English Tenses Timeline Chart

This timeline tenses chart provides a handy reference sheet to English tenses and their relationship to one another and the past, present and future. Conjugated verbs are highlighted in bold. Tenses which are rarely used in everyday conversation are marked by an asterik (*).

TIMELINE
SIMPLE ACTIVE SIMPLE PASSIVE PAST TIME PROGRESSIVE / CONTINUOUS ACTIVE PROGRESSIVE / CONTINUOUS PASSIVE

^ | | | | She had already eaten when I arrived. The painting had been sold twice before it was destroyed. ^ | PAST PERFECT | | ^ | PAST | | ^ | PRESENT PERFECT | | ^ | PRESENT | |
| | PRESENT MOMENT | |

I had been waiting The house had been for four hours when being painted for over a he finally arrived. month before they began to decorate the interior. *

I bought a new car last week.

The book was written in 1876 by Frank Smith.

I was watching TV when she arrived.

The problem was being solved when I arrived late for class.

She has lived in California for many years.

The company has been managed by Fred Jones for the last two years.

She has been The students have been working at Johnson's being taught for the for six months. last four hours. *

He works five days a week.

Those shoes are made in Italy.

I am working at the The work is being done moment. by Jim.

| FUTURE INTENTION |

They are going to fly to New York tomorrow.

The reports are going to be completed by the marketing department.

| V The sun will shine tomorrow. The food will be brought later. | FUTURE SIMPLE | | V | FUTURE PERFECT | | V
FUTURE TIME

She will be teaching The rolls will be being tomorrow at six baked at two. * o'clock.

I will have completed the course by the end of next week.

The project will have been finished by tomorrow afternoon.

She will have been The house will have working here for two been being built for six years by the end of months by the time they next month. finish. *

| | | | V

Tenses Chart
Visual Explanations of Each English Tense
By Kenneth Beare, About.com Guide

These visual explanations of each English tense provide visual clues for all major tenses of English. Each tense has a dedicated visual clue card with an explanatory sentence. These tense charts help learners use visual intelligence to understand key tense concepts. Basic tense usage and sentence construction is provided following each visual tense chart. Images1-12of19 Enter Gallery PreviousNext

Present Simple

Present Continuous for Action at the Moment

Present Continuous for Current Projects

Present Continuous for Scheduled Events

Past Continuous for

Past Continuous for

Future with Going to for

Past Simple

Exact Times in the Past

Interrupted Action

Future Plans

Future with Will for Promises and Predictions

Future with Going to for Future Intent

Present Perfect for Past to Present States and Actions

Present Perfect to Express Recent Events

Graphic Index Text Index PreviousNext

Tenses Chart
Visual Explanations of Each English Tense
By Kenneth Beare, About.com Guide

These visual explanations of each English tense provide visual clues for all major tenses of English. Each tense has a dedicated visual clue card with an explanatory sentence. These tense charts help learners use visual intelligence to understand key tense concepts. Basic tense usage and sentence construction is provided following each visual tense chart. Images13-19of19 Enter Gallery PreviousNext

Present Perfect for Unspecified Past Events

Present Perfect Continuous

Future Perfect

Future Perfect Continuous

Past Perfect Continuous

Past Perfect

Future Continuous

Graphic Index