12 Tenses In English Grammar With Examples
English is now the default language for remote work, international business, online education, and global travel. Employers, universities, and digital platforms increasingly judge communication clarity, not just fluency. Correct tense usage helps you:
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Express timelines clearly
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Avoid misunderstandings in writing and speech
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Improve exam scores and professional communication
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Sound confident, polished, and natural
Tenses are not just grammar rules. They are storytelling tools. They allow you to explain what happened, what is happening, what will happen, and what might happen, with precision and confidence.
Quick Comparison of All 12 English Tenses
Understanding each tense individually is helpful, but seeing all 12 tenses side by side makes their differences much clearer. This quick comparison table helps you instantly recognize how each tense functions, when it is used, and how it sounds in real sentences. It is especially useful for revision, exams, and fast grammar recall in daily communication.
| Tense | Main Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present Simple | Habits, facts | She works remotely |
| Present Continuous | Actions happening now | She is working now |
| Present Perfect | Past with present relevance | She has worked here |
| Present Perfect Continuous | Ongoing past to present | She has been working |
| Past Simple | Completed past actions | She worked yesterday |
| Past Continuous | Ongoing past actions | She was working then |
| Past Perfect | Past before past | She had worked earlier |
| Past Perfect Continuous | Ongoing past before past | She had been working |
| Future Simple | Decisions, predictions | She will work tomorrow |
| Future Continuous | Ongoing future actions | She will be working |
| Future Perfect | Completed by future time | She will have worked |
| Future Perfect Continuous | Duration until future time | She will have been working |
12 Tense Formula Chart:
The formula chart provides you with a shortcut to keep the tenses in mind. The tenses have been classified according to the three different time phases; the past, the present, and the future. While the tenses are made up of the combination of subject, the form of the verb, and the object. When you learn better how to use these S-V-O in a proper sense it will give you perfection in 12 Tenses in English Grammar. Now read out the following table of 12 tense formula charts with examples.
S + V + O or Subject + Verb + Object Following are the sentence structures of each tense. They help you to form a sentence either in Present, past, or future along with the other forms that are Indefinite or Simple tense, Continuous or Progressive tense, Perfect tense, and perfect continuous/progressive tense. These all forms differ from each other in terms of the status of work.
- Simple Present Tense S + V + O
- E.g. You write a letter.
- Present Continuous Tense S + is/am/are + V + ING + O
- E.g. She is writing a letter.
- Present Perfect Tense S + has/have + Past Participle (PP.) of the Verb + O
- E.g. They have written a letter.
- Present Perfect Continuous Tense S + has been/have been + V + ING + O + since/for
- E.g. You have been writing a letter for three hours.
- Simple Past Tense S + Past Form of the Verb + O
- E.g. He wrote a letter.
- Past Continuous Tense S + was/were + V + ING + O
- E.g. He was writing a letter.
- Past Perfect Tense S + had + Past Participle (PP.) of the Verb + O
- E.g. He had written a letter.
- Past Perfect Continuous Tense S + had been + V + ING + O + since/for
- E.g. He had been writing a letter since morning.
- Simple Future Tense S + will/shall + V + O
- E.g. We shall write a letter.
- Future Continuous Tense S + will be/shall be + V + ING + O
- E.g. We will be writing a letter.
- Future Perfect Tense S + will have/shall have + Past participle (PP.) of the Verb + O ….
- E.g. We will have written a letter before we go.
- Future Perfect Continuous Tense S + will have been/shall have been + V + ING + O + since/for
- E.g. They will have been writing a letter since morning.
12 Tense Formula Chart PDF Download
12 Tenses In English Grammar:
There are three main tenses in English grammar and each of them has its four conditions which comprise the 12th tenses as below. You can click on any of the following tenses to get opened its details including; definition, example, and translation in Urdu. So let’s start our class step by step from the Present tense…
By clicking on the following links you will access the pages where the details of each tense are discussed. There on that page, you will get the details about that tense and the types of 12 tenses in English grammar.
Now you have to explore any of the following tenses to get explore the details about that tense in Urdu. After clicking on a tense you will get its examples and definitions in Urdu with a 12-tense formula chart.
Now there are four tenses types of future tense and you have to click on any of the following types its details in Urdu will be explored on a new page where you will get details on a new page and it will be very helpful for you to read out the details.
- Future Indefinite
- Future Continuous
- Future Perfect
- Future Perfect Continuous
Well, it is a common observation that tenses and grammar are usually forgotten after passing some weeks or months due to stopping practising. This page is providing you with 12 tenses in English grammar with examples in Urdu so that you can learn in a better way. But before you start your practice I suggest that you must continue your practice after completing the course. Moreover, if you make up your own sentences of each tense it will be more beneficiary for you. Now keep these instructions in mind and start learning the basics of English Grammar.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the 12 tenses in English grammar
The 12 tenses are present simple, present continuous, present perfect, present perfect continuous, past simple, past continuous, past perfect, past perfect continuous, future simple, future continuous, future perfect, and future perfect continuous.
Which tense is used most in daily English conversation
Present simple and present continuous are used most frequently in everyday speaking and writing.
Is present perfect difficult for learners
Yes, many learners struggle because it does not refer to a specific time, but understanding its link to present results makes it easier.
Can English be spoken correctly without knowing all tenses
Basic communication is possible, but advanced fluency and professional accuracy require strong command of all 12 tenses.
What is the best way to memorize English tenses
Learning through real examples, speaking practice, and contextual usage works better than memorizing formulas.
Mastering the 12 tenses in English grammar is not about memorizing rules. It is about gaining control over time, meaning, and clarity in communication. In 2026, where English drives education, business, technology, and global interaction, tense accuracy directly impacts how confidently and professionally you express yourself.
Excellent work and very good compilation. I really appreciate your good work. Thank you very much.
MASHALLAH very good and very happy for Urdu translation…
Keep it up
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