English Tenses – Graphic Comparison

Problems with the English tenses? Have a look at the time line, it might help you
understand when to use which tense. As there is a similarity between past, present and
future tenses, there are just a few rules to keep in mind.

If you know how to use the present progressive correctly to express present actions, you
will as well be able to use the past progressive correctly to express past actions.

→ Legend

Legend
• action that takes place once, never or several times
• actions that happen one after another
moment in time • actions that suddenly take place
• action that started before a certain moment and lasts beyond
that moment
period of time
• actions taking place at the same time
• action taking place before a certain moment in time
Result
• puts emphasis on the result
• action taking place before a certain moment in time
Course /
Duration • puts emphasis on the course or duration of the action
English Tenses Timeline Chart
This timeline tenses chart provides a handy reference sheet to English tenses and their
relationship to one another and the past, present and future. Conjugated verbs are
highlighted in bold. Tenses which are rarely used in everyday conversation are marked
by an asterik (*).

TIMELINE
PROGRESSIVE / PROGRESSIVE /
SIMPLE ACTIVE SIMPLE PASSIVE
CONTINUOUS ACTIVE CONTINUOUS PASSIVE
PAST TIME
^
|
|
|
|
The house had been
^
The painting I had been being painted for
She had |
had been sold waiting for four over a month before
already eaten PAST
twice before it hours when he they began to
when I arrived. PERFECT
was destroyed. finally arrived. decorate the interior.
|
*
|

^
The book was I was watching The problem was
I bought a new |
written in 1876 TV when she being solved when I
car last week. PAST
by Frank Smith. arrived. arrived late for class.
|
|
The company
^
has been She has been The students have
She has lived in |
managed by working at been being taught
California for PRESENT
Fred Jones for Johnson's for six for the last four
many years. PERFECT
the last two months. hours. *
|
years.
|

^
He works five Those shoes are | I am working at The work is being
days a week. made in Italy. PRESENT the moment. done by Jim.
|
|
|
|
PRESENT MOMENT
|
|
They are going The reports are
 |
FUTURE going to be
INTENTION to fly to New completed by the
| York tomorrow. marketing
| department.
V

|
She will be
The sun will FUTURE The rolls will be
The food will be teaching
shine SIMPLE being baked at two.
brought later. tomorrow at six
tomorrow. | *
o'clock.
|
V

I will have The project will | She will have

The house will have
completed the have been FUTURE been working
been being built for
course by the finished by PERFECT here for two years
six months by the
end of next tomorrow | by the end of next
time they finish. *
week. afternoon. | month.
V
FUTURE TIME
|
|
|
|
V
 Timeline

Past Perfect Simple Past Progressive Present Perfect Simple Present Present Future
Past tense Progressive

at a moment in the half a year until

half a year ago 5 months ago e|v|e|r|y| d|a|y at the moment next week
past today

married to the R. I. P. interrupted by the passed but not again and again now tomorrow
out and gone past tense finished yet
while
past tense

After he had survived hegave up this job. He has had no job He always reads He is writing My friend hopes
an accident for half a year. the vacancies in letters of he�ll get a good
the papers. application now. job.

He worked as a He is going to apply

lorry driver. for a job as a
secretary in a big
firm next week.

when suddenly They were He is having an

there was a watching tv interview on Friday
blackout next week.
 Complete List
A-Z of irregular verbs

Past Simple
Base Form Past Participle Form
Form

arise arose arisen

awake awoke awoken

be was /were been

beat beat beaten

become became become

begin began begun

bend bent bent

bet bet bet

bid bid bid

bite bit bitten

blow blew blown

break broke broken

bring brought brought

broadcast broadcast broadcast

build built built

burst burst burst

buy bought bought

catch caught caught

choose chose chosen

come came come

cost cost cost

creep crept crept

cut cut cut

deal dealt dealt

dig dug dug

do did done

draw drew drawn

drink drank drunk

drive drove driven

eat ate eaten

fall fell fallen

feed fed fed

feel felt felt

fight fought fought

find found found

flee fled fled

fly flew flown

forbid forbade forbidden

forget forgot forgotten

forgive forgave forgiven

freeze froze frozen

get got got

give gave given

go went gone

grow grew grown

hang hung hung

have had had

hear heard heard

hide hid hidden

hit hit hit

hold held held

hurt hurt hurt

interweave interwove interwoven

keep kept kept

kneel knelt knelt

know knew known

lay laid laid

lead led led

leave left left

lend lent lent

let let let

lie lay lain

light lit lit

lose lost lost

make made made

mean meant meant

meet met met

mistake mistook mistaken

offset offset offset

pay paid paid

put put put

quit quit quit

read read* read*

ride rode ridden

ring rang rung

rise rose risen

run ran run

say said said

see saw seen

seek sought sought

sell sold sold

send sent sent

set set set

sew sewed sewn

shake shook shaken

shine shone shone

shoot shot shot

show showed shown

shrink shrank shrunk

shut shut shut

sing sang sung

sink sank sunk

sit sat sat

sleep slept slept

slide slid slid

speak spoke spoken

spend spent spent

spit spat spat

split split split

spread spread spread

spring sprang sprung

stand stood stood

steal stole stolen

stick stuck stuck

sting stung stung

stink stank stunk

strike struck struck

swear swore sworn

sweep swept swept

swim swam swum

swing swung swung

take took taken

teach taught taught

tear tore torn

tell told told

think thought thought

throw threw thrown

understand understood understood

undo undid undone

wake woke woken

wear wore worn

weave wove woven

weep wept wept

win won* won*

write wrote written