The 5 Most Common Verb Tenses (95% of all tenses used) Q: Do English learners need to learn the 12 Verb Tense A: NO Research has shown that 95% of spoken and written English uses only 5 Verb Tenses. Even native English speakers do not know or use all 12 verb tenses. The most important skill is to learn how to communicate well. Perfect grammar is not the most important skill. Many English teachers believe that a student must learn all 12 verb tenses, but 7 verb tenses are only used less than 5% of the time. If your goal is to develop good communication skills, then knowing when to use and how to use the 5 most common verb tenses is what you need. To learn more about the 5 most common verb tenses, go to my teacher profile: https://www.italki.com/teacher/596420 QUESTION: Do you agree or disagree that the 5 most common verb tenses are critical for good communication skills?