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12 Types of Tenses with Examples and Formula: Chart, Rules & Free Worksheet

Tenses tell us when an action happens: in the past, the present, or the future. If you want to speak and write correct English, you must know them well. In this guide, you will learn the 12 types of tenses with examples and formulas, along with simple rules, a quick chart, common mistakes, and a free worksheet to practice.

Whether you are preparing for school exams, IELTS, TOEFL, or just want better English, this article will make tenses easy to understand.

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12 types of tenses with examples and formula for learning English grammar
☰ Table of Contents

    What Is a Tense?

    A tense is the form of a verb that shows the time of an action. English has three main time periods: present, past, and future. Each period has four forms: simple, continuous, perfect, and perfect continuous. When you multiply 3 by 4, you get 12 tenses.

    Form

    What it shows

    Simple

    A fact, habit, or single action

    Continuous

    An action in progress

    Perfect

    An action that is completed

    Perfect Continuous

    An action that started earlier and has continued for some time

    What Are the Twelve Tenses in English?

    The twelve tenses in English are:

    Present: Simple Present, Present Continuous, Present Perfect, Present Perfect Continuous
     Past: Simple Past, Past Continuous, Past Perfect, Past Perfect Continuous
     Future: Simple Future, Future Continuous, Future Perfect, Future Perfect Continuous

    Below, we show the structure and examples for each one.

    Tense Chart: All 12 English Tenses with Their Formulas and Example Sentences

    Here is the list of all 12 English tenses with their formulas and example sentences in one table. You can save it for quick revision.

    Tense

    Formula

    Example

    Simple Present

    Subject + V1 (s/es)

    She reads every day.

    Present Continuous

    Subject + am/is/are + V-ing

    She is reading now.

    Present Perfect

    Subject + has/have + V3

    She has read the book.

    Present Perfect Continuous

    Subject + has/have + been + V-ing

    She has been reading for an hour.

    Simple Past

    Subject + V2

    She read the book yesterday.

    Past Continuous

    Subject + was/were + V-ing

    She was reading at 5 pm.

    Past Perfect

    Subject + had + V3

    She had read the book before I came.

    Past Perfect Continuous

    Subject + had been + V-ing

    She had been reading for an hour.

    Simple Future

    Subject + will + V1

    She will read tomorrow.

    Future Continuous

    Subject + will be + V-ing

    She will be reading at 5 pm.

    Future Perfect

    Subject + will have + V3

    She will have read it by Monday.

    Future Perfect Continuous

    Subject + will have been + V-ing

    She will have been reading for two hours by then.

    Note: V1 = base form, V2 = past form, V3 = past participle.

    Present Tense

    1. Simple Present Tense

    Use: Habits, daily routines, general truths, and fixed schedules.

    Formula:

    • Positive: Subject + V1 (add s/es for he, she, it)
    • Negative: Subject + do/does + not + V1
    • Question: Do/Does + subject + V1?

    Examples:

    • The sun rises in the east.
    • I do not drink coffee.
    • Does he play cricket?

    Signal words: always, usually, often, every day, never.

    2. Present Continuous Tense

    Use: Actions happening right now, or temporary actions around now.

    Formula:

    • Positive: Subject + am/is/are + V-ing
    • Negative: Subject + am/is/are + not + V-ing
    • Question: Am/Is/Are + subject + V-ing?

    Examples:

    • The children are playing in the park.
    • I am not watching TV.
    • Is she cooking dinner?

    Signal words: now, at the moment, currently, right now.

    3. Present Perfect Tense

    Use: Actions finished recently, or past actions that still matter now. Also used for life experiences.

    Formula:

    • Positive: Subject + has/have + V3
    • Negative: Subject + has/have + not + V3
    • Question: Has/Have + subject + V3?

    Examples:

    • I have finished my homework.
    • He has not visited Delhi.
    • Have you ever eaten sushi?

    Signal words: already, just, yet, ever, never, since, for.

    4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense

    Use: Actions that began in the past and are still going on, or just stopped with a visible result.

    Formula:

    • Positive: Subject + has/have + been + V-ing
    • Negative: Subject + has/have + not + been + V-ing
    • Question: Has/Have + subject + been + V-ing?

    Examples:

    • They have been studying since morning.
    • It has not been raining for a week.
    • How long have you been waiting?

    Signal words: since, for, all day, how long.

    Past Tense

    5. Simple Past Tense

    Use: Actions that were completed at a definite time in the past.

    Formula:

    • Positive: Subject + V2
    • Negative: Subject + did not + V1
    • Question: Did + subject + V1?

    Examples:

    • We visited Agra last year.
    • She did not call me.
    • Did you watch the match?

    Signal words: yesterday, last week, ago, in 2020.

    6. Past Continuous Tense

    Use: An action that was in progress at a particular time in the past, or an action interrupted by another.

    Formula:

    • Positive: Subject + was/were + V-ing
    • Negative: Subject + was/were + not + V-ing
    • Question: Was/Were + subject + V-ing?

    Examples:

    • I was sleeping when the phone rang.
    • They were not playing at that time.
    • Was he driving at 8 pm?

    Signal words: while, when, at that time, all evening.

    7. Past Perfect Tense

    Use: The earlier of two past actions.

    Formula:

    • Positive: Subject + had + V3
    • Negative: Subject + had + not + V3
    • Question: Had + subject + V3?

    Examples:

    • The train had left before we reached the station.
    • She had not eaten anything.
    • Have you met him before?

    Signal words: before, after, by the time, already.

    8. Past Perfect Continuous Tense

    Use: An action that had been going on for some time before another past action.

    Formula:

    • Positive: Subject + had + been + V-ing
    • Negative: Subject + had + not + been + V-ing
    • Question: Had + subject + been + V-ing?

    Examples:

    • He had been working for six hours before he took a break.
    • They had not been talking for months.
    • Has it been raining all night?

    Signal words: for, since, before, until.

    Future Tense

    9. Simple Future Tense

    Use: Decisions made at the moment of speaking, predictions, promises, and offers.

    Formula:

    • Positive: Subject + will + V1
    • Negative: Subject + will not (won’t) + V1
    • Question: Will + subject + V1?

    Examples:

    • I will help you with this task.
    • It will not rain tomorrow.
    • Will she join us?

    Signal words: tomorrow, next week, soon, tonight.

    Tip: In traditional grammar, “shall” is used with I and we (I shall go). In modern English, “will” is used with all subjects.

    10. Future Continuous Tense

    Use: An action that will be in progress at a certain time in the future.

    Formula:

    • Positive: Subject + will be + V-ing
    • Negative: Subject + will not be + V-ing
    • Question: Will + subject + be + V-ing?

    Examples:

    • This time tomorrow, I will be flying to Mumbai.
    • They will not be attending the meeting.
    • Will you be using the car tonight?

    Signal words: this time tomorrow, at 6 pm tomorrow, next Monday.

    11. Future Perfect Tense

    Use: An action that will be completed before a certain time in the future.

    Formula:

    • Positive: Subject + will have + V3
    • Negative: Subject + will not have + V3
    • Question: Will + subject + have + V3?

    Examples:

    • By 2030, he will have completed his degree.
    • We will not have finished by noon.
    • Will they have arrived by then?

    Signal words: by tomorrow, by next year, before, by the time.

    12. Future Perfect Continuous Tense

    Use: To show how long an action will have been going on up to a future point.

    Formula:

    • Positive: Subject + will have been + V-ing
    • Negative: Subject + will not have been + V-ing
    • Question: Will + subject + have been + V-ing?

    Examples:

    • By next month, I will have been teaching for ten years.
    • She will not have been living here for long.
    • Will you have been working here for five years by June?

    Signal words: by next year, for, by the time.

    The 12 Types of Tenses with Sentence Patterns and Sample Sentences: Quick Comparison

    To see the difference clearly, here are the 12 types of tenses with sentence patterns (formula) and sample sentences using one verb, “write”:

    Time

    Simple

    Continuous

    Perfect

    Perfect Continuous

    Present

    I write

    I am writing

    I have written

    I have been writing

    Past

    I wrote

    I was writing

    I had written

    I had been writing

    Future

    I will write

    I will be writing

    I will have written

    I will have been writing

    This grid is a good way to remember the 12 English verb tenses, their grammar formulas, and illustrative examples. Read across a row to see how the verb changes, and read down a column to see how the same form works in different times.

    General Rules to Remember

    Here is how to explain all 12 tenses with form (formula), use, and example sentences in just a few easy rules:

    1. Simple tenses use the plain verb form (V1 or V2) or “will + V1”.
    2. Continuous tenses always use a form of “be” + verb-ing.
    3. Perfect tenses always use “have/has/had/will have” + V3.
    4. Perfect continuous tenses always use “have/has/had/will have” + “been” + verb-ing.
    5. Add s/es to the verb in the simple present with he, she, it, or a singular noun.
    6. After did, do/does, and will, always use the base form (V1).
    7. Stative verbs like know, love, want, believe, and understand are usually not used in continuous tenses. Say “I know the answer,” not “I am knowing the answer.”

    Common Mistakes Students Make with Tenses

    • Wrong: She goes to school daily. Right: She goes to school daily.
    • Wrong: I did not go there. Right: I did not go there.
    • Wrong: He has gone home. Right: He has gone home.
    • Wrong: I have been living here since 2019. Right: I have been living here since 2019.
    • Wrong: I will call you when I will reach. Right: I will call you when I reach.

    The last mistake is very common. After words like when, if, before, after, as soon as, we use the present tense for future meaning.

    Tips to Learn Tenses Faster

    Learn the formula first. Once the structure is clear, making sentences becomes easy.

    Practice with one verb at a time. Write all 12 forms of a single verb, as shown in the table above.

    Use real-life sentences. Describe your day in the present, yesterday in the past, and tomorrow’s plan in the future.

    Read and listen daily. Notice which tense the writer or speaker uses and why.

    Check your writing. After writing a paragraph, underline each verb and name its tense.

    Free Worksheet: Practice the 12 Tenses

    Part A: Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in brackets.

    1. She ______ (go) to the gym every morning.
    2. Look! The baby ______ (sleep).
    3. I ______ (finish) my project already.
    4. They ______ (wait) for the bus since 7 am.
    5. We ______ (visit) Jaipur last summer.
    6. He ______ (watch) TV when the lights went out.
    7. The movie ______ (start) before we reached the hall.
    8. She ______ (cook) for two hours before the guests arrived.
    9. I ______ (call) you tomorrow.
    10. This time next week, we ______ (travel) to Goa.
    11. By December, she ______ (completed) the course.
    12. By June, I ______ (work) here for five years.

    Part B: Identify the tense.

    1. They have been playing since noon.
    2. He had left before I arrived.
    3. Will you be joining us?

    Answers

    1. goes (Simple Present)
    2. is sleeping (Present Continuous)
    3. have finished (Present Perfect)
    4. have been waiting (Present Perfect Continuous)
    5. visited (Simple Past)
    6. was watching (Past Continuous)
    7. had started (Past Perfect)
    8. had been cooking (Past Perfect Continuous)
    9. will call (Simple Future)
    10. will be travelling (Future Continuous)
    11. will have completed (Future Perfect)
    12. will have been working (Future Perfect Continuous)
    13. Present Perfect Continuous
    14. Past Perfect
    15. Future Continuous

    Conclusion

    Now you know the 12 types of tenses with examples and formulas, along with their uses, signal words, common mistakes, and a practice worksheet. Start by memorizing the chart, then practice a few sentences every day. With regular practice, tenses will become natural, and your English will sound clear and confident.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    There are 12 tenses in English: four each in the present, past, and future.

    The simple present is the easiest, so most teachers start with it before moving to continuous and perfect forms.

    The simple past is used for an action finished at a fixed time in the past (“I met him yesterday”). The present perfect connects a past action to the present, without a fixed time (“I have met him”).

    English has no single future verb ending. We form the future with helpers like “will” or “shall,” and grammar books treat these as the future tenses.

    All 12 appear in good answers, but the simple tenses, present perfect, and past continuous are used most often in speaking and writing tasks.

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