English tenses can be categorized into simple, progressive, perfect, and perfect progressive forms. They indicate the time of an action (past, present, future) and whether it is ongoing, completed, or experienced up to a point in time. The document provides examples of how to form each tense in both affirmative and negative constructions using auxiliary verbs like be, have, and modal verbs. It also explains the typical uses of each tense in terms of time frames and the relationship between actions.

1. English tenses
English tenses - Complex Test 1
Exercises - English tenses
Signal Examples Examples
Tense Use Form
words affirmative negative
something I work. I don't work.
happens
repeatedly He works. He doesn'two
every day
I go. I don't go.
how often
sometimes
something
happens
always
Simple one action
often
Present follows another
or infinitive he/she/it + -s
usually
Present things in
Simple general
seldom He goes. He doesn't go
with the
never
following verbs
(to love, to
first ...
hate, to think,
then
etc.)
future meaning:

2. timetables,
programmes
something is I'm working. I'm not worki
happening at
the same time He's working. He isn'tworki
now
of speaking or I'm going. I'm not going
Present around it
at the
Progressive
moment
or future meaning: to be (am/are/is) +infinitive + -ing
Present when you have
Look!
Continuous already decided
He's going. He isn't going
and
Listen!
arranged to do
it (a fixed plan,
date)
action finished I worked. I didn't work
last ...
in the past,
Simple He worked. He didn't wor
mostly regular:
Past ... ago
connected with infinitive + -edirregular: I went. I didn't go.
or
an expression of 2nd column of table of irregular
Past in 1990
time (no verbs
Simple
connection to He went. He didn't go.
yesterday
the present)
Past an action I was working. I wasn'twork
Progressive happened in the
while was/were +infinitive + -ing He wasworking. He wasn'twor
or middle of
Past another action I was going. I wasn't goin

3. Continuous
someone was
doing sth. at a
certain time (in
He was going. He wasn'tgoi
the past) - you
do not know
whether it was
finished or not
just I have worked. I haven'twork
yet He has worked. He hasn'twor
you say that I have gone. I haven't gon
never
sth. has
happened or is
ever
Simple finished in the
Present past and it has have/has + past participle*
already
Perfect a connection to
or the present *(infinitive + -ed) or (3rd column of
so far,
Present table of irregular verbs)
Perfect action started in He has gone. He hasn't gon
up to now,
the past and
continues up to
since
the present
for
recently
Present all day action began in have/has +been + infinitive+ -ing I have beenworking. I haven't

4. Perfect the past and beenworking
Progressive the whole has just stopped
or day He hasn't
He has beenworking.
Present how long the beenworking
Perfect how long action has been I have beengoing. I haven't bee
Continuous happening
since
emphasis:
He has beengoing. He hasn't bee
for length of time
of an action
mostly when I had worked. I hadn'twork
two actions in a
story are related He had worked. He hadn'twor
to each other: I had gone. I hadn't gone
Simple
the action which
Past already
had already had + past participle*
Perfect
happened is put
or just
into Past *(infinitive + -ed) or (3rd column of
Past
Perfect, the table of irregular verbs)
Perfect never
other action into He had gone. He hadn't gon
(Simple)
Simple Past
the past of the
Present Perfect
Past how long how long I hadn't
I had beenworking.
Perfect something had beenworking
had + been +infinitive + ing
Progressive since been happening He hadn't
or before He had beenworking.
beenworking

5. Past for something else I had beengoing. I hadn't been
Perfect happened
Continuous He had beengoing. He hadn't bee
predictions I'll work. I won't work
about the future
(you think that He'll work. He won't wor
sth. will I'll go. I won't go.
happen)
you decide to do
sth.
will -
spontaneously will + infinitive
future
at the time of
speaking, you
He'll go. He won't go.
haven't made a
decision before
main clause in
type I of the if
clauses
when you have I'm going towork. I'm not going
already decided
to do sth. in the He's not goin
He's going towork.
going to - future to work.
be (am/are/is)+ going to +infinitive
future I'm going to go. I'm not going
what you think
what will
He's going togo. He's not goin
happen

6. An action will be I'll be working. I won't bewo
in progress at a
certain time in He'll beworking. He won't bew
the future. This I'll be going. I won't begoi
action has
Future
begun before
Progressive
the certain
or will + be +infinitive + ing
time.
Future
Continuous
Something He'll be going. He won't beg
happens
because it
normally
happens.
Simple I'll haveworked. I won't havew
Future sth. will already
will + have +past participle* He won't
Perfect have happened He'll haveworked.
or before a certain haveworked.
*(infinitive + -ed) or (3rd column of
Future time in the I'll have gone. I won't haveg
table of irregular verbs)
Perfect future
Simple He'll have gone. He won't hav
Future sth. will already I'll have I won't have
Perfect have happened beenworking. been working
Progressive before a certain
He'll have He won't hav
or time in the will + have +been + infinitive+ ing
beenworking. been working
Future future
Perfect I won't
Continuous I'll have beengoing.
havebeen go

7. emphasis:
He won't
length of time He'll have beengoing.
havebeen go
of an action
I wouldn't
I would work.
sth. that might work.
happen
Conditional He would work. He wouldn'tw
main clause in would +infinitive
Simple
type II of the I would go. I wouldn't go
Conditional
sentences He wouldn't
He would go.
go.
I would beworking. I wouldn't be
sth. that might
Conditional
happen He wouldn't
Progressive He would beworking.
or would + be +infinitive + ing beworking.
emphasis:
Conditional I would begoing. I wouldn't be
length of time
Continuous
of an action
He would begoing. He wouldn't b
sth. that might I wouldn't
I would haveworked.
have happened haveworked.
in the past
would + have +past participle* He would He wouldn't
(It's too late
Conditional haveworked. have worked
now.)
Perfect *(infinitive + -ed) or (3rd column of
table of irregular verbs) I would havegone. I wouldn't ha
main clause in
type III of the if He wouldn't
He would havegone.
clauses have gone.

8. I would have I wouldn't ha
sth. that might
been working. been working
Conditional have happened
Perfect in the past He would He wouldn't h
Progressive (It's too late have beengoing. beengoing.
or now.) would + have +been + infinitive+ ing
Conditional I would have I wouldn't ha
Perfect emphasis: been going. been going.
Continuous length of time
He would have He wouldn't h
of an action
been going. beengoing.