English Tenses – PTE Study Notes
(Prepared for the PTE – Pearson Test of English)
1. Simple Explanation
English verbs change form to show when an action happens.
There are 12 main tenses (3 time frames × 4 aspects).
Each tense tells you:
| Time Frame | Aspect | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Present | Simple | Habit, general truth |
| Continuous | Action happening now | |
| Perfect | Completed action with present relevance | |
| Perfect‑Continuous | Ongoing action that started earlier | |
| Past | Simple | Completed action in the past |
| Continuous | Past action in progress | |
| Perfect | Past action affecting present | |
| Perfect‑Continuous | Past action that had been ongoing | |
| Future | Simple | Planned or scheduled action |
| Continuous | Future action in progress | |
| Perfect | Future action completed before another future point | |
| Perfect‑Continuous | Future action that will have been ongoing |
Tip:
If you’re unsure, ask yourself: “Was the action happening, finished, or ongoing, and when?”
2. Key Points
| Aspect | Formation | Where to Use | Common Mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple | base‑verb (present), verb‑ed (past) |
Facts, habits, scheduled events | Using “are” + base‑verb for simple present |
| Continuous | be + verb‑ing |
Action in progress (now, yesterday, tomorrow) | Forgetting the auxiliary “be” |
| Perfect | have + past participle |
Completed action with relevance | Using simple past instead of perfect |
| Perfect‑Continuous | have + been + verb‑ing |
Ongoing action that started earlier and still matters | Omission of “been” |
2.1 Present Tenses
| Tense | Form | Example | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present Simple | I work |
“She writes reports.” | Habit, general truth |
| Present Continuous | am/is/are + verb‑ing |
“They are studying now.” | Action happening now |
| Present Perfect | have/has + past participle |
“I have finished the assignment.” | Completed action with present relevance |
| Present Perfect‑Continuous | have/has + been + verb‑ing |
“She has been reading for two hours.” | Ongoing action that started earlier |
2.2 Past Tenses
| Tense | Form | Example | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Past Simple | verb‑ed (or irregular) |
“He walked home.” | Completed action in past |
| Past Continuous | was/were + verb‑ing |
“They were watching TV.” | Past action in progress |
| Past Perfect | had + past participle |
“She had left before I arrived.” | Action finished before another past event |
| Past Perfect‑Continuous | had + been + verb‑ing |
“They had been arguing for 30 min.” | Ongoing past action that ended before another past event |
2.3 Future Tenses
| Tense | Form | Example | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Future Simple | will + base‑verb |
“They will travel next week.” | Prediction, promise |
| Future Continuous | will be + verb‑ing |
“I will be working at 10 pm.” | Ongoing future action |
| Future Perfect | will have + past participle |
“By 2025, she will have graduated.” | Action finished before a future time |
| Future Perfect‑Continuous | will have been + verb‑ing |
“By then, they will have been living in London for five years.” | Ongoing action that will continue until a future point |
3. Worked Example
Fill in the blanks with the correct tense.
Read the paragraph and decide whether the action is simple, continuous, perfect, or perfect‑continuous and whether it is present, past, or future.
Paragraph
- (I / finish) my homework right now.
- She (go) to the market yesterday.
- They (study) for the exam all week.
- By next month, we (complete) the project for the client.
- He (not/know) the answer yet.
- We (plan) a trip to Japan next summer.
- She (write) a letter when the phone rang.
- I (see) you at the party last night.
- They (work) on the report since Monday.
- By the time you arrive, I (prepare) dinner for two hours.
Answers
| # | Sentence | Correct Tense | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I am finishing my homework right now. | Present Continuous | Action happening now. |
| 2 | She went to the market yesterday. | Past Simple | Completed action in past. |
| 3 | They have been studying for the exam all week. | Present Perfect‑Continuous | Ongoing action that started earlier. |
| 4 | By next month, we will have completed the project for the client. | Future Perfect | Action finished before a future time. |
| 5 | He doesn't know the answer yet. | Present Simple | General fact, not yet true. |