1. The Simple Tenses
Examples:
a) It snows in Alaska
b) I watch TV everyday
1.2 Simple Past: at one particular time in the past, this happened it began and ended in the past.
Examples:
a) It snowed yesterday
b) I watched TV last night
1.3 Simple Future: at one particular time in the future, this will happen.
Examples:
a) It will snow tomorrow
b) I will watch TV tonight
2. The Progressive Tenses (be+ing): also called the continuous tense. Present continuous, past continuous, and future continuous. The tenses say that an action begins before another action, is in progress, and continuous after another action.
2.1 Present Progressive:
Example: He is sleeping right now
He went to sleep at 10 tonight. It is now 11 pm and he is still asleep. His sleep began in the past, is in progress at the present time, and probably will continue for a little longer.
2.2 Past Progressive:
Example: He was sleeping when I arrived
He went to sleep at 10 last night. I arrived at 11. He was still asleep. His sleep began, was in progress, at a particular time in the past. It may have ended or continue.
2.3 Future Progressive:
Example: He will be sleeping when we arrive.
He will go to sleep at 10 tomorrow night. We will arrive at 11. The action of sleeping will begin before we arrive, and it will be in progress at a particular time in the future. Probably his sleep will continue.
3. The Perfect Tenses (have + verb past participle): The perfect tenses all give the idea that one thing happens before another time or event.
3.1 Present Perfect:
Example: I have already eaten
I finished eating sometime before now. The exact time is not important.
3.2 Past Perfect:
Example: I had already eaten when they arrived.
First I finished eating, later they arrived. My eating was completely finished before another time in the past.
3.3 Future Perfect:
Example: I will already have eaten when they arrive.
First I will finish eating, later they will arrive. My eating will be completely finished before another time in the future.
4. Perfect Progressive Tenses (have + been + ing): The perfect progressive tenses give the idea that one event is in progress immediately before, up to, until another time or event. The tenses are used to express the duration of the first event.
4.1 Present Perfect Progressive:
I have been studying for two hours
Event in progress: studying.
When? before now, up to now
How long? for two hours
4.2 Past Perfect Progressive:
I had been studying for two hours before my friend came.
Event in progress: studying.
When? before another event in the past
How long? for two hours
4.3 Future Perfect Progressive:
I will have been studying for two hours before by the time you arrive.
Event in progress: studying.
When? before another event in the future
How long? for two hours
Source: Understanding and Using English Grammar, pages 34 - 38
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