Verb Forms and Tense Chart: English Grammar Guide

Understanding verb forms and tenses is one of the most essential parts of mastering English grammar. Verbs express actions, states, or occurrences, and their forms change depending on time, subject, and grammatical function. This guide provides a complete overview of English verb forms and tenses, with clear explanations and examples to help learners at any level.

What Are Verb Forms?

A verb form is the specific shape or structure a verb takes depending on tense, aspect, or grammatical role. In English, verbs have five main forms:

1. Base Form (V1) – used for the present tense (except third person singular) and infinitives
   Example: go, eat, play, study

2. Past Simple Form (V2) – shows a completed action in the past
   Example: went, ate, played, studied

3. Past Participle Form (V3) – used in perfect tenses and passive voice
   Example: gone, eaten, played, studied

4. Present Participle / -ing Form (V4) – used in continuous tenses and as gerunds
   Example: going, eating, playing, studying

5. Third Person Singular Present (V5) – adds -s or -es in the present tense
   Example: goes, eats, plays, studies

These forms are the foundation for constructing all English tenses.

Regular and Irregular Verb Forms

Regular Verbs

Regular verbs follow a predictable pattern when forming their past and past participle:

• Base + -ed → work → worked, play → played, call → called

Examples:

• I worked yesterday.

• She has played tennis for years.

Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs do not follow a consistent rule. Their past and past participle forms change unpredictably.
Examples:

• go → went → gone

• eat → ate → eaten

• take → took → taken

Because there is no formula, these must be memorized. Common irregular verbs include be, have, do, make, get, come, see, give, find, and know.

The 12 English Tenses Overview

English has 12 major tenses, divided into past, present, and future, each with simple, continuous, perfect, and perfect continuous forms.

Below is the complete chart with examples.

1. Present Simple

Structure: Subject + base form (add -s for he/she/it)
Example: She plays the piano every day.
Use: Regular habits, general truths, facts.

2. Present Continuous

Structure: Subject + am/is/are + V-ing
Example: They are watching a movie.
Use: Actions happening now or temporary situations.

3. Present Perfect

Structure: Subject + have/has + past participle
Example: I have finished my homework.
Use: Actions completed with a connection to the present.

4. Present Perfect Continuous

Structure: Subject + have/has been + V-ing
Example: He has been studying for three hours.
Use: Actions started in the past and continuing now.

5. Past Simple

Structure: Subject + past form (V2)
Example: They visited Cebu last summer.
Use: Completed actions at a specific time in the past.

6. Past Continuous

Structure: Subject + was/were + V-ing
Example: She was cooking when I arrived.
Use: Ongoing actions interrupted by another past action.

7. Past Perfect

Structure: Subject + had + past participle
Example: He had left before I came.
Use: Action completed before another past action.

8. Past Perfect Continuous

Structure: Subject + had been + V-ing
Example: They had been waiting for hours before the bus arrived.
Use: Emphasizes duration before another past event.

9. Future Simple

Structure: Subject + will + base form
Example: I will call you tomorrow.
Use: Promises, predictions, or future actions.

10. Future Continuous

Structure: Subject + will be + V-ing
Example: She will be traveling next week.
Use: Ongoing actions at a specific future time.

11. Future Perfect

Structure: Subject + will have + past participle
Example: By 2026, I will have graduated.
Use: Actions completed before a certain future time.

12. Future Perfect Continuous

Structure: Subject + will have been + V-ing
Example: By December, they will have been living here for 10 years.
Use: Describes duration of an ongoing action up to a future point.

Complete Verb Tense Chart

Verb Forms in Different Tenses

Let’s look at one verb — “to work” — across all major tenses:

Active and Passive Voice in Verb Forms

Verb forms also change in voice. The active voice shows who performs the action, while the passive voice focuses on the receiver.

• Active: She writes the report.

• Passive: The report is written by her.

Passive Form Structure:

be + past participle (V3)
Examples:

• Present Simple: is written

• Past Simple: was written

• Future Simple: will be written

• Present Perfect: has been written

Common Mistakes with Verb Forms and Tenses

1. Using the wrong past participle
   ❌ He has went to school.
   ✅ He has gone to school.

2. Mixing tense consistency
   ❌ I was going and he comes.
   ✅ I was going and he came.

3. Forgetting -s in third person present
   ❌ She play football.
   ✅ She plays football.

4. Confusing perfect and continuous forms
   ❌ I have studying English.
   ✅ I have been studying English.

Practical Tips to Master Verb Forms

• Memorize irregular verbs using flashcards or lists.

• Notice verb patterns when reading or listening.

• Practice daily writing in different tenses.

• Use timelines to visualize time relationships.

• Review frequently used verbs like be, have, do, go, get, and make.

Summary

Understanding verb forms and tenses helps you:

• Express time and sequence clearly.

• Improve writing and speaking accuracy.

• Build confidence in everyday English use.

Mastering the five main verb forms and twelve tenses is the foundation of English fluency. Once you internalize these patterns, you can express any idea in any time frame — past, present, or future — with precision.

What are the five main verb forms in English?

English verbs typically have five core forms: the base form (go), the third-person singular present (goes), the past simple (went), the past participle (gone), and the present participle or -ing form (going). The base form appears in infinitives and most present-tense uses except with he/she/it. The third-person singular adds -s or -es. The past simple signals a completed action at a known time in the past. The past participle is used with auxiliaries in perfect tenses and passives. The -ing form appears in continuous aspects and can act as a gerund. Mastering these five shapes allows you to build all 12 tenses, the passive voice, conditionals, and many modal constructions.

How do tense and aspect differ?

Tense locates an action in time—past, present, or future—while aspect shows the action’s internal structure or flow. English relies on four aspects: simple (no explicit focus on duration or completion), continuous/progressive (ongoing action: be + -ing), perfect (completed or prior-to reference point: have + V3), and perfect continuous (ongoing action with duration leading up to a reference point: have been + -ing). Combine tense and aspect to form a tense-aspect pair, such as present continuous (“is working”), past perfect (“had finished”), or future perfect continuous (“will have been studying”).

When should I use the present simple instead of the present continuous?

Use the present simple for routines, habits, general truths, and schedules: “She teaches math,” “Water boils at 100°C,” “The train leaves at 7.” Use the present continuous for actions happening now or temporary situations: “She is teaching now,” “I’m staying with a friend this week.” Avoid mixing them incorrectly; if you want to highlight a temporary state or ongoing action around the present, choose the continuous. For permanent facts or repeated actions, choose the simple.

What is the difference between the present perfect and past simple?

The past simple ties an action to a finished time frame: “I visited Cebu last year.” The present perfect (“have/has + V3”) connects a past action to the present without stating a finished time frame: “I have visited Cebu several times.” Use present perfect to show experience, result affecting now, or an action continuing up to now: “She has just left,” “I have known him for years.” If you mention a specific, completed time (yesterday, in 2020, last night), use the past simple, not the present perfect.

How do I form and use the past perfect?

The past perfect is “had + past participle,” and it shows that one past action happened before another past event: “She had finished dinner before the movie started.” It clarifies sequence and prevents ambiguity when two past events are discussed. Use it to emphasize completion or prior context, especially in narratives: “By the time we arrived, the shop had closed.” If sequence is already clear or unimportant, the past simple may suffice, but the past perfect makes the timeline explicit.

What is the future in English if there is no inflected future tense?

English expresses future meaning with auxiliary constructions rather than a distinct inflected tense. The most neutral prediction is “will + base”: “It will rain.” For plans or intentions, “be going to + base” is common: “I’m going to study tonight.” For scheduled events and timetables, the present simple can show future: “The flight departs at 10.” The present continuous indicates arranged future plans: “We are meeting at 6.” Choose based on nuance: prediction, intention, arrangement, or schedule.

How do I choose between “will” and “be going to”?

Use “will” for spontaneous decisions, promises, offers, and general predictions: “I’ll help you,” “You’ll love this film.” Choose “be going to” for prior plans and predictions based on present evidence: “I’m going to start a course,” “Look at those clouds; it’s going to rain.” In casual speech, many speakers use them interchangeably, but maintaining the distinction improves precision and clarity in writing and exams.

What are common irregular verb pitfalls?

Irregulars do not follow the -ed pattern, so learners often confuse past simple (V2) with past participle (V3). Typical errors include “I have went” (correct: “I have gone”) and “She has did” (correct: “She has done”). Another pitfall is using the base form in perfect tenses: “He has eat breakfast” should be “He has eaten breakfast.” To avoid mistakes, study high-frequency irregulars (be, have, do, go, get, make, see, come, take, give) and practice them within sentence frames across tenses.

How does the passive voice work and when should I use it?

The passive voice shifts focus from the doer to the receiver of the action: “The report was written (by Alex).” Form it with “be + past participle,” adjusting be to the appropriate tense and aspect: present simple passive (“is written”), past continuous passive (“was being written”), present perfect passive (“has been written”). Use the passive when the actor is unknown, unimportant, or intentionally de-emphasized, or when you want to maintain topic continuity in formal writing. Use the active voice when clarity, responsibility, and energy are preferred.

What is the difference between gerunds and present participles?

Both end in -ing, but their functions differ. A gerund is a verbal noun: “Swimming is fun,” “I enjoy reading.” A present participle functions adjectivally or forms continuous tenses: “The running water is cold,” “She is reading now.” In continuous tenses, the -ing form partners with a be-auxiliary; as a gerund, it can serve as subject, object, or complement. Distinguish them by role: noun-like uses are gerunds; modifier or progressive uses are participles.

Why do I need the third-person singular -s in the present simple?

The third-person singular marker (-s/-es) is a key agreement feature in English present tense: “He works,” “She watches,” “It goes.” Omitting it (“She go”) is among the most noticeable errors. Spelling rules include adding -es after s, x, z, ch, sh, and changing final -y to -ies after a consonant (study → studies). Memorize common verbs with irregular spelling changes (do → does, have → has) and build the habit by reading and shadowing accurate input.

How do perfect continuous tenses add nuance?

Perfect continuous forms blend completion/connection (perfect) with duration/ongoingness (continuous). Present perfect continuous (“have been + -ing”) highlights recent or ongoing activity with present relevance: “I have been studying all morning.” Past perfect continuous (“had been + -ing”) emphasizes duration before a past moment: “They had been waiting for hours when the doors opened.” Future perfect continuous (“will have been + -ing”) projects duration up to a future point: “By June, she will have been working here for five years.” Use these to foreground “how long” and the process, not just the result.

How can I decide which tense to use in complex sentences?

Identify the time anchor (past, present, future), then decide whether you need to show an ongoing process (continuous), completion or priorness (perfect), or both (perfect continuous). Ask: Is the action habitual or timeless? Use simple. Is it in progress at a particular time? Use continuous. Does it precede another time or have present relevance? Use perfect. Do I need both ongoingness and connection? Use perfect continuous. Drawing a quick timeline for each clause helps prevent mismatches and ensures logical sequencing.

What are the most frequent agreement and consistency errors?

Common errors include dropping third-person -s (“She work”), mixing time frames (“I was walking and he comes”), misusing present perfect with finished past time (“I have seen it yesterday”), and confusing V2 with V3 (“He has wrote”). Maintain consistency across coordinated verbs and clauses, and align time expressions with tense choice. When in doubt, replace vague adverbs with explicit time markers and check whether your tense still fits.

How do modal verbs interact with verb forms and tenses?

Modals (can, could, may, might, must, should, will, would) take the base form: “You should study.” To express past meaning, use perfect infinitives after modals: “She must have left,” “They should have called.” For ongoing or passive nuances, combine modals with be/have patterns: “It might be raining,” “The work might be finished,” “They must have been waiting.” Although modals themselves do not inflect for tense, the surrounding auxiliaries and participles carry aspect and voice information.

What strategies help me master tenses efficiently?

First, memorize the five verb forms for the most common verbs, especially irregulars. Second, map each tense-aspect pair to a short meaning label and a model sentence you revisit daily (e.g., “past perfect = earlier past: had finished”). Third, practice minimal pairs that contrast close forms (present perfect vs. past simple; will vs. be going to). Fourth, read short authentic texts and highlight all verb phrases, labeling tense, aspect, and function. Finally, produce your own micro-stories using varied timelines to lock in sequencing and duration logic.

How can I check whether my tense choice is correct?

Run a three-question audit: (1) What is the time anchor (past, present, future)? (2) Do I need to show ongoingness, completion, or both? (3) Do my time expressions match the tense (e.g., since/for with perfect, explicit past dates with past simple)? Then test readability: If a reader saw only your time words and verb phrases, would they reconstruct the same timeline? If not, adjust aspect or swap the tense to a clearer alternative.

English Grammar Guide: Complete Rules, Examples, and Tips for All Levels