The 12 main verb tenses in English are derived from the combination of the simple, continuous, perfect, and perfect continuous forms. Each tense serves to convey actions or states of being at specific points in time. Here is a breakdown of the 12 tenses in English with examples:

1. Simple Present Tense: Used to describe routines, habits, facts, and general truths.

Example: She sings in the choir.

2. Present Continuous Tense: Describes actions happening at the moment of speaking.

Example: They are playing football now.

3. Present Perfect Tense: Indicates completed actions with relevance to the present.

Example: I have finished my homework.

4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense: Indicates actions that started in the past and continue into the present.

Example: She has been studying for two hours.

5. Simple Past Tense: Describes completed actions in the past.

Example: He walked to school yesterday.

6. Past Continuous Tense: Describes ongoing actions in the past.

Example: They were watching a movie when I called.

7. Past Perfect Tense: Expresses an action completed before another action in the past.

Example: She had already left when I arrived.

8. Past Perfect Continuous Tense: Describes actions that started in the past and continued up to a certain point in the past.

Example: They had been waiting for hours when the bus finally arrived.

9. Simple Future Tense: Used to talk about actions that will happen