| Present | Past | Future | Future-in-the-Past | |
| Simple | I explain | I explained | I, we shall explain | I, we should explain |
| he explains | You, he, they will explain | You, he, they would explain | ||
| Progressive | I am explaining | I, he was explaining | I, we shall be explaining | I, we should be explaining |
| You, we, they are explaining | ||||
| He is explaining | We, you, they were explaining | You, he, they will be explaining | You, he, they would be explaining | |
| Perfect | I have explained | I had explained | I, we shall have explained | I, we should have explained |
| he has explained | You, he, they will have explained | You, he, they would have explained | ||
| Perfect Progressive | I have been explaining | I had been explaining | I, we shall have been explaining | I, we should have beenexplaining |
| He has been explaining | You, he, they will have been explaining | You, he, they would have been explaining |