Review of all verb tenses B1
A comprehensive review of the verb tenses you need for the B1 level.
- check_circleI can correctly identify when to use present, past, and future tenses.
- check_circleI can form positive, negative, and question sentences in all B1 tenses.
- check_circleI can combine tenses to clearly express complex ideas in English.
Discover
Meet today's English in a real situation — no rules yet. Read it once and try to guess the pattern in the words in bold. Underlined words open a short definition.
Liam: Hey Sarah! I haven’t seen you in ages. What have you been up to?
Sarah: Hi Liam! I am doing really well. I started a new job last month.
Liam: That’s fantastic! What do you do?
Sarah: I work as a graphic designer for a marketing agency. It’s challenging, but I am enjoying it so far.
Liam: I knew you would find something great. You were always studying so hard when we were at university.
Sarah: Thanks! Before I got this job, I had applied to almost fifty different places. The competitive nature of the industry was stressful, but it all worked out.
Liam: Definitely. So, what are you doing this weekend? Are you going to celebrate?
Sarah: Actually, yes! I am throwing a small party at my house on Saturday. You should come!
Liam: I’d love to! I will bring some snacks. Who else is going to be there?
Sarah: Mostly old friends from our university cohort. I have invited around fifteen people.
Liam: Sounds great. I will see you on Saturday then!
Sarah: Perfect. I’ll make sure there’s a good variety of drinks. See you!
Learn
Now the rules behind what you just saw — explained simply, with examples. Underlined words open a short definition — hover on desktop, tap on a phone.
At the B1 level, you are expected to be comfortable with several verb tenses to talk about the present, the past, and the future. Let’s do a comprehensive review of these tenses so you can use them confidently.
Present Tenses
- Present Simple: Facts, habits, and permanent situations.
- Present Continuous: Actions happening right now, temporary situations, and fixed future arrangements.
- Present Perfect: Past actions with a connection to the present, or life experiences (without saying when).
I work as a teacher. (Present Simple) I am working on a new project this week. (Present Continuous) I have worked in this school for three years. (Present Perfect)
Past Tenses
- Past Simple: Finished actions at a specific time in the past.
- Past Continuous: Actions in progress at a specific time in the past, often interrupted by a shorter action.
- Past Perfect: Actions that happened before another past action.
I visited Paris in 2019. (Past Simple) I was visiting a museum when my phone rang. (Past Continuous) I had visited the museum before I went to the restaurant. (Past Perfect)
Future Forms
We use different forms to talk about the future depending on the situation:
- will: Spontaneous decisions, promises, and predictions based on opinion.
- be going to: Plans, intentions, and predictions based on evidence.
- Present Continuous: Fixed arrangements in the future.
I think it will rain tomorrow. (Opinion prediction) Look at those clouds! It is going to rain. (Evidence prediction) I am meeting my sister for lunch on Friday. (Fixed arrangement)
Combining Tenses
To communicate effectively, you often need to combine tenses. A crucial skill at the B1 level is knowing how to connect ideas accurately.
Common Mistake
Be careful not to mix up the present perfect and the past simple when talking about time.
❌ I have finished my homework two hours ago. ✅ I finished my homework two hours ago. (Specific past time = Past Simple)
When telling a story, use the past continuous to set the scene, the past simple for the main events, and the past perfect for things that had happened earlier. This creates a clear narrative.
- Present: Simple (habits), Continuous (now/arrangements), Perfect (past to present).
- Past: Simple (finished), Continuous (in progress), Perfect (before another past action).
- Future: Will (opinions/spontaneous), Going to (plans/evidence), Present Cont. (arrangements).
Practice
Try it yourself. You'll see right away whether you got it right, plus a short explanation of why.
Use It
Now make the language yours in a real task. Use the prompt below — the editor keeps a simple word count, and nothing is saved or graded.
Before you finish — be honest. Can you do these now?