Tenses
The English Tense System
The  links  below are to lessons  for each of  the 12 basic
tenses. In each  lesson we  look at two aspects of  the
tense:
·  Structure: How do we make the tense?
·  Use: When and why do we use the tense?
Some  lessons  look at additional aspects, and most of
them  finish with a quiz to check  your understanding.
Present Tense
I do do, I do
Present Continuous Tense
I am doing, I am doing tomorrow
Present Perfect Tense
I have done
Present Perfect Continuous Tense
I have been doing
Past Tense
I did do, I did
Past Continuous Tense
I was doing
Past Perfect Tense
I had done
Past Perfect Continuous Tense
I had been doing
Future Tense
I will  do
Future Continuous Tense
I will   be doing
Future Perfect Tense
I will   have done
Future Perfect Continuous Tense
I will   have been doing
Many English  learners worry too much about
tense. If   you stopped 100 native English
speakers  in the street and asked them about
tense, one of  them might give  you an
intelligent answer—if  you were  lucky. The
other 99 would know  little about terms  like
"past perfect" or "present continuous". And
they would know nothing about aspect, voice
or mood. But they can all speak  fluent
English and communicate effectively. Of
course, for ESL it helps to know about
tenses, but don't become obsessed with them.
Be  like those native speakers! Speak
naturally!