English Tenses - 完全ガイド

Overview: The 12 Tenses

English has 12 tenses formed by combining time (past/present/future) with aspect (simple/continuous/perfect/perfect continuous).

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1. Present Simple (現在形)

Rule

Subject + base verb (+ s/es for 3rd person singular)

Usage

• Habits and routines: things you do regularly
• General truths and facts
• Scheduled events (timetables)
• States and feelings

Examples

1. I drink coffee every morning. (習慣)
2. She works at a hospital. (日常)
3. Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius. (事実)
4. The train leaves at 9:15 tomorrow. (スケジュール)
5. He doesn't like spicy food. (状態)
6. Do you speak Japanese? (疑問文)
7. The sun rises in the east. (普遍的事実)
8. I believe you're right. (信念・状態)
9. She owns three cats. (所有)
10. This coffee tastes amazing. (感覚)
11. He always complains about the weather. (習慣 — ネガティブなニュアンスにalwaysを使う)
12. I don't understand what you mean. (状態)

忘れがちなポイント

• 状態動詞 (stative verbs) は進行形にしない: know, believe, own, belong, like, love, hate, want, need, prefer, understand, remember, seem, appear, contain, consist
• ✗ I am knowing the answer.
• ✓ I know the answer.
• ただし have は「持っている」の意味では状態動詞だが、「食べる/経験する」では動作動詞:
• I have a car. (所有 = 状態 → 進行形にしない)
• I'm having lunch. (食べている = 動作 → 進行形OK)

Common Mistakes by Japanese Speakers

• ✗ I am go to school every day. → ✓ I go to school every day.
• ✗ He go to work. → ✓ He goes to work. (三単現のs忘れ)
• ✗ I am liking this. → ✓ I like this. (状態動詞)

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2. Present Continuous (現在進行形)

Rule

Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing

Usage

• Actions happening right now
• Temporary situations
• Changing/developing situations
• Future arrangements (予定)
• Annoying habits (with "always")

Examples

1. I'm studying English right now. (今まさに)
2. She's living in Tokyo temporarily. (一時的状況)
3. The climate is getting warmer. (変化中)
4. We're meeting at 7 tonight. (予定)
5. He's always losing his keys! (困った習慣 — イライラ感)
6. I'm reading a great book this week. (今の期間)
7. They're building a new mall near my house. (進行中のプロジェクト)
8. Why are you wearing a suit today? (今日の状態)
9. I'm not working tomorrow. (予定)
10. The kids are playing in the garden. (今の動作)
11. She's becoming more confident. (徐々に変化)
12. Are you coming to the party? (予定の確認)

Natural vs Textbook

• Textbook: "I am eating dinner now."
• Natural: "I'm having dinner." (have = 食べる、の意味で進行形OK)
• Natural: "I'm grabbing lunch." (grab = カジュアルに「食べる」)

忘れがちなポイント

• Present Continuous for future = 個人的な予定（すでに手配済み）
• I'm flying to London next week. (チケット買った)
• vs. I'll fly to London. (まだ決めてない感じ)
• "always" + 進行形 = 不満・イライラ
• He's always borrowing my stuff. (迷惑!)

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3. Present Perfect (現在完了形)

Rule

Subject + have/has + past participle

Usage

• Life experiences (ever/never)
• Actions with present relevance
• Unfinished time periods (today, this week, this year)
• Duration from past to now (for/since)
• Just/already/yet

Examples

1. I've been to Paris three times. (経験)
2. She has lost her phone. (だから今困っている — 現在への関連)
3. I've already eaten. (もう食べた)
4. Have you finished yet? (もう終わった?)
5. He has just arrived. (たった今着いた)
6. We've known each other for 10 years. (10年間 — 今も)
7. I've lived here since 2020. (2020年から — 今も住んでいる)
8. She hasn't called me today. (今日はまだ)
9. This is the best movie I've ever seen. (今までで)
10. I've never tried sushi with cream cheese. (一度もない)
11. How long have you worked here? (いつから?)
12. They've bought a new house. (買った → 今新しい家がある)

Present Perfect vs Past Simple — 最重要の違い

• Have you seen that movie? (いつでもいい — 経験を聞いている)
• Did you see that movie last night? (特定の過去の時点)
• I've lost my keys. (今も見つかっていない)
• I lost my keys yesterday. (昨日のこと — 今は見つかったかも)

忘れがちなポイント

• 「yesterday, last week, in 2020, ago」などの過去の特定時点を示す語 → Past Simple を使う
• ✗ I have gone there yesterday.
• ✓ I went there yesterday.
• 「just, already, yet, ever, never, recently」 → Present Perfect と相性が良い
• アメリカ英語では Past Simple を使うケースが多い:
• US: "I just ate." / UK: "I've just eaten."
• 両方OK。試験ではPresent Perfectが安全。

Common Mistakes by Japanese Speakers

• ✗ I have been to America last year. → ✓ I went to America last year.
• ✗ Did you ever eat natto? → ✓ Have you ever eaten natto?
• 日本語の「〜したことがある」は Present Perfect だが、過去の特定時を示す語があればPast Simple

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4. Present Perfect Continuous (現在完了進行形)

Rule

Subject + have/has + been + verb-ing

Usage

• Duration of ongoing activity
• Explaining visible results of recent activity
• Emphasis on the activity itself (not completion)

Examples

1. I've been studying for three hours. (3時間ずっと勉強中)
2. She's been crying. Her eyes are red. (泣いていた証拠が見える)
3. It has been raining all day. (一日中降っている)
4. How long have you been waiting? (どれくらい待ってる?)
5. He's been working on this project since January. (1月からずっと)
6. I've been thinking about changing jobs. (最近ずっと考えている)
7. We've been talking for an hour. (1時間話し続けている)
8. They've been living here since 2019. (2019年からずっと住んでいる)
9. You've been eating too much junk food lately. (最近ずっと)
10. She's been learning piano for two years. (2年間習っている)

Present Perfect vs Present Perfect Continuous

• I've read 3 books this month. (完了した数 = 結果重視)
• I've been reading a lot this month. (活動自体 = プロセス重視)
• She's painted the room. (塗り終わった)
• She's been painting the room. (まだ塗っている途中かも)

忘れがちなポイント

• 状態動詞は進行形にできないので Present Perfect を使う:
• ✗ I've been knowing him for years.
• ✓ I've known him for years.

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5. Past Simple (過去形)

Rule

Subject + past form of verb (regular: -ed, irregular: memorize)

Usage

• Completed actions in the past
• Past habits (used to)
• Sequences of past events
• Past states

Examples

1. I went to the store yesterday. (昨日の完了した行動)
2. She studied medicine in college. (大学時代)
3. We met in 2015. (特定の過去の時点)
4. He didn't come to the party. (来なかった)
5. Did you enjoy the concert? (楽しんだ?)
6. I woke up, brushed my teeth, and left the house. (連続した行動)
7. She was very tired after work. (過去の状態)
8. They lived in London for five years. (もう住んでいない)
9. I used to play soccer in high school. (昔の習慣)
10. The movie started at 8 and ended at 10. (始まりと終わり)
11. Who invented the telephone? (歴史的事実)
12. It rained heavily last night. (昨晩)

Irregular Verbs - よく間違えるもの

Base	Past	Past Participle
lie (横たわる)	lay	lain
lay (置く)	laid	laid
hang (掛ける)	hung	hung
hang (処刑)	hanged	hanged
lead	led	led
read	read (発音: red)	read (発音: red)
wind	wound	wound
bear	bore	borne/born

Common Mistakes by Japanese Speakers

• ✗ I didn't went. → ✓ I didn't go. (didn't の後は原形)
• ✗ Did you went? → ✓ Did you go? (Did の後は原形)

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6. Past Continuous (過去進行形)

Rule

Subject + was/were + verb-ing

Usage

• Background action interrupted by another event
• Two simultaneous past actions
• Setting a scene in storytelling
• Temporary past actions

Examples

1. I was cooking when the phone rang. (料理中に電話が鳴った)
2. While she was walking home, it started to rain. (帰宅途中に雨が降り始めた)
3. They were watching TV while I was studying. (同時進行)
4. At 8 PM last night, I was reading a book. (その時点で進行中)
5. She was wearing a beautiful red dress. (場面描写)
6. The sun was shining and birds were singing. (物語の背景描写)
7. I was living in Osaka at that time. (当時の一時的状況)
8. Were you sleeping when I called? (電話した時寝てた?)
9. He was always complaining about his job. (昔の困った習慣)
10. We were driving to the airport when we got a flat tire. (途中でパンク)

忘れがちなポイント

• When + Past Simple (短い出来事), While + Past Continuous (長い背景動作)
• When the earthquake hit, I was sleeping. (地震 = 瞬間, 寝ていた = 背景)
• While I was sleeping, the earthquake hit.

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7. Past Perfect (過去完了形)

Rule

Subject + had + past participle

Usage

• An action completed BEFORE another past action
• "The past of the past"
• Reported speech
• Third conditional (if + had + pp)

Examples

1. I had already eaten when she arrived. (彼女が着く前にもう食べていた)
2. He had never seen snow before he moved to Hokkaido. (北海道に引っ越す前に雪を見たことがなかった)
3. By the time we got there, the movie had started. (着いた時にはもう始まっていた)
4. She had studied French before she moved to Paris. (パリに引っ越す前にフランス語を勉強していた)
5. I realized I had left my wallet at home. (財布を家に忘れたことに気づいた)
6. If I had known, I would have helped. (知っていたら手伝っていたのに)
7. He said he had finished the report. (報告書を終えたと言った — 間接話法)
8. They had been married for 20 years before they divorced. (離婚する前に20年結婚していた)
9. She wished she had studied harder. (もっと勉強すればよかったと思った)
10. The street was wet because it had rained. (雨が降っていたから道が濡れていた)

忘れがちなポイント

• 時系列が明確なら Past Simple だけでOK:
• I came home, ate dinner, and went to bed. (順番が明確 → Past Simpleで十分)
• でも: When I came home, she had already left. (「すでに」を強調 → Past Perfect必要)

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8. Past Perfect Continuous (過去完了進行形)

Rule

Subject + had + been + verb-ing

Usage

• Duration of activity before another past event
• Cause of a past state

Examples

1. I had been waiting for two hours when the bus finally came. (2時間待っていた)
2. She had been crying, so her eyes were red. (泣いていたから目が赤かった)
3. They had been living there for 10 years before they moved. (引っ越す前に10年住んでいた)
4. He had been working all day, so he was exhausted. (一日中働いていたので疲れていた)
5. It had been snowing for hours before the roads were closed. (何時間も雪が降っていた)
6. We had been planning the trip for months. (何ヶ月も計画していた)
7. She had been studying medicine for three years before she switched to law. (3年間医学を勉強していた)
8. How long had you been living in Japan before you learned Japanese? (日本語を習う前にどれくらい日本に住んでいた?)

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9. Future Simple (未来形 - will)

Rule

Subject + will + base verb

Usage

• Spontaneous decisions
• Predictions based on opinion
• Promises, offers, requests
• Facts about the future

Examples

1. I'll have the chicken, please. (その場の決定)
2. I think it will rain tomorrow. (予測 — 意見)
3. I will help you with that. (申し出)
4. I won't tell anyone. (約束)
5. Will you open the window? (依頼)
6. She will be 30 next year. (事実)
7. I will always love you. (約束/宣言)
8. Don't worry, everything will be fine. (安心させる)
9. I think they will win the game. (予測)
10. He won't agree to that. (予測)
11. Will you marry me? (プロポーズ)
12. The meeting will start at 3 PM. (予定)

Will vs Going to

• Will: spontaneous decision, prediction based on opinion
• "It's cold. I'll close the window." (今決めた)
• Going to: planned decision, prediction based on evidence
• "I'm going to study abroad next year." (前から計画していた)
• "Look at those clouds. It's going to rain." (証拠がある)

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10. Future Continuous (未来進行形)

Rule

Subject + will be + verb-ing

Usage

• Actions in progress at a specific future time
• Planned future events (softer than "will")
• Polite inquiries

Examples

1. At 8 PM tonight, I will be studying. (今夜8時には勉強しているだろう)
2. This time next week, I will be lying on a beach. (来週の今頃はビーチに寝転んでいる)
3. She will be working late tomorrow. (明日遅くまで働いている予定)
4. Will you be using the car tonight? (今夜車使う予定? — 丁寧)
5. I will be waiting for you at the station. (駅で待ってるよ)
6. They will be arriving around noon. (正午頃に着くはず)
7. Don't call at 9 — I will be sleeping. (9時には寝てるから)
8. We will be discussing this at the meeting. (会議で話し合う予定)

忘れがちなポイント

• Will you do X? = 依頼 (Will you help me?)
• Will you be doing X? = 予定の確認 (Will you be attending the meeting?) — より丁寧

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11. Future Perfect (未来完了形)

Rule

Subject + will have + past participle

Usage

• Actions completed before a specific future time

Examples

1. By next month, I will have finished this course. (来月までに終わっているだろう)
2. She will have graduated by June. (6月までに卒業しているだろう)
3. By 2030, they will have built the new stadium. (2030年までに建設済み)
4. I will have been here for 5 years next April. (来年4月で5年になる)
5. Will you have completed the project by Friday? (金曜までに完了する?)
6. By the time you arrive, I will have cooked dinner. (着く頃には料理が終わっている)
7. He will have saved enough money by December. (12月までに十分貯金できる)
8. They will have known each other for 20 years next summer. (来年の夏で20年)

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12. Future Perfect Continuous (未来完了進行形)

Rule

Subject + will have been + verb-ing

Usage

• Duration of an action up to a specific future time

Examples

1. By next year, I will have been living here for 10 years. (来年で住んで10年になる)
2. She will have been working at the company for 5 years in March. (3月で勤続5年)
3. By the time he retires, he will have been teaching for 30 years. (退職時には教歴30年)
4. Next month, they will have been dating for a year. (来月で交際1年)
5. I will have been studying English for 15 years by graduation. (卒業までに英語学習歴15年)

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Tense Comparison Charts

Present Tenses

Tense	Example	Focus
Simple	I work	習慣・事実
Continuous	I'm working	今の動作
Perfect	I've worked	経験・完了
Perfect Continuous	I've been working	継続期間

Past Tenses

Tense	Example	Focus
Simple	I worked	完了した過去
Continuous	I was working	過去の進行中
Perfect	I had worked	過去の過去
Perfect Continuous	I had been working	過去の過去からの継続

Future Tenses

Tense	Example	Focus
Simple	I will work	予測・決定
Continuous	I will be working	未来の進行中
Perfect	I will have worked	未来の完了
Perfect Continuous	I will have been working	未来までの継続

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Practice Exercises

Fill in the correct tense:

1. I ___ (study) English since I was 10 years old. → have been studying
2. By the time she arrives, we ___ (wait) for two hours. → will have been waiting
3. He ___ (work) at the company for 5 years when he got promoted. → had been working
4. Look! It ___ (snow)! → is snowing
5. I ___ (never/try) bungee jumping. → have never tried
6. She ___ (read) when the lights went out. → was reading
7. They ___ (finish) the project by next Friday. → will have finished
8. I ___ (go) to the gym every morning. → go
9. He ___ (already/leave) when I called. → had already left
10. This time tomorrow, I ___ (fly) to New York. → will be flying