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Present Tenses in

English

Examples

Simple present tense

They walk home.

Present continuous tense

They are walking home.

Past Tenses in English


Simple past tense

Peter lived in China in 1965.

Past continuous tense

I was reading when she arrived.

Perfect Tenses in English


Present perfect tense

I have lived here since 1987.

Present perfect continuous

I have been living here for years.

Past perfect

We had been to see her several times before she

Past perfect continuous

He had been watching her for some time when s


and smiled.

Future perfect

We will have arrived in the States by the time yo


letter.

Future perfect continuous

By the end of your course, you will have been st


five years.

Future Tenses in English

Present Tenses in
English

Examples

Simple present tense

They walk home.

Present continuous tense

They are walking home.

Past Tenses in English


Simple past tense

Peter lived in China in 1965.

Past continuous tense

I was reading when she arrived.

Simple future tense

They will go to Italy next week.

Future continuous tense

I will be travelling by train.

Conditional Tenses in
English
Zero conditional

If ice gets hot it melts.

Type 1 conditional

If he had the money he would go.

Type 2 conditional

If he was in Australia he would be getting up no

Type 3 conditional

She would have visited me if she had had time

Mixed conditional

I would have been playing tennis if I hadn't br


arm.

The -ing forms in English

Present Tenses in
English

Examples

Simple present tense

They walk home.

Present continuous tense

They are walking home.

Past Tenses in English


Simple past tense

Peter lived in China in 1965.

Past continuous tense

I was reading when she arrived.

Gerund

I like swimming.

Present participle

She goes running every morning.

COMMONLY CONFUSED WORDS


human (adj) Relating to or typical of human beings.
Representative of the sympathies and

frailties of human nature.


Example: It's ok to make mistakes. You're
only human!

humane
(adj)

Showing compassion, sympathy, or


consideration for humans or animals.
Example: It was very humane of you to give
the homeless man your sweater.

persecute
(v)

To make somebody the victim of harassment.


To annoy someone with persistent
approaches.
Example: The red gang members enjoy
persecuting the blue gang members.

prosecute
(v)

To bring legal action against someone for


punishment of a crime or violation of law.
Example: The state will prosecute the
defendant for murder.

personal
(adj)

Relating to an individual. Private, individual.


Example: Celebrities do not want their
personal lives written about in tabloid
newspapers.

personnel
(n)

The division of a company responsible for


hiring workers.
Example: Take your application to the
personnel office.

precede (v) To come before or in front of.


Example: The older students will precede the
younger students.

proceed (v) To continue after a pause or interruption. To


go on in an orderly regulated way. To begin
and carry on an action.
Example: Congratulations! You may proceed
to the next level now.
principal (n)

A person who has controlling authority or is


in a leading position.
Example: The principal of my school is Mrs.
Mallory.

principle (n)

stationary
(adj)

A comprehensive and fundamental law, doctrine, or


assumption.
Example: Killing someone goes against my
principles. I won't do it.
Unmoving. Immobile.
Example: A stationary bicycle is a popular device
for exercise.

stationery (n) Materials (as paper, pens, and ink) for writing or
typing; letter paper usually accompanied with
matching envelopes.
Example: Our company needs to buy more
stationery for the supply closet.

sense (v)

To feel.
Example: I sensed someone behind me. I turned
around, but nobody was there.

since (adv)

Adverb meaning from a definite past time until now.


Example: I have worn glasses since I was a young
girl.

suit (n)

A set of garments.
Example: My husband wore a three-piece suit to
our wedding.

suite (n)

A group of rooms occupied as a unit.


Example: After our wedding, we went back to the
hotel suite to change clothes and open wedding
gifts.

censor (v)

censure (v)

To suppress or delete anything considered


objectionable.
Example: The major TV networks usually censor
programs for bad language and nudity.
To formally issue a reprimand to an individual (by
an authoritative body).
Example: In 1834, the Senate censured
Democratic President Andrew Jackson for
withholding documents.

complement (v) To be complementary to something. (It goes


together well.)
Example: The strawberries complemented the
angel cake deliciously.
compliment (v) To pay someone a compliment. To say something
nice to someone.
Example: Elaine complimented Bethany on her
pretty sweater.

conscientious
(adj)

To be very careful. To pay attention to one's


actions.
Example: The police officer was very
conscientious about his duties.

conscious (adj) Aware of something and attaching importance to


it. Responsive to something.
Example: Sara felt very conscious of the coffee
stain on her new blouse.
conscience (n) The sense of the moral goodness or

blameworthiness of one's own conduct, intentions,


or character together with a feeling of obligation to
do right or be good.
Example: When Ivan cheated on a test, his
conscience bothered him so much that he
confessed to the teacher.

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