Tenses_Cheat_Sheet

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Tenses Cheat Sheet with Examples and Exercises

Tenses are used to indicate when an action or event occurs. This cheat sheet provides detailed

explanations of tenses along with examples and exercises to practice.

Tenses are divided into three main categories:

1. **Present Tense** - Describes actions happening now or regularly.

2. **Past Tense** - Describes actions that happened in the past.

3. **Future Tense** - Describes actions that will happen in the future.

Each of these categories has four forms:

1. Simple

2. Continuous (Progressive)

3. Perfect

4. Perfect Continuous

Let's look at each tense in detail.

1. Present Tense

The present tense is used for actions that are happening now, habitual actions, or general facts.

### 1.1 Present Simple

Used for regular actions, routines, facts, and general truths.

Structure: Subject + Base Verb

Examples:

- I eat breakfast every day.


- She works at the library.

- They study English.

### 1.2 Present Continuous (Progressive)

Used for actions happening now or around the present time.

Structure: Subject + is/am/are + verb + ing

Examples:

- I am studying right now.

- She is reading a book.

- They are playing soccer.

### 1.3 Present Perfect

Used for actions that happened at an unspecified time or have relevance to the present.

Structure: Subject + has/have + past participle

Examples:

- I have eaten lunch already.

- She has visited Paris.

- They have finished their homework.

### 1.4 Present Perfect Continuous

Used for actions that started in the past and are still continuing or have recently stopped.

Structure: Subject + has/have been + verb + ing

Examples:

- I have been working all day.


- She has been studying for an hour.

- They have been waiting for the bus.

2. Past Tense

The past tense is used for actions that have already happened.

### 2.1 Past Simple

Used for actions that were completed at a specific time in the past.

Structure: Subject + past verb

Examples:

- I visited the museum yesterday.

- She watched a movie last night.

- They played football last weekend.

### 2.2 Past Continuous (Progressive)

Used for actions that were happening at a specific time in the past.

Structure: Subject + was/were + verb + ing

Examples:

- I was reading when you called.

- She was sleeping at 9 PM.

- They were studying when the power went out.

### 2.3 Past Perfect

Used for actions that were completed before another action in the past.

Structure: Subject + had + past participle


Examples:

- I had eaten before he arrived.

- She had finished her homework by 7 PM.

- They had left when I called.

### 2.4 Past Perfect Continuous

Used for actions that were happening before another action in the past and emphasize duration.

Structure: Subject + had been + verb + ing

Examples:

- I had been working for 2 hours when you arrived.

- She had been reading for an hour when the phone rang.

- They had been waiting for a long time.

3. Future Tense

The future tense is used for actions that will happen in the future.

### 3.1 Future Simple

Used for actions that will happen in the future.

Structure: Subject + will + base verb

Examples:

- I will go to the market tomorrow.

- She will visit her grandparents next week.

- They will study for the exam.


### 3.2 Future Continuous (Progressive)

Used for actions that will be happening at a specific time in the future.

Structure: Subject + will be + verb + ing

Examples:

- I will be studying at 8 PM.

- She will be traveling next month.

- They will be playing football at 5 PM.

### 3.3 Future Perfect

Used for actions that will be completed before another point in the future.

Structure: Subject + will have + past participle

Examples:

- I will have finished my homework by tomorrow.

- She will have left by the time you arrive.

- They will have completed the project next week.

### 3.4 Future Perfect Continuous

Used for actions that will have been happening for a duration before a specific time in the future.

Structure: Subject + will have been + verb + ing

Examples:

- I will have been studying for 3 hours by the time you arrive.

- She will have been working for 5 years next month.

- They will have been waiting for an hour by the time the bus arrives.
Exercises

Fill in the blanks with the correct tense form:

1. By the time we arrive, she __________ (finish) her homework.

2. I __________ (eat) breakfast when the phone rang.

3. They __________ (work) in the garden right now.

4. He __________ (live) in New York for 5 years.

5. Tomorrow, I __________ (go) to the park.

Answer key:

1. will have finished

2. was eating

3. are working

4. has been living

5. will go

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