12 ENGLISH TENSES - FORMULA - EXAMPLES

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Ex a m p l e s Ex a m p l e s Ex a m p l e s
Te n se Si g n a l w o r d s Use Fo r m
af f ir m at iv e n egat iv e in t er r ogat iv e
ev er y day

so m e t i m e s
• som et hing happens repeat edly
alw ay s • how oft en som et hing happens I w or k . I don't w or k . Do I w or k ?
• one act ion follows anot her
infinit ive
of t en • t hings in general He w o r k s. He d o e sn ' t w o r k . D o e s he w o r k ?
Si m p l e • wit h verbs like ( t o love, t o
Pr e se n t hat e, t o t hink, et c.) he/ she/ it :
u su a l l y I go. I don't go. Do I g o?
• fut ure m eaning: t im et ables, infinit ive + s
program m es
se l d o m He g o e s. He d o e sn ' t g o . D o e s he g o ?

n ev er

f i r st ... t h e n

now • som et hing is happening at t he I'm w or k ing. I'm not w or k ing. Am I w or k i n g?

sam e t im e of speaking or
around it
at t h e m om en t He' s w o r k i n g . He i sn ' t w o r k i n g . I s he w o r k i n g ?
Pr e se n t • fut ure m eaning: when you b e ( a m / a r e / i s) +
Pr o g r e ssi v e have already d e ci d e d a n d infinit ive + ing
Lo o k ! a r r a n g e d t o do it ( a fixed I'm goin g. I'm not going. Am I g oin g?
plan, dat e)
Li st e n ! He' s g o i n g . He i sn ' t g o i n g . I s he g o i n g ?

l a st ... I w or k ed. I didn't w ork . Did I w or k ?

regular:
act ion t ook place in t he past , in f in it iv e + ed
... a g o He w o r k e d . He d i d n ' t w o r k . D i d he w o r k ?
Si m p l e m ost ly connect ed wit h an
Pa st expression of t im e ( no connect ion irregular:
in 1990 t o t he present ) I w ent . I didn't go. Did I g o?
(2 n d colu m n of t ab le
o f i r r e g u l a r v e r b s)
y e st e r d a y He w e n t . He d i d n ' t g o . D i d he g o ?

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• an act ion happened in t he I w as w or k in g . I w a sn ' t w o r k i n g . W as I w or k in g?

m iddle of anot her act ion
• som eone was doing st h. at a He w a s w o r k i n g . He w a sn ' t w o r k i n g . W a s he w o r k i n g ?
Pa st cert ain t im e ( in t he past ) - you w a s/ w e r e +
w hile
Pr o g r e ssi v e don't know w het her it was infinit ive + ing
I w as goin g. I w a sn ' t g o i n g . W as I goin g?
finished or not
He w a s g o i n g . He w a sn ' t g o i n g . W a s he g o i n g ?
j u st

y et

n ev er

ev er • you say t hat st h. has I h av e w or k ed . I h av en 't w or k ed . Hav e I w or k ed?

h a v e / h a s + p a st
happened or is finished in t he
p a r t i ci p l e *
Si m p l e alr eady past and it has a connect ion t o He h a s w o r k e d . He h a sn ’ t w o r k e d . H a s he w o r k e d ?
Pr e se n t t he present
Pe r f e ct • act ion st art ed in t he past and * ( i n f i n i t i v e + e d ) or
so f a r , I h av e g on e. I h av en 't gon e. Hav e I g on e?
cont inues up t o t he present ( 3 r d co l u m n o f t a b l e
o f i r r e g u l a r v e r b s)
up t o n ow , He h a s g o n e . He h a sn ’ t g o n e . H a s he g o n e ?

si n ce

for

r e ce n t l y
I h av e been I h av en 't been Hav e I been
all day w or k ing. w or k ing. w or k ing?
• act ion began in t he past and
t h e w h ole day has j ust st opped
He h a s b e e n He h a sn ' t b e e n H a s he b e e n
• how long t he act ion has been
Pr e se n t Pe r f e ct h av e/ h as + been + w or k ing. w or k ing. w or k ing?
how long happening
Pr o g r e ssi v e infinit ive + ing
si n ce I h av e been g oin g . I h av en 't been goin g. Hav e I been g oin g?
e m p h a si s: l e n g t h o f t i m e o f a n
a ct i o n
for He h a s b e e n He h a sn ' t b e e n H a s he b e e n
going. going. going?

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• m ost ly when t wo act ions in a I h ad w or k ed . I h adn 't w or k ed. Had I w or k ed?

st ory are relat ed t o each h a d + p a st
alr eady ot her: t he act ion which had p a r t i ci p l e *
He h a d w o r k e d . He h a d n ' t w o r k e d . H a d he w o r k e d ?
Si m p l e Pa st already happened is put int o
j u st Past Perfect , t he ot her act ion
Pe r f e ct * ( i n f i n i t i v e + e d ) or
int o Sim ple Past I h ad gon e. I hadn't gone. Had I g on e?
n ev er ( 3 r d co l u m n o f t a b l e
• t he past of t he Present Perfect o f i r r e g u l a r v e r b s)
He h a d g o n e . He h a d n ' t g o n e . H a d he g o n e ?

I h ad been I h adn 't been Had I been

w or k ing. w or k ing. w or k ing?

how long He h a d b e e n He h a d n ' t b e e n H a d he b e e n

how long som et hing had been w or k ing. w or k ing. w or k ing?
Pa st Pe r f e ct h ad + been +
si n ce happening before som et hing else
Pr o g r e ssi v e infinit ive + ing
happened
for I h ad been goin g. I h adn 't been g oin g . Had I been goin g?

He h a d b e e n He h a d n ' t b e e n H a d he b e e n
going. going. going?
• predict ions about t he fut ur e
( you t hink t hat st h will I'll w or k . I w on't w ork . W ill I w ork ?
happen)
• you decide t o do st h. He' l l w o r k . He w o n ' t w o r k . W i l l he w o r k ?
w ill - fut ure spont aneously at t he t im e of w ill + infinit ive
speaking I'll go. I w on't go. W ill I go?
• m ain clause in t ype I of t he
Condit ional sent ences
He' l l g o . He w o n ' t g o . W i l l he g o ?

I ' m going t o I ' m n o t going t o A m I going t o

w or k . w or k . w or k ?
• when you have already
decided t o do st h. in t he fut ure He' s going t o He' s n o t going t o I s he going t o
going t o - • what you t hink what will b e ( a m / a r e / i s) + w or k . w or k . w or k ?
future happen going t o + i n f i n i t i v e
I ' m going t o g o . I ' m n o t going t o g o . A m I going t o g o ?

He' s going t o g o . He' s n o t going t o g o . I s he going t o g o ?

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 An act ion will be in progress at
a cert ain t im e in t he fut ure.
This act ion has begun before
Fu t u r e t he cert ain t im e.
Pr o g r e ssi v e  Som et hing happens because it + i n g
norm ally happens.
Fu t u r e Pe r f e ct
st h. will already have happened
Si m p l e
before a cert ain t im e in t he fut ure
st h. will already have happened
Fu t u r e before a cert ain t im e in t he fut ure
Pe r f e ct
Pr o g r e ssi v e e m p h a si s: l e n g t h o f t i m e o f a n
a ct i o n
 st h. t hat m ight happen
Co n d i t i o n a l  m ain clause in t ype I I of t he
Condit ional sent ences
Si m p l e
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w ill + be + in fin it iv e
w i l l + h a v e + p a st
p a r t i ci p l e *
* ( i n f i n i t i v e + e d ) or
( 3 r d co l u m n o f t a b l e
o f i r r e g u l a r v e r b s)
w ill + h av e + b een +
in fin it ive + in g
w ou ld + in fin it ive
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I'll be w or k in g.
He' l l b e w o r k i n g .
I'll be goin g.
He' l l b e g o i n g .
I'll h av e w or k ed.
He' l l h a v e
w or k ed.
I'll h av e g on e.
He' l l h a v e g o n e .
I'll h av e b een
w or k in g.
He' l l h a v e b e e n
w or k in g.
I 'll h av e b een
goin g.
He' l l h a v e b e e n
goin g.
I w ou ld w or k .
He w o u l d w o r k .
I w ou ld go.
He w o u l d g o .
I w on 't be w or k in g.
He w o n ' t b e w o r k i n g . W i l l he b e w o r k i n g ?
I w on 't be goin g.
He w o n ' t b e g o i n g .
I w on 't h av e w or k ed. W ill I h av e w or k ed?
He w o n ' t h a v e
w or k ed.
I w on ' t h av e g on e.
He w o n ' t h a v e g o n e .
I w on 't h av e b een
w or k in g.
He w o n ' t h a v e b e e n
w or k in g.
I w on ' t h av e b een
goin g.
He w o n ' t h a v e b e e n
goin g.
I w ou ldn 't w or k .
He w o u l d n ' t w o r k .
I w ou ldn 't go.
He w o u l d n ' t g o .
W ill I be w or k in g?
W ill I be goin g?
W i l l he b e g o i n g ?
W i l l he h a v e
w or k ed?
W ill I h av e gon e?
W i l l he h a v e g o n e ?
W ill I h av e b een
w or k in g?
W i l l he h a v e b e e n
w or k in g?
W ill I h av e b een
goin g?
W i l l he h a v e b e e n
goin g?
W ou ld I w or k ?
W o u l d he w o r k ?
W ou ld I go?
W o u l d he g o ?
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I w ou ld be I w ou ldn 't be W ou ld I be
w or k in g. w or k in g. w or k in g?

st h. t hat m ight happen He w o u l d b e He w o u l d n ' t b e W o u l d he b e

Co n d i t i o n a l w ou ld + be + w or k in g. w or k in g. w or k in g?
Pr o g r e ssi v e e m p h a si s: l e n g t h o f t i m e o f a n in fin it ive + in g
a ct i o n I w ou ld be goin g. I w ou ldn 't be goin g. W ou ld I be goin g?

He w o u l d b e He w o u l d n ' t b e W o u l d he b e
goin g. goin g. goin g?
I w ou ld h av e I w ou ldn 't h av e W ou ld I h av e
w or k ed. w or k ed. w or k ed?

w o u l d + h a v e + p a st
 st h. t hat m ight have happened He w o u l d h a v e He w o u l d n ' t h a v e W o u l d he h a v e
p a r t i ci p l e *
in t he past w or k ed. w or k ed. w or k ed?
Co n d i t i o n a l  m ain clause in t ype I I I of t he
Pe r f e ct Condit ional sent ences * ( i n f i n i t i v e + e d ) or
I w ou ld h av e I w ou ldn 't h av e W ou ld I h av e
( 3 r d co l u m n o f t a b l e
gon e. gon e. gon e?
o f i r r e g u l a r v e r b s)

He w o u l d h a v e He w o u l d n ' t h a v e W o u l d he h a v e
gon e. gon e. gon e?
I w ou ld h av e b een I w ou ld n ' t h av e b een W ou ld I h av e b een
w or k in g. w or k in g. w or k in g?

st h. t hat m ight have happened in He w o u l d h a v e He w o u l d n ' t h a v e W o u l d he

Co n d i t i o n a l t he past b een w or k in g . b een w or k in g . h av e been w or k in g?
w ou ld + h av e + b een
Pe r f e ct
+ in fin it ive + in g
Pr o g r e ssi v e e m p h a si s: l e n g t h o f t i m e o f a n I w ou ld h av e b een I w ou ld n ' t h av e b een W ou ld I h av e b een
a ct i o n goin g. goin g. goin g?

He w o u l d h a v e He w o u l d n ' t h a v e W o u l d he
b een g oin g. b een g oin g. h av e been g oin g ?

We som et im es use Co n t i n u o u s inst ead of Pr o g r e ssi v e . Som e signal words can be found in m ore t enses. We have not list ed signal words in t he fut ure. Always rem em ber
what act ion is described.
Used colours:
blu e → in fin it ive g r e y → i r r e g u l a r v e r b s i n t h e Si m p l e Pa st r ed → n eg at ion
d ar k g r een → au x iliar y pur ple → p a st p a r t i ci p l e
or an ge → en d in g lig h t g r een→ si g n a l w o r d

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