What are the three main verb tenses?

Past, present and future. I walked is past, I walk is present and I will walk is future.

How many verb tenses are there in English?

Grammar books usually count twelve: past, present and future, each in simple, progressive, perfect and perfect progressive forms. Strictly, English only changes the verb itself for past and present and uses helping verbs such as will for the future, which is why you may see different numbers.

What is the difference between the simple past and the present perfect?

The simple past is for a finished time: I lost my key yesterday. The present perfect links the past to now: I have lost my key, so I cannot get in.

What is a progressive tense?

A tense made with a form of be and an -ing verb that shows an action in progress: I am reading, I was reading, I will be reading.

Why are some past tense verbs irregular?

They kept patterns from older forms of English, such as sing, sang, sung. Many of the most common verbs, like be, go, have and say, are irregular, so children meet them early.

What grade learns verb tenses?

Common Core starts past, present and future in grade 1, adds the progressive tenses in grade 4 and the perfect tenses in grade 5. In England, past and present tense begin in Year 2 and the present perfect in Year 3.

Is there a free verb tenses worksheet with answers?

Yes. Use the Print a worksheet button on this page for a fresh worksheet each time, with an answer key showing answers only or answers with worked steps.

Grades 1 to 5 (Years 2 to 6 in England)

Verb tenses: past, present and future tense explained

A verb's tense tells you when something happens: in the past, the present or the future. This page explains each tense with clear examples, from I walked to I will have walked, then gives you free verb tenses practice and a printable worksheet with an answer key.

The rule, step by step

Find the verb, the word that shows the action or state.
Look for time clues such as yesterday, now, every day, tomorrow or next week.
For something that has already happened, use the past tense: add -ed, or use the irregular form, such as ran or ate.
For something that happens now or regularly, use the present tense: walk or walks.
For something that has not happened yet, put will before the plain verb: will walk.
Keep the same tense for actions that happen in the same time frame, and read the sentence aloud to check.

CCSS L.1.1.ECCSS L.2.1.DCCSS L.3.1.ECCSS L.3.1.DCCSS L.4.1.BCCSS L.5.1.DEngland: Y1 GPSEngland: Y2 GPS (past and present tense)England: Y2 GPS (past tense)England: Y3 GPS

Worked example

Choose the verb that fits: Last weekend, my cousins ___ a sandcastle. (build / built / will build)

The time clue is last weekend.
Last weekend has already happened, so the sentence needs the past tense.
Build is an irregular verb: its past tense is built, not builded.
Build is the present tense and will build is the future, so neither fits.
Last weekend, my cousins built a sandcastle. The answer is built.

Practice now

Question 1 of 100 correct

Type the past tense of "leave". (Yesterday I ___.)

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What verb tenses are

Tense is the form of a verb that shows time. English has three main times, past, present and future, and each one comes in a few forms. Children usually start with the three simple tenses, then add the progressive (-ing) forms and, later, the perfect forms with has, have and had.

A helpful picture is a timeline. Draw a line across a page and mark now in the middle. Everything to the left has already happened and uses the past tense. Everything to the right has not happened yet and uses the future. The present sits at the now mark, and it also covers things that happen again and again, like I brush my teeth every night.

Past, present and future tense

Simple past: She painted the fence. Use it for a finished action.
Simple present: She paints fences. Use it for habits, facts and things that are true now.
Simple future: She will paint the fence tomorrow. Use will with the plain verb.

Most past-tense verbs add -ed: jump becomes jumped, carry becomes carried and stop becomes stopped. Many common verbs are irregular and change in their own way: go becomes went, catch becomes caught, swim becomes swam and think becomes thought. Irregular verbs simply have to be learned, and the best way is to hear and use them often.

The progressive and perfect tenses

The progressive tenses show an action that is, was or will be going on for a while. They use a form of be with an -ing verb: I was reading (past), I am reading (present), I will be reading (future). A good check for children: an -ing verb always needs a helping verb in front of it, so We reading on its own is not a correct sentence.

The perfect tenses use has, have or had with the past participle, and they connect two times. I have finished my homework (present perfect) means it is done and that matters now. I had finished my homework before dinner (past perfect) puts one past action before another. By Friday, I will have finished the book (future perfect) looks ahead to a moment when it will be done.

Verb tenses examples

Every Saturday, Dad makes pancakes. (present: a habit)
Right now, the twins are building a fort. (present progressive)
Yesterday, a raccoon knocked over our trash can. (past)
When the lights went out, we were watching a movie. (past progressive for the longer action, simple past for the interruption)
Our class has visited the museum twice this year. (present perfect)
Next summer, my grandparents will fly to Ghana. (future)

Keeping tense consistent

A common problem in children's writing is switching tense in the middle of a story. The dragon flew over the castle and lands on the tower mixes past and present. Pick one tense for the story, usually the past, and keep it unless the time really changes: The dragon flew over the castle and landed on the tower.

This is easier to catch out loud than on paper. Ask your child to read a paragraph aloud and listen for the moment the story jumps from then to now.

How it is taught in school

In the US, Common Core asks grade 1 students to use verbs to show past, present and future (L.1.1.e). Grade 2 adds the past tense of common irregular verbs such as sat, hid and told (L.2.1.d). Grade 3 covers the simple tenses (L.3.1.e), grade 4 the progressive tenses (L.4.1.b), and grade 5 the perfect tenses and fixing inappropriate shifts in tense (L.5.1.b and L.5.1.d).

In England, Year 2 pupils learn to use the present and past tenses correctly and consistently, including the progressive form. Year 3 introduces the present perfect. Years 5 and 6 use perfect forms to show time and cause, and pupils are expected to keep tense consistent and correct throughout a piece of writing.

Helping at home

Play yesterday, today, tomorrow: say a sentence like I eat cereal and ask your child to say it for yesterday and for tomorrow.
When your child says an irregular verb the regular way, such as I goed or she catched, repeat the sentence back with the right form instead of pointing out the mistake: Oh, you went to the park?
Point out time words when you read together. They are the clues that tell you which tense to expect.
Try the practice set below, then print a fresh verb tenses worksheet with an answer key.

Common mistakes

Adding -ed to irregular verbs: runned, buyed, teached.
Using an -ing verb without a helping verb. We going to the park should be We are going or We were going.
Switching tense halfway through a sentence or a story.
Putting will with a past-tense verb: will went instead of will go.
Mixing up the forms of irregular verbs, such as I seen it for I saw it, or she has went for she has gone.
Ignoring the time clue. Tomorrow we visited Grandma should be Tomorrow we will visit Grandma.

Questions people ask

What are the three main verb tenses?: Past, present and future. I walked is past, I walk is present and I will walk is future.
How many verb tenses are there in English?: Grammar books usually count twelve: past, present and future, each in simple, progressive, perfect and perfect progressive forms. Strictly, English only changes the verb itself for past and present and uses helping verbs such as will for the future, which is why you may see different numbers.
What is the difference between the simple past and the present perfect?: The simple past is for a finished time: I lost my key yesterday. The present perfect links the past to now: I have lost my key, so I cannot get in.
What is a progressive tense?: A tense made with a form of be and an -ing verb that shows an action in progress: I am reading, I was reading, I will be reading.
Why are some past tense verbs irregular?: They kept patterns from older forms of English, such as sing, sang, sung. Many of the most common verbs, like be, go, have and say, are irregular, so children meet them early.
What grade learns verb tenses?: Common Core starts past, present and future in grade 1, adds the progressive tenses in grade 4 and the perfect tenses in grade 5. In England, past and present tense begin in Year 2 and the present perfect in Year 3.
Is there a free verb tenses worksheet with answers?: Yes. Use the Print a worksheet button on this page for a fresh worksheet each time, with an answer key showing answers only or answers with worked steps.

Updated November 1, 2026.

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