; so far; never; ever; several times; since; lately.

Examples: So far, ten workers have been fired. He has never been invited to their house before.

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Meaning: The action happened in the past.

Time expressions: yesterday; last week; last year; in 1996; in 2010; two hours ago.

Examples: His house was built a year ago. She was offered a good job last week. The telephone was invented by Alexander Bell.

Meaning: The action was going on (1) when another past action happened or (2) at some point of time in the past.

Time expressions: while; when; at five o'clock yesterday.

Examples: When I came to the hospital, Tom was being examined by the doctor.

Meaning: The action happened before another past action or before some point of time in the past.

Time expressions: by the time; before; after; by 1990; by yesterday; by last week.

Examples: By the time I returned, the work on the project had been finished. By 2005, five new hotels had been built.

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Meaning: The action will happen in the future.

Time expressions: tomorrow; in a few days; next week; in 2025; in the future.

Examples: The film will be released in a month. This work will be done tomorrow.

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Meaning: The action will happen before another future action or before some point of time in the future.

Time expressions: by the time; by 2035; by tomorrow; before.

Examples: By the time you return, the report will have been typed. By 2050 the cure for cancer will have been found.

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