She writes every day.
grammar · the deep guide
The 12 tenses.
English time runs three ways — past, present, future — each in four aspects. The whole system on one page, with formulas and examples you can hear.
Simple
Continuous
Perfect
Perfect Continuous
Present
Present Simple
Present Continuous
She is writing now.
Present Perfect
She has written three books.
Present Perfect Continuous
She has been writing for hours.
Past
Past Simple
She wrote a letter.
Past Continuous
She was writing when I called.
Past Perfect
She had written before he arrived.
Past Perfect Continuous
She had been writing for an hour.
Future
Future Simple
She will write tomorrow.
Future Continuous
She will be writing at noon.
Future Perfect
She will have written it by Friday.
Future Perfect Continuous
By May she will have been writing for a year.
Present Simple
S + V(-s)
She writes every day.
Present Continuous
S + am/is/are + V-ing
She is writing now.
Present Perfect
S + have/has + V3
She has written three books.
Present Perfect Continuous
S + have/has been + V-ing
She has been writing for hours.
Past Simple
S + V2
She wrote a letter.
Past Continuous
S + was/were + V-ing
She was writing when I called.
Past Perfect
S + had + V3
She had written before he arrived.
Past Perfect Continuous
S + had been + V-ing
She had been writing for an hour.
Future Simple
S + will + V
She will write tomorrow.
Future Continuous
S + will be + V-ing
She will be writing at noon.
Future Perfect
S + will have + V3
She will have written it by Friday.
Future Perfect Continuous
S + will have been + V-ing
By May she will have been writing for a year.
// every tense in detail
Present Simple
Habits, facts, schedules.
S + V(-s)
- Water boils at 100°C.
- I work from home.
Present Continuous
Happening now or temporary.
S + am/is/are + V-ing
- They are studying tonight.
- It is getting late.
Present Perfect
Past action, present relevance.
S + have/has + V3
- I have finished my work.
- Have you ever been there?
Present Perfect Continuous
Duration continuing up to now.
S + have/has been + V-ing
- It has been raining all day.
- I've been learning English.
Past Simple
Completed action in the past.
S + V2
- We arrived late.
- He didn't call.
Past Continuous
In progress at a past moment.
S + was/were + V-ing
- They were sleeping.
- I was cooking dinner.
Past Perfect
An earlier past, before another.
S + had + V3
- The train had already left.
- I had never seen snow.
Past Perfect Continuous
Duration before a past point.
S + had been + V-ing
- He had been working all day.
- We had been waiting for ages.
Future Simple
Predictions, promises, decisions.
S + will + V
- I'll help you.
- It will rain later.
Future Continuous
In progress at a future moment.
S + will be + V-ing
- I'll be flying this time tomorrow.
- They'll be waiting for us.
Future Perfect
Completed before a future point.
S + will have + V3
- I'll have finished by six.
- We'll have arrived by then.
Future Perfect Continuous
Duration up to a future point.
S + will have been + V-ing
- I'll have been teaching for ten years.
- They'll have been driving for hours.