Chart 1.

Tenses in the active voice

SIMPLE PRESENT

PRESENT
CONTINUOUS

PRESENT
PERFECT
Meaning 1: The
action has just
ended.

PRESENT PERFECT
CONTINUOUS

Time expressions:
already; just; yet.

Meaning 1:
Meaning 1: The action is
Habitual, regular
Meaning 1: The action has
action in the present. going on right now.
Examples: He has lasted for some time by
already done it. I
now and is still going on.
Time expressions: Time expressions: now; have just seen him.
usually; every day; right now; at the moment.
Time expressions: for an
often; sometimes;
Meaning 2:
hour; for a week; for five
rarely; never.
Reporting how
years; all day; since.
Examples: You are
reading this material now. things have
Examples: I usually I'm writing a letter at the developed by now. Examples: He has been
moment. Look! Anton is
work till seven
sleeping for two hours
o'clock. I often talk playing the piano.
Time expressions: already. She has been
to him on the phone.
by now; so far;
working as a teacher since
He visits them
Meaning 2: The action is never; ever; several she graduated from
sometimes.
times.
college. How long have
going on at the present
you been waiting here?
period of time (but not at
Meaning 2: Stating a the moment of speaking). Examples: So far, he
fact, general truth,
has read five books. Meaning 2: The action has
state or condition.
Time expressions: now; He has never been been going on lately.
there.
at present; today; this
Examples: He lives year.
Examples: All of them
in Moscow and
Meaning 3: The
have been working very
works at a bank. He Examples: She is writing action has lasted for hard lately. I have been
plays the piano quite a new novel now. He is some time by now. thinking about starting my
well. Her house is
own business. We have just
studying German this
very small. The sun year.
Time expressions: been talking about you.
rises in the east.
for a year; since;
lately.
Example: He has
lived here since
1995.
Note: Simple present Note: Present continuous Note: Present perfect Note: Present perfect
can replace the
can replace the simple
may replace the
continuous in Meaning 2 is
simple future with
future with the meaning present perfect
often used without time
the meaning
"preplanned action".
continuous for the expressions.
"according to
action that has lasted

schedule, timetable".

Examples: I'm going to

Examples: The ship leave tomorrow. I am
arrives next week. He leaving tomorrow.
works tomorrow.

for some time by

now.

Example: It has been

Example: He has
raining hard, and the
worked in this
ground is still wet.
company for ten
years.
Note: Present perfect
Note: Simple present
is used instead of the
is used instead of the Note: Stative verbs
Note: Stative verbs "know,
present perfect
present continuous "know, understand,
understand, remember,
continuous
with
remember, like, love,
with stative verbs.
like, love, hate, want, see,
stative verbs.
hate, want, see, hear,
hear, seem, look", etc., are
Examples: I see a
seem, look", etc., are
Examples: She has generally not used in the
little boy. I
generally not used in the known them for six
continuous tenses.
understand what you continuous tenses.
years. She has loved
mean.
him all her life.
PAST PERFECT
SIMPLE PAST
PAST CONTINUOUS PAST PERFECT
CONTINUOUS
Meaning: The action
Meaning: The action
happened (started
Meaning: The action
Meaning: The action was happened before
and ended) in the
lasted for some time before
going on (1) when
another past action
past.
another past action or
another past action
or before some point
before some point of time
happened or (2) at some of time in the past.
in the past.
Time expressions:
point of time in the past.
yesterday; last week;
Time expressions:
last year; in 1995; in
Time expressions: by the
Time expressions: while; by the time; before;
2009; two hours ago;
time; before; after; by
when; at five o'clock
after; by 1998; by
four years ago.
yesterday; by 2005; for
yesterday.
yesterday; by last
two hours; for a long time.
Sunday.
Examples: I saw him
Examples: When he
an hour ago. He
Examples: By the time he
came in, I was reading a Examples: By the
came back last
returned, I had been
letter. We were watching time he returned, she
Friday. She went to
working for six hours. By
TV at three o'clock
had already left. He
the theater yesterday.
2006, he had been living
yesterday.
left only after he had
They visited London
there for twenty years.
finished his work.
in 2009.
Note: Simple past is Note: Simple past is used Note: Past perfect Note: Past perfect is used
used for completed instead of the past
may replace the past instead of the past perfect
past actions,
continuous with stative perfect continuous continuous with stative
including past actions verbs.
for the action that
verbs.
that lasted for some
lasted for some time
time or happened one Example: She looked
before another action Example: She had known
tired when I saw her at
him for five years by the
after another.
in the past.
the party yesterday.
time they got married.
Example: He sold
Example: By the
cars for two years,
time he returned, I

and then he quit his

job and began to
write novels.

had worked for six

hours.

FUTURE
FUTURE
FUTURE PERFECT
CONTINUOUS
PERFECT
CONTINUOUS
Meaning: The action will Meaning: The action
Meaning: The action
Meaning: The action will
be going on (1) when
will happen before
will happen in the
last for some time before
another future action
another future action
future.
another future action or
happens or (2) at some
or before some point
before some point of time
point of time in the
of time in the future.
in the future.
Time expressions:
future.
tomorrow; in a few
Time expressions:
days; next week; in
Time expressions: by the
Time expressions: at
by the time; by 2035;
2025; in the future.
time; by 2030; before; for
three tomorrow; at this
by tomorrow; before.
two hours.
time next year; when.
Examples: I think he
Examples: By the
will return next
Examples: By the time he
Examples: He'll be
time I get there, she
week. I will probably
returns, I will have been
sleeping at two o'clock. will have left. By
see him in a few
working for nine hours. By
When you come to the
2050, scientists will
days. We'll be home
2025, he will have been
library, I'll be sitting by have found the cure
after eight.
living here for fifty years.
the central window.
for cancer.
SIMPLE FUTURE

Chart 2. Tenses in the passive voice

SIMPLE PRESENT
Meaning 1: Habitual,
regular action in the
present.

PRESENT
CONTINUOUS
Meaning: The action is
going on now.

PRESENT
PRESENT PERFECT PERFECT
CONTINUOUS
Meaning 1: The action
has just ended.

Time expressions: now; Time expressions:

right now; at the moment. already; just; yet.

Time expressions:
usually; every day; often;
sometimes; rarely.
Examples: He is being
examined by the doctor at
Examples: Mail is
the moment. The report is
usually delivered at eight being typed right now.
o'clock. This blog is
updated every day.
Meaning 2: Stating a
fact, general truth, state
or condition.
Examples: English is

Examples: The letter

has already been sent.
We have just been
informed of his arrival.
Meaning 2: Reporting
how things have
developed by now.
Time expressions: by
now; so far; never;
ever; several times;

since; lately.
spoken in many
countries. Water is
composed of hydrogen
and oxygen.

SIMPLE PAST

Examples: So far, ten

workers have been
fired. He has never
been invited to their
house before.
PAST CONTINUOUS

PAST PERFECT

PAST PERFECT
CONTINUOUS

Meaning: The action

happened before
Meaning: The action
Meaning: The action was
another past action or
happened in the past.
going on (1) when another
before some point of
past action happened or (2)
time in the past.
at some point of time in
Time expressions:
yesterday; last week; last the past.
Time expressions: by
year; in 1996; in 2010;
the time; before; after;
two hours ago.
Time expressions: while;
by 1990; by yesterday;
when; at five o'clock
by last week.
yesterday.
Examples: His house
was built a year ago. She
Examples: By the time
was offered a good job Examples: When I came
I returned, the work on
last week. The telephone to the hospital, Tom was
the project had been
was invented by
being examined by the
finished. By 2005, five
Alexander Bell.
doctor.
new hotels had been
built.
FUTURE
FUTURE
SIMPLE FUTURE
FUTURE PERFECT PERFECT
CONTINUOUS
CONTINUOUS
Meaning: The action
will happen before
Meaning: The action
another future action or
will happen in the future.
before some point of
time in the future.
Time expressions:
tomorrow; in a few days;
Time expressions: by
next week; in 2025; in
the time; by 2035; by

the future.
tomorrow; before.
Examples: The film will
be released in a month.
This work will be done
tomorrow.

Examples: By the time

you return, the report
will have been typed.
By 2050 the cure for
cancer will have been
found.