最多16种的.
英语总共有16个时态.
为了让人容易理解与记忆,我把它们整理如下:
1.现在式：
一般时（例：he works hard表示他工作努力）
进行时（例：he is reading表示他正在阅读）
完成时（例：he have finished it表示他已完成了）
完成进行时（例：he have been writting it for two hours表示他已经写了两个小时了）
2.过去式：
一般时（例：he worked hard表示他过去工作很努力）
进行时（例：he was reading last night表示他昨晚在阅读）
完成时（例：he had finished it since you arrived.表示在你到达之前他已完成）
完成进行时（例：he had been writting it表示他过去就已经在写了)
3.将来式：
一般时（例：he will work hard表示他将努力工作）
进行时（例：he will be reading表示他将会阅读的）
完成时（例：he will have finished it by the time of tomorrow表示明天之前他将完成）
完成进行时（例：he will have been staying there for ten years by the time of next month表示到下个月,他将呆在那儿十年了)
4.过去将来式
一般时（例：he would work hard表示他过去工作努力)
进行时(例：he would be working hard表示他过去一段时间在努力工作着)
完成时（例：he would have finished it by the last month表示他到上个月为止就将完成任务)
完成进行时（例：he would have been staying there for ten years by the time of last month表示到上个月为止,他在那里差不多呆了十年之久)
区别与联系:
现在一般时与现在完成时
1.I come from Shanghai(上海人)
I have come from Shanghai（从上海来）
2.You read very well.(强调能力)
You've read very well.（强调一次刚完成的动作）
3.I forget.(一时想不起来了)
I have forgotten.（仍没想起来,可能已回忆起来了
现在一般时与现在进行时
1.He works hard.（强调始终如一）He is working hard.（强调现在）
2.What do you do?(干什么工作的)What are you doing?（在干什么）
3.Here comes the bus!(表高兴和欣慰) The bus is coming.（汽车到来的情景）
现在完成时与过去一般时
1.I've seen him this morning.(还在上午的时间里)
I saw him this morning.(时间已不在上午了)
2.Who's opened the window?(窗户还在开着)
Who opened the window?(与现在无关,窗户可能已关上)
3.Have you ever heard him sing?(他可能不是爱唱歌)
Did you ever hear him sing?(你曾听过他唱歌吗,他可能是歌唱家)
过去完成时与过去一般时
1.I came here after I finished middle school.(两个动作每间隔)
I came here after I had finished middle school.(两个动作有间隔,强调先后概念)
2.I waited till I saw him.
I waited till I had seen him.(这两个句子差不多,过去完成时更普遍)
3.We hoped he would come.(我们希望他来)
We had hoped he would come.(我们本希望他来的)
过去进行时与过去一般时
1.I read a book yesterday.(书已看完)
I was reading a book yesterday.(书尚未看完)
2.The guests arrived.(客人已到)
The guests were arriving.(客人陆续到达)
3.He woke from a dream.(表示全醒)
He was waking from a dream.(表示初醒)
将来一般时与现在进行时
1.Will he come?Is he coming?(时间发生的比较近)
2.She'll have a baby.(表示肯定)
She's going to have a baby.(表示推测,计划)
3.I'll see him this evening.(表示意愿)
I'm seeing him this evening.(表示打算,已有安排)
现在一般时与过去一般式
1.Do you wish to see me?
Did you wish to see me?(表示婉转客气)
2.That's all I have to say.(我的话就这些)
That's all I had to say.(我要说的就这些)
3.How do you like the film?(看电影过程中)
How did you like the film?(看完电影后)
现在完成时与现在完成进行时
1.Someone has phoned you.(打了电话)
Someone has been phoning you.(一直在打电话)
2.I've read the novel.(已读完)
I've been reading the novel.(还没读完)
3.He has lived here for six weeks.
He has been living here for six weeks.(区别不大,后者更口语化)
现在一般时与过去完成时
1.I hope that he'll come.
I had hoped he would come.(与事实相反)
(经常这样用的词有:expect,think,intend,mean,suppose)
英语之中之所以有那么多时态,是因为英语这种语言非常重视时间与时间的相对关系,比如:现在,过去,将来,相对于现在的过去与将来,相对于过去的过去与过去的将来,相对将来的过去与现在等等,所以在理解时态的时候,一定要注意主语的动作是相对于某个动作的哪一个时间或时间段来说的,相对于不同的时间段用不同的时态表示,这样才比较容易理解时态的一般情况与特殊情况.