Language Resources ❯  Languages ❯  Grammar ❯  English tenses

English tenses

Knowing English tenses for a beginner is considered important. However, it is not really important for someone who speaks English on a regular basis or if it is a first language. Go through these tenses and try to understand them.

Falguni
28 Jul 2021
English tenses

Today we will be showing you the basic English tenses. The three main tenses in English are past, present and future. The past, present and future are divided into four aspects: simple, continuous, perfect and perfect continuous.

SIMPLE TENSE

We will first start with simple tenses as they are the easiest to learn and understand. These are the first tenses you learned in school. Simple tenses refer to a single action and express situations that existed in the past, exist in the present that will exist in the future.

For example:

Simple present: I'm eating

Simple past: I ate

Simple future: I will eat

 

CONTINUOUS TENSE 

We use continuous tenses (also called as progressive tense). These tenses are used to talk about unfinished events.

For example:

Present continuous: I’m eating now.

Past continuous: I was eating.

Future continuous: I will be eating. 

 

PERFECT TENSE 

Perfect tenses are the ones that cause most of the confusion in this language. Perfect tenses express the idea that one event happens before another. Perfect tense can be tricky but once you understand the context of it, it can become easy.

For example:

Present perfect: I have eaten.

Past perfect: I had already eaten.

Future perfect: I will have to eat.

 

PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE

A perfect continuous tense generally shows or expresses duration, or “how long?”. These tenses use the adverbs like for or since.

For example:

Present perfect continuous: I have been eating since morning.

Past perfect continuous: I had been eating for three hours.

Future perfect continuous: I will have been eating for some time by the time they arrive.

 

Do not worry if you don’t understand in the first go. Read these sentences and try to look for them in whatever you read and then it will slowly become more understanding and easier. Also, keep it simple and don’t try to over complicate the sentences using difficult tenses. Some English learners may use difficult tenses to sound impressive but always try to use the simple tenses so that your listeners also understand you.

Native speakers don’t really think too much about using tenses. With enough practice and reading, English learners can also internalize the English tenses system and speak fluently. 

internalize make part of one's nature by learning or to incorporate
fluent able to express effortlessly



Explore

Related Articles

Languages

Using simple present tense

07 Jul 2021

Simple present tenses are one of the first tenses we all learn in school. Knowing how to use these tenses is more important in spoken English.

Continue reading
Languages

Ways to improve your spoken English skills

16 Aug 2021

Improving spoken languages might seem as a challenge. But, with proper guidance and tips, it is not too difficult.

Continue reading
Languages

Tips to practice grammar effectively

12 Aug 2021

Learning grammar can seem a little overwhelming. But it is also important to take small steps while learning something new. Here are some tips which…

Continue reading

More Articles

Languages

Developed nations and languages

10 Oct 2023

There is a strong narrative on English among India's financially and educationally elite classes. The narrative is that English is the only way to…

Continue reading
Languages

Important words and phrases in Marathi (For beginners)

14 Sep 2021

Learning a new language can be difficult. But with constant practice and learning it can be easy. Starting to talk in the language you are trying to…

Continue reading
Languages

Tips to improve your spellings

31 Aug 2021

Writing in English is as important as speaking. To learn to write correctly might seem like a difficult task. There are always some tips that you need…

Continue reading
Languages

Active Voice and Passive Voice

24 Aug 2021

This article will help you understand the difference between active and passive voice and make your written and spoken skills of language better.

Continue reading
Languages

Difference between Voice and Speech in Grammar

23 Aug 2021

English learners may get confused between the use of these two topics and end up making mistakes. Read this short article to help yourself and improve…

Continue reading
Languages

Direct and Indirect speech

19 Aug 2021

Knowing how to use direct and indirect speech in English is considered important in spoken English. Read the article below and understand how to use…

Continue reading
Languages

Types of nouns

17 Aug 2021

Nouns are the largest group of words in any language. Understanding them and using them correctly while learning the language is considered very…

Continue reading
Languages

Ways to improve your spoken English skills

16 Aug 2021

Improving spoken languages might seem as a challenge. But, with proper guidance and tips, it is not too difficult.

Continue reading