THE VERBAL TENSES

THE SIMPLE TENSES

SIMPLE PRESENT

Expresses events or situations that

It snows in Alaska

exist always, usually, habiatually;

I watch Tv every day

they exist now, in the past and

SIMPLE PAST

future.
This happened at one particular time

It snowed yesterday

in the past. It began and ended in

I watched Tv last night

the past.

SIMPLE FUTURE

This will happen at one particular

It will snow tomorrow

time in the future.

I will watch Tv tonight

THE CONTINUOUS TENSES (be + ing.)

The action is in progress at the

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

PAST CONTINUOUS

FUTURE CONTINUOUS

He s sleeping right now

present time
The action was in progress at a

He

was

sleeping

when

particular time in the past.

arrived.

The action will be in progress at a

He will be sleeping when we

particular time in the future

arrive.

THE PERFECT TENSES

I have already eaten

PRESENT PERFECT

PAST PERFECT

I had already eaten when they

One thing happens before

arrived

another time or event

I will have eaten when they arrive

FUTURE PERFECT

THE PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSES (have + been +ing)

Future: will + have + bare + been + ing

Past: had + been + ing

I have been studying for 3 hours

PRESENT PERFECT
CONTINUOUS
One event is in progress

PAST PERFECT

I had been studying for 2 hours

immediatelly before, up to,

before mi friend came

until another time or event.

The

CONTINUOUS
FUTURE PERFECT

tenses

are

used

to

I will have been studying for 2 hours

express the duration of the

by the time you arrive

first event.

Expresses events or situations that

It snows in Alaska

exist always, usually, habiatually;

I watch Tv every day

CONTINUOUS

THE SIMPLE TENSES

SIMPLE PRESENT

they exist now, in the past and

SIMPLE PAST

future.
This happened at one particular time

It snowed yesterday

in the past. It began and ended in

I watched Tv last night

the past.

SIMPLE FUTURE

This will happen at one particular

It will snow tomorrow

time in the future.

I will watch Tv tonight

A. SIMPLE PRESENT (always, never, often, seldom, on Mondays)

Verb: same form as the base but adds an S for the 3rd s. Ex.: obey

obeys

-o (go)
-s (miss)
-x (mix)

ES

-ch (watch)
-sh (push)
Uses
To express routines/habits

They go to the beach every summer

Tom always drinks heavily

To express timeless statements

Two and two make four

Honesty is the best policy

In sports commentaries

Robertson passes the ball to Smith...

In recepies

First mix the butter and sugar...

To describe the past as if it is happening now

Last week Im in the sitting room with my wife

For an event fixed in advance

The plane leaves at 10 am

For statements about the calendar

Tomorrow is Sunday

B. SIMPLE PAST (yesterday, three days ago, last week, on January)

Verb: Regular ED

Irregular CHANGE

Uses
For actions that occurred in the past

He was in Canada in 1976

For habitual actions in the past

When I was young, I enjoyed playing tennis.

For indirect speech

I have no money; Mary said

C. SIMPLE FUTURE (tomorrow, tonight, next week, in a year)

Verb

Will + infinitive

Be going to + infinitive

is going to arrive

Present continuous

is arriving

Simple present

Will + continuous inf.

will arrive

arrives
will be arriving

Uses
For predictions

Tomorrows weather will be cold

To express intention at the moment of decision

I ll do it right now

WILL

In newspapers

The reception will be at the Hilton Hotel

To express intention

Im going to leave tomorrow

GOING TO

When the future is already present

Shes going to have another baby

THE CONTINUOUS TENSES (be + ing.)

The action is in progress at the

He s sleeping right now

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

PAST CONTINUOUS

FUTURE CONTINUOUS

present time
The action was in progress at a

He

was

sleeping

when

particular time in the past.

arrived.

The action will be in progress at a

He will be sleeping when we

particular time in the future

arrive.

A. PRESENT CONTINUOUS (now, right now, at that moment, nowadays)

Uses
For actions that are going on now

She is beaking a cake now

For actions happening about this time but no at the moment of speaking

Im taking dancing lessons

B. PAST CONTINUOUS (when, whil, all morning / day / evening)

Uses
For an action which was in progress in the past

At 7 pm yesterday they were having dinner

For an action which was in progress when another action interrupted it

He was walking when he ran into an old friend.

C. FUTURE CONTINUOUS
Verb: will + be + ing
Uses
For an action which will be in progress

Next week we will be cruising round the islands

For polite questions

Will you be using this for long?

THE PERFECT TENSES

I have already eaten

PRESENT PERFECT

PAST PERFECT

I had already eaten when they

One thing happens before

arrived

another time or event

I will have eaten when they arrive

FUTURE PERFECT

A. PRESENT PERFECT
Uses
For an action which started in the past and continues up to the present

Rachel has had the dog for three years

For an action which has recently finished

She has just washed her hair

For an action which is not over at the moment of speacking

He has taken 15 pictures today.

B. PAST PERFECT
Uses
For an action which happened before another past action

She had finished work when she met her friends

C. FUTURE PERFECT
Uses
For an action which will be finished before future time

She will have delivered all the newspaper by 8 o clock

THE PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSES (have + been +ing)

Future: will + have + bare + been + ing
Past: had + been + ing
7

I have been studying for 3 hours

PRESENT PERFECT
CONTINUOUS
One event is in progress

PAST PERFECT

I had been studying for 2 hours

immediatelly before, up to,

before mi friend came

until another time or event.

The

CONTINUOUS
FUTURE PERFECT

tenses

are

used

to

I will have been studying for 2 hours

express the duration of the

by the time you arrive

first event.

CONTINUOUS

A. PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Uses
To put emphasis on the duration of an action which started in the past and continues up to the
present.

Sam has been talking on the phone for half an hour.

To express anger, irritation

Somebody has been giving away our plans!

B. PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Uses
To put emphasis on the duration of an action which started and finished in the past before
another past action.

They had been looking for a house for six months before they found one they liked.

C. FUTURE PERFCET CONTINUOUS

Uses
To emphasise the duration of an action up to a certain time in the future

By the end of next month, she will have been teaching English for twenty years.