Verb Tenses English clearly explained. These tenses are the most frequently used in the English language. Master your verbs and tenses and you will master the English language!

1. VERB TENSES –
ENGLISH
ENGELS TIJDEN
WERKWOORDEN
By M. van Eijk/MA

2. PRESENT TENSE USED FOR PRESENT, PAST AND FUTURE
The present tenses in English are used:
to talk about the present
to talk about the future
to talk about the past when we are telling a story in spoken English
or when we are summarising a book, film, play etc.

3. PRESENT TENSE
There are four present tense forms in English (to talk about the present):
Present simple: I work
Present continuous: I am working
Present perfect: I have worked
Present perfect continuous: I have been working -
Examples (to talk about the present):
He works at McDonald’s.
He is working at McDonald’s.
He has worked there for three months now.
He has been working there for three months now.

4. PRESENT TENSE USED TO SUGGEST THE PAST
1. The present tense can be used to suggest the past with what is
sometimes called the fictional (or historic) present:
"We were watching the back door when, all of a sudden, in
walks Jane."
2. With verbs of communicating, the present tense can also suggest a
past action:
“Jane tells me that she took her brother to the dentist."
3. Most oddly, the present tense can convey a sense of the future,
especially with verbs such as arrive, come, and leave that suggest
a kind of plan or schedule:
 "The train from Boston arrives this afternoon at two o'clock."

5. PRESENT TENSE USED TO TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE
 to talk about the future:
 The next train leaves this evening at 1700 hours.
 I’ll phone you when I get home.
 He’s meeting Peter in town this afternoon.
 I’ll come home as soon as I have finished work.
 You will be tired out after you have been working all night.

6. SIMPLE PRESENT
 I play football.
 She does not play basketball.
 Does he play tennis?
 The train leaves every morning at 7 AM.
 The train does not leave at 8 AM
 When does the train usually leave?
 She Always forgets her umbrella.
 He never forgets his wallet.
USE 1 Repeated Actions
Use the Simple Present to express the idea that an action is repeated or usual.
The action can be a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something that
often happens.
It can also be something a person often forgets or usually does not do.
Examples:

7. SIMPLE PRESENT
USE 2 Facts or Generalizations
The Simple Present can also indicate the speaker believes that a fact was true before,
is true now, and will be true in the future. It is not important if the speaker is correct about the fact.
It is also used to make generalizations about people or things.
Examples:
•Cats like milk.
•Birds do not like milk.
•Do pigs like milk?
•California is in America.
•California is not in the United Kingdom.
•Windows are made of glass.
•Windows are not made of wood.
•New York is a small city. It is not important that this fact is untrue.

8. SIMPLE PRESENT
USE 3 Scheduled Events in the Near Future
Speakers occasionally use Simple Present to talk about scheduled events in the near future. This is mos
transportation, but it can be used with other scheduled events as well.
Examples:
•The train leaves tonight at 6 PM.
•The bus does not arrive at 11 AM, it arrives at 11 PM.
•When do we board the plane?
•The party starts at 8 o'clock.
•When does class begin tomorrow?

9. SIMPLE PRESENT
USE 4 Now (Non-Continuous Verbs)
Speakers sometimes use the Simple Present to express the idea that an action is happening
or is not happening now. This can only be done with Non-Continuous Verbs and certain
Mixed Verbs.
Examples:
•I am here now.
•She is not here now.
•He needs help right now.
•He does not need help now.
•He has his passport in his hand.
•Do you have your passport with you?

10. PRESENT CONTINUOUS
 Though the simple present and present continuous tenses are used
interchangeably, present continous usually defines an act that is going on at
the time of speaking. The sentences with the present progressive tense are
used when:
 Something is taking place now, while speaking and has a definite end as
well.
 When something is already decided and arranged as well to perform it.
 To indicate an undesirable habit.
Examples:

11. PRESENT CONTINUOUS
 You are learning English now.
 You are not swimming now.
 Are you sleeping?
 I am sitting.
 I am not standing
 Is he sitting or standing?
 They are Reading their books.
 They are not watching television.
 What are you doing?

12. PRESENT CONTINUOUS

13. PRESENTCONTINUOUS

14. PRESENT CONTINUOUS

15. PRESENT CONTINUOUS OR SIMPLE PRESENT?

16. PRESENT PERFECT

17. PRESENT PERFECT
1. Use of the Present Perfect
1.1. Result of an action in the past is important in the present
I have cleaned my room.
1.2. Recently completed action
He has just played handball.
1.3. State beginning in the past and still continuing
We have lived in Canada since 1986.
1.4. together with lately, recently, yet
I have been to London recently.

18. PRESENT PERFECT
2. Signal words
just
yet
never
already
ever
so far
up to now
recently
since
for

19. PRESENT PERFECT
3. Form
have/has + past participle *

20. PRESENT PERFECT
Long forms Contracted forms
I have cleaned my room. I've cleaned my room.
You have cleaned your room. You've cleaned your room.
He has cleaned his room. He's cleaned his room.
4.2 Examples
1. Affirmative sentences in the Present Perfect – regular verbs

21. PRESENT PERFECT – IRREGULAR VERB
Long forms Contracted forms
I have gone home. I've gone home.
You have gone home. You've gone home.
He has gone home. He's gone home.

22. PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
Present Perfect Continuous
FORM
[has/have + been + present participle]
Examples:
You have been waiting here for two hours.
Have you been waiting here for two hours?
You have not been waiting here for two hours.

23. PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
USE 1 Duration from the Past Until Now
We use the Present Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and has continued
up until now. "For five minutes," "for two weeks," and "since Tuesday" are all durations which can be used
with the Present Perfect Continuous.
Examples:
•They have been talking for the last hour.
•She has been working at that company for three years.
•What have you been doing for the last 30 minutes?
•James has been teaching at the university since June.
•We have been waiting here for over two hours!
•Why has Nancy not been taking her medicine for the last three days?

24. PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
USE 2 Recently, Lately
You can also use the Present Perfect Continuous WITHOUT a duration such as "for two weeks." Without the duration,
the tense has a more general meaning of "lately." We often use the words "lately" or "recently" to emphasize this meaning.
Examples:
•Recently, I have been feeling really tired.
•She has been watching too much television lately.
•Have you been exercising lately?
•Mary has been feeling a little depressed.
•Lisa has not been practicing her English.
•What have you been doing?

25. PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
IMPORTANT
Remember that the Present Perfect Continuous has the meaning of "lately" or "recently." If you use
the Present Perfect Continuous in a question such as "Have you been feeling alright?",
it can suggest that the person looks sick or unhealthy. A question such as "Have you been smoking?"
can suggest that you smell the smoke on the person. Using this tense in a question suggests you can
see,smell,hear or feel the results of the action. It is possible to insult someone by using this tense incorrectly.

26. PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
 Structure
 HAS/HAVE + BEEN + PRESENT PARTICIPLE
 Use the first form of the verb + “-ing”
 Singular subject (has been), plural subject or I (have been)
 ‘Since’ – if the pont of time id mentioned.
 ‘For’ – if the duration of time is specified.

27. SIMPLE PAST

28. SIMPLE PAST
Simple Past signal words
Signal words Simple Past: ago, an hour ago, one minute ago, in 2011
..., in 1999 ..., last month, last week, last year, last weekend, last
summer, yesterday, at 5 o'clock.
Examples:
I ate oranges last year.
We went to school eyery day in 1999.
He took his dog for a walk a month ago.

29. SIMPLE PAST
USE 1 Completed Action in the Past
Use the Simple Past to express the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in the past.
Sometimes, the speaker may not actually mention the specific time, but they do have one specific
time in mind.
Examples:
•I saw a movie yesterday.
•I didn't see a play yesterday.
•Last year, I traveled to Japan.
•Last year, I didn't travel to Korea.
•Did you have dinner last night?
•She washed her car.
•He didn't wash his car.

30. SIMPLE PAST
USE 2 A Series of Completed Actions
We use the Simple Past to list a series of completed actions in the past. These actions happen 1st, 2nd,
3rd, 4th, and so on.
Examples:
•I finished work, walked to the beach, and found a nice place to swim.
•He arrived from the airport at 8:00, checked into the hotel at 9:00, and met the others at 10:00.
•Did you add flour, pour in the milk, and then add the eggs?
 Structure: VERB + ED or Irregular verbs.

31. SIMPLE PAST
USE 3 Duration in Past
The Simple Past can be used with a duration which starts and stops in the past. A duration is a longer
action often indicated by expressions such as: for two years, for five minutes, all day, all year, etc.
Examples:
•I lived in Brazil for two years.
•Shauna studied Japanese for five years.
•They sat at the beach all day.
•They did not stay at the party the entire time.
•We talked on the phone for thirty minutes.
•A: How long did you wait for them?
B: We waited for one hour.

32. SIMPLE PAST
USE 4 Habits in the Past
 The Simple Past can also be used to describe a habit which stopped in the past. It can have the
same meaning as "used to." To make it clear that we are talking about a habit, we often add
expressions such as: always, often, usually, never, when I was a child, when I was younger, etc.
Examples:
•I studied French when I was a child.
•He played the violin.
•He didn't play the piano.
•Did you play a musical instrument when you were a kid?
•She worked at the movie theater after school.
•They never went to school, they always skipped class.

33. SIMPLE PAST
USE 5 Past Facts or Generalizations
The Simple Past can also be used to describe past facts or generalizations which are no longer true. As
in USE 4 above, this use of the Simple Past is quite similar to the expression "used to."
Examples:
•She was shy as a child, but now she is very outgoing.
•He didn't like tomatoes before.
•Did you live in Texas when you were a kid?
•People paid much more to make cell phone calls in the past.
 Structure: VERB + ED or Irregular verbs.

34. PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
 A continuous action that was completed sometime in the past falls
under past perfect continuous tense. Such sentences are framed by
using the modal, ‘had’ + ‘been’ + the present participle of the verb (-
ing)
 Examples:
 You had been waiting there for more than two hours.
 Had you been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally
arrieved?
 You had not been waiting there for more than two hours when she
finally arrived.

35. PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
USE 1 Interrupted Action in the Past
Use the Past Continuous to indicate that a longer action in the past was interrupted. The
interruption is usually a shorter action in the Simple Past. Remember this can be a real interruption
or just an interruption in time.
Examples:
•I was watching TV when she called.
•When the phone rang, she was writing a letter.
•While we were having the picnic, it started to rain.
•What were you doing when the earthquake started?
•I was listening to my iPod, so I didn't hear the fire alarm.
•You were not listening to me when I told you to turn the oven off.
•While John was sleeping last night, someone stole his car.
•Sammy was waiting for us when we got off the plane.
•While I was writing the email, the computer suddenly went off.
•A: What were you doing when you broke your leg?
B: I was snowboarding.

36. PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
USE 2 Specific Time as an Interruption
In USE 1, described above, the Past Continuous is interrupted by a shorter action in the Simple Past.
However, you can also use a specific time as an interruption.
Examples:
•Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner.
•At midnight, we were still driving through the desert.
•Yesterday at this time, I was sitting at my desk at work.

37. PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
USE 3 Parallel Actions
When you use the Past Continuous with two actions in the same sentence, it expresses the idea
that both actions were happening at the same time. The actions are parallel.
Examples:
•I was studying while he was making dinner.
•While Ellen was reading, Tim was watching television.
•Were you listening while he was talking?
•I wasn't paying attention while I was writing the letter, so I made several mistakes.
•What were you doing while you were waiting?
•Thomas wasn't working, and I wasn't working either.
•They were eating dinner, discussing their plans, and having a good time.

38. PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
USE 4 Atmosphere
 In English, we often use a series of parallel actions to describe
the atmosphere at a particular time in the past.
 Example:
 •When I walked into the office, several people were busily
typing, some were talking on the phones, the boss was yelling
directions, and customers were waiting to be helped. One
customer was yelling at a secretary and waving his hands.
Others were complaining to each other about the bad service.

39. PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
USE 5 Repetition and Irritation with "Always"
The Past Continuous with words such as "always" or "constantly" expresses the idea that something
irritating or shocking often happened in the past. The concept is very similar to the expression "used
to" but with negative emotion. Remember to put the words "always" or "constantly" between "be"
and "verb+ing.”
Examples:
•She was always coming to class late.
•He was constantly talking. He annoyed everyone.
•I didn't like them because they were always complaining.

40. SIMPLE FUTURE
 This tense is used for those sentences which refer to the actions
which will occur later, in future. This requires a future tense
auxiliary verb even though the verb would be unmarked.
 Examples:
 You will help him later.
 Will you help him later?
 You will not help him later.
 Extructure: WILL + VERB - AM/IS/ARE + GOING TO + VERB

41. SIMPLE FUTURE
 Structure
 WILL+VERB
 AM/IS/ARE + GOING TO + VERB
 I will be there tomorrow
 We will be there
 I am going to leave
 Am I going to leave?

42. FUTURE CONTINUOUS
 This tense defines those acts wich will be continued at future
point of time. In order to form a future continuous tense
sentence, a future auxiliary verb is required followed by amain
verb that ends with – ing
 Examples.
 You will be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight.
 Will you be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight?
 You will not be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight.

43. FUTURE CONTINUOUS

44. FUTURE CONTINUOUS

45. FUTURE CONTINUOUS
Using the present continuous for the future
 The future continuous tense is the present continuous tense recycled. It is often used to
ask about and discuss future arrangements or plans with just the addition of a future
time, but you only use it when these arrangements are certain.
 For example:
 Q) What are you doing next week?"
 A) "I'm working."
 Q) What's he doing tomorrow?"
 A) "He's playing tennis

46. FUTURE CONTINUOUS
Using the present continuous for the future
 The present continuous tense is also used to talk about and make future appointments
and arrangements using the words go or come....
 For example:
 Q) When are you coming to see me?"
 A) "Next week."
 Q) What are you doing tomorrow?"
 A) "I'm going to the dentist." ...and using verbs of arrival and departure. "We're arriving in
London at 3.30." "The train leaving from platform one is the 3.45 to Edinburgh."

47. FUTUREPERFECT

48. FUTURE PERFECT
subject + auxiliary will +
auxiliary
have
+
main
verb
will have
past
participle
How do we make the Future Perfect Tense?
The structure of the Future Perfect tense is:

49. FUTUREPERFECT
How do we make the Future Perfect Tense?
 The first auxiliary verb (will) is invariable: will
 The second auxiliary verb (have) is invariable in base form: have
 The main verb is invariable in past participle form: -ed (or
irregular)

50. FUTURE PERFECT
subject
auxiliary
verb
auxiliary
verb
main
verb
+ I will have finished by 10am.
+ You will have
forgotte
n
me by
then.
- She will not have gone
to
school.
- We will not have left.
? Will you have arrived?
? Will they have received it?
Look at these example sentences with the Future
Perfect tense:

51. FUTURE PERFECT
 Structure in short:
WILL HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE --- with ‘will’.
The film will have started by the time we get there.

52. FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

53. FUTUREPERFECTCONTINUOUS

54. FUTUREPERFECTCONTINUOUS The Future Perfect Continuous tense is like the Future Perfect tense, but it expresses longer
actions or states extending up to some specific event or time in the future.
For example:
Frank starts waiting at 9am. I am late and cannot arrive before 10am.
Frank will have been waiting for an hour by the time I meet him.
Other examples:
He'll be tired when he gets here. He'll have been travelling all day.
How long will Jo have been working when he retires?
Next month I'll have been studying Dutch for two years.

55. FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS
 Structure:
WILL HAVE BEEN + PRESENT PARTICIPLE - with ‘will’.
AM/IS/ARE + GOING TO HAVE BEEN + PRESENT
PARTICIPLE -- with ‘be going to’.
 Examples:
 Next year I will have been working in the company for 25 years.
 I won’t have been working in the company for 25 years.

56. LISTIRREGULARVERBS

57. ONREGELMATIGEWERKWOORDEN
Infinitief Verleden tijd Voltooid
deelwoord
Vertaling
Be Was/were Been Zijn
Beat Beat Beaten Slaan
Become Became Become Worden
Begin Began Begun Beginnen
Bend Bent Bent Buigen
Bet Bet Bet Wedden
Bite Bit Bitten Bijten
Bleed Bled Bled Bloeden
Blow Blew Blown Blazen
Break Broke Broken Breken
Bring Brought Brought Brengen
Build Built Built Bouwen
Burn Burned Burned Branden
Burst Burst Burst Barsten
Buy Bought Bought Kopen
Catch Caught Caught Vangen, halen
Choose Chose Chosen Kiezen
Come Came Come Komen
Cost Cost Cost Kosten
Creep Crept Crept Kruipen

58. ONREGELMATIGEWERKWOORDEN
Infinitief Verleden tijd Voltooid
deelwoord
Vertaling
Cut Cut Cut Snijden
Deal Dealt Dealt Delen
Dig Dug Dug Graven
Do Did Done Doen
Draw Drew Drawn Trekken,tekenen
Dream Dreamt Dreamt Dromen
Drink Drank Drunk Drinken
Drive Drove Driven Rijden, besturen
Eat Ate Eaten Eten
Fall Fell Fallen Vallen
Feed Fed Fed Voeden
Feel Felt Felt Voelen
Find Found Found Vinden
Fly Flew Flown Vliegen
Forget Forgot Forgotten Vergeten
Freeze Froze Frozen Vriezen
Get Got Got Bekomen,worden
Give Gave Given Geven
Go Went Gone Gaan
Grow Grew Grown Groeien
Hang Hung Hung Hangen
Have Had Had Hebben
Hear Heard Heard Horen
Hide Hid Hidden Verbergen
Hit Hit Hit Slaan
Hold Held Held Houden
Hurt Hurt Hurt Bezeren

59. ONREGELMATIGEWERKWOORDEN
Infinitief Verleden tijd Voltooid
deelwoord
Vertaling
Keep Kept Kept Houden
Kneel Knelt Knelt Knielen
Know Knew Known Kennen, weten
Lay Laid Laid Leggen
Lead Led Led Leiden
Learn Learnt Learnt Leren
Leave Left Left Laten, verlaten
Lend Lent Lent Lenen
Let Let Let Laten, huren
Lie Lay Lain Liggen
Light Lit Lit Aansteken
Lose Lost Lost Verliezen
Make Made Made Maken
Mean Meant Meant Menen
Meet Met Met Ontmoeten
Mistake Mistook Mistaken Zich vergissen
Mow Mowed Mown Maaien
Pay Paid Paid Betalen
Put Put Put Zetten
Read Read Read Lezen

60. ONREGELMATIGEWERKWOORDEN
Ride Rode Ridden Rijden
Ring Rang Rung Bellen
Rise Rose Risen Opstaan
Run Ran Run Lopen
Saw Sawed Sawn Zagen
Say said said Zeggen
See Saw Seen Zien
Seek Sought Sought Zoeken
Sell Sold Sold Verkopen
Send Sent Sent (Ver)sturen
Set Set Set Zetten, plaatsen
Shake Shook Shaken Schudden
Shine Shone Shone Schijnen
Shoot Shot Shot Schieten
Show Showed Shown Tonen
Shut Shut Shut Sluiten
Sing Sang Sung Zingen
Sink Sank Sunk Zinken
Sit Sat Sat Zitten

61. ONREGELMATIGEWERKWOORDEN
Sleep Slept Slept Slapen
Slide Slid Slid Glijden
Smell Smelt Smelt Ruiken
Speak Spoke Spoken Spreken
Spell Spelt Spelt Spellen
Spend Spent Spent Uitgeven
Spit Spat Spat Spuwen
Split Split Split Splitsen
Spoil Spilt Spoilt Verspillen
Spread Spread Spread Sprijden
Spring Sprang Sprung Springen
Stand Stood Stood Staan
Steal Stole Stolen Stelen
Stick Stuck Stuck Kleven
Stink Stank Stunk Stinken
Strike Struck Struck Slaan
Swear Swore Sworn Zweren
Sweep Swept Swept Vegen
Swim Swam Swum Zwemmen
Swing Swung Swung Schommelen
Take Took Taken Nemen
Teach Taught Taught Onderwijzen
Tear Tore Torn Scheuren
Tell Told Told Zeggen
Think Thought Thought Denken
Throw Threw Thrown Gooien
Understand Understood Understood Begrijpen

62. ONREGELMATIGEWERKWOORDEN
Undertake Undertook Undertaken Ondernemen
Wake Woke Woken Wekken
Wear Wore Worn Dragen
Weep Wept Wept Wenen
Win Won Won Winnen
Wind Wound Wound Opwinden
Write Wrote Written schrijven
Dit zijn alle engelse onregelmatige werkwoorden. Heb je nog vragen, laat het jouw docent dan weten!