| The 12 Common Verb Tenses: A Study Guide | | | | | |
| Tense | Example | | | | Meaning and Usage | | |
| Present | I walk in the mall. | | | This is an action I can do in the present time. |
| (Simple) | | | | | Use the present tense of the action verb. |
| Present | I am walking in the mall right now. | I am in the process of doing this action right now! |
| Progressive | | | | | Use the present form of "be" (am, is, are) |
| | | | | | as your helping verb with the present participle |
| | | | | | of your action verb. | | |
| Present | I have walked in the mall today. | | I have done this action in the past and can |
| Perfect | | | | | still do it today if I want. We use the present |
| | | | | | tense form of "have" (have, has) as our helping |
| | | | | | verb with the past participle of the action verb. |
| Present | I have been walking in the mall today. | I habitually perform this action and may continue |
| Perfect | | | | | to do it. Use the present perfect form of "be" |
| Progressive | | | | | (have been, has been) with the present |
| | | | | | participle of the action verb. | |
| Past | I walked in the mall yesterday. | | I have done this action in the past. Use the past |
| (Simple) | | | | | tense of your action verb. | |
| Past | I was walking in the mall yesterday. | I was in the process of doing this action in the |
| Progressive | | | | | past. It is often combined with another phrase |
| | The tornado sirens went off yesterday | that tells of some other occurrence. Use the |
| | while I was walking in the mall. | | past tense of "be" (was, were ) with the present |
| | | | | | participle of your action verb. | |
| Past | I had walked in the mall last week. | I started and completed this action in the past. |
| Perfect | | | | | The past tense helping verb 'had' is always used |
| | | | | | in front of the past participle of your action verb. |
| Past | I had been walking in the mall. | | I had been habitually performing this action |
| Perfect | | | | | in the past. Often used with another phrase |
| Progressive | After I had been walking in the mall | to show contrast or another action which occurred |
| | for two months, I dropped two | | as a result. Use the past perfect form of "be" |
| | clothing sizes. | | | with the present participle of your action verb. |
| Future | I will walk in the mall tomorrow. | | I will do this in the future. Use the future tense |
| (Simple) | We shall walk to the mall next week. | (either "will" or "shall") of your action verb. |
| Future | I will be walking in the mall tomorrow. | This is an on-going future action. Use the future |
| Progressive | We shall be walking to the mall | | tense form of "be" (will be, shall be) with |
| | next Friday. | | | the present participle of your action verb. |
| Future | I will have walked in the mall by then. | This is an action that begins and will end in |
| Perfect | | | | | in the future. Use the future tense of "have" |
| | We shall have walked to the mall | | (will have, shall have) with the past participle |
| | and back home on Friday. | | of your action verb. | | |
| Future | By the time you wake up, I will have | I will be continually performing this action into |
| Perfect | already been walking to the mall. | | the future. Commonly used with another phrase |
| Progressive | By Monday, we shall have been | | to show contrast or another action which will occur |
| | walking to the mall and back ten times! | at the same time. Use the future perfect form of |
| | | | | | "be" with the present participle of your action verb. |
