English Tenses – Examples

	Explanation	Past	Present	Future
		Simple Past	Simple Present	Future I Simple
	action that takes place once, never or several times	He played football every Tuesday.	He plays football every Tuesday.	He will / is going to play football every Tuesday.
	actions that happen one after another	He played football and then he went home.	He plays football and then he goes home.	He will play football and then he will go home.
	state	He loved football.	He loves football.	He will love football.
		Past Progressive	Present Progressive	Future I Progressive
	action going on at that moment	He was playing football.	He is playing football.	He will be playing football.
	actions taking place at the same time	He was playing football and she was watching.	He is playing football and she is watching.	He will be playing football and she will be watching.
		Past Perfect Simple	Present Perfect Simple	Future II Simple
	action taking place before a certain moment in time; emphasises the result	He had won five matches until that day.	He has won five matches so far.	He will have won five matches by then.
		Past Perfect Progressive	Present Perfect Progressive	Future II Progressive
	action taking place before a certain moment in time (and beyond), emphasises the duration	He had been playing football for ten years.	He has been playing football for ten years.	He will have been playing football for ten years.

• table of English tenses
• diagram of English tenses