Comments on: All the English tenses: timeline infographic

By: Phil Williams

Phil Williams — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 07:44:30 +0000

In reply to anon.

I don’t know; I guess it felt more natural at the time – I thought that had been updated but apparently not (this is 13 years old now!).

By: anon

anon — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 14:15:11 +0000

I like this chart but why did you switch the verb for the present perfect?
“I have been to school” instead of “I have gone to school”

By: Phil Williams

Phil Williams — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 13:06:25 +0000

In reply to Monica.

That was to demonstrate an ongoing action, as opposed to a complete one (hence the simple tenses are marked where the box ends, with the continuous in the middle of it).

By: Monica

Monica — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 05:31:28 +0000

In reply to lady.

What is the black smudged bit supposed to be?

By: Gabriela Perez

Gabriela Perez — Sat, 28 Sep 2024 11:31:47 +0000

Thank you so much! It is amazing contribution!

By: Phil Williams

Phil Williams — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 12:50:33 +0000

In reply to Alessandra.

Thank you. Yes you are right, it’s just that “gone” would be more appropriate in terms of being consistent with the actual verb used for the rest of the diagram.

By: Alessandra

Alessandra — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 08:04:42 +0000

In reply to Phil Williams.

well, I think “been” means “gone and be back” while “gone” means “gone and still be there”. So aren’t they both correct out of a clear context?
However, thank you for this useful chart

By: Alessandra

Alessandra — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 07:59:03 +0000

In reply to fafa.

…it has been WRITTEN…

By: Rajnish Kumar Dubey

Rajnish Kumar Dubey — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 07:00:54 +0000

In reply to Jawed.

Showing on going process (continuous)

By: Ilknur Yolcu

Ilknur Yolcu — Sun, 21 Mar 2021 09:47:41 +0000

In reply to Phil Williams.

why dont you fix the mistake ?:)) I searched this chart in the google after that I had worked other source..I had thought that. It must be wrong .