时态按时间分可以分四种：过去时，现在时，将来时，过去将来时；按动作来分也可以分四种：一般时，进行时，完成时，完成进行时．故组合起来共16种，可依据具体的语言环境判断时间是哪种，动作属哪种来使用（以下以第一人称为例说明）：1．一般过去时（I did)；
一般现在时（I do)；一般将来时(I will do)；一般过去将来时(I would do).2．过去进行时(I was doing)；现在进行时(I am doing)；将来进行时(I will be doing)；过去将来进行时(I would be doing)．3．过去完成时(I had done)；现在完成时(I have done)；将来完成时(I will have done)；过去将来完成时(I would have done)．4．过去完成进行时(I had been doing)；现在完成进行时(I have been doing)；将来完成进行时(I will have been doing)；过去将来完成进行时(I would have been doing)．可粗列为下表：动作＼时间过去
现在
将来
过去将来一般
(I did)
(I do) (I will do) (I would do)进行 (I was doing) (I am doing) (I will be doing) (I would be doing)完成(I had done) (I have done)(I will have done) (I would have done)完成进行(I had been doing)(I have been doing)(I will have been doing)
(I would have been doing)
