Simple Past
For a finished action.
He ate.
I sang.
We cooked.
Simple Present
For action happening at the moment of writing; also for habitual actions or
things that are always true.
He eats.
I sing.
We cook.
Simple Future
For action that will happen once in the future.
He will eat.
I will sing.
We will cook.
Past Progressive
For ongoing or repeated actions in the past.
He was eating.
I was singing.
We were cooking.
Present Progressive
For action that is ongoing at the moment of writing; also for scheduled
events in the future.
He is eating.
I am singing.
We are cooking.
Future Progressive
For ongoing actions to occur in the future.
He will be eating.
I will be singing.
We will be cooking.
Past Perfect
For actions completed in the past.
He had eaten.
I had sung.
We had cooked.
Present Perfect
For action begun in the past that has
been completed or is ongoing.
He has eaten.
I have sung.
We have cooked.
Future Perfect
For action that will be completed
before another action in the future.
He will have eaten.
I will have sung.
We will have cooked.
Past Perfect Progressive
For an ongoing or repeated action
occurring in the past and continuing to another action in the past.
He had been eating.
I had been singing.
We had been cooking.
Present Perfect Progressive
For action begun in the past and
continuing in to the present.
He has been eating.
I have been singing.
We have been cooking.
Future Perfect Progressive
For a continuing action that will be
completed by a specified time in the future.
He will have been eating.
I will have been singing.
We will have been cooking.
