Graham's Grammar

Helping English language learners

Verb tenses

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A verb’s tense tells us the time of the action or the state of being.

The main tenses are present, past and future.

These are divided into simple (or imperfect, or indefinite), continuous, perfect and perfect continuous, making 12 tenses in total.

Examples:

PastPresentFuture
SimpleI workedI workI will work
ContinuousI was workingI am workingI will be working
PerfectI had workedI have workedI will have worked
Perfect ContinuousI had been workingI have been workingI will have been working
PastPresentFuture
SimpleI listenedI listenI will listen
ContinuousI was listeningI am listeningI will be listening
PerfectI had listenedI have listenedI will have listened
Perfect ContinuousI had been listeningI have been listeningI will have been listening
PastPresentFuture
SimpleI cookedI cookI will cook
ContinuousI was cookingI am cookingI will be cooking
PerfectI had cookedI have cookedI will have cooked
Perfect ContinuousI had been cookingI have been cookingI will have been cooking

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2 Responses

  1. What are past participles? - Graham's Grammar
    August 23, 2024

    […] For more about verb tenses, see here. […]

  2. What are present participles? - Graham's Grammar
    August 23, 2024

    […] For more about verb tenses, see here. […]

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