The 12 basic English tenses are:
Simple Present: Used to describe actions or events that occur regularly, or are always true.
Example: I drink coffee every morning.
Present Continuous: Used to describe actions that are happening at the present time.
Example: She is working on her project right now.
Simple Past: Used to describe actions or events that occurred in the past.
Example: We visited Paris last year.
Past Continuous: Used to describe actions that were in progress in the past.
Example: I was studying when the phone rang.
Present Perfect: Used to describe actions that happened in the past but have a connection to the present.
Example: I have finished my work for the day.
Present Perfect Continuous: Used to describe an action that started in the past and continues in the present.
Example: They have been playing football for two hours.
Past Perfect: Used to describe an action that was completed before another action or event in the past.
Example: I had already eaten breakfast before I went to work.
Past Perfect Continuous: Used to describe an action that was in progress before another action or event in the past.
Example: She had been waiting for the bus for an hour before it arrived.
Simple Future: Used to describe actions that will happen in the future.
Example: They will leave for the airport at 7 PM.
Future Continuous: Used to describe actions that will be in progress at a specific time in the future.
Example: By this time tomorrow, I will be driving to the beach.
Future Perfect: Used to describe an action that will be completed before a specific time in the future.
Example: By the end of the month, I will have saved enough money for my trip.
Future Perfect Continuous: Used to describe an action that will have been in progress for a specific amount of time before a specific time in the future.
Example: By the time she arrives, I will have been waiting for two hours.