An Introduction to Verb Tenses

Editors note: This is the first of a four-part series on verb tenses. Click here for part two.
For VOA Learning English, this is Everyday Grammar.
Today we are going to give you a basic overview of the verb tense system in English.
Verb tenses tell us how an action relates to the flow of time.
There are three main verb tenses in English: present, past and future. The present, past
and future tenses are divided into four aspects: the simple, progressive, perfect and
perfect progressive.
There are 12 major verb tenses that English learners should know.
English has only two ways of forming a tense from the verb alone: the past and the
present. For example, we drove and we drive.
To form other verb tenses, you have to add a form of have, be or will in front of the verb.
These are called helping, or auxiliary verbs.
Time, culture, and grammar
Verb tenses can be difficult to learn in a foreign language. Different cultures think
different ways about time. Chinese, for example, has no grammatical verb tenses. Other
languages, like Indonesian, express time only through adverbs there are no changes to
the verb form.
English verb tenses give many details about time and action such as:
Is the action finished? How long did the action happen? Was the action repeated? Did
the action happen at a known or unknown time? Is the action a habit? Is the action
planned or spontaneous?
It is difficult to think about time distinctions that do not exist in your own language. So,
it can take many years for English learners to master verb tenses.
Lets get started. We are going to give examples of all 12 verb tenses using the verb drive.
Simple Tenses
Well start with the simple tenses. These are probably the first tenses you learned in
English. Simple tenses usually refer to a single action. In general, simple tenses express
facts and situations that existed in the past, exist in the present, or will exist in the future.
Simple present: I drive home every day.
Simple past: I drove home yesterday.
Simple future: I will drive home later.
Progressive (Continuous) Tenses
Lets go on to the progressive tenses. We use progressive tenses to talk about unfinished
events. Progressive tenses are also called continuous tenses.
Past progressive: I was driving when you called.
Present progressive: I am driving now.

Future progressive: I will be driving when you call.

Perfect Tenses
Now lets look at the perfect tenses. Perfect tenses cause the most confusion. To put it
simply, they express the idea that one event happens before another event.
There are many tricky exceptions with the perfect tenses, which we will discuss in a
future episode. The adverbs never, yet and already are common in perfect tenses.
Present perfect: I have driven that road.
Past perfect: I had already driven that road in the past.
Future perfect: I will have driven 200 miles by tomorrow.
Perfect Progressive Tenses
Finally, lets look at the perfect progressive tenses. Generally, perfect progressive tenses
express duration, or how long? Perfect progressive tenses usually include the adverbs for
or since.
Present perfect progressive: I have been driving since this morning.
Past perfect progressive: I had been driving for three hours before I stopped to get gas.
Future perfect progressive: I will have been driving for five hours by the time I arrive.
Dont worry if you dont understand everything yet. Here are some recommendations we
have for learning verb tenses.
Adverbs are your friends
First, think of adverbs as your friends. Adverbs of time offer valuable clues about the
correct verb tense.
Lets use the adverb ago. Ago is only used in the simple past as in, I left home three
years ago. The adverb ago is never used in the present perfect. Certain adverbs occur
with certain verb tenses.
Keep it simple
English learners sometimes try to impress people by using complex verb tenses. You
often have a choice of several verb tenses. When you do, always choose the simplest one.
It will be clearer for your listener, and there is less chance of making a mistake.
Practice with questions
Native speakers dont think consciously about verb tenses. With enough practice, English
learners can internalize the verb tense system, too. Instead of worrying about deep time
relationships, try using adverbs and your ear to choose the right verb tense.
Often when someone asks a question, you can respond in the same verb tense. Well ask a
question in each verb tense. Give an answer in the same tense, then listen to our answer.
Ready?
1. Did you get enough sleep last night? (simple past)
Yes, I slept well.
2. Do you shower every day? (simple present)

Yes, I shower every day.

3. Are you going to study tonight? (simple future)
Yes, Im going to study tonight.
4. What were you doing when I called you last night? (past progressive)
I was eating dinner when you called me last night.
5. What are you doing right now? (present progressive)
I am practicing verb tenses right now.
6. What will you be doing at midnight on New Years Eve? (future progressive)
I will be celebrating the New Year with my friends.
7. Had you ever tried skiing before today? (past perfect)
Yes, I had already done it several times before.
8. Have you ever broken the law? (present perfect)
No, I have never broken the law.
9. Will you have gotten married by the time you turn 30? (future perfect)
No, I will not have gotten married by the time I turn 30.
10. How long had you been smoking before you quit? (past perfect progressive)
I had been smoking for two years before I quit.
11. How long have you been waiting for the bus? (present perfect progressive)
I have been waiting for the bus for 20 minutes.
12. How long will you have been working before you retire? (future perfect
progressive)
I will have been working for 30 years before I retire.
This is just a basic introduction to verb tenses. In the following weeks, we will cover the
more difficult verb tenses in more detail.
Im Jill Robbins. And Im John Russell.
Adam Brock wrote this story for Learning English. Jill Robbins and Kathleen Struck were
the editors.
________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

aspect n. the verb form that indicates completion, duration, or repetition of an action.
distinction n. a difference that you can see, hear, smell, feel, etc: a noticeable
difference between things or people
spontaneous adj. done or said in a natural and often sudden way and without a lot of
thought or planning
consciously adv. done after thinking about facts and reasons carefully

Reference
VERB

past

present

future

TENSES

Simple

It snowed yesterday.
Simple past verb

It snows every
winter.

It is going to snow tonight.

Simple present
verb

Will / be going to + simple

present

It was snowing when I drove It is snowing.

Progressiv to work.
Am/is/are+-ing
e
Was/were + -ing verb
verb

Perfect

I have driven in
It had already snowed before
snow many times.
I left.
Have/has + past
Had + past participle verb
participle verb

It will snow this winter.

It will be snowing by the time I get

home.
Will be + -ing verb
It will have snowed 6 inches by the
end of the day.
Will have + past participle verb

It had been snowing for two It has been snowing It will have been snowing for three
days before it stopped.
all month long.
days by the time it stops.

Perfect
progressive Had been + -ing verb +
for/since

Has/have + -ing
verb + for/since

Will have been + -ing verb +

for/since

Are You Progressing with Progressive

Tenses?
Editors note: This is the second of a four-part series on verb tenses. Click here to see
part one.
For VOA Learning English, this is Everyday Grammar.
Today we are going to look at the progressive verb tenses. Progressive tenses express
actions that are unfinished or in progress. There are three progressive verb tenses: the
past progressive, the present progressive, and the future progressive. Progressive tenses
are the same as continuous tenses.
past

present

future

Progressi It was snowing when I drove to It is snowing. It will be snowing by the time I get
ve
work.
home.
Am/is/are+-ing
Verbs
Was/were + -ing verb
verb
Will be + -ing verb
Present Progressive
We will start with the present progressive, the most common progressive tense. You form

the present progressive tense by using a form of the verb be followed by an ing verb.
For example, I am watching a movie.
It is easy to confuse the simple present and the present progressive. Whats the difference
between, It rains in Seattle and It is raining in Seattle?
It rains in Seattle states that it rains in general. It does not necessarily mean that it is
raining at the moment of speaking. It is raining in Seattle means that the rain started in
the past, is happening now, and will probably continue into the future.
Now, at this time, and currently are common adverbs in the present progressive.
The present progressive can also express a scheduled event in the future. For example,
this sentence is in the present progressive: She is starting school next semester.
The meaning here is the same as the sentence in the simple future: She is going to start
school next semester. The present progressive and simple future (with be going to)
sometimes have the same .
You can also use present progressive with always to say that something disturbs you.
My neighbor is always playing loud music at night or I am always making mistakes
with verb tenses!
Past Progressive
Lets move on to the past progressive. The past progressive describes an event that was in
progress in the past. To form the past progressive use was or were followed by an ing
verb. For example, I was working late last night.
Sentences in the past progressive often have two actions.
For example, It was snowing when the plane landed in Denver.
Notice that the second action, landed, is in the simple past.
The past progressive can also express an action in progress interrupted by a second
action. I was running when I slipped and fell or I was sleeping when you called.
It is possible to have two progressive actions in the same sentence if the two actions are
happening at the same time. You could say, I was sleeping when you were working.
Future Progressive
The future progressive tense describes an event that will be in progress in the future. To
form the future progressive tense, use will be followed by an ing verb. For example, I
will be waiting for you when you finish work.
The future progressive can be useful when you are making plans. Imagine your friend
wants you to pick her up the airport tomorrow. But you have to work.
You could tell her, Im sorry, but I will be working when your plane gets in.
You can learn more about future tenses in this previous episode of Everyday Grammar.
Stative Verbs
There are some verbs that cannot be used in any of the progressive tenses. You would say
I own a car, not I am owning a car. Own is a stative verb. Stative verbs describe
unchanging conditions or situations. Stative verbs often refer to mental states such as
know, realize, like, believe, understand, love, hate, appear, and exist.

A few verbs have both stative and non-stative meanings. Lets look at the verb think. I
think the book is good is stative. The action does not change. I am thinking about you
is progressive. It shows a temporary, changing action. Sensory verbs like see, taste, feel,
smell, and hear work the in the same way.
Progressive verbs are especially useful for describing changing emotional states. For that
reason, they are very common in song lyrics. We will leave you with a few examples.
Im John Russell.
And Im Jill Robbins.
[John Lennon]
I was dreaming of the past
And my heart was beating fast
I began to lose control
[Styx]
Im sailing away
Sail an open course for the virgin sea
[Adele]
I'll be waiting for you when
you're ready to love me again
I put my hands up
I'll do everything different
I'll be better to you
Adam Brock wrote this story for Learning English. Jill Robbins and Kathleen Struck were
the editors.
_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

stative - adj. describes verbs that express a state rather than an action; usually relating to
thoughts, emotions, relationships, senses, states of being and measurements
sensory adj. of or relating to your physical senses

Have You Perfected the Perfect Tenses?

Editors note: This is the third episode of four-part series on verb tenses. Be sure to listen
to part one and part two first.
For VOA Learning English, this is Everyday Grammar.
Today we are going to talk about the perfect verb tenses. Perfect tenses generally focus
on how a past action affects the present.For example, I have already eaten. The
suggestion is that the speaker is not hungry.

Perfect verb tenses are the most difficult for English learners. The term perfect can be
confusing. What does grammar have to do with not making mistakes? When you are
talking about grammar, perfect has a different meaning. It comes from the Latin word
perfectum, which means complete.
The most important thing to remember is the perfect tenses always refer to completed
actions. If you get confused, try replacing perfect with completed and the time
relationship should become clearer.
Present Perfect

PERFI have driven in snow

ECT many times.
TEN
SES

Have/has + past
participle verb

Past Perfect

It had already snowed

before I left.
Had + past participle
verb

Future Perfect

It will have snowed 6 inches by the

end of the day.
Will have + past participle verb

Present perfect
We will start with the present perfect. You form the present perfect using has or have
followed by a past participle verb. For example, I have seen Star Wars.
The use of the present perfect here gives us three pieces of information. First, it tells us
that the event is finished. Second, it tells us that the exact time of the action is unknown
or unimportant. Third, it suggests that the experience of seeing Star Wars has some effect
in the present.
One of the most difficult distinctions for English learners to make is the difference
between the simple past and present perfect.
Remember, when there is a specific time, you use the simple past. In the sentence I saw
Star Wars last night, the adverb last night is a specific time.
You cannot say I have seen Star Wars last night. But, you could say, I have seen Star
Wars before or in the past or three times.
You should also use the present perfect to refer to a repeated action in the past. For
example, I have taken that test four times. The exact time of each action is not
important.
You can also use the present perfect to describe an action that did not happen, using the
adverb never. I have never traveled outside of my country and I have never smoked in
my entire life. Something that did not happen in the past, like not traveling and not
smoking, can also have an effect in the present.
The adverbs never, already, yet and so far are common in the present perfect. Adverbs are
often the best indicators of which verb tense to use.
Past Perfect
Now let us look at the past perfect. The past perfect describes an activity that was
finished before another event in the past. For example, She had already had a baby
before she graduated.

To form the past perfect, use had followed by a past participle verb. For the second
action, use before or by the time followed by the simple past verb. Imagine you were at a
New Years Eve party, but you fell asleep before midnight. You could say, I had already
fallen asleep before the New Year came.
You can use the past perfect to talk about how an experience from the distant past relates
to an experience from the more recent past. For example, The soldier wasnt scared
because he had already been in battle before.
In other words, battle was not a new experience for the soldier.
If the time relationship is clear, you can choose between the past perfect and the simple
past. My grandfather passed away before I was born, has the same meaning as My
grandfather had passed away before I was born.
The past perfect just emphasizes that the first action was completed before the second
action.
Future perfect
Let us move on to the future perfect. Use the future perfect when you know that one
future action will be completed before another future action. For example, I will have
graduated from college before my little brother graduates from high school.
The future perfect has very limited use because we rarely know a future sequence of
events with any certainty. When it is used, the future perfect usually refers to major life
events that are planned years in advance.
And those are the three perfect tenses. Join us next week on Everyday Grammar for an
explanation of the perfect progressive tenses.
Im John Russell.
And Im Ashley Thompson.
Adam Brock wrote this story for Learning English. Jill Robbins and Kathleen Struck were
the editors.
________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

participle - grammar. a form of a verb that is used to indicate a past or present action and
that can also be used like an adjective
adverb - grammar. a word that describes a verb, an adjective, another adverb, or a
sentence and that is often used to show time, manner, place, or degree
indicator - n. a sign that shows the condition or existence of something
scared - adj. afraid of something

The Perfect Progressive Tenses

Editor's note: See An Introduction to Verb Tenses for the first story in this series.
For VOA Learning English, this is Everyday Grammar.
This is the last in our four-part series on verb tenses. Make sure you see our episodes on
progressive and perfect tenses before trying to learn the perfect progressive tenses.
For English learners, the perfect progressive tenses can be scary.
But they are more straightforward than you might think.
When you talk about grammar, perfect means complete, and progressive means
unfinished.
Perfect progressive sentences focus on the completion of an action that is, was or will be
in progress.
Think about this sentence in the past perfect progressive:
I had been waiting for three years by the time my application was approved. In this
example, the emphasis is on duration of the first verb waiting.
Perfect progressive tenses often answer the question how long? There are three perfect
progressive tenses: the present perfect progressive, the past perfect progressive, and the
future perfect progressive.
Past Perfect Progressive

Present Perfect
Progressive

Future Perfect Progressive

PERFECT It had been snowing for two It has been snowing It will have been snowing for three
all month long.
days by the time it stops.
PROGRES days before it stopped.
SIVE
Had been + -ing verb +
Has/have + -ing
Will have been + -ing verb +
TENSES
for/since
verb + for/since
for/since
Present Perfect Progressive
Lets start with the present perfect progressive. You form the present perfect progressive
by using have been (or has been) followed by an ing verb.
For instance, She has been sitting in class since early this morning. The action, sitting,
is continuing. But the emphasis is on the completed part of the action. Here are some
more examples:
I have been waiting for 20 minutes.
I have been studying since I was a child.
It has been snowing all day long.
In all of these sentences, the emphasis is on how the finished activity relates to the
present.
A time reference is not required to use the present perfect progressive. Sometimes we use
it to refer to recently completed actions.
Imagine your friend comes to your house with red, puffy eyes. You might say, Your eyes

are red. Have you been crying?

Or you notice that a co-worker is looking tanned. You might ask, You look tanned.
Have you have been sunbathing?
Remember that stative verbs cannot be used in any progressive tense. A stative verb
describes unchanging situations, often mental states such as realize, appear and seem.
You should not say, Ive been knowing you for a long time. If you have a stative verb,
use the present perfect: I have known you for a long time.
Almost all native speakers will contract, or shorten the pronoun that comes before have
or has. I have been will sound like, Ive been.
Expert grammarian and teacher Betty Azar tells English learners: Dont expect slow,
careful pronunciation of helping verbs in normal conversation.
Past Perfect Progressive
Let us move on to the past perfect progressive. The past perfect progressive emphasizes
the duration of a past action before another action happened.
For example, I had been smoking for 10 years before I quit.
You form the past perfect progressive by using had been followed by an ing verb.
Notice how the past perfect progressive often includes the adverbs for and since to
express duration. You will also see the adverbs before, when or by the time used to
introduce a second action.
The second action uses the simple past tense. Here are some more examples:
I had been studying for 12 years by the time I graduated from high school.
She had been living there since she was a child.
He had been teaching for 12 years before he was certified.
The past perfect progressive can also describe a recently completed action. For instance:
My clothes were wet because it had been raining.
He was talking loudly because he had been drinking.
Future Perfect Progressive
We will end with the future perfect progressive. The future perfect progressive describes
the duration of an action as it relates to a future event.
There are two ways to form the future perfect progressive. Both require two actions. One
is by using will have been plus a present participle, followed by when or by the
time and the second action.
For example, I will have been working for 35 years by the time I retire. Notice that the
second planned action, retire, is in the simple present. The simple future is never used
with the second action.
The other way to form the future perfect progressive is using be going to have been
plus a present participle followed by when or by the time and the second action. The
order of the actions can be reversed with either form.
For example, By the time the plane arrives, I am going to have been waiting for five

hours.
With the future perfect progressive, it is not always clear if the ing verb started in the
past or will start in the future. For example, The doctor will have been working for 24
hours by the time his shift is finished.
The future perfect progressive is rare because it is difficult to know the duration of an
activity relative to another future event.
And those are the three perfect progressive tenses in English.
We have been talking about verb tenses for several weeks now. It is time to move on to
other topics. We leave you with a present perfect progressive song by the music band
"Foreigner."
"Ive been waiting for a girl like you
To come into my life"
Im John Russell.
And Im Jill Robbins.
Adam Brock wrote this story for Learning English. Jill Robbins and Kathleen Struck were
the editors.
What do you think is the hardest verb tense of the ones youve studied? Write to us in the
Comments section or on our Facebook page.
________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

straightforward adj. direct, not complicated
puffy adj. larger than normal
contract - v. to make (something) smaller or shorter
certified adj. having met the official requirements that are needed to do a particular
type of work
episode - n. part of a longer program, such as a film or television series
tanned - adj. becoming more brown in color
graduated - v. successfully completed a study program
duration - n. the time during which something continues
participle - n. a form of a verb that is used to change a noun or verb