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
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