Basic tenses

Basic tenses

There are twelve essential and basic English Grammar tenses, excluding the Passive tense. Basic tenses generally have one or more names. That will depend on the textbook you are using, as well as the way the teacher presents the information.

One of my favorite textbooks is Azar’s “Understanding and Using English Grammar”. This book contains exercises on grammar that can be used by students, as well as helping yourself to refresh your memory on those basic tenses you need to teach.

Students need a list containing basic tenses so they will improve their English Grammar.

1. Present Simple or Simple Present

I talk, you talk, she/he/it goes, we talk, they talk

2. Present Continuous, Present Progressive, Simple Present Continuous or Simple Present Progressive

I am talking, you are talking, she/he/it is talking, we are talking, they are talking

3. Past Simple or Simple Past

I talked, you talked, she/he/it talked, we talked, they talked

4. Past Continuous, Past Progressive, Simple Past Continuous or Simple Past Progressive

I was talking, you were talking, he/she/it was talking, we were talking, they were talking

5. Present Perfect or Simple Present Perfect

I have talked, you have talked, she/he/it has talked, we have talked, they have talked

6. Present Perfect Progressive or Present Perfect Continuous

I have been talking, you have been talking, she/he/it has been talking, we have been talking, they have been talking

7. Simple Past Perfect or Past Perfect

I had talked, you had talked, she/he/it had talked, we had talked, they had talked

8. Past Perfect Continuous or Past Perfect Progressive

I had been talking, you had been talking, he/she/it had been talking, we had been talking, they had been talking

9. Future Simple or Simple Future

I will talk, you will talk, he/she/it will talk, they will talk, we will talk or I am going to talk, you are going to talk, he/she/it is going to talk, we are going to talk, they are going to talk

10. Future Progressive

I will be talking, you will be talking, she/he/it will be talking, they will be talking, we will be talking

11. Future Perfect

I will have talked, you will have talked, she/he/it will have talked, they will have talked, we will have talked

12. Perfect Progressive Future

I will have been talking, you will have been talking, he/she/it will have been talking, they will have been talking, we will have been talking

Feel free to make a copy of the list. It would be appreciated if you would cite this website if you use the list.