How to choose your English tenses

Using the correct tense and verb form is important in English grammar. Here's a simple rule to help you choose which tense to use - which tense you use depends on how you see the event or action.


Routine or permanent situations
- use the simple form. For example, "I live in London" tells you that "live" is true all the time - London is my home.

"I lived in the countryside when I was a child" - this was a long-term situation in the past.

Temporary or continuing situations
- use the continuous form. For example, "I'm working as a secretary at the moment" - the job isn't permanent and maybe I'm doing it for a while until I get another job.

"House prices are rising" - they are continuing to rise and haven't stopped rising yet.

"She was wearing a black dress" - she put it on before I saw her and she still wore it after I saw her - wearing the dress continued over a period of time.

Connecting different times
- use the perfect form to show that one event was completed before another, or to show that one situation continues from one time to another.

For example, "I have lived here for two years" - I started to live here two years ago and I still live here.

"I will have finished the report before next week" - some time before next week, but I don't know exactly when.

"He had studied law before he met her" - he studied law before he met her, but we don't know when.

Present tenses in English

This page will help you if you can't remember the difference between the Present Continuous tense ("I am doing"), and the Present Simple tense ("I do").

Which tense you use depends on how you see the state or action. If you use the Present Simple ("I do"), you think something is permanent. This means we often use the Present Simple to talk about general and scientific facts, our routines or habits, to give definitions and to describe things.

The Present Continuous ("I am doing") means the action is happening now (or around now), is unfinished, or temporary. We use it to talk about trends and changes, or about situations happening now that are different from normal.

"I live in London." (This is my home.)

"I am living with my parents." (A temporary situation until I buy my own house.)

"Hot air rises." (A scientific fact.)

"House prices are rising." (A trend happening now.)

"I drive to work every day." (My routine or habit.)

"I am walking to work this week." (My car is being repaired.)

"At work I write letters to customers." (My job routine.)

"I'm writing a difficult letter." (This is what I am doing right now and I haven't finished yet.)

So the most important rule is that you use the Present Simple ("I do") for permanent states and the Present Continuous ("I am doing") for changes and trends.

Some verbs cannot be used in the Present Continuous tense. This is because they already suggest permanence.

These include:

Verbs of possession - own, have, belong. (Although you can say "I am having a party", it doesn't mean you own the party, it means you are hosting a party.)

Verbs of the mind - believe, know, think, forget.

Verbs of emotion - love, hate, detest.

Verbs of the senses - see, hear, smell, taste. ("I'm seeing the doctor tomorrow" means I am going to visit the doctor, but "I see the doctor" means "the doctor is standing in front of me".)

Verbs of geographical location - lie. ("London lies on the River Thames".)

Past tenses in English

We use this tense in English to talk about events or situations that are finished. Normally we use a time reference.

For example:

"Last year I went to Spain."

"In 1997, he changed his job."

"She called an hour ago."

We also use the Past Simple tense in English to talk about long-lasting events or situations in the past.

"When I was a child, I lived in the countryside."

To talk about repeated activites in the past, we also use the Past Simple.

"I often went to the beach as a child."

Past Continuous Tense ("I was doing")
There are three main uses of this tense:

1. To talk about what was happening at a particular time in the past and to give descriptions and background information.

2. To talk about temporary situations in the past.

3. To make polite requests.

1. Talking about what was happening at a particular time in the past.

"This time yesterday, I was reading a book."

We often use the Past Continuous tense with the Past Simple tense. The Past Continuous gives the background to an event in the Past Simple:

"When he got home, the children were playing in the garden." (The children started playing in the garden before he got home.)

"I was eating dinner when there was a knock on the door." (The knock on the door came in the middle of my meal.)

We can use the Past Continuous to give descriptions.

"The girl was wearing a yellow dress. She was eating ice-cream and was watching television."

2. Talking about temporary situations in the past.

"When I was living in London, I often went to the theatre." (Living in London was temporary - perhaps I only lived there for a short while.)

Compare with: "When I was a child I lived in the countryside." Living in the countryside was a longer event - I was a child for more than a couple of years. For more permanent situations, we use the Past Simple tense.

3. Making polite requests.

If we want to make polite requests, we can use the Past Continuous tense. This is because we put a distance between ourselves and the person we are asking.

"I was wondering if you had time to see me."

"I was hoping we could discuss a pay raise."

How to use the present perfect tenses in English

When do you use the Past Simple ("I did") and the Present Perfect ("I have done")?

The tense you choose depends on how you consider the event. Is it finished, or is there still a connection to the present?

If you use the Past Simple ("I did"), you consider the event or events as finished and in the past. This tense is often used with a time reference: last year, last week, in 1991, this morning (if it's now the afternoon) and so on.

With the Present Perfect ("I have done"), there is a connection to the present.

For example, "I have lived here for five years." (I still live here.)

Uses of the Present Perfect
When the past affects the present

"I've lost my wallet."
This means that you have lost your wallet (sometime in the past, but we don't know when), but what is really important is that you don't have it now, at the time of speaking.

If instead, you say "I lost my wallet", people understand that you lost it, but not that it affects the present. They expect you to tell them about the time that you lost the wallet.

We use the Present Perfect tense to show that something has a result or a connection to now. This means that it's used to give news.

"The Euro slips!"
(headline)

"The Euro has slipped against the pound again."
(news report)

"My sister has had a baby." (announcing news)

Experiences

Your experiences make you the person you are now. We don't use dates and times to give information on what makes you this person.

"I've been to New Zealand." (I know something about New Zealand.)

We often ask questions about people's experiences with ever. For example, "Have you ever been white-water rafting?"

States or activities that started in the past, which have continued up to now and will probably continue into the future.

"I have worked here for five years."

"I have lived here since 1994."

Use since to give the date that an activity or state started and use for to give the period of time the activity or state has lasted.

Recent past

"Have you finished yet?"

"I've already written the report." (Here it is.)

In these type of examples, we often use yet, already still, just and recently.

Note: American English uses the Past Simple instead of the Present Perfect in these examples. For instance, "Did you eat yet?"

Using both tenses in a conversation
"Have you travelled much?"

"Yes, I've been to the USA."

"Oh really? When did you go?"

The first question and the reply concern a person's experience, so they use the Present Perfect. But the second question asks for more information about the experience. Because it refers to a past time (when the person went to the USA), the Past Simple is used.

The conversation could continue:

"Oh really? When did you go?"

"Two years ago. I visited a friend in California, but I only stayed a week."

"Did you like it?"

"Yes, it was a fantastic trip."

How to use the Present Perfect Continuous.
Temporary situations

Like the Present Continuous and Past Continuous, the Present Perfect Continuous is used to talk about activities or states that are temporary, rather than permanent.

Compare:

"I have been the Marketing Manager for five years." (This is my job.)

"I've been working on a new customer database." (This is a temporary project.)

Unfinished situations

"I've been writing letters all morning." (I still haven't finished them.)

"This morning I've written three letters." (They are all finished.)

Repeated and continuous actions

"No wonder you're not hungry. You've been eating sweets for the last hour." (One sweet after another.)

Using future forms

There are many ways of talking about the future in English. Which way you choose depends on how you see the future. Is the future event planned or unplanned, a schedule, or a prediction?

Making predictions in English
You can use both will and going to to make predictions.

For example, "I think the Labour party will lose the next election." Or "I think the Labour party are going to lose the next election."

If you can make a prediction based on what you see now, we use going to.

For example, "You're driving too fast, you're going to hit the car in front!"

Future plans and arrangements
If something has already been planned, use going to with the verb, or the Present Continuous tense.

"I'm going to take my exams next month."

"He's visiting a client on Tuesday."

Unplanned future
When we decide to do something at the moment of speaking, we use will.

"The phone's ringing - I'll answer it."
(You only answer the phone when it starts ringing.)

Future schedules
When we want to talk about a schedule, we use the Present Simple tense.

"The plane leaves in half an hour - we'd better hurry."

"Next week I fly to Italy, then on Tuesday, I'm in Spain."

Events in progress at a time in the future
To talk about something that will be in progress at a time in the future, use will be doing.

"For example, "This time next week, I'll be sitting on a plane."

We can also use this form to make polite requests.

"Will you be using the car tomorrow?"
(If you won't, can I use it?)

Events that will be completed by a time in the future
If you want to say that something will be completed by a time in the future, use will have done.

"I'll have finished the report by this afternoon."

Final tip
Many learners of English overuse will and going to. Try using all the different future forms so that you become more confident

Future Perfect

The Future Perfect is used to show the time by which something finishes.

For example:
- I will have finished by 4.00.
- By 4.00 I will finish a certain activity.

Form

The Future Continuous is made with will + have + the past participle.

For example:
- I will have arrived by 4.00.
- They will have left by next week.
- He will have gone to America by the end of the month.


Negatives add not, for example:

- I won't have arrived by 4.00.
- They won't have left by next week.
- He won't have gone to America until next month.

Questions invert will and the subject, for example:
- Will you have arrived by 4.00?- Will they have left by next week?
- Will he have gone to America by next month?

Usage

The Future Perfect shows the time before which something will finish. For example:
- Next Friday, I'll have worked here for 5 years.
When next Friday comes, it will be 5 years since I started working here.

We often use by to show the time before which something is completed, for example:
- Can I borrow you book?
- You can have it tomorrow, I'll have read it by then.
- I'll have left by the time you arrive.

Do (present tense) and Did (past tense)

Present Tense Negative

do + not + main verb

Singular

I do not ___ = I don't ___
You do not ___ = You don't ___
He does not ___ = He doesn't ___
She does not ___= She doesn't ___
It does not ___ = It doesn't ___

Plural

We do not ___= We don't ___
You do not ___ = You don't ___
They do not ___ = They don't ___

Past Tense Negative

did + not + main verb

Singular

I did not ___ = I didn't ___
You did not ___ = You didn't ___
He did not ___ = He didn't ___
She did not ___ = She didn't ___
It did not ___ = It didn't ___

Plural

We did not ___ = We didn't ___
You did not ___ = You didn't ___
They did not ___ = They didn't ___

The verb "do" is a helping verb. We add it to the simple form of a verb to make questions and negatives in the present tense and the past tense.

Examples:

I don't work on the weekend. (present tense negative).
I didn't work last weekend. (past tense negative)
He doesn't like to go to the store. (present tense negative)
He didn't like to go to the store when he was younger. (past tense negative).
They don't have any money. (present tense negative)
They didn't have any money last week. (past tense negative.)

Note: "Do" is also used as a main verb for activities, such as housework, cleaning, studying, research, business, and shopping.

Examples:

I don't do the dishes every night. I didn't do the dishes last night.
She doesn't do her grocery shopping at Cub. She didn't do her grocery shopping yesterday.
They do not do their homework at the library. They didn't do their homework last night.
Their company doesn't do business in Minnesota. They never did business here.

The past tense form of "do" is "did." Did + not = didn't

Examples:
I didn't go to work yesterday.
She didn't take the bus to work.

Separating the contraction creates emphasis

Examples:

I did not want to do the dishes last night. I do not want to do them now!
He does not have his license! He never did get it!
Please, do not put that hot pan on the counter!

Never put did + ____ing

He did going to work last night. (incorrect)
He went to work last night. ( correct )

Avoid bad American grammar!

She don't go to work on Sunday.(incorrect)
It don't matter to me. (incorrect)
He don't know. (incorrect)

Do - Present Tense

Singular

I do
You do
He does
She does
It does

Plural

We do
You do
They do


The verb "do" can be used to make a statement:

I do the laundry every weekend.

...but it is usually used to make the present or the past tense negative:

I don't have any money.
He didn't go to the store yesterday.
It's also used when making questions:
Do you know what time it is?

Be - Past Tense

The verb "be" has two forms in the past tense: was and were

Singular

I was
You were
He was
She was
It was

Plural

We were
You were
They were

Be - Present Tense Negative

Subject + (be) + not

Singular

I am not
You are not
He is not
She is not
It is not

Plural

We are not
You are not
They are

Simple present Usage

Examples Usage :

Permanent or long-lasting situations

Where do you work?
The store opens at 9 o'clock.
She lives in New York.

Regular habits and daily routines

I usually get up at 7 o'clock.
She doesn't often go to the cinema.
When do they usually have lunch?

Facts

The Earth revolves around the Sun.
What does 'strange' mean?
Water doesn't boil at 20°.

Feelings

I love walking around late at night during the summer.
She hates flying!
What do you like? I don't want to live in Texas.

Opinions and states of mind

He doesn't agree with you.
I think he is a wonderful student.
What do you consider your best accomplishment?

Timetables and schedules

The plane leaves at 4 p.m.
When do courses begin this semester?
The train doesn't arrive until 10.35.

Common present time expressions include: usually, always, often, sometimes, on Saturdays, at weekends (on weekends US English), rarely, on occasion, never, seldom