A Guide to English Tenses

Doğuş Türkan

Present Simple
Simple Present, şimdiki zamanda alışılmış, düzenli veya doğru olan eylemleri tanımlamak için
kullanılan bir fiil zamanıdır. Çoğu özne için fiilin temel biçimi (mastar olarak da bilinir)
kullanılarak oluşturulur, ancak üçüncü tekil şahıs (he, she, it) -s veya -es eki gerektirir.

Formula for the present simple tense:

Positive: subject + base form of verb (-s/-es for third person singular)

Negative: subject + do/does + not + base form of verb

Question: do/does + subject + base form of verb

Usage of the present simple tense:

Facts and generalizations:

We use the present simple to state general truths or facts that are always true.

Example: Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.

Habits and routines:

We use the present simple to describe habits or routines that are repeated regularly.

Example: I usually go to the gym in the morning.

Scheduled events:
We use the present simple to describe scheduled events, such as timetables or schedules.

Example: The train leaves at 6 p.m. every day.

Narration:

We use the present simple to describe past events in storytelling, often when recounting a
series of events.

Example: She walks into the room and sees the mess on the floor.

Table for present simple tense:

Subject Base Form of Verb Third Person Singular

I/You/We/They play N/A

He/She/It plays plays

Examples:

Positive:
1. I play tennis every Saturday.
2. She plays the guitar beautifully.
3. We visit our grandparents twice a month.

Negative:

1. I do not like to eat spicy food.

2. He does not watch TV in the morning.
3. They do not travel abroad often.

Question:
1. Do you speak Spanish fluently?
 2. Does he go to the gym every day?
3. Do they like to read books on the weekends?

Note: "Do" is used with "I", "you", "we", and "they". "Does" is used with the singular subject
"he", "she", and "it".

In summary, the present simple tense is used to describe habitual, regular or true actions in
the present. It is formed by using the base form of the verb, with an -s or -es ending for the
third person singular.

Present Continuous
Present Continuous, şu anda şu anda gerçekleşen eylemleri tanımlamak için kullanılan bir fiil
zamanıdır. Ana fiilin şimdiki ortacı (-ing) ve "to be" yardımcı fiilinin şimdiki zamanda
kullanılmasıyla oluşturulur.

Formula for the present continuous tense:

Positive: subject + am/is/are + present participle (-ing) of verb

Negative: subject + am/is/are + not + present participle (-ing) of verb

Question: am/is/are + subject + present participle (-ing) of verb

Usage of the present continuous tense:

Current actions:

We use the present continuous to describe actions that are currently happening in the
present moment.

Example: She is reading a book right now.

Temporary actions:

We use the present continuous to describe temporary actions or situations that may not be
habitual.

Example: They are staying at a hotel until they find an apartment.

Future plans:

We use the present continuous to describe future plans that have already been arranged.

Example: I am meeting my friend for lunch tomorrow.

Annoyance or frustration:
We use the present continuous to express annoyance or frustration with an action that is
happening repeatedly.

Example: He is always leaving his dirty dishes in the sink.

Table for present continuous tense:

Subject To Be (Present Tense) Present Participle (-ing)

I am studying

You are working

He/She/It is playing

We are exercising

They are traveling

Examples:

Positive:

1. She is cooking dinner for us tonight.

2. They are taking a yoga class right now.
3. We are watching a movie together.

Negative:
1. I am not feeling well today.
2. He is not participating in the meeting.
3. They are not going to the party tonight.

Question:

1. Are you still studying for your exams?

2. Is he working on the project right now?
3. Are they traveling to Europe next month?

Note: "Am" is used with "I". "Is" is used with the singular subjects "he", "she", and "it". "Are" is
used with "you", "we", and "they".

In summary, the present continuous tense is used to describe actions that are happening
right now, temporary actions or situations, future plans, or annoyance or frustration with a
repeated action. It is formed by using the present participle (-ing) of the verb and the
auxiliary verb "to be" in the present tense.
Present Perfect
Present Perfect, geçmişte belirsiz bir zamanda meydana gelen eylemleri tanımlamak için
kullanılan bir fiil zamanıdır, ancak eylemin etkileri veya sonuçları şimdiki zamanda hala
geçerlidir. "have/has" yardımcı fiili kullanılmasıyla oluşturulur.

Formula for the present perfect tense:

Positive: subject + have/has + past participle of verb

Negative: subject + have/has + not + past participle of verb

Question: have/has + subject + past participle of verb

Usage of the present perfect tense:

Unspecified time in the past:

We use the present perfect to describe an action that occurred at an unspecified time in the
past, but still has relevance to the present.

Example: I have visited Paris before.

Recent actions:

We use the present perfect to describe actions that happened recently, but the exact time is
not specified.

Example: She has just finished her homework.

Accomplishments:
We use the present perfect to describe accomplishments or achievements that have
happened in someone's life.

Example: He has graduated from university.

Experience:
We use the present perfect to describe life experience that someone has had.

Example: They have never been to Asia.

Table for present perfect tense:

Subject Have/Has Past Participle

 I/You/We/They have worked

He/She/It has studied

Examples:

Positive:
1. They have traveled to many countries.
2. He has read three books this month.
3. We have finished our work for today.

Negative:

1. She has not eaten lunch yet.

2. I have not seen that movie before.
3. They have not completed the project yet.

Question:
1. Have you ever been to New York City?
2. Has she finished her work yet?
3. Have they seen the new exhibit at the museum?

Note: "Have" is used with "I", "you", "we", and "they". "Has" is used with the singular subject
"he", "she", and "it".

In summary, the present perfect tense is used to describe actions that occurred at an
unspecified time in the past, but have a connection to the present. It is formed by using the
auxiliary verb "have/has" and the past participle (-ed or irregular form) of the main verb.

Present Perfect Continuous

Present Perfect Continuous, geçmişte başlayan ve şimdiki ana kadar devam eden eylemleri
anlatmak için kullanılan bir fiil zamanıdır. "have/has" yardımcı fiili ve "been" yardımcı fiilinin
şimdiki zaman ortacı (-ing) biçiminde kullanılmasıyla oluşturulur.

Formula for the present perfect continuous tense:

Positive: subject + have/has + been + present participle (-ing) of verb

Negative: subject + have/has + not + been + present participle (-ing) of verb

Question: have/has + subject + been + present participle (-ing) of verb

Usage of the present perfect continuous tense:

Continuous action:
We use the present perfect continuous to describe an action that started in the past and is
still continuing up to the present moment.

Example: She has been studying for three hours.

Duration of an action:

We use the present perfect continuous to describe the duration of an action that has been
taking place.

Example: They have been playing tennis since this morning.

Temporary actions:
We use the present perfect continuous to describe temporary actions or situations that may
not be habitual.

Example: He has been living in the city for six months.

Table for present perfect continuous tense:

Subject Have/Has Been Present Participle (-

ing)

I/You/We/They have been studying

He/She/It has been playing

Examples:

Positive:
1. They have been working hard all day.
2. He has been practicing his guitar for hours.
3. We have been planning our trip for weeks.

Negative:
1. She has not been sleeping well lately.
2. They have not been exercising regularly.
3. He has not been studying for his exams.

Question:
1. Have you been waiting long?
 2. Has she been working on the project all week?
3. Have they been learning a new language?

Note: "Have" is used with "I", "you", "we", and "they". "Has" is used with the singular subject
"he", "she", and "it".

In summary, the present perfect continuous tense is used to describe actions that started in
the past and continue up to the present moment. It is formed by using the present participle
(-ing) of the main verb, the auxiliary verb "have/has," and the auxiliary verb "been" in the
present participle (-ing) form.

Past Simple
Past Simple, geçmişte tamamlanmış eylemleri tanımlamak için kullanılan bir fiil zamanıdır. Ana
fiilin geçmiş zaman kipi (düzenli fiiller için genellikle -ed) kullanılarak oluşturulur.

Formula for the past simple tense:

Positive: subject + past tense of verb

Negative: subject + did not + base form of verb

Question: did + subject + base form of verb

Usage of the past simple tense:

Completed action:

We use the past simple to describe an action that was completed in the past.

Example: She walked to the store yesterday.

Specific time in the past:

We use the past simple to describe an action that happened at a specific time in the past.

Example: They arrived at the party at 7 PM.

Past habit:
We use the past simple to describe a past habit that is not continued in the present.

Example: He smoked when he was younger.

Table for past simple tense:

Subject Past Tense of Verb

 I walked

You studied

He/She/It watched

We played

They worked

Examples:

Positive:
1. She walked to the park yesterday.
2. They played soccer on the weekend.
3. He studied for two hours last night.

Negative:
1. She did not eat breakfast this morning.
2. They did not watch the movie last night.
3. He did not work on the project over the weekend.

Question:
1. Did you see the movie last night?
2. Did she finish her homework on time?
3. Did they enjoy the concert last night?

Note: In the past simple tense, regular verbs form the past tense by adding "-ed" to the base
form of the verb. Irregular verbs have their own unique past tense form, which must be
memorized.

In summary, the past simple tense is used to describe actions that were completed in the
past. It is formed by using the past tense form (usually -ed for regular verbs) of the main verb.
The past simple is used to describe completed actions, specific times in the past, and past
habits that are not continued in the present.

Past Continuous
Past Continuous, geçmişte belirli bir zamanda devam eden eylemleri tanımlamak için
kullanılan bir fiil zamanıdır. Asıl fiilin geçmiş ortacı (-ing), yardımcı fiili "was/were" ve "olmak"
yardımcı fiilinin geçmiş ortacı (-ing) biçiminde kullanılmasıyla oluşturulur.

Formula for the past continuous tense:

Positive: subject + was/were + being + present participle (-ing) of verb

Negative: subject + was/were + not + being + present participle (-ing) of verb

Question: was/were + subject + being + present participle (-ing) of verb

Usage of the past continuous tense:

Ongoing action in the past:

We use the past continuous to describe an ongoing action in the past that was interrupted by
another action.

Example: They were watching a movie when I called.

Simultaneous actions:
We use the past continuous to describe two actions that were happening at the same time in
the past.

Example: She was cooking dinner while he was doing the dishes.

Background information:
We use the past continuous to describe background information in a story that sets the scene
for the past simple tense.

Example: It was raining heavily, and the wind was blowing when I arrived at the airport.

Table for past continuous tense:

Subject Was/Were Being Present Participle (-

ing)

I was being studied

You were being playing

He/She/It was being watching

We were being working

They were being talking

Examples:

Positive:
 1. They were playing soccer in the park.
2. She was studying for her exam all night.
3. He was cooking dinner for us.

Negative:

1. They were not listening to music at the party.

2. She was not exercising at the gym yesterday.
3. He was not working on the project last week.

Question:
1. Were you studying when I called?
2. Was she listening to the radio while she was driving?
3. Were they working on the report all night?

Note: "Was" is used with the singular subject "he", "she", and "it". "Were" is used with "I", "you",
"we", and "they".

In summary, the past continuous tense is used to describe actions that were ongoing in the
past at a specific point in time. It is formed by using the past participle (-ing) of the main verb,
the auxiliary verb "was/were," and the auxiliary verb "being" in the past participle (-ing) form.
The past continuous is used to describe ongoing actions that were interrupted by another
action, simultaneous actions, and background information in a story that sets the scene for
the past simple tense.

Past Perfect Tense

Past Perfect, başka bir geçmiş eylemden önce tamamlanmış bir eylemi tanımlamak için
kullanılan bir fiil zamanıdır. Ana fiilin geçmiş ortacı, "had" yardımcı fiili ve ana fiilin temel hali
kullanılarak oluşturulur.

Formula for the past perfect tense:

Positive: subject + had + past participle of verb

Negative: subject + had + not + past participle of verb

Question: had + subject + past participle of verb

Usage of the past perfect tense:

Completed action before another past action:

We use the past perfect tense to describe an action that was completed before another past
action.

Example: I had finished my homework before I went to bed.

Cause and effect:

We use the past perfect tense to show the cause of a past action.

Example: The road was wet because it had rained.

Reported speech:

We use the past perfect tense to report what someone said in the past.

Example: She said that she had already eaten.

Table for past perfect tense:

Subject Had Past Participle

I had studied

You had played

He/She/It had watched

We had worked

They had talked

Examples:

Positive:
1. They had already eaten when we arrived.
2. He had studied for his exam for weeks.
3. She had watched the movie twice.

Negative:

1. They had not finished the project by the deadline.

2. He had not read the book before the test.
3. She had not seen the movie yet.

Question:
 1. Had you ever been to New York before?
2. Had they finished the presentation before the meeting?
3. Had she seen the new exhibition at the museum?

Note: "Had" is used with all subjects in the past perfect tense.

In summary, the past perfect tense is used to describe an action that was completed before
another past action. It is formed by using the past participle of the main verb, the auxiliary
verb "had," and the base form of the main verb. The past perfect is used to describe
completed actions before another past action, cause and effect, and reported speech.

Past Perfect Continuous

Past Perfect Continuous, geçmişte başlayan, bir süre devam eden ve başka bir geçmiş
eylemden önce tamamlanmış bir eylemi anlatmak için kullanılır. "had been" yardımcı fiilinin
ardından ana fiilin mevcut ortacının (temel form + -ing) kullanılmasıyla oluşturulur.

Formula for past perfect continuous tense:

Positive: subject + had been + present participle of verb

Negative: subject + had not been + present participle of verb

Question: had + subject + been + present participle of verb

Usage of past perfect continuous tense:

Duration before another past action:

We use the past perfect continuous tense to describe an action that was ongoing before
another past action.

Example: He had been working for hours before he took a break.

Cause and effect:

We use the past perfect continuous tense to show the cause of a past action.

Example: She was tired because she had been running.

Emphasis on duration:

We use the past perfect continuous tense to emphasize the duration of an action in the past.

Example: They had been waiting for hours when the concert finally started.
Table for past perfect continuous tense:

Subject Had been Present Participle

I had been studying

You had been playing

He/She/It had been watching

We had been working

They had been talking

Examples:

Positive:
1. They had been waiting for the train for hours before it finally arrived.
2. He had been studying for the exam for weeks before he took the test.
3. She had been working at the company for five years before she quit.

Negative:
1. They had not been exercising regularly before the marathon.
2. He had not been practicing the song enough before the performance.
3. She had not been attending the classes regularly before the exam.

Question:
1. Had you been studying for the test for a long time?
2. Had they been waiting at the airport for hours before the flight?
3. Had she been working on the project for a long time?

Note: "Had been" is used with all subjects in the past perfect continuous tense.

In summary, the past perfect continuous tense is used to describe an action that started in
the past, continued for some time, and was completed before another past action. It is
formed by using the auxiliary verb "had been" followed by the present participle of the main
verb. The past perfect continuous tense is used to describe duration before another past
action, cause and effect, and emphasis on duration.

Future Simple
Future Simple, gelecekte gerçekleşecek eylemlerden bahsederken kullanılır. Basit gelecek
zaman olarak da adlandırılır. Future Simple, "will" yardımcı fiilinin ardından ana fiilin temel
halinin kullanılmasıyla oluşturulur.

Formula for future simple tense:

Positive: subject + will + base form of verb

Negative: subject + will not (won't) + base form of verb

Question: will + subject + base form of verb

Usage of future simple tense:

Prediction:

We use the future simple tense to make predictions about the future.

Example: The weather will be sunny tomorrow.

Intention:

We use the future simple tense to talk about our intentions for the future.

Example: I will travel to Europe next summer.

Spontaneous decision:

We use the future simple tense to talk about a decision that is made at the moment of
speaking.

Example: I forgot my phone. I will go back and get it.

Table for future simple tense:

Subject Will Base Form of Verb

I will play

You will eat

He/She/It will study

We will watch

They will work

Examples:

Positive:

1. She will visit her family next weekend.

2. They will study for the exam tomorrow.
3. I will cook dinner tonight.

Negative:
1. He won't go to the party tonight.
2. We won't watch the movie because we have other plans.
3. They won't play tennis in the rain.

Question:
1. Will you join us for lunch tomorrow?
2. Will he work on the project this weekend?
3. Will they travel to Europe next year?

Note: "Will" is used with all subjects in the future simple tense.

In summary, the future simple tense is used to talk about actions that will happen in the
future. It is formed by using the auxiliary verb "will" followed by the base form of the main
verb. The future simple tense is used to make predictions about the future, talk about
intentions for the future, and talk about spontaneous decisions.

Future Continuous
Future Continuous, gelecekte belirli bir zamanda gerçekleşecek devam eden bir eylemden
bahsetmek için kullanılır. "Will" yardımcı fiilinin ardından "be" ve şimdiki zaman ortacı (temel
fiil + -ing) kullanılarak oluşturulur.

Formula for future continuous tense:

Positive: subject + will + be + present participle (-ing form of verb)

Negative: subject + will not (won't) + be + present participle (-ing form of verb)

Question: will + subject + be + present participle (-ing form of verb)

Usage of future continuous tense:

Future actions in progress:

We use the future continuous tense to talk about actions that will be in progress at a specific
time in the future.
Example: At 9 PM tonight, I will be watching a movie.

Plans and arrangements:

We use the future continuous tense to talk about plans and arrangements that have been
made for a specific time in the future.

Example: They will be celebrating their anniversary at a fancy restaurant next month.

Polite requests:
We can use the future continuous tense to make polite requests in a more indirect way.

Example: Will you be helping me with the dishes tonight?

Table for future continuous tense:

Subject Will Be Present Participle

I will be studying

You will be working

He/She/It will be playing

We will be hiking

They will be traveling

Examples:

Positive:

1. I will be attending the conference next week.

2. They will be watching the game on TV at 8 PM tonight.
3. He will be cooking dinner for us tomorrow.

Negative:
1. I won't be attending the meeting tomorrow morning.
2. They won't be traveling to Europe this summer.
3. She won't be working late tonight.

Question:

1. Will you be joining us for dinner tonight?

2. Will they be watching the sunset on the beach tomorrow?
 3. Will he be playing basketball with his friends this weekend?

Note: "Will" is used with all subjects in the future continuous tense.

In summary, the future continuous tense is used to describe ongoing or continuous actions
that will happen at a specific time in the future. It is formed by using the auxiliary verb "will"
followed by "be" and the present participle (-ing form) of the main verb. The future
continuous tense is used to talk about future actions in progress, plans and arrangements,
and to make polite requests in a more indirect way.

Future Perfect
Future Perfect, gelecekte belirli bir noktada tamamlanmış olacak bir eylemi anlatmak için
kullanılır. "Will" yardımcı fiilinin ardından "have" ve ana fiilin geçmiş ortacı kullanılarak
oluşturulur.

Formula for future perfect tense:

Positive: subject + will + have + past participle of verb

Negative: subject + will not (won't) + have + past participle of verb

Question: will + subject + have + past participle of verb

Usage of future perfect tense:

Completed actions in the future:

We use the future perfect tense to describe an action that will have been completed at a
specific time in the future.

Example: By the end of this year, I will have graduated from college.

Anticipation of an action's completion:

We can use the future perfect tense to express anticipation of an action's completion.

Example: By the time we get home, she will have finished baking the cake.

Speculation or prediction about the past:

We can use the future perfect tense to make a speculation or prediction about something
that has already happened.

Example: He will have regretted his decision by now.

Table for future perfect tense:

Subject Will Have Past Participle

 I will have graduated

You will have finished

He/She/It will have moved

We will have traveled

They will have completed

Examples:

Positive:

1. By the time we arrive, they will have finished their meal.

2. By next year, he will have lived in this city for ten years.
3. They will have completed the project by the end of the week.

Negative:
1. By the time she arrives, we won't have finished our work.
2. He won't have found a job by the end of this month.
3. They won't have saved enough money for the trip by next year.

Question:

1. Will you have finished your homework by the time we get home?
2. Will they have left the city by the end of the month?
3. Will he have completed his thesis by the end of this year?

Note: "Will" is used with all subjects in the future perfect tense.

In summary, the future perfect tense is used to describe an action that will have been
completed at a specific point in the future. It is formed by using the auxiliary verb "will"
followed by "have" and the past participle of the main verb. The future perfect tense is used
to talk about completed actions in the future, anticipation of an action's completion, and to
make a speculation or prediction about something that has already happened.

Future Perfect Continuous

Future Perfect Continuous, gelecekte belirli bir noktadan önce bir süre devam edecek olan bir
eylemi tanımlamak için kullanılır. "will" yardımcı fiilinin ardından "have been" ve asıl fiilin
şimdiki zaman ortacı (fiil+ing) kullanılarak oluşturulur.

Formula for future perfect continuous tense:

Positive: subject + will + have been + present participle of verb

Negative: subject + will not (won't) + have been + present participle of verb

Question: will + subject + have been + present participle of verb

Usage of future perfect continuous tense:

Duration of an action:
We use the future perfect continuous tense to describe how long an action will have been in
progress before a specific time in the future.

Example: By next year, he will have been studying for six years.

Future actions in progress:

We can use the future perfect continuous tense to describe a future action that will be in
progress up to a certain point in the future.

Example: By the time you arrive, we will have been waiting for two hours.

Emphasis on the ongoing nature of an action:

We can use the future perfect continuous tense to emphasize the ongoing nature of an
action.

Example: By next month, she will have been running her business for five years.

Table for future perfect continuous tense:

Subject Will Have been Present Participle

I will have been studying

You will have been working

He/She/It will have been playing

We will have been practicing

They will have been living

Examples:

Positive:
 1. By the end of the week, they will have been building the house for a month.
2. By next year, I will have been living in this city for ten years.
3. By the time we reach there, they will have been waiting for us for three hours.

Negative:

1. By next month, she won't have been running her business for five years.
2. By the end of this week, I won't have been working for a year.
3. By next year, they won't have been living in the same house for more than ten years.

Question:
1. Will you have been studying for three hours by the time we arrive?
2. Will they have been practicing for the competition for two weeks by next month?
3. Will she have been working on this project for a year by the end of this month?

Note: "Will" is used with all subjects in the future perfect continuous tense.

In summary, the future perfect continuous tense is used to describe an action that will have
been ongoing for a period of time before a specific point in the future. It is formed by using
the auxiliary verb "will" followed by "have been" and the present participle of the main verb.
The future perfect continuous tense is used to talk about the duration of an action, future
actions in progress, and to emphasize the ongoing nature of an action.