English Tense System
For past and present, there are 2 simple tenses + 6 complex tenses
(using auxiliary verbs). To these, we can add 4 "modal tenses" for the future
(using modal auxiliary verbs will/shall). This makes a total of 12 tenses in
the active voice. Another 12 tenses are available in the passive voice. So now
we have 24 tenses.
| 24 Tenses |
past |
present |
future |
| ACTIVE |
simple tenses |
past |
present |
future |
| complex tenses (formed with
auxiliary verbs) |
past
perfect |
present
perfect |
future
perfect |
| past
continuous |
present
continuous |
future
continuous |
| past perfect
continuous |
present perfect
continuous |
future perfect
continuous |
| PASSIVE |
past |
present |
future |
| past
perfect |
present
perfect |
future
perfect |
| past
continuous |
present
continuous |
future
continuous |
| past perfect
continuous |
present perfect
continuous |
future perfect
continuous |
| |
|
|
|
so-called "modal tenses" |
| englishclub.com Tip |
| Some
grammar books use the word progressive instead of continuous.
They are exactly the same. |
|
The use of tenses in English may be quite complicated, but
the structure of English tenses is actually very simple. The basic
structure for a positive sentence is:
subject + auxiliary verb + main verb
An auxiliary verb is used in all tenses. (In the simple present
and simple past tenses, the auxiliary verb is usually suppressed for the
affirmative, but it can and does exist for intensification.) The following
table shows the 12 tenses for the verb to work in the active
voice.
| |
structure |
past |
present |
future* |
| auxiliary |
main verb |
| simple |
normal |
|
|
I worked |
I work |
I will work |
| intensive |
do |
base |
I did work |
I do work |
|
| perfect |
have |
past participle |
I had worked |
I have worked |
I will have worked |
| continuous |
be |
present participle -ing |
I was working |
I am working |
I will be working |
| continuous perfect |
have been |
present participle -ing |
I had been working |
I have been working |
I will have been working |
* Technically, there are no future tenses in English. The
word will is a modal auxiliary verb and future tenses are sometimes
called "modal tenses". The examples are included here for convenience and
comparison.
Here are some more detailed examples covering affirmative,
negative and interrogative with:
|
