12 Tensens

	Simple	Continuous	Perfect	Perfect Continuous
Past	`1.1`	`1.2`	`1.3`	`1.4`
Present	`2.1`	`2.2`	`2.3`	`2.4`
Future	`3.1`	`3.2`	`3.3`	`3.4`

1 Past

What happened.

1.1 Past Simple

Summary

We use the past simple to talk about something that happened at a specific time in the past.

We can’t change it.

We often use or imply expressions like yesterday, last week, last month.

Form

For All The People

sound like /t/ or /id/

/verb+ed/ , except… (buy –> bought; sell –> sold; speak –> spoke; put –> put)

/Did/ … /verb/ …?

Example

It rained.
It didn't rain.
Did it rain? 
Did you like football in the middle school?

1.2 Past Continuous

Summary

Talk about a continuous action that happened in the past at the same time as another continuous action.

A continuous action in the past that was interrupted with a shorter action.

Form

(/was/ or /wasn't/) + /verb+ing/

(The Second Person) /were/ + /verb+ing/

Example

It was raining.
It wasn't raining.
Was it raining?
I was tidying the house while she was cooking.
You were playing football while i was watching TV.
The kids were playing while i was working.
I was reading when the phone rang.
She was working when I got home.

1.3 Past Perfect

Summary

When we’re talking about two actions that happened in the past, we use this tense to talk about the action that happened first.

Form

(/had/ or /hadn't/) + /verb+ed/

Example

It had rained.
It hadn't rained.
Had it rained?
I had heared the news before you told me.
I had lived in Beijing before i started learning english.

1.4 Past Perfect Continuous

Summary

Here we have 2 actions that happened in the past. The first one is a continuous action that started and finished before the second one started.

Form

(/had/ or /hadn't/) + /been/ + /verb+ing/

Example

It had been raining.
It hadn't been raining.
Had it been raining.
I'd been looking for a job for months before I decided to start a business.
She had been feeling sick most mornings, so she went to see a doctor.

2 Present

What is happening now.

2.1 Present Simple

Summary

We use this to talk about things that happen in general, routines, facts.

It’s a really common tense.

Form

/verb/

/Do/ … /verb/ … ?

(The Third Person) /verb+s/

(The Third Person) /Does/ … /verb/ … ?

Example

It rains.
It doesn't rain. 
Does it rain?
Do you like football?
Does she like basketball?
I get up at 7 o'clock every day.
We leave the house at 8:30 am.
She plays the violin.

2.2 Present Continuous

Summary

Talk about things that are Happening right now.

Talk about temporary things

Form

/am/ + /verb+ing/

/are/ + /verb+ing/

(The Third Person) /is/ + /verb+ing/

Example

I am explaining the present continuous.
You are watching a video.
She is living in New York.
It is raining.
It is't raining.
Is it raining?

2.3 Present Perfect

Summary

An action that happened in a time period that haven’t finished

An action that happened in the past, but it has a real clear effect on the present.

Form

(/have/ or /haven't/) + /verb+ed/

(The Third Person) (/has/ or /hasn't/) + /verb+ed/

Example

It has rained.
It has't rained.
Has it rained?
I have spoken to him 3 times today.
I have been to Canada twice.
Call an ambulance. This man has fallen!
I've lost my sunglasses. Can i borrow yours?

2.4 Present Perfect Continuous

Summary

Basically, we use this tense to talk about a continuous action that started at a specific time in the past and is still ture now.

Form

(/have/ or /haven't/) + /been/ + /verb+ing/

(The Third Person) (/has/ or /hasn't/) + /been/ + /verb+ing/

Example

It has been raining.
It hasn't been raining.
Has it been raining?
I have been teaching english on Youtube for 6 years.
He has been studying medicine since last year.

3 Future

What will happen in the future.

3.1 Future Simple

Summary

What will happen in the future.

Form

/will/ + /verb/

(/will not/ or /won't/) + /verb/

Example

It will rain.
It will not rain.
It won't rain.
Will it rain?
He will get?

3.2 Future Continuous

Summary

A continuous action that will be happening at a specific time in the future.

Form

(/will/ or /won't/) + /be/ + /verb+ing/

Example

It will be raining.
It won't be raining.
Will it be raining?
I will be sleeping when you come home.
I'll be driving at 11 pm.

3.3 Future Perfect

Summary

So when we’re talking about two actions that happen in the future, we use this tense to express which action will happen first.

Form

(/will/ or /won't/) + /have/ + /verb+ed/

Example

It will have rained.
It won't have rained.
Will it have rained?
By the time he wakes up, Jack will have brought him presents.
He will have made dinner, when they get home.
I will have left the house, if you come after 2 pm.

3.4 Future Perfect Continuous

Summary

We use this tense to talk about the duration that we expect something to happen until a specific moment in the future.

Form

(/will/ or /won't/) + /have/ + /been/ + /verb+ing/

Example

It will have been raining.
It won't have been raining.
Will it have been raining?
In the 2030, i will have been working here for 15 years.
You will have been cooking for 3 hours when i get back.

Reference#1 Reference#2

最后修改于 2023-08-12