Free Resource by Emalyn — Native English Teacher
English
Tenses Guide
All 13 tenses, always visible. Switch your level to see examples written for your stage — from simple sentences to complex structures.
All Examples
A1 — Beginner
B1 — Intermediate
C1 — Advanced
Level
Present Tenses
01
Present Simple
habits, facts, routines, permanent truths
+
Formula
Subject + base verb | he/she/it → add -s / -es
When to use
- Habits and routines — things you do regularly
- Facts and permanent truths — “Water boils at 100°C”
- Timetables and schedules — “The train leaves at 8”
Examples
Short, simple sentences
+
I eat rice every day.
−
She doesn’t like dogs.
?
Do you live here?
Longer sentences with context
+
My sister works at a hospital, so she usually starts her shift very early.
−
He doesn’t enjoy working late, even when there’s an important deadline.
?
Do you usually take the bus to work, or do you prefer walking?
Complex structures, subordinate clauses
+
The data suggests that remote work consistently improves productivity, provided that employees have clear boundaries.
−
The policy doesn’t account for regional disparities, which critics argue undermines its effectiveness.
?
Does the evidence truly support the claim that economic growth correlates with environmental deregulation?
💡Add -s for he/she/it. “She works.” — Never “She work.”
02
Present Continuous
happening right now, temporary situations, future plans
+
Formula
Subject + am / is / are + verb-ing
When to use
- Actions happening at this exact moment
- Temporary situations that are not permanent
- Arranged future plans — “I’m meeting her tonight”
Examples
Short, simple sentences
+
I am eating now.
−
He isn’t sleeping.
?
Are you coming?
Longer sentences with context
+
She is currently studying for her exams, so she can’t go out this week.
−
I am not working at my old company anymore — I just started somewhere new.
?
Are you still living in the same apartment, or have you moved?
Complex structures, subordinate clauses
+
The government is increasingly relying on private sector partnerships to fund infrastructure, a trend that economists are watching with concern.
−
The proposed legislation isn’t addressing the root causes of inequality, which critics argue renders it largely symbolic.
?
Is the company actively pursuing a sustainable strategy, or merely rebranding existing practices?
⚠️Some verbs never use -ing: know, love, hate, want, need, believe. Say “I know” — never “I am knowing.”
03
Present Perfect
past experience or action with a present connection
+
Formula
Subject + have / has + past participle
When to use
- Life experiences — no specific time needed
- Recent actions with a present result — “I’ve lost my keys” (I can’t get in now)
- With: already, just, yet, ever, never, recently, since, for
Examples
Short, simple sentences
+
I have eaten sushi before.
−
She hasn’t called me yet.
?
Have you ever seen snow?
Longer sentences with context
+
I have visited three countries since I started travelling, and each one taught me something new.
−
She hasn’t finished her homework yet, so she can’t watch TV tonight.
?
Have you ever tried cooking a meal for more than ten people at once?
Complex structures, subordinate clauses
+
Researchers have identified a strong correlation between early childhood literacy and long-term academic outcomes, a finding that has prompted significant policy revision.
−
The committee has not yet addressed the structural inequalities that critics have repeatedly highlighted over the past decade.
?
Has the organisation considered the long-term implications of the policy, particularly with regard to marginalised communities?
🔑“I went there yesterday” ✓ “I have gone there yesterday” ✗ — always use past simple when you say exactly WHEN.
04
Present Perfect Continuous
how long something has been going on up to now
+
Formula
Subject + have / has + been + verb-ing
When to use
- An action that started in the past and is still happening now
- To explain a present situation — why you look tired, why it’s wet outside
- With: for, since, all day, all morning, lately, recently
Examples
Short, simple sentences
+
I have been waiting for one hour.
−
She hasn’t been sleeping well.
?
How long have you been studying?
Longer sentences with context
+
I have been studying English for two years, and I can already hold a basic conversation.
−
He hasn’t been feeling well lately, which is why he missed several classes last week.
?
How long have you been working at your current job — do you enjoy it?
Complex structures, subordinate clauses
+
The team has been negotiating the terms of the contract for weeks, and they still have not reached a consensus that satisfies all stakeholders.
−
Despite the pressure, he hasn’t been performing at the level the board expected since his promotion was announced.
?
How long have they been lobbying for regulatory reform, and what concrete progress has actually been made?
💡“I’ve been studying” = focus on duration, I’m still going. “I’ve studied” = focus on completion, I’m finished and ready.
Past Tenses
05
Past Simple
completed action at a specific past time
+
Formula
Subject + verb-ed | irregular verbs: go→went, see→saw
When to use
- Completed actions at a specific past time
- A sequence of past events — “I woke up, had coffee, and left”
- With: yesterday, last week, in 2010, ago, when
Examples
Short, simple sentences
+
I went to school today.
−
She didn’t come home.
?
Did you eat lunch?
Longer sentences with context
+
I woke up early, had breakfast, and caught the first train into the city.
−
They didn’t invite us to the party, even though we knew everyone who was going.
?
Did you manage to finish the assignment before the deadline last Friday?
Complex structures, subordinate clauses
+
The committee approved the proposal unanimously, despite the reservations several members expressed during the preliminary review.
−
The administration didn’t disclose the full extent of the financial losses until well after shareholders demanded transparency.
?
Did the negotiating parties reach a binding agreement, or merely outline a framework for future discussions?
📌Irregular verbs don’t add -ed. go→went, see→saw, eat→ate, buy→bought. These must be memorised — there’s no shortcut.
06
Past Continuous
action in progress at a past moment, background action
+
Formula
Subject + was / were + verb-ing
When to use
- An action in progress at a specific moment in the past
- A longer background action interrupted by a shorter past simple action
- Two simultaneous past actions — “She was cooking while I was reading”
Examples
Short, simple sentences
+
I was sleeping at 9 pm.
−
He wasn’t listening.
?
Were you watching TV?
Longer sentences with context
+
I was studying for my exam when my friend suddenly called and asked for help.
−
She wasn’t paying attention in the meeting, so she missed the most important part.
?
What were you doing at this time last year — were you still at university?
Complex structures, subordinate clauses
+
While the board was deliberating on the acquisition, a competing firm made an unsolicited offer that fundamentally altered the negotiation dynamic.
−
The investigative team wasn’t monitoring the account closely enough when the fraudulent transactions began, which is why the breach went undetected for months.
?
Were the regulators already reviewing the company’s compliance record when the whistleblower came forward?
🔑“I was doing X when something happened.” The -ing action is the background; past simple is the interruption.
07
Past Perfect
action that happened before another past action
+
Formula
Subject + had + past participle
When to use
- One past action that happened before another past action
- With: already, just, never, before, after, by the time, when
Examples
Short, simple sentences
+
She had left before I came.
−
I hadn’t eaten before the test.
?
Had you met her before?
Longer sentences with context
+
By the time I arrived at the cinema, the film had already started, so I missed the beginning.
−
She hadn’t prepared anything for the presentation, which is why it went so badly.
?
Had you ever lived abroad before you moved to Bangkok for the first time?
Complex structures, subordinate clauses
+
By the time the audit was conducted, the finance team had already rectified the discrepancies, rendering the investigation largely inconclusive.
−
The strategic review hadn’t accounted for the market volatility that subsequently eroded the projected returns within the first quarter.
?
Had the legal counsel been fully briefed before the negotiations commenced, or were they operating on incomplete information?
💡Think: “the past of the past.” Two things happened — had + past participle shows which one happened FIRST.
08
Past Perfect Continuous
how long something had been happening before a past point
+
Formula
Subject + had + been + verb-ing
When to use
- To emphasise the duration of an action before a specific past moment
- To explain the cause or background of a past situation
Examples
Short, simple sentences
+
I had been waiting for an hour when she arrived.
−
He hadn’t been eating well, so he was tired.
?
How long had you been sleeping?
Longer sentences with context
+
She had been waiting for over two hours when the doctor finally called her name.
−
He hadn’t been sleeping properly for weeks, which explained why he looked so exhausted at the interview.
?
How long had they been dating before they decided to get married?
Complex structures, subordinate clauses
+
The engineers had been working around the clock for three weeks before the system failure finally prompted management to acknowledge the structural flaws.
−
The organisation hadn’t been monitoring compliance rigorously in the months preceding the scandal, a lapse that proved costly in both financial and reputational terms.
?
How long had the whistleblower been documenting the irregularities before they finally decided to approach the regulatory authority?
💡Focuses on how long something had been going on before a past point. Very powerful for storytelling and academic writing.
Future Tenses
09
Future Simple — will
spontaneous decisions, predictions, promises, offers
+
Formula
Subject + will + base verb
When to use
- Spontaneous decisions made at the moment of speaking — “I’ll get the door”
- Predictions about the future
- Promises, offers, and refusals
Examples
Short, simple sentences
+
I will help you.
−
She won’t come.
?
Will you be there?
Longer sentences with context
+
I will call you as soon as I hear any news about the job application.
−
She won’t be at the office tomorrow — she has a doctor’s appointment in the morning.
?
Will you still be in Bangkok next month, or are you going back home?
Complex structures, subordinate clauses
+
The proposed amendments will inevitably reshape the regulatory landscape, particularly for smaller enterprises that lack the resources to adapt quickly.
−
The current framework will not sustain the projected growth unless substantial investment in infrastructure is committed within the next two fiscal years.
?
Will the transition to a circular economy model deliver the cost savings that proponents claim, given the scale of initial capital expenditure required?
💡“Will” = decided NOW. “Going to” = planned BEFORE. “I’ll have the pasta” (just decided). “I’m going to have pasta” (you chose before arriving).
10
Future — be going to
plans already decided, predictions based on evidence
+
Formula
Subject + am / is / are + going to + base verb
When to use
- Plans and intentions already decided before now
- Predictions based on visible current evidence — “Look at those clouds — it’s going to rain”
Examples
Short, simple sentences
+
I am going to study tonight.
−
She isn’t going to come.
?
Are you going to eat?
Longer sentences with context
+
We are going to move to a bigger apartment next month — we already signed the contract.
−
I am not going to argue about this again — I think we both know I’m right.
?
Are you going to apply for the position, or have you already made up your mind?
Complex structures, subordinate clauses
+
Given the trajectory of recent polling data, the incumbent is going to struggle to secure a majority unless voter turnout in urban districts exceeds prior projections.
−
The current infrastructure isn’t going to accommodate the anticipated surge in demand, regardless of the short-term interventions the ministry has proposed.
?
Is the organisation going to revise its sustainability targets in light of the most recent IPCC report, or maintain the existing framework?
📌You can see evidence NOW → use “going to.” She’s carrying too many bags. “She’s going to drop them.” (You can already see it coming.)
11
Future Continuous
action in progress at a specific future moment
+
Formula
Subject + will + be + verb-ing
When to use
- An action that will be in progress at a specific future moment
- Politely asking about someone’s plans without pressure — “Will you be using the car?”
Examples
Short, simple sentences
+
I will be sleeping at 10 pm.
−
She won’t be working tomorrow.
?
Will you be waiting for me?
Longer sentences with context
+
This time next week, I will be sitting on a beach in Phuket, completely relaxed.
−
I won’t be attending the Friday meeting — I have a prior commitment I can’t move.
?
Will you be working late again tonight, or are you free for dinner?
Complex structures, subordinate clauses
+
By the time the delegation arrives, the lead negotiator will still be finalising the terms of the preliminary agreement with the legal team.
−
The legacy systems won’t be running in parallel indefinitely — the migration timeline needs to be accelerated before the contract with the vendor expires.
?
Will the research team still be collecting data when the preliminary findings are presented at the conference in March?
💡“Will you be needing the car?” is softer than “Will you need the car?” — a polite, indirect way to ask about plans. Common in professional English.
12
Future Perfect
action completed before a specific future point
+
Formula
Subject + will + have + past participle
When to use
- An action that will be completed before a specific point in the future
- With: by, by the time, before, when
Examples
Short, simple sentences
+
I will have finished by 5 pm.
−
She won’t have left yet.
?
Will you have eaten by then?
Longer sentences with context
+
By Friday evening, I will have finished the entire report and sent it to the team.
−
She won’t have graduated by the time you return from your trip abroad.
?
Will you have read the whole contract before the meeting starts tomorrow morning?
Complex structures, subordinate clauses
+
By the time the merger is finalised, the integration team will have spent over eighteen months reconciling conflicting corporate governance frameworks.
−
The infrastructure upgrades will not have been completed before the peak season begins, which risks significant operational disruption.
?
Will the independent review panel have issued its recommendations before parliament reconvenes, or will the matter be deferred to the next legislative session?
🔑“By [future time], I will have [done].” The deadline is ahead; the action will be complete before it arrives. Very natural in business and academic English.
13
Future Perfect Continuous
duration of an action up to a future point
+
Formula
Subject + will + have + been + verb-ing
When to use
- To emphasise how long an action will have continued up to a future point
- Mostly used in formal, written, or academic contexts
Examples
Short, simple sentences
+
By June, I will have been studying for six months.
−
She won’t have been working there long.
?
How long will you have been waiting?
Longer sentences with context
+
By next year, I will have been living in Bangkok for five years — it feels like home now.
−
By the time she retires, she won’t have been earning a pension-level salary for long enough to save much.
?
How long will you have been teaching English by the time you reach your hundredth student?
Complex structures, subordinate clauses
+
By the time the programme concludes, participants will have been engaging with the curriculum for over two years, which should translate into measurable competency gains.
−
The city’s ageing transport network won’t have been operating at full capacity for long enough to justify the scale of investment the proposal demands.
?
By the projected completion date, will the team have been developing the platform for long enough to have addressed the core scalability limitations identified in the initial audit?
💡The rarest tense in everyday English. Used mainly for milestones and formal writing. Excellent for C1 essays — shows sophisticated command of time reference.