Here, the 12 common tenses are shown. These tenses are used in daily conversation. Some more than others. Each have certain words associated with it to help you remember how to use it.

1. Simple Past Tense

Key Words: [did] + [base verb] (for questions and negatives) / [base verb] + -ed (for regular verbs) / [irregular past form] (for irregular verbs)

1. Affirmative Sentences:

   • The bacon sizzled as it cooked in the pan.

   • The clock on the wall ticked steadily.

   • The cat purred when it was happy.

2. Questions:

   • Did the bacon sizzle as it cooked in the pan?

   • Did the clock on the wall tick steadily?

   • Did the cat purr when it was happy?

3. Negative Sentences:

   • The bacon did not sizzle as it cooked in the pan.

   • The clock on the wall did not tick steadily.

   • The cat did not purr when it was happy.

2. Simple Present Tense

Key Words: [do/does] + [base verb] (for questions and negatives) / [base verb] (for affirmative sentences)

1. Affirmative Sentences:

   • The bacon sizzles as it cooks in the pan.

   • The clock on the wall ticks steadily.

   • The cat purrs when it is happy.

2. Questions:

   • Does the bacon sizzle as it cooks in the pan?

   • Does the clock on the wall tick steadily?

   • Does the cat purr when it is happy?

3. Negative Sentences:

   • The bacon does not sizzle as it cooks in the pan.

   • The clock on the wall does not tick steadily.

   • The cat does not purr when it is happy.

3. Simple Future Tense

Key Words: [will] + [base verb]

• The bacon will sizzle as it cooks in the pan.

• The clock on the wall will tick steadily.

• The cat will purr when it is happy.

4. Past Continuous Tense

Key Words: [was/were] + [verb + -ing]

• Singular:

  The bacon was sizzling as it cooked in the pan.

  The clock on the wall was ticking steadily.

  The cat was purring when it was happy.

• Plural:

  The bacons were sizzling as they cooked in the pan.

  The clocks on the wall were ticking steadily.

  The cats were purring when they were happy.

5. Present Continuous Tense

Key Words: [am/is/are] + [verb + -ing]

• Singular

  I am making sure the bacon is sizzling as it cooks in the pan.

  The clock on the wall is ticking steadily.

  The cat is purring when it is happy.

• Plural

  We are making sure the bacon is sizzling as it cooks in the pan.

  The clocks on the wall are ticking steadily.

  The cats are purring when they are happy.

6. Future Continuous Tense

Key Words: [will be] + [verb + -ing]

• The bacon will be sizzling as it cooks in the pan.

• The clock on the wall will be ticking steadily.

• The cat will be purring when it is happy.

7. Past Perfect Tense

Key Words: [had] + [past participle]

• The bacon had sizzled before we finished cooking.

• The clock on the wall had ticked steadily all night.

• The cat had purred before it fell asleep.

8. Present Perfect Tense

Key Words: [has/have] + [past participle]

• Singular

  The bacon has sizzled as it has cooked in the pan.

  The clock on the wall has ticked steadily.

  The cat has purred when it has been happy.

• Plural

  The cooks have sizzled the bacon as it has cooked in the pan.

  The clocks on the wall have ticked steadily.

  The cats have purred when they have been happy.

9. Future Perfect Tense

Key Words: [will have] + [past participle]

• The bacon will have sizzled by the time we finish cooking.

• The clock on the wall will have ticked steadily all night.

• The cat will have purred when it is happy.

10. Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Key Words: [had been] + [verb + -ing]

• The bacon had been sizzling for a while before we turned off the heat.

• The clock on the wall had been ticking steadily throughout the night.

• The cat had been purring before it fell asleep.

11. Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Key Words: [has/have been] + [verb + -ing]

• Singular

  I have been making sure the bacon has been sizzling for the past few minutes.

  The clock on the wall has been ticking steadily all day.

  The cat has been purring since I started petting it.

• Plural

  We have been making sure the bacon has been sizzling for the past few minutes.

  The clocks on the wall have been ticking steadily all day.

  The cats have been purring since we started petting them.

12. Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Key Words: [will have been] + [verb + -ing]

• The bacon will have been sizzling for over an hour by the time we eat.

• The clock on the wall will have been ticking for years by then.

• The cat will have been purring for a while by the time we finish our conversation.

Resource

• EwN Tenses Made Easy