They have three tenses except for the subjunctive mood. (The subjunctive mood has only two tenses
past and present tense)
1. Past tense
2. Present tense
3. Future tense
Simple
Continuous
Perfect
Perfect continuous
They will form simple present tense, simple past tense, simple future tense, present continuous
tense, past continuous tense, future continuous tense, present perfect tense, past perfect tense,
future perfect tense, present perfect continuous tense, past present continuous tense and future
perfect continuous tense.
The perfect continuous is also known as perfect progressive tense
The theory of Modern English Grammar can be summarised to a simple table as below. For medieval
English, Shakespeare style grammar much deeper knowledge is necessary.
ACTIVE
VOICE
SIMPLE
have + past
participle
N/A
had been +
ing
PASSIVE
VOICE
SIMPLE
ACTIVE VOICE
PAST
PRESENT
FUTURE
PASSIVE VOICE
PAST
PRESENT
FUTURE
HE FINISHED HIS
WORK / HE DID
FINISH HIS
WORK
HE WAS
FINISHING HIS
WORK
HE FINISHES HIS
WORK / HE
DOES FINISH HIS
WORK
HE IS FINISHING
HIS WORK
HE WILL FINISH
HIS WORK
THE WORK IS
FINISHED BY
HIM
HE WILL BE
FINISHING HIS
WORK
THE WORK IS
BEING FINISHED
BY HIM
PERFECT
HE HAD
FINISHED HIS
WORK
HE HAS
FINISHED HIS
WORK
HE WOULD
HAVE FINISHED
HIS WORK
PERFECTCONTINUOUS
HE HAD BEEN
FINISHING HIS
WORK
HE HAS BEEN
FINISHING HIS
WORK
HE WOULD
HAVE BEEN
FINISHING HIS
WORK
CONTINUOUS
NOTE: * These are only used by erudite scholars and rarely by the local modern English users.