Tense selector
This page will help you to choose the right tense in English to convey various meanings.
Introduction
This page has two ways to learn about the English tenses I am using the term tense here in its traditional sense. So, for example, the present simple and present perfect are regarded as two different tenses.
Modern grammarians say that there are only two tenses in English present (or non-past) and past.
To them the present perfect is a present tense verb construction, but not a tense in its own right. and the functions they perform. The first table below is organised by the various meanings that the English speaker might wish to express. The second table has the same information but organised by tense.
It is important to note the English tense system is highly complex. The information below contains only the most common English verb forms and their most common functions. For a greater understanding of the verb system, you are recommended to consult Swan's Practical English Usage.
Note: This page deals with finite verbs A finite verb has an explicit subject and can change its form according to tense, person and number. . Click for information about and examples of non-finite verbs.
Organised by function
The left column below has a list of common functions, i.e. the kind of meanings we typically want to express in everyday conversation. On the right are some examples of these functions in simple sentences.
Click the tense in the centre of the row for more information.
| Function | Tense | Examples |
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present simple |
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present simple |
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going to |
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present simple |
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past simple |
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present continuous |
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past perfect |
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will |
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present simple |
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past perfect |
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past simple |
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present simple |
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past continuous |
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present continuous |
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present perfect |
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past perfect |
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present perfect |
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present continuous |
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present simple |
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past simple |
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present simple |
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present simple |
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Organised by tense
Click the tense table header to go to a page with more details and examples.
1. express a simple truth (not limited in time)
- She works very hard.
- My friend speaks four languages.
- John lives in Berlin.
- I don't like dogs.
- Do you smoke?
2. talk about things that happen regularly/repeatedly
- I always clean my teeth before breakfast.
- Once a week I play golf with my brother.
3. express a world truth
- Water freezes at 0° Celsius.
- Trees lose their leaves in autumn.
- Cats don't live as long as humans.
- Does wealth bring happiness?
4. refer to a future scheduled event
- Hurry up! The train leaves in 10 minutes.
- The meeting starts at 2.45.
- My plane departs from Frankfurt at 5am and arrives in Seoul 14 hours later.
5. summarize the plot of a book or film
- Romeo thinks that Juliet is dead and he kills himself.
- Frodo decides to leave his home and go in search of the ring.
6. tell a joke or retell past events in a such way as to make them seem more interesting
- A man walks into a bar and orders 5 glasses of beer.
- So I go up to him and knock his hat off.
7. use a verb of mental processes or senses
- I know the answer.
- I don't believe you.
- This cheese tastes strange.
- Do you smell something funny?
- 1. talk about things happening now
- I can't come now; I'm doing my homework.
- Look! Someone is trying to break into your locker.
- Your work is getting better and better.
- It isn't raining any more.
- Why are you talking? You should be listening to me?
- 2. talk about future arrangements
- I'm meeting my sister in town tomorrow.
- I can't go to the dance next week. I'm playing tennis with John.
- I'm not going to the doctor after school today as planned. I feel much better.
- 3. express annoyance at repeated actions
- You are always interrupting me when I'm talking.
- My mother's always telling me to clean my room.
- 1. talk about what happened in the past (finished time)
- I came to Germany two years ago.
- Italy won the World Cup in 2006.
- I didn't see you in school yesterday.
- Did you like the film?
- Why didn't you do your homework?
- 2. report words said in the present simple
- She said she was 12 years old. ("I'm 12.")
- He said he could speak 5 languages. ("I can speak 5 languages.")
- 3. express an untrue or unlikely thought about the present or future (conditional 2)
- If I had a lot of money, I'd buy a new car.
- If you bought an iPod, you wouldn't have to use mine.
- It would be better if you didn't do that!
- 1. talk about actions happening at some time in the past
- You phoned while I was having a bath.
- Sorry, I wasn't listening. Can you say it again please?
- What were you doing at 8 o'clock yesterday?
- How fast was she driving when she had the accident?
- I threw my calculator away because it wasn't working properly.
- 1. talk about past events with a connection to the present
- I have lost my dictionary.
- Mary has fixed my computer.
- You haven't eaten very much. Don't you feel well?
- Have you seen my calculator?
- 2. talk about the past using a word of unfinished time
- I've lived in Germany since 1986.
- He's had a lot of bad luck recently.
- I haven't seen my mother for 2 months.
- Have you ever seen a ghost?
- Has she lived here all her life?
- 1. talk about the past in the past
- I arrived very late at the party. All my friends had already gone home.
- As soon as she had done her homework, she went to bed.
- I was very hungry because I hadn't eaten lunch.
- Had you seen the film before?
- 2. report words said in the present perfect
- I told her that I had never eaten sushi before.
- He said that he hadn't done his homework.
- I asked him if he had ever seen a ghost.
- 3. express an untrue or unlikely thought about the past (conditional 3)
- If I had known she was here, I would have called her.
- If I had had enough money, I would have bought you a better phone.
- I wish I had studied for my exams.
- I would have been in big trouble if you hadn't helped me.
- make a prediction about the future
- The sun will rise at 6.30 tomorrow.
- You will be in trouble if you do that again.
- We will run out of oil by the end of the 21st century.
- Will you be here next week?
- I'm sure my parents won't let me go to the party.
- express an intention about the future
- I'm going to be a teacher when I leave school.
- I'm going to try and learn 10 new words a day.
- She's going to buy a new computer as soon as she has enough money.
- What are you going to do tomorrow?
Conclusion
It is important to repeat the message from the introduction. Namely, that this page contains only the most common English verb forms and their most common functions or uses. Here is a brief discussion and exemplification of these additional verb constructions.
More resources
Here is an alternative way to understand tense usage in English. And here is a quiz on the topic.