There are 12 basic tenses in the English language. These are the most common grammatical forms for expressing time in English. It can help to view the different time expressions on one timeline, so I have created a diagram to compare all the English tenses, below. This timeline can be used in conjunction with my book, The English Tenses, which explains in full detail how each of the tenses is used, and how they can be compared. I have included a list of example sentences on the timeline, and the most basic rules for each of the tenses below.
Please click on the infographic to see the timeline in full:
The tenses listed are, with examples:
Past perfect continuous: : an action that happened before a certain time in the past, to show duration. For example: I had been going to school for a year when it was closed.
Past perfect: an action that happened before another event in the past. For example: I had washed the car before it rained.
Past continuous: an action that happened at a specific point in the past. For example: I was washing the car when it rained.
Past simple: an action that happened in the past. For example: I went to school.
Present perfect continuous: an action still continuing from the past to the present. For example: I have been learning English for three years.
Present perfect: an action started in the past that has been completed in, or has relevance to, the present. For example: I have already studied the tenses today. Note that the example in the image should be I have gone to school to fit the pattern of examples, it says been as a more commonly used expression (which I need to update!).
Present continuous: an action occurring now. For example: I am studying.
Present simple: a general ongoing, regular or scheduled activity. For example: I take English classes every Monday.
Future perfect continuous: an action at a certain point in the future, expressing duration. For example: I will have been studying English for three years this summer.
Future perfect: an action that finishes in the future, before or at the time of another future action. For example: I will have learned all the tenses by tomorrow.
Future continuous: an action occurring at a specific point in the future. For example: I will be fishing this time next week.
Future simple: an action to be completed in the future. For example: I will go to the cinema.
If any of these are unclear, please contact me for more information! For more detailed discussion of each of the tenses, with examples, and more detailed analysis of the tense forms (such as the various ways to express future time), read the full textbook, The English Tenses.
For full discussion of the tenses, with examples, analysis of the tense forms, and instructions for flexible use, be sure to check out my book, The English Tenses.
“The best book in learning the tenses so far!" - Glennie, Amazon Review
This is excellent thank you for doing this, I found it very useful to compare the tenses!
What is the yellow dot in the tense timeline
Hi Jawed – the yellow dot represents a specific point of time in past/present/future. It’s a wider dot, rather than a specific cross, to show a period of time that can include an ongoing action (continuous tense).
Showing on going process (continuous)
This has been very helpful for getting an overview of the terms and I like the visualization of a action with that black smudged bit but there is a small inconsistency there.
You dropped the verb ” go ” n the present perfect and instead used “be ” which in all other parts of the graphic is only used as a helping verb and the not main one.
So ” I have gone to school ” would work better.
I’m glad it helps – yes you are correct, that should be ‘gone’ instead of ‘been’!
Webster Dictionary: Been also means to come or go. You are correct. I have heard “been” used as gone.
why dont you fix the mistake ?:)) I searched this chart in the google after that I had worked other source..I had thought that. It must be wrong .
well, I think “been” means “gone and be back” while “gone” means “gone and still be there”. So aren’t they both correct out of a clear context?
However, thank you for this useful chart
Thank you. Yes you are right, it’s just that “gone” would be more appropriate in terms of being consistent with the actual verb used for the rest of the diagram.
there is a mistake in the figure, the present perfect example( I have been to school) instead of ( I have gone to school )
anyway it is has been wrote correctly in the explaination
thank you
I came here for this mistake :))) thank you mr fafa
…it has been WRITTEN…
This really helped, but what about the Conditional tenses?
Hi Melisa,
The conditionals deal with imagined or abstract time so are harder to place in a timeline like this! Though I am sure there are examples of conditionals timelines out there, I’ve not produced one myself.
My name is Nickie, i am English Teacher in Indonesia. Wil you give explaination for Future Past ? All know the time line is crossing in different path for normal timeline.
Hi Nickie, in terms of how it is formed or the purpose?
Future in the past usually follows the form of ‘would + do’ or ‘was going to do’ (with different tenses in place of do), to indicate an action in the past still to come or not realised.
Hi, this is very helpful but where is the going-to future? Greetings, Kerstin
Hi Kerstin, for the purposes of a time line the ‘going to’ form is interchangeable with the ‘will’ form. They can carry different intent but the refer to the same future timings.
Hi Phil,
I would like to know if there is any difference between American English and British English when it comes to all 12 basic tenses in the English language. Would you be able to share more? Or is it a case where generally speaking, there isn’t much noticeable difference between American English and British English when it comes to the use of the 12 English tenses?
Regards,
Shizuka