Grammar topic
English tenses: present, past and future
Tenses tell the listener when something happens and how it connects to now. Start with the past continuous and the present perfect, then move to the past perfect and the future forms. Each lesson ends with a 20-question drill, so you can check one tense before you start the next.
Lessons in learning order
Each lesson explains one rule and ends with a 20-question drill.
Past continuous
Was or were plus -ing: the action in progress, the interruption, and the background of a story.
Past simple vs past continuous
The event or the background: choosing the right past tense, and how when and while help.
Ever and never with the present perfect
Ever means at any time up to now, and it lives in questions. Never means at no time up to now, and it lives in statements.
Present perfect with just, already and yet
Just for a moment ago, already for earlier than expected, yet for the question and the negative.
Present perfect with for and since
For counts a period. Since names the starting point. Both connect the past to now.
Present perfect with today, this week and this year
Unfinished time takes the present perfect: today, this week and this year are still open. Finished time takes the past simple: yesterday, last week and in 2019.
Present perfect vs past simple
The classic contrast: finished time takes the past simple, a link to now takes the present perfect.
Have gone vs have been
Have gone means someone left and is still away; have been means the visit is over or the person has experience of the place.
Present perfect continuous
Have been plus -ing: the activity that fills the time up to now and often leaves a visible result.
Present perfect simple vs continuous
A result or a count takes the simple form; a continuing activity takes the continuous.
Past perfect vs past simple: which came first
When one past event happens before another, the earlier event takes had plus the past participle. The later event stays in the past simple.
Past perfect continuous: had been doing
Had been plus -ing describes an activity that was in progress before another past moment. It stresses the duration, not the finished result.
Will vs going to
The future has two shapes: will for decisions made now, going to for plans and visible evidence.
Present continuous for the future
Fixed plans with a time and a place: why "I am meeting Anna at six" sounds more certain than "I will meet Anna".
Future time clauses: when, before, after, until
When, before, after, as soon as and until take the present, even when the meaning is future.
Future continuous
Will be plus -ing: the action in progress at a future moment, and the polite way to ask about plans.
Future perfect
Will have plus the past participle: what will already be finished before a deadline in the future.
Future in the past: was going to and would
The past forms of will and going to: plans that may never happen, predictions and interrupted moments.
Would vs used to: past habits
Both describe the past, but would cannot describe states, and used to cannot repeat forever without a time frame.
Used to, be used to and get used to
Used to plus the base verb looks at the past. Be used to and get used to take a noun or an -ing form and describe comfort with something.