Summary of English Tenses

PRESENT PAST FUTURE

SIMPLE Fact, regular action, habit, general Action completed at a specified Possible action in the future /
truth time in the past decision at the time of speaking
I come from Japan, I play tennis I played tennis this morning What will you do if its sunny tomorrow?
He drives fast I will play tennis. I wont play if it rains.

CONTINUOUS* Action in progress at present
Can you see him? What is he doing?
He is playing tennis, but he isnt
playing very well.
It is raining
Action in progress at a specified
time in the past
What was he doing when you saw him
yesterday?
He was playing tennis but he wasnt
playing very well.
Action in progress at a specified
time in the future
What will he be doing at this time
tomorrow?
He will be playing tennis, but he wont
be playing with me.

PERFECT Action completed at the time of Action completed before a Action completed before a specified
speaking specified time in the past time in the future
Have you played tennis this week? Had you played tennis before lunch How many matches will you have
Yes, we have played tennis once this yesterday? played by the end of this week?
week. Yes, we had played before lunch, but We will have played 4 matches, but we
we hadnt played a match. wont have watched any matches.
PERFECT Action that has already started Action that had already started Action that will have already started
CONTINUOUS in the past and still in progress and still continued (or had just and will still continue (or will have
* (or has just stopped) at a specified time in the just stopped) at a specified time in
stopped). past the future
She has been playing tennis for 2 How long had she been playing when She started playing at 9:00 this
months. it started raining? morning. By 4:00 this afternoon, She
She has been playing tennis since 5 She had only been playing for 10 will have been playing for 7 hours, but
o clock minutes. She hadnt been playing she wont have been playing with me.
very long when it started raining.

Special Tenses:
going to = 1. A certainty: Im sure hes going to win! 2. A decision made before time of speaking for the future: Im going to spend
Christmas at home.
present continuous + future time marker = An arrangement, an appointment for the future: Im flying back to Paris on Friday.
present simple + future time marker = A fixed timetable in the future: My flight leaves at 4:00 p.m.

* Avoid putting State Verbs in continuous tenses, e.g. like, have(=own), think(=believe), understand, exist, know, etc.