English tenses summary

Tense Signal words Use Form Examples
 Facts  permanent situation
 Everyday  Repeated actions, habits, things that happen  I work
 Sometimes all the time, sequence of actions  He works
Present  Always  Things in general Infinitive (he/she/it) +  I go
Simple  Often  Unchanging situations, emotions and wishes -s  He goes
 Usually  Stories, general truths and fixed
 Seldom arrangements.
 Never
 First … then
 Continuing actions and events (duration)
 Now (unfished)  I’m working
Present  At the moment  Repetition or long-lasting changes To be (am/are/is) +  He’s working
Continuous  Look!  Actions going on right now/at the moment infinitive + -ing  I’m going
 Listen!  He’s going

 Actions that happened at some point in the
 Yet past  I’ve worked
 Ever, never  Action that started in the past and continue in Have/has + past  He’s worked
 Already the present participle (infinitive +  I’ve gone
Present  So far -ed)  He’s gone
Perfect  Up to now
 Since, for,
recently

Present  Past actions that recently stopped  I’ve been wor
Perfect  Past actions that are still continuing Have/has + been +  He’s been
Continuous infinitive + -ing working
 I’ve been goin
 He’s been go
 Last…  Past events  short, quickly finished actions  I worked
 … ago  Long situations finished in the past  Regular:  He worked