English tenses

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Contents

Past tenses

Past Simple

Past Continuous

Past Perfect Simple

Past Perfect Continuous

Present tenses

Present Simple

Present Continuous

Present Perfect Simple

Present Perfect Continuous

Future tenses

Future tenses in the sense of the tense division presented here (it's possible to express future actions/states with different language structures or expressions) are formed with the use of will or shall. The traditional rule is to use shall with I and we and will - with the other pronouns. Breaking this rule (for example, by using will with we) would suggest an imposition, determination, threat or order.

This rule is, however, is rarely obeyed in the modern English, and will (especially as 'll) is normally used with all pronouns, and shall (used exceptionally) has the emotional meaning. This also applies to the Future in the past tenses, where in spite of the traditional principles, would is generally used.

Future Simple

Future Continuous

Future Perfect Simple

Future Perfect Continuous

Future in the past tenses

This is one more category which is often mentioned when listing English tenses, which occurs probably only in reported speech. The syntax is nearly the same as in Future tenses; the only difference is the usage of would/should instead of will/shall. See also the introduction to the Future tenses.

Comparison

Simple Continuous Perfect
Simple Continuous
Past
to beto haveto do
Iwashaddid
youwere
hewas
<td>
to beto haveto do
Iwasbeinghavingdoing
youwere
hewas
<td>
to beto haveto do
Ihadbeenhaddone
you
he
<td>
to beto haveto do
Ihad beenbeinghavingdoing
you
he

<tr> <td>Present

<td>
to beto haveto do
Iamhavedo
youare
heishasdoes
<td>
to beto haveto do
Iambeinghavingdoing
youare
heis
<td>
to beto haveto do
Ihavebeenhaddone
you
hehas
<td>
to beto haveto do
Ihave beenbeinghavingdoing
you
hehas been

<tr> <td>Future

<td>
to beto haveto do
Ishall/ willbehavedo
youwill
he
<td>
to beto haveto do
Ishall/ will bebeinghavingdoing
youwill be
he
<td>
to beto haveto do
Ishall/ will havebeenhaddone
youwill have
he
<td>
to beto haveto do
Ishall/ will have beenbeinghavingdoing
youwill have been
he

<tr> <td>Future in the past

<td>
to beto haveto do
Ishould/ wouldbehavedo
youwould
he
<td>
to beto haveto do
Ishould/ would bebeinghavingdoing
youwould be
he
<td>
to beto haveto do
Ishould/ would havebeenhaddone
youwould have
he
<td>
to beto haveto do
Ishould/ would have beenbeinghavingdoing
youwould have been
he

</table>

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