English has three times (past/present/future) × four aspects (simple/continuous/perfect/ perfect-continuous) = twelve tenses. Learn each with a legal sentence:
| Tense | Example from legal English |
|---|---|
| Present simple | A person commits theft… (statutes are written in the present) |
| Present continuous | The parties are negotiating a settlement. |
| Present perfect | The defendant has failed to file a defence. (past act, present consequence) |
| Present perfect continuous | The company has been delaying payment since Falgun. |
| Past simple | The witness stated that he saw the accused at the scene. |
| Past continuous | At 9 p.m. the police were recording the statement. |
| Past perfect | By the time the police arrived, the goods had been removed. (the "past of the past" — vital for fixing sequence of events) |
| Past perfect continuous | She had been working for the firm for ten years before the dispute arose. |
| Future simple (will/ shall) | The contract shall terminate on 30 Jestha. |
| Future continuous | The tribunal will be hearing arguments next week. |
| Future perfect | By the hearing date, the client will have filed the reply. |
| Future perfect continuous | By Ashar, the case will have been pending for five years. |