English tenses explained: all 12 forms, and the 6 to learn first

Textbooks speak of 12 English tenses. Grammarians count two — present and past — and Cambridge Dictionary points out that English has no future tense form at all. Both are right, and once you see why, the 12 forms stop being a list to memorise and become one simple system. This guide shows the system, the six forms to learn first and the mistakes to avoid; if you are new to English, read the ten grammar rules first.

Updated November 6, 2026 · 6 min read

Lire ce guide en français

Leer esta guía en español

Ler este guia em português

Bu rehberi Türkçe okuyun

اقرأ هذا الدليل بالعربية

Two tenses, four aspects: where “12 tenses” comes from

A tense is a form of the verb. English has present forms (I work) and past forms (I worked), and “there is no future tense form of verbs in English”: the future is expressed with the present, be going to or will (Cambridge). Old English already worked like this — its verbs had just two tenses, present-future and past (Britannica); A short history of English tells the rest of the story.

What multiplies the forms is aspect: is the action simple, in progress (continuous: be + -ing), completed before a point (perfect: have + -ed form) or both (perfect continuous)? Three times × four aspects = the 12 forms of every grammar book:

The six to learn first

For everyday conversation you can go a long way with six: present simple, present continuous, past simple, present perfect, past continuous and the two ways of talking about the future. Here is how each one is formed and when it is used, with the rules from Cambridge Dictionary. Not sure which ones you already master? The free English level test will tell you.

1. Present simple — I work, she works

Base form, with -s for he, she, it. For facts that are always true, habits and routines: She works in a bank. Water boils at 100 degrees. (Cambridge)

2. Present continuous — I am working

am/is/are + -ing. For what is happening right now and for temporary situations: I’m reading a good book at the moment. She’s staying with friends this week. (Cambridge)

3. Past simple — I worked, I went

-ed for regular verbs; irregular verbs have their own form, the same for every person (the everyday ones are in English grammar basics). For finished actions at a definite time — often with yesterday, three weeks ago, last year: We visited Rome last year. (Cambridge)

4. Present perfect — I have worked

have/has + -ed form (worked, gone, seen). For past events connected to now: experiences (Have you ever been to London?), very recent news without a time (I’ve just finished), and situations that started in the past and continue (I’ve lived here since 2020 — for and since). No specific past time: not I have seen him yesterday. (Cambridge)

5. Past continuous — I was working

was/were + -ing. For an action in progress at a moment in the past, often the background to a shorter event: I was cooking when you called. (Cambridge)

6. The future — will and be going to

will + base form for decisions made now and promises: I’ll help you, I won’t tell anyone (Cambridge). be going to + base form for plans already made and predictions with evidence: We’re going to move in June. Look at those clouds — it’s going to rain. In speech you will hear gonna (Cambridge).

The other six, briefly

Rules from Cambridge Dictionary: past perfect and future perfect. You will read these forms long before you need to say them — learn to recognise them first.

Mistakes to avoid

The first mistake comes naturally to speakers of French, Spanish, Portuguese and Turkish, whose languages use the present here (j’habite ici depuis 2020, vivo aquí desde 2020, moro aqui desde 2020, 2020’den beri burada yaşıyorum). In English, since and for with an unfinished situation call for the present perfect. More rules like this one are in English grammar basics.

Keep learning

• English grammar basics — the 10 rules that matter most
• A short history of English — from two tenses to twelve forms
• Why learn English? · Where is English spoken?
• Free English level test — A1 to B2, 24 questions, no sign-up
• English verbs with their meanings: for Turkish speakers · for Arabic speakers
• Level tests in 36 languages · All guides · Plans and prices