Verb tenses with timelines

Simple Present

1.    Repeated Actions

2.    Facts or Generalizations

3.    Scheduled Events in the Near Future

4.    Now (Non-Continuous Verbs)

FORM: [VERB] + s/es in third person

Present Perfect

1.    Unspecified Time Before Now

2.    Duration From the Past Until Now (Non-Continuous Verbs)

FORM: [has/have + past participle]

Present Continuous

1.    Now

2.    Longer Actions in Progress Now

3.    Near Future

4.    Repetition and Irritation with "Always"

FORM: [am/is/are + present participle]

Present Perfect Continuous

1.    Duration from the Past Until Now

2.    Recently, Lately

FORM: [has/have + been + present participle]

Past Simple

1.    Completed Action in the Past

2.    A Series of Completed Actions

3.    Duration in Past

4.    Habits in the Past

5.    Past Facts or Generalizations

FORM: [VERB+ed] or irregular verbs

Past Perfect

1.    Completed Action Before Something in the Past

2.    Duration Before Something in the Past (Non-Continuous Verbs)

FORM: [had + past participle]

Past Continuous

1.    Interrupted Action in the Past

2.    Specific Time as an Interruption

3.    Parallel Actions

4.    Repetition and Irritation with "Always"

FORM: [was/were + present participle]

Past Perfect Continuous

1.    Duration Before Something in the Past

2.    Cause of Something in the Past

FORM: [had been + present participle]

Simple Future

1.    "Will" to Express a Voluntary Action

2.    "Will" to Express a Promise

3.    "Be going to" to Express a Plan

4.    "Will" or "Be Going to" to Express a Prediction

FORM Will: [will + verb]

FORM Be Going To: [am/is/are + going to + verb]

Future Perfect

1.    Completed Action Before Something in the Future

2.    Duration Before Something in the Future (Non-Continuous Verbs)

FORM Future Perfect with "Will": [will have + past participle]

FORM Future Perfect with "Be Going To": [am/is/are + going to have + past participle]

Future Continuous

1.    Interrupted Action in the Future

2.    Specific Time as an Interruption in the Future

3.    Parallel Actions in the Future

4.    Atmosphere in the Future

FORM Future Continuous with "Will": [will be + present participle]

FORM Future Continuous with "Be Going To ": [am/is/are + going to be + present participle]

Future Perfect Continuous

1.    Duration Before Something in the Future

2.    Cause of Something in the Future

FORM Future Perfect Continuous with "Will": [will have been + present participle]

FORM Future Perfect Continuous with "Be Going To": [am/is/are + going to have been + present participle]