English Tenses Chart with Rules and Examples PDF

If you want to improve your English language skills and become more confident in using different verb tenses, be sure to check out our English Tenses Chart with Rules and Examples PDF. It’s a great resource that can help you understand the different verb tenses and how to use them correctly in your conversations and writing. Don’t wait any longer, take the time to explore this useful tool and take your language proficiency to the next level!

What Are the 12 Tenses in English?

There are twelve verb tenses in English. They are:

Simple Present
Present Continuous
Simple Past
Past Continuous
Present Perfect
Present Perfect Continuous
Past Perfect
Past Perfect Continuous
Future Simple
Future Continuous
Future Perfect
Future Perfect Continuous

Each tense is used to describe an action that takes place at a different point in time, whether in the past, present or future. Understanding these tenses is essential for clear and effective communication in English. For a more detailed overview of all verb tenses in English, check out this article!

Click here to get the PDF version of this English Tenses Chart with Rules and Examples PDF.

Tense	Explanation	Example
Simple Present	Used to describe a habitual or ongoing action in the present	I eat breakfast every morning.
Present Continuous	Used to describe an action that is currently taking place	I am typing an email.
Simple Past	Used to describe an action that occurred in the past and is complete	I went to the gym yesterday.
Past Continuous	Used to describe an ongoing action that was happening at a specific time in the past	She was studying when I called her.
Present Perfect	Used to describe an action that happened at an unspecified time in the past	I have finished my work for the day.
Present Perfect Continuous	Used to describe an action that began in the past and continues into the present	They have been married for 10 years.
Past Perfect	Used to describe an action that happened before another action in the past	We had already eaten dinner by the time she arrived.
Past Perfect Continuous	Used to describe an ongoing action that began in the past and continued until another event	She had been studying for hours when I called her.
Future Simple	Used to describe an action that will happen in the future	I will meet you at the restaurant at 7 PM.
Future Continuous	Used to describe an ongoing action that will be happening in the future	I will be studying for my exam all day tomorrow.
Future Perfect	Used to describe an action that will be completed before a specific time in the future	I will have finished my project by next Friday.
Future Perfect Continuous	Used to describe an ongoing action that will have started in the past and will continue up to a specific time in the future	By this time next year, I will have beenworking here for ten years.