A1-C2 grammar reference
Verb Tenses and Aspects
English verb forms express both time and viewpoint. Tense locates a situation in relation to now; aspect shows whether you present it as a fact, an activity in progress, or something viewed from a later reference point.
The four viewpoints
| Aspect | Main viewpoint | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Simple | Fact, habit, state, or complete event | I work. / I worked. |
| Progressive | Activity viewed in progress or as temporary | I am working. / I was working. |
| Perfect | Earlier event viewed from a later reference point | I have worked. / I had worked. |
| Perfect progressive | Duration or repeated activity up to a reference point | I have been working. |
Choose by meaning, not by a time word
Words such as today, for, and when can occur with more than one form. First decide how you want the listener to view the situation, then choose the tense and aspect that expresses that meaning.
Complete event
I read the report this morning.
The morning is treated as finished.
Present relevance
I have read the report today.
Today is still current and the result matters now.
Core contrasts
- Present simple vs progressive: stable or repeated versus current or temporary.
- Past simple vs present perfect: finished past time versus a past-to-present connection.
- Past simple vs past progressive: complete event versus background activity in progress.
- Perfect simple vs perfect progressive: completion or quantity versus activity or duration.
- Will vs be going to: immediate decision or opinion versus prior intention or present evidence.
A practical decision path
- Identify the reference time: present, past, or future.
- Decide whether the situation is a state/fact, an activity in progress, or an earlier event connected to that reference time.
- Check whether completion, result, or duration is the important message.
- Use the surrounding context to make the time relationship clear.
Remember: a tense name is a useful label, but meaning comes from the whole sentence and its context.