Non-native speakers often get confused about what the various tenses and aspects mean in English. With input from some of the folk here I've put together a diagram that I hope will provide some clarity on the matter.

I offer it as the first answer to this question. Consider it a living document. Input is welcome, and good suggestions will be incorporated into the diagram.

Nota bene: What this is not is a discussion of whether there are more than two tenses in English. We have a dedicated question for that, to which this question is not intended to supply arguments one way or the other. Here, the aim is to provide an overview of what constructions English-speaking people use for conveying information about actions referring to past, present, and future, and to provide it first and foremost to precisely the people who are likely to use "tense" as a catch-all term in their search, rather than to linguists who know better.

Breaking News There is now an excellent ELU blog article titled How We Talk About Future Situations. It is highly recommended reading.

Non-na­tive speak­ers of­ten get con­fused about what the var­i­ous tens­es and as­pects mean in English. With in­put from some of the folk here I've put to­geth­er a di­a­gram that I hope will pro­vide some clar­i­ty on the mat­ter.

I of­fer it as the first an­swer to this ques­tion. Con­sid­er it a liv­ing doc­u­ment. In­put is wel­come, and good sug­ges­tions will be in­cor­po­rat­ed in­to the di­a­gram.

No­ta bene: What this is not is a dis­cus­sion of whether there are more than two tens­es in English. We have a ded­i­cat­ed ques­tion for that, to which this ques­tion is not in­tend­ed to sup­ply ar­gu­ments one way or the oth­er. Here, the aim is to pro­vide an overview of what con­struc­tions English-speak­ing peo­ple use for con­vey­ing in­for­ma­tion about ac­tions re­fer­ring to past, present, and fu­ture, and to pro­vide it first and fore­most to pre­cise­ly the peo­ple who are like­ly to use "tense" as a catch-all term in their search, rather than to lin­guists who know bet­ter.

Break­ing News There is now an ex­cel­lent ELU blog ar­ti­cle ti­tled How We Talk About Fu­ture Si­t­u­a­tions. It is high­ly rec­om­mend­ed read­ing.

Non-native speakers often get confused about what the various tenses and aspects mean in English. With input from some of the folk here I've put together a diagram that I hope will provide some clarity on the matter.

I offer it as the first answer to this question. Consider it a living document. Input is welcome, and good suggestions will be incorporated into the diagram.

Nota bene: What this is not is a discussion of whether there are more than two tenses in English. We have a dedicated question for that, to which this question is not intended to supply arguments one way or the other. Here, the aim is to provide an overview of what constructions English-speaking people use for conveying information about actions referring to past, present, and future, and to provide it first and foremost to precisely the people who are likely to use "tense" as a catch-all term in their search, rather than to linguists who know better.

Breaking News There is now an excellent ELU blog article titled How We Talk About Future Situations. It is highly recommended reading.

Non-native speakers often get confused about what the various tenses and aspects mean in English. With input from some of the folk here I've put together a diagram that I hope will provide some clarity on the matter.

I offer it as the first answer to this question. Consider it a living document. Input is welcome, and good suggestions will be incorporated into the diagram.

Nota bene: What this is not is a discussion of whether there are more than two tenses in English. We have a dedicated question for that, to which this question is not intended to supply arguments one way or the other. Here, the aim is to provide an overview of what constructions English-speaking people use for conveying information about actions referring to past, present, and future, and to provide it first and foremost to precisely the people who are likely to use "tense" as a catch-all term in their search, rather than to linguists who know better.

Breaking News There is now an excellent ELU blog article titled How We Talk About Future Situations. It is highly recommended reading.

Non-native speakers often get confused about what the various tenses and aspects mean in English. With input from some of the folk here I've put together a diagram that I hope will provide some clarity on the matter.

I offer it as the first answer to this question. Consider it a living document. Input is welcome, and good suggestions will be incorporated into the diagram.

Nota bene: What this is not is a discussion of whether there are more than two tenses in English. We have a dedicated question for that, to which this question is not intended to supply arguments one way or the other. Here, the aim is to provide an overview of what constructions English-speaking people use for conveying information about actions referring to past, present, and future, and to provide it first and foremost to precisely the people who are likely to use "tense" as a catch-all term in their search, rather than to linguists who know better.

Non-native speakers often get confused about what the various tenses and aspects mean in English. With input from some of the folk here I've put together a diagram that I hope will provide some clarity on the matter.

I offer it as the first answer to this question. Consider it a living document. Input is welcome, and good suggestions will be incorporated into the diagram.

Nota bene: What this is not is a discussion of whether there are more than two tenses in English. We have a dedicated question for that, to which this question is not intended to supply arguments one way or the other. Here, the aim is to provide an overview of what constructions English-speaking people use for conveying information about actions referring to past, present, and future, and to provide it first and foremost to precisely the people who are likely to use "tense" as a catch-all term in their search, rather than to linguists who know better.

Breaking News There is now an excellent ELU blog article titled How We Talk About Future Situations. It is highly recommended reading.