Level: B1
Time Expressions — Match to Tense
Signal words tell you which tense to use. Yesterday calls for simple past; since 2020 calls for present perfect; by next year calls for future perfect. 40+ click-to-hear ESL examples to lock in the patterns.
Builds on Identify the Tense Next in unit Simple Tenses →
- Simple present signal words
- I work in a hospital every day. – Simple present
- She usually drinks coffee in the morning. – Simple present
- We always have dinner at 7. – Simple present
- He never eats meat. – Simple present
- The store opens on Mondays. – Simple present
- Present progressive signal words
- She is studying right now. – Present progressive
- I am working at the moment. – Present progressive
- They are playing now. – Present progressive
- We are learning Spanish this week. – Present progressive
- He is reading today. – Present progressive
- Simple past signal words
- I visited Paris last year. – Simple past
- She finished her work yesterday. – Simple past
- They moved to Rome in 2018. – Simple past
- He left two days ago. – Simple past
- I played the piano when I was young. – Simple past
- Past progressive signal words
- I was studying while she was cooking. – Past progressive
- It was raining at 7pm yesterday. – Past progressive
- The kids were playing all morning. – Past progressive
- Present perfect signal words
- I have already eaten. – Present perfect
- She hasn’t arrived yet. – Present perfect
- I have just finished my homework. – Present perfect
- Have you ever been to Japan? – Present perfect
- I have never tried sushi. – Present perfect
- We have lived here since 2020. – Present perfect
- She has worked here for five years. – Present perfect
- I have read three books recently. – Present perfect
- Present perfect progressive signal words
- I have been studying for two hours. – Present perfect progressive
- She has been working all day. – Present perfect progressive
- They have been waiting since 8am. – Present perfect progressive
- It has been raining lately. – Present perfect progressive
- Past perfect signal words
- I had already left before they arrived. – Past perfect
- By the time we got there, the movie had started. – Past perfect
- She had visited London before moving to Paris. – Past perfect
- Simple future signal words
- I will see her tomorrow. – Simple future
- She will start a new job next week. – Simple future
- The flight will leave in an hour. – Simple future
- We’ll arrive soon. – Simple future
- Future progressive signal words
- I will be flying at this time tomorrow. – Future progressive
- She will be working at 8pm tomorrow. – Future progressive
- I will be sleeping at midnight. – Future progressive
- They will be traveling next Monday at noon. – Future progressive
- She will be presenting her project this time next week. – Future progressive
- Future perfect signal words
- I will have finished by 7pm. – Future perfect
- By next year, they will have built the bridge. – Future perfect
- She will have left by the time you get there. – Future perfect