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TABLE OF ENGLISH TENSES

Tense

Use

Cues

Form

Affirmative

Negative

Interrogative

I dont play.
She doesnt play.
They dont play.

Do I play?
Does she play?
Do they play?

Simple Present

repeated actions,
frequent actions

always, usually,
never, daily

subject + verb

I play.
She plays.
They play.

Present Continuous
(or Progressive)

action occurring at
the moment of
speaking

right now, at the

moment

subject + am/is/are
+ verb + ing

Im playing.
Shes playing.
Theyre playing.

Im not playing.
She isnt playing.
They arent playing.

Am I playing?
Is she playing?
Are they playing?

Simple Past

action completed in
the past

yesterday, last
week, two years
ago, in 1988

subject + verb + ed

I played.
She played.
They played.

I didnt play.
She didnt play.
They didnt play.

Did I play?
Did she play?
Did they play?

while, when, at
10:37pm

subject + was/were
+ verb + ing

I was playing.
She was playing.
They were playing.

yet, already, since,

for, recently, so far,
just

subject + have/has
+ past participle

I have played.
She has played.
They have played.

Past Continuous (or

Progressive)

Present Perfect

action interrupted by
another action,
action occurring at a
very specific time
past event with
connection to
present, past action
at unspecified time

I wasnt playing.
She wasnt playing.
They werent
playing.
I havent played.
She hasnt played.
They havent
played.
I havent been
playing.
She hasnt been
playing.
They havent been
playing.

Was I playing?
Was she playing?
Were they playing?
Have I played?
Has she played?
Have they played?
Have I been
playing?
Has she been
playing?
Have they been
playing?

Present Perfect
Continuous (or
Progressive)

past event with

connection to
present, emphasis on
length of time

since, for, all day,

for three hours

subject + have/has
+ been + verb + ing

I have been playing.

She has been
playing.
They have been
playing.

Past Perfect

action which
occurred before
another past action

already, just, never

subject + had + past

participle

I had played.
She had played.
They had played.

I hadnt played.
She hadnt played.
They hadnt played.

Had I played?
Had she played?
Had they played?

Past Perfect
Continuous (or
Progressive)

action which
occurred before
another past action,
emphasis on length
of time

since, for, how long

subject + had +
been + verb + ing

I had been playing.

She had been
playing.
They had been
playing.

I hadnt been
playing.
She hadnt been
playing.
They hadnt been
playing.

Had I been playing?

Had she been
playing?
Had they been
playing?

Future (Will)

predictions,
spontaneous
decisions, promises

in the future, in 20
years, promise

subject + will + verb

Ill play.
Shell play.
Theyll play.

I wont play.
She wont play.
They wont play.

Will I play?
Will she play?
Will they play?

Tense

Use

Cues

Form

Affirmative

Future (Going To)

future plans

tomorrow, next
weekend

subject + am/is/are
+ going to + verb

Im going to play.
Shes going to play.
Theyre going to
play.

Future Continuous (or

Progressive)

action that will be

occurring at a
specific future time

tomorrow at
3:34pm

subject + will + be +
verb + ing

Ill be playing.
Shell be playing.
Theyll be playing.

Future Perfect

action that will have

occurred before a
specific future time

by the time you get

home, in three
years

subject + will +
have + past
participle

Ill have played.

Shell have played.
Theyll have played.

Future Perfect
Continuous (or
Progressive)

action that will have

occurred before a
specific future time,
emphasis on length
of time

by the time you get

home, in 15 minutes

subject + will +
have + been + verb
+ ing

Simple Conditional

improbable event

if I were you, if I
had 1M dollars

subject + would +
verb

Continuous (or
Progressive)
Conditional

improbable event,
emphasis on a
specific moment

if I had stayed
home, if I were in
Cuba

subject + would +
be + verb + ing

Perfect Conditional

improbable past
event

if I hadnt studied
art, if I had gone to
Mexico

subject + would +
have + past
participle

Perfect Continuous
(or Progressive)
Conditional

improbable past
event, emphasis on
length of time

if I had accepted
the transfer, if I
hadnt left when I
did

subject + would +
have + been + verb
+ ing

Ill have been

playing.
Shell have been
playing.
Theyll have been
playing.
I would play.
She would play.
They would play.
I would be playing.
She would be
playing.
They would be
playing.
I would have
played.
She would have
played.
They would have
played.
I would have been
playing.
She would have
been playing.
They would have
been playing.

Negative
Im not going to
play.
She isnt going to
play.
They arent going
to play.
I wont be playing.
She wont be
playing.
They wont be
playing.
I wont have
played.
She wont have
played.
They wont have
played.
I wont have been
playing.
She wont have
been playing.
They wont have
been playing.
I wouldnt play.
She wouldnt play.
They wouldnt play.
I wouldnt be
playing.
She wouldnt be
playing.
They wouldnt be
playing.
I wouldnt have
played.
She wouldnt have
played.
They wouldnt have
played.
I wouldnt have
been playing.
She wouldnt have
been playing.
They wouldnt have
been playing.

Interrogative
Am I going to play?
Is she going to
play?
Are they going to
play?
Will I be playing?
Will she be playing?
Will they be
playing?
Will I have played?
Will she have
played?
Will they have
played?
Will I have been
playing?
Will she have been
playing?
Will they have been
playing?
Would I play?
Would she play?
Would they play?
Would I be playing?
Would she be
playing?
Would they be
playing?
Would I have
played?
Would she have
played?
Would they have
played?
Would I have been
playing?
Would she have
been playing?
Would they have
been playing?