12 English Tenses Through Stories (PDF)

Understanding the 12 English tenses is essential for mastering English grammar and communication. To help you grasp these tenses effectively, we’ve created engaging stories that showcase each tense in real-life scenarios. Whether you’re learning English for the first time or looking to improve your skills, these stories will provide practical examples and context to make each tense easier to understand.

In addition to the stories, we’ve included exercises to reinforce your learning and an answer key to check your understanding. For your convenience, you can download these stories and exercises as a free PDF.

12 English Tenses Through Stories

Story 1: Simple Present & Present Continuous

Lisa wants a new job, so she decides to apply for a position at a local company. She works as a cashier right now, but she hopes to get an office job. Every day, she checks job listings online and sends her resume to different companies. She feels confident that she will find something soon.

Today, Lisa is getting ready for an interview. She is wearing a formal suit, and she is practicing her answers in front of the mirror. “I am preparing for this job interview,” she says to herself. The company is looking for someone with strong communication skills, and she believes she can do well in the interview.

During the interview, Lisa is answering all the questions confidently. The interviewer is asking about her previous experience, and Lisa is explaining that she works as a cashier. She is hoping the interviewer will be impressed. By the end of the interview, Lisa is feeling positive about her chances.

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Fill-in-the-Blank Exercises for Story 1:

1. Lisa ________ (want) a new job, so she ________ (decide) to apply for a position at a local company.
2. Every day, she ________ (check) job listings online and ________ (send) her resume to different companies.
3. Today, she ________ (get) ready for an interview and ________ (practice) her answers.
4. During the interview, the interviewer ________ (ask) her questions while Lisa ________ (answer) confidently.
5. Lisa ________ (hope) the interviewer will be impressed.

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Answer Key:

1. Lisa wants a new job, so she decides to apply for a position at a local company.
2. Every day, she checks job listings online and sends her resume to different companies.
3. Today, she is getting ready for an interview and is practicing her answers.
4. During the interview, the interviewer is asking her questions while Lisa is answering confidently.
5. Lisa is hoping the interviewer will be impressed.

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Story 2: Simple Past & Past Continuous

Last weekend, Sam and his friends went to the beach. They talked about this trip for a long time, and finally, they decided to go. They arrived at the beach early in the morning, and the weather was perfect. The sky was clear, the sun was shining, and the waves were calm. Sam felt happy and excited because he loves the beach.

While they were setting up their towels and umbrellas, Sam noticed a family who was having a picnic nearby. The kids were playing with a ball, and their dog was running around happily. Sam thought it was the perfect day to relax and enjoy the sunshine.

Later in the day, while Sam was swimming in the ocean, his friends were playing volleyball on the shore. The sound of laughter and the warmth of the sun made the afternoon feel even more special. The entire beach was filled with people enjoying the beautiful weather.

At one point, while Sam was walking along the shore collecting seashells, he ran into an old friend from school. They talked for a while, catching up on old times, while Sam’s friends continued playing volleyball in the background.

By the time the sun started setting, the beach was bathed in a beautiful golden light. Sam and his friends packed up their things and left the beach with big smiles, already thinking about their next trip. As they were driving back home, Sam looked out of the car window, watching the last rays of sunlight disappear behind the horizon.

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Exercises for Story 2:

1. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb

1. Last weekend, Sam and his friends ______ (go) to the beach.
2. While Sam ______ (swim), his friends ______ (play) volleyball.
3. The kids ______ (play) with a ball, and their dog ______ (run) around happily.
4. Sam ______ (feel) happy because he ______ (love) the beach.
5. As they ______ (drive) back home, Sam ______ (look) out of the window.

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Answer Key:

1. Fill in the blanks:

1. Last weekend, Sam and his friends went to the beach.
2. While Sam was swimming, his friends were playing volleyball.
3. The kids were playing with a ball, and their dog was running around happily.
4. Sam felt happy because he loves the beach.
5. As they were driving back home, Sam looked out of the window.

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Story 3: Future Simple, Future Continuous, & Future Perfect

Next year, Maria will graduate from university. She will have finished her degree in business, and she will start working on her own company soon after. Maria is excited about the future and is planning her next steps carefully. “In five years, I will be running my own business,” she often says.

Maria will start working on her business plan next month. By the end of the year, she will have completed her market research. She will be focusing on eco-friendly products and opening an online store. Her goal is to make her business successful within the next two years.

Maria will not be doing this alone. Her best friend, Tom, will be helping her with marketing. They will have completed their business plan by the end of this year. Together, they are determined to make their dream a reality. “This time next year, we will be celebrating the launch of our company,” Maria says confidently.

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Exercises for Story 3:

1. Identify the sentences in the future simple tense.
2. Identify the sentences in the future continuous tense.
3. Identify the sentences in the future perfect tense.

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Answer Key:

• Future Simple:

1. Maria will graduate from university.
2. She will start working on her company.
3. She will sell eco-friendly products.
4. Maria will not be doing this alone.
5. Her best friend, Tom, will be helping her with marketing.
6. Future Continuous:
7. “In five years, I will be running my own business.”
8. Maria will be focusing on opening an online store.
9. “This time next year, we will be celebrating the launch of our company.”

• Future Perfect:

1. She will have finished her degree.
2. She will have completed her market research.
3. They will have completed their business plan.

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Story 4: Present Perfect & Present Perfect Continuous

Anna has always wanted to learn how to cook. Over the past few months, she has tried different recipes, but cooking has been difficult for her. However, she has been practicing every weekend, and she has improved a lot. Now, she feels more confident in the kitchen.

Recently, Anna has been following a cooking blog that teaches simple recipes. She has cooked five different meals using the blog’s instructions. Every time she makes a dish, she feels proud of herself. Her family has noticed that she has become a better cook, and they enjoy her meals more.

Anna has been thinking about taking a professional cooking class. She hasn’t decided yet, but she knows that more practice will help her improve even further. If she takes the class, she hopes she will be able to cook for a big family event.

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Exercises for Story 4:

1. Identify the sentences in the present perfect tense.
2. Identify the sentences in the present perfect continuous tense.
3. Write two sentences using the present perfect tense about something you’ve done recently.

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Answer Key:

• Present Perfect:

1. Anna has always wanted to learn to cook.
2. She has tried different recipes.
3. Cooking has been difficult for her.
4. She has improved a lot.
5. She has cooked five meals.
6. Her family has noticed her improvement.
7. She has become a better cook.

• Present Perfect Continuous:

1. Anna has been practicing every weekend.
2. She has been following a cooking blog.
3. Anna has been thinking about taking a class.

• Answers will vary (e.g., “I have read two books this month.”).

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Story 5: Past Perfect & Past Perfect Continuous

Before Jenny moved to New York, she had lived in a small town for her entire life. She had always dreamed of living in a big city, but it had been difficult for her to leave her hometown. Before she made the move, she had saved money for two years, preparing for this big change.

Jenny had been working as a barista in her town while she was planning her move. For the last six months, she had been researching apartments and job opportunities in New York. By the time she arrived, she had already arranged a place to stay and a job interview.

Even though the move had been stressful, Jenny felt excited about her new life. She had prepared herself well, and now she was ready to take on new challenges. Looking back, she was proud of everything she had accomplished before moving.

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Exercises for Story 5:

1. Identify the sentences in the past perfect tense.
2. Identify the sentences in the past perfect continuous tense.
3. Write two sentences using the past perfect tense about something you had done before a big event.

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Answer Key:

• Past Perfect:

1. Jenny had lived in a small town.
2. She had always dreamed of living in a big city.
3. It had been difficult to leave her hometown.
4. She had saved money for two years.
5. By the time she arrived, she had already arranged a place to stay.
6. The move had been stressful.
7. She had prepared herself well.
8. She had accomplished a lot before moving.

• Past Perfect Continuous:

1. Jenny had been working as a barista.
2. She had been researching apartments and jobs.

• Answers will vary (e.g., “I had studied for weeks before my exam.”).

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Story 6: Future Perfect Continuous

By the time Sara retires, she will have been working as a nurse for 30 years. She will have been helping people her whole career, and she is proud of the impact she will have made. When she looks back at her life, she will feel satisfied with all that she will have achieved.

Sara will have been saving money for retirement for 20 years by the time she stops working. She plans to travel the world and volunteer in different countries. She will have been contributing to her retirement fund for many years, and she believes it will be enough to support her dreams.

When Sara retires, she will have been pursuing her passion for helping others for decades. Her goal is to use her experience to give back to communities in need. “By the time I retire, I will have been working to make the world a better place,” she says.

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Exercises for Story 6:

1. Identify the sentences in the future perfect continuous tense.
2. Write a sentence in the future perfect continuous tense about something you will have been doing for a long time by the end of next year.

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Answer Key:

• Future Perfect Continuous:

1. Sara will have been working as a nurse for 30 years.
2. She will have been helping people her whole career.
3. She will have been saving money for retirement for 20 years.
4. She will have been contributing to her retirement fund for many years.
5. She will have been pursuing her passion for helping others for decades.

• Answers will vary (e.g., “I will have been studying English for three years by the end of next year.”).

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