The Simple Present to express the idea that an action is repeated or usual.

The action
can be a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something that often
happens. It can also be something a person often forgets or usually does not do.
Examples:
You speak English.
Do you speak English?
You do not speak English.

Use the Present Continuous with Normal Verbs to express the idea that something is
happening now, at this very moment. It can also be used to show that something is not
happening now.
Examples:
You are watching TV.
Are you watching TV?
You are not watching TV.

Use the Simple Past to express the idea that an action started and finished at a
specific time in the past. Sometimes, the speaker may not actually mention the
specific time, but they do have one specific time in mind.
Examples:
You called Debbie.
Did you call Debbie?
You did not call Debbie.


Use the Past Continuous to indicate that a longer action in the past was interrupted.
The interruption is usually a shorter action in the Simple Past. Remember this can be a
real interruption or just an interruption in time.
Examples:
You were studying when she called.
Were you studying when she called?
You were not studying when she called.


We use the Present Perfect to say that an action happened at an unspecified time
before now. The exact time is not important. You CANNOT use the Present Perfect
with specific time expressions such as: yesterday, one year ago, last week, when I was
a child, when I lived in Japan, at that moment, that day, one day, etc. We CAN use the
Present Perfect with unspecific expressions such as: ever, never, once, many times,
several times, before, so far, already, yet, etc.
Examples:
You have seen that movie many times.
Have you seen that movie many times?
You have not seen that movie many times.

We use the Present Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past
and has continued up until now. "For five minutes," "for two weeks," and "since
Tuesday" are all durations which can be used with the Present Perfect Continuous.
Examples:
You have been waiting here for two hours.
Have you been waiting here for two hours?
You have not been waiting here for two hours.

The Past Perfect expresses the idea that something occurred before another action in
the past. It can also show that something happened before a specific time in the past.
Examples:
You had studied English before you moved to New York.
Had you studied English before you moved to New York?
You had not studied English before you moved to New York.
We use the Past Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and
continued up until another time in the past. "For five minutes" and "for two weeks" are
both durations which can be used with the Past Perfect Continuous. Notice that this is
related to the Present Perfect Continuous; however, the duration does not continue
until now, it stops before something else in the past.
Examples:
You had been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally
arrived.
Had you been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally
arrived?
You had not been waiting there for more than two hours when she
finally arrived.
Simple Future has two different forms in English: "will" and "be going to." Although the
two forms can sometimes be used interchangeably, they often express two very
different meanings. These different meanings might seem too abstract at first, but with
time and practice, the differences will become clear. Both "will" and "be going to" refer
to a specific time in the future.
Examples:
You will help him later.
Will you help him later?
You will not help him later.

Future Continuous has two different forms: "will be doing " and "be going to be
doing." Unlike Simple Future forms, Future Continuous forms are usually
interchangeable.
Examples:
You will be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight.
Will you be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight?
You will not be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight.

Future Perfect has two different forms: "will have done" and "be going to have done."
Unlike Simple Future forms, Future Perfect forms are usually interchangeable.
Examples:
You will have perfected your English by the time you come back from
the U.S.
Will you have perfected your English by the time you come back from
the U.S.?
You will not have perfected your English by the time you come back
from the U.S.
Future Perfect Continuous has two different forms: "will have been doing " and "be
going to have been doing." UnlikeSimple Future forms, Future Perfect Continuous
forms are usually interchangeable.
Examples:
You will have been waiting for more than two hours when her plane
finally arrives.
Will you have been waiting for more than two hours when her plane
finally arrives?
You will not have been waiting for more than two hours when her
plane finally arrives.

Verb Tense Overview with Examples
Simple Present Simple Past Simple Future
I study English every
day.
Two years ago,
I studied English in
England.
If you are having
problems, I will help you
study English.

I am going to study
English next year.
Present Continuous Past Continuous Future Continuous
I am studying English
now.
I was studying English
when you called
yesterday.
I will be studying English
when you arrive tonight.

I am going to be
studying English when
you arrive tonight.
Present Perfect Past Perfect Future Perfect
I have studied English in
several different
countries.
I had studied a little
English before I moved to
the U.S.
I will have studied every
tense by the time I finish
this course.

I am going to have
studied every tense by
the time I finish this
course.
Present Perfect
Continuous
Past Perfect Continuous
Future Perfect
Continuous
I have been
studying English for five
years.
I had been
studying English for five
years before I moved to
the U.S.
I will have been
studying English for over
two hours by the time
you arrive.

I am going to have been
studying English for over
two hours by the time
you arrive.



Active / Passive Overview
Active Passive
Simple
Present
Once a week,
Tom cleans the house.
Once a week, the house is
cleaned by Tom.
Present
Continuous
Right now, Sarah is
writing the letter.
Right now, the letter is being
written by Sarah.
Simple Past Sam repaired the car. The car was repaired by Sam.
Past
Continuous
The salesman was
helping the customer when
the thief came into the store.
The customer was being
helped by the salesman when
the thief came into the store.
Present
Perfect
Many tourists have
visited that castle.
That castle has been
visited by many tourists.
Present
Perfect
Continuous
Recently, John has been
doing the work.
Recently, the work has been
being done by John.
Past Perfect George had repaired many
cars before he received his
mechanic's license.
Many cars had been
repaired by George before he
received his mechanic's
license.
Past Perfect
Continuous
Chef Jones had been
preparing the restaurant's
fantastic dinners for two
years before he moved to
Paris.
The restaurant's fantastic
dinners had been being
prepared by Chef Jones for
two years before he moved to
Paris.
Simple
Future
WILL
Someone will finish the
work by 5:00 PM.
The work will be finished by
5:00 PM.
Simple
Future
BE GOING TO
Sally is going to make a
beautiful dinner tonight.
A beautiful dinner is going to
be made by Sally tonight.
Future
Continuous
WILL
At 8:00 PM tonight, John will
be washing the dishes.
At 8:00 PM tonight, the
dishes will be being
washed by John.
Future At 8:00 PM tonight, John is At 8:00 PM tonight, the
Continuous
BE GOING TO
going to be washing the
dishes.
dishes are going to be being
washed by John.
Future
Perfect
WILL
They will have
completed the project before
the deadline.
The project will have been
completed before the
deadline.
Future
Perfect
BE GOING TO
They are going to have
completed the project before
the deadline.
The project is going to have
been completedbefore the
deadline.
Future
Perfect
Continuous
WILL
The famous artist will have
been painting the mural for
over six months by the time it
is finished.
The mural will have been
being painted by the famous
artist for over six months by
the time it is finished.
Future
Perfect
Continuous
BE GOING TO
The famous artist is going to
have been painting the
mural for over six months by
the time it is finished.
The mural is going to have
been being paintedby the
famous artist for over six
months by the time it is
finished.
Used to Jerry used to pay the bills. The bills used to be paid by
Jerry.
Would
Always
My mother would always
make the pies.
The pies would always be
made by my mother.
Future in the
Past
WOULD
I knew John would
finish the work by 5:00 PM.
I knew the work would be
finished by 5:00 PM.
Future in the
Past
WAS GOING TO
I thought Sally was going to
make a beautiful dinner
tonight.
I thought a beautiful
dinner was going to be
madeby Sally tonight.