Grammar › Verb Tenses › Time Expressions for Verb Tenses
Time Expressions for Verb Tenses
Time expressions signal which tense to use. The main groups are:
- Finished time → past simple — yesterday, last week, in 2019, ago.
- Unfinished / experience → present perfect — ever, never, just, already, yet, since, for.
- Now / temporary → present continuous — now, at the moment, today.
Match the marker to the tense: 'yesterday' forces the past simple; 'since/for' pull the present perfect; 'now' pulls the present continuous.
Which words go with which tense
| Tense | Typical time expressions | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present simple | always, usually, often, every day, on Mondays | I usually walk to work. |
| Present continuous | now, right now, at the moment, today, this week | I’m working from home today. |
| Present perfect | ever, never, just, already, yet, so far, since, for, recently | I’ve just finished. |
| Past simple | yesterday, last week, in 2019, ago, when, then | I saw her yesterday. |
| Past continuous | while, as, when (+ background), at 8pm yesterday | I was cooking at eight. |
| Future (will / going to) | tomorrow, next week, soon, later, in the future | I’ll call you later. |
The three big signals
- Finished time (yesterday, in 2019, ago) → past simple.
- Unfinished time / experience (ever, never, just, since, for) → present perfect.
- Now / temporary (now, at the moment, today) → present continuous.
⚠️ Typical error:
I’ve seen him yesterday.→ ‘Yesterday’ is finished time, so use the past simple: I saw him yesterday.
Common mistakes
1. Present perfect with finished time. I’ve finished it yesterday → I finished it yesterday.
2. Present simple with ‘now’. I work now (at this moment) → I’m working now.
3. Past simple with since/for for a continuing situation. I lived here for years (still here) → I’ve lived here for years. Pro tip: since/for + continuing = present perfect.
✏️ Practice: Time Expressions for Verb Tenses
1. Which time expression goes with the past simple? 'I saw her ___.'
2. ___, I'm studying for an exam.
3. She's ___ finished her homework.
4. I ___ him yesterday.
5. We've lived here ___ 2020.
6. I ___ to the gym on Mondays.
7. Have you finished ___?
8. Look — it ___ right now.
9. Which time word forces the past simple?
10. I'll call you ___.
Frequently asked questions
Which words force the past simple?
Finished-time expressions: yesterday, last week, in 2019, two days ago, when.
Which words go with the present perfect?
Ever, never, just, already, yet, so far, recently, and since/for for continuing situations.
How do I know when to use the present continuous?
Words like now, right now, at the moment and today (temporary) point to it.
Are these rules absolute?
They're strong guides. 'Yesterday' always blocks the present perfect, but some markers (recently, today) can work with more than one tense depending on meaning.
👩🏫 For teachers
CEFR objectives for “Time Expressions for Verb Tenses”:
- Can match common time expressions to the correct tense (CEFR B1).
- Can use signal words to justify a tense choice.
- Can correct tense errors caused by mismatched time markers.
⬇︎ Download the Lesson Pack (PDF)
Printable worksheet + answer key + one-page summary. Free to use and print in class with attribution. Join the newsletter for new packs and cheat sheets.