English Verb Tenses: A Tabular Review
| Tense | Form | Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple Present | Base form (I work) | Habits, facts, general truths, scheduled events | I work at a library. The sun rises in the east. The train leaves at 6:00 PM. |
| Simple Past | Past tense (-ed or irregular) (I worked) | Completed actions in the past, states in the past | I worked at a library last year. They lived in London. |
| Simple Future | Will + base form (I will work) | Predictions, promises, intentions | I will work at the library tomorrow. She will be here soon. |
| Present Continuous | Am/is/are + -ing (I am working) | Actions happening now, temporary actions, future arrangements | I am working on a new project. She is staying with her parents. We are meeting for lunch tomorrow. |
| Past Continuous | Was/were + -ing (I was working) | Actions happening at a specific time in the past, ongoing actions interrupted by another action | I was working when you called. They were playing football when it started raining. |
| Future Continuous | Will be + -ing (I will be working) | Actions happening at a specific time in the future | I will be working on this project tomorrow afternoon. They will be having dinner at 8:00 PM. |
| Present Perfect | Have/has + past participle (I have worked) | Actions completed in the past with present relevance, experiences, states continuing up to now | I have worked here for 5 years. She has lived in Paris for 10 years. |
| Past Perfect | Had + past participle (I had worked) | Actions completed before another action in the past, sequence of events | I had worked there for 5 years before I left. They had finished their homework before dinner. |
| Future Perfect | Will have + past participle (I will have worked) | Actions completed by a specific time in the future | I will have finished this project by tomorrow. They will have moved to their new house by next month. |
| Present Perfect Continuous | Have/has been + -ing (I have been working) | Actions started in the past and continuing now, emphasis on duration | I have been working on this project for hours. They have been living here since 2010. |
| Past Perfect Continuous | Had been + -ing (I had been working) | Actions continuing over a period of time before another action in the past | I had been working on this project for hours before I took a break. They had been living there for 5 years before they moved. |
| Future Perfect Continuous | Will have been + -ing (I will have been working) | Actions continuing up to a specific time in the future | I will have been working on this project for 10 years by next year. They will have been living here for 20 years by then. |
Note: This table is a basic overview. There are many other nuances and exceptions to the use of tenses.