English Tenses Explained: Simple, Continuous, and Perfect

English Tenses: A Comprehensive Overview

Present Tenses

PRESENT TENSES:

PRESENT SIMPLE: John washes the dishes every day. (John lava los platos cada día).
Forma negativa del Simple Present: Sujeto + Do not o don't / does not o doesn't + verbo de la acción en infinitivo + Complementos.
Ej.: John does not/doesn't wash the dishes every day.
Forma interrogativa del Simple Present: Do/does + sujeto + verbo de la acción en infinitivo + Complementos.
Ej.: Does John wash the dishes every day?

PRESENT CONTINUOUS: John is washing the dishes right now. (John está lavando los platos ahora mismo).
Forma negativa del Present Continuous/Progressive: Sujeto + is/are + not + verbo de la acción en gerundio + Complementos.
Ej: John is not/isn't washing the dishes right now.
Forma interrogativa del Present Continuous/Progressive: Is/are + Sujeto + Verbo de la acción en gerundio + Complementos?

PRESENT PERFECT: John has washed the dishes this morning. (John ha lavado los platos esta mañana).
Forma negativa del Present Perfect Tense: Sujeto + has not o hasn't / have not o haven't + Verbo de la acción en participio + Complementos.
Ej.: John has not/ hasn't washed the dishes this morning.
Forma interrogativa del Present Perfect Tense: Has/Have + Sujeto + Verbo de la acción en participio + Complementos.
Ej.: Has John washed the dishes this morning?

Past Tenses

PAST TENSES:

PAST SIMPLE: John washed the dishes yesterday evening. (John lavó los platos ayer por la tarde).
Forma negativa del Simple Past: Sujeto + DID not/didn't + Verbo de la acción en infinitivo + Complementos.
Ej.: John didn't wash the dishes yesterday evening.
Forma interrogativa del Simple Past: DID + Sujeto + verbo de la acción en infinitivo + Complementos.
Ej.: Did John wash the dishes yesterday evening?

PAST CONTINUOUS: John was washing the dishes at eight o'clock last night. (John estaba lavando los platos a las ocho ayer por la noche).
Forma negativa del Past Continuous/Progressive: Sujeto + Was not o wasn't/were not o weren't + Verbo de la acción en gerundio + Complementos.
Ej.: John was not/wasn't washing the dishes at eight o'clock last night.
Forma interrogativa del Past Continuous/Progressive: Was/were + Sujeto + Verbo de la acción en gerundio + Complementos?.
Ej.: Was John washing the dishes at eight o'clock last night?

PAST PERFECT: John had washed the dishes at two in the afternoon. (John había lavado los platos a las dos de la tarde).
Forma negativa del Past Perfect Tense: Sujeto + had not/hadn't + Verbo de la acción en participio + Complementos.
Ej.: John had not/hadn't washed the dishes at two in the afternoon.
Forma interrogativa del Past Perfect Tense: Had + Sujeto + Verbo de la acción en participio + Complementos.

Future Tenses

FUTURE TENSES:

FUTURE SIMPLE: John will wash the dishes tomorrow. (John lavará los platos mañana).
Forma negativa del Simple Future: Sujeto + will not/won't + Verbo de la acción en infinitivo + Complementos.
Ej.: John will not/ won't wash the dishes tomorrow.

Forma interrogativa del Simple Future: Will + Sujeto + Verbo de la acción en infinitivo + Complementos.
Ej.: Will John wash the dishes tomorrow?.

GOING TO: John is going to wash the dishes tonight. (John va a lavar los platos esta noche).
Forma negativa del Near Future: Sujeto + is not o isn't/ are not o aren't + Going to + Verbo de la acción en infinitivo + Complementos.
Ej.: John is not/isn't going to wash the dishes tonight.
Forma interrogativa del Near Future: Is/are + Sujeto + Going to + Verbo de la acción en infinitivo + Complementos?.
Ej.: Is John going to wash the dishes tonight?

FUTURE CONTINUOUS:

I will be studying la lección. WILL seguido del verbo TO BE en su forma infinitiva y el verbo con la terminación ING:
Yo estaré estudiando la lección.

She will be working at the office this afternoon.
Ella estará trabajando en la oficina esta tarde.
They will be travelling to London.
Ellos estarán viajando a Londres.

Susan will be cooking tonight.
Susan estará cocinando esta noche.
Will Susan be cooking tonight?
Estará Susan cocinando esta noche?
Susan will not be cooking tonight.
Susan no estará cocinando esta noche.

FUTURE PERFECT

What will have happened? - ¿Qué habrá pasado?
I will have worked - Habré trabajado

Melissa will have improved her English by the time she comes back from the U.S.
Melissa habrá mejorado su inglés para el momento que ella regrese de los EE.UU..

The kids will have finished the exam by five o'clock.
Los niños habrán terminado el examen para las 5:00.

By March, my daughter will have graduated from college.
Para marzo, mi hija se habrá recibido en la universidad.

Our engineers will have completed the project by Monday.
Nuestros ingenieros habrán terminado el proyecto para el lunes.

By the time you return from work, your wife will not have finished making the cake.
Para cuando vuelvas del trabajo, tu mujer no habrá terminado de preparar la torta.

By next February, the Smiths will not have come back from their holidays.
Para el próximo febrero, los Smith no habrán vuelto de sus vacaciones.

How many books will Alan have read by the end of the year?
¿Cuántos libros habrá leído Alan para fin de año?

Will you have painted many pictures by next summer?
¿Habrás pintado muchos cuadros para el próximo verano?