TENSES

I. PRESENT SIMPLE

Form:
Aff: S + V
Neg: S + DO NOT (DONT) + V
Int: DO + S + V?
I study.
We dont travel.
Do you go?
ATTENTION!!!
rd
The 3 person singular (HE, SHE, IT)
has a different form:
Aff: S + V-s/-es
Neg: S + DOES NOT (DOESNT) + V
Int: DOES + S + V?

He goes. She plays. He tries.

It doesnt bite. He doesnt read.
Does she cry? Does he study?
Use:
We use the present simple for:
a) permanent situations:
John teaches English in South Africa.

b) repeated actions or states

I use my bike every day.
We usually have dinner at 8.

c)general truths:
The sun rises in the east.
Water boils at 100C.

d) live sports commentary:

Neymar passes to Messi. lt's a goal!

e) current habits:
I don't always go to lectures that are early
in the morning!
f) instead of future:
-fixed future events (timetables,
schedules)
The shop closes at 3 pm next Saturday.
The plane takes off at 4 pm.
School starts on 15th Sept.
- first conditional:
If it rains, well stay inside.
Adverbs:
always/usually/generally/often/sometimes/
rarely/seldom/never/whenever/nowadays/
these days/ from time to time
/ every now and then /
II. PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Form:
Aff: S + Be (am, is, are) + V-ing
Neg: S + Be + NOT + V-ing
Int: Be + S + V-ing?

I am playing. You are trying.

They arent listening. She isnt reading.
Are you coming? Is she joking?
Use:
We use present continuous for:

a) actions happening now:

Mike is playing tennis at the
moment/now.

b) temporary situations and series of

actions:
We aren't having any exams while the
professors are still on strike.
Im staying with a friend at the moment.

c) annoying habits(often with always)

Youre always borrowing money!
Dan's always coming up with the craziest
ideas!

d) changing/developing situations;
The weathers getting colder and colder.
Holidays abroad are becoming
increasingly popular.

e) instead of future:
- personal arrangements:
l'm meeting Fiona on Friday to discuss
the advertising campaign.
Im going to Deva tomorrow.
-intentions:
Im asking for a pay rise tomorrow.

Adverbs:
Now, right now, for now, currently, at the
moment, for the time being, presently, at
present, today, this week etc.

Stative Verbs:
We do not normally use certain verbs
with the present continuous or other
continuous tenses. These verbs describe a
state, not an action. They are called
stative verbs and they include:
-verbs of thinking: agree, believe,
consider, disagree, doubt, expect, forget,
imagine, know, mean, notice, realize,
remember, suppose, think, understand
-verbs of existence: be, exist
-verbs of emotions: adore, appeal,
appreciate, desire, despise, detest, dislike,
envy, fear, feel, forgive, hate, like, love
mind, need, pity, prefer, satisfy, trust,
want, wish
-verbs of human senses/perception: hear,
see, smell, taste, sound
-verbs of possession: have, own, possess,
belong to, consist of
-other verbs: contain, owe, suit, weigh,
depend, appear, look, resemble, deserve
etc.

Attention!!!
We can use some of the stative verbs with
continuous tenses but with a change in
meaning:
He is friendly.
He is being friendly. (behaves)
She has got a car. (owns)
Shes having dinner. (eating)
They think its too expensive.(believe)
Theyre thinking of buying a new car.
(considering)
He feels what he did was wrong. (Thinks)
Hes feeling the babys forehead.
(touching)
I see Alex in the street.
Im seeing Alex on Friday. (meeting)
This juice tastes good.
Hes tasting the milk to see if its good.
III. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

Form:
Aff: S + Have/Has + V-ed/3rd form
Neg: S + Have/Has + Not + V-ed/3rd form
Int: Have/Has + S + V-ed/3rd form?

Adverbs:
Always, ever, never, usually, sometimes,
rarely, seldom, often, just, yet, so far,
already, since, for, recently, lately, still, its
the first time, before, up to now, until
now, how long etc.

Traducere: perfectul compus

Use:
We use the present perfect simple for:
a) actions that happened at an unspecified
time in the past: They have arrived in
Spain.
b) for actions or situations which began in
the past and continue in the present
(for/since)
They have lived here for 5 years.
They have lived here since 2000.
c) completed actions in the past where the
important thing is the present result:
They have polluted the river. (and now
the fish is dead)
Youve spilt coffee on my new blouse.
(and now its ruined)

***
US -We already done that.
UK We have already done that.
US Weve already gotten Dan a new
bike.
UK Weve already got Dan a new Bike.
IV. PRESENT PERFECT
CONTINUOUS

Form:
Aff: S + Have/Has + Been + V-ing
Neg: S + Have/Has + Not + Been + V-ing
Int: Have/Has + S + Been + V-ing?

I have been studying.

She hasnt been working.
Have you been running?

Traducere: prezentul, perfectul compus

Adverbs:
Since, for, just, all day/week etc.

Use:
We use the present perfect continuous
for:
a) actions that started in the past and
continue up to the moment of speaking:
We have been driving for hours. Cant we
have a break?
I have been reading since ten.

b) actions stopping just before the present

moment:
Your eyes are red! Have you been crying?
Im out of breath, because Ive been
running to get here in time.

Present perfect simple vs continuous

*Completed actions: Ive read this book.

(I have finished it)
*Incomplete actions: Ive been reading
this book. (I havent finished it yet)
*Number/Quantity: I have read twenty
books so far.

*Time: I have been reading since ten

oclock.

*Ive worked at the airport for 4 years/

Ive been working at the airport for 4
years (little or no difference)
V. PAST SIMPLE

Form:
nd
Aff: S + V-ed/2 form
Neg: S + Did Not (Didnt) + V
Int: Did + S + V?

He played. She tried. I stopped. You left.

I didnt eat. You didnt leave.
Did you try? Did she stop?
Adverbs:
Yesterday, the day before yesterday, just
now, when, then, last week/month/year, in
1980 etc.

Traducere: perfectul compus

Use:
We use past tense simple for:
a) actions completed in the past:
They arrived in Spain yesterday.
b) past habits or states:
He always caught the same train.
Long ago, they built most houses out of
wood.

c) past states/actions that lasted for a

period of time in the past:
We were neighbours for 25 years. (we are
not now)
We have been neighbours for 25 years.
(we still are)

Compare:
I had 2 coffees this morning. ( it is not
morning now)
I have had 2 coffees this morning. (it is
still morning)
He did a lot in his short life. ( he is dead)
He has done a lot in his short life. (he is
alive)

What have you done since you came here

Present Past
VI. PAST CONTINUOUS

Form:
Aff: S + Was/Were + V-ing
Neg: S + Was/Were + Not + V-ing
Int: Was/Were + S + V-ing?

I was reading. You were speaking.

She wasnt running.
Were you dancing?
Adverbs:
When, while

Traducere: imperfectul

Use:
We use the past continuous for:
a) actions happening at a particular time
in the past:
I was watching TV at nine oclock last
night.
At 5pm I was riding my new bike.

b) two or more actions happening in the

same time in the past:
She was studying while I was watching
the game.
While l was playing a computer game, my
brother was doing his homework.

c) an action happening in the past

interrupted by another action:
I was reading a book when the phone
rang.

d) annoying past habits (always):

When we were young, my brother was
always borrowing my toys.
VII. PAST PERFECT SIMPLE

Form:
rd
Aff: S + Had + V-ed/3 form
rd
Neg: S + Had + Not + V-ed/3 form
Int: Had + S + V-ed/3rd form?

I had tried. She had gone. You had had.

I hadnt left. You hadnt had.
Had you done? Had she had?
Adverbs:
After, before, until, as soon as, by the
hardlywhen, no soonerthan

Traducere: mai mult ca perfectul,

perfectul compus

Use:
We use the past perfect simple for:

a) a past action that happened before

another past action:
After they had eaten, they cleared the
table.
Mary had left before I arrived at the
party.
b) a past action that happened before a
past moment:
When Dimitra called, I had managed to
fix her computer.
By the time of his death, Thomas Edison
had invented a number of things that
changed everyday life.
Other examples:
As soon as the decision had been made,
they informed the staff.
Hardly had I entered the house when the
phone rang.
No sooner had I started to learn than the
noise began.
VIII. PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Form:
Aff: S + Had + Been + V-ing
Neg: S + Had + Not + Been + V-ing
Int: Had + S + Been + V-ing?

I had been running.

She hadnt been eating.
Had you been watching?
Adverbs:
By the time, before, after, since, for

Traducere: mai mult ca perfectul,

perfectul compus.

Use:

We use the past perfect continuous for:

a) actions that started in the past and
continued up to another time in the past:
They had been climbing for 5 hours
before they reached the top.
Sarah looked tired because she had been
exercising all day.
By the time I got home mother had been
cooking dinner for two hours.
WOULD + SHORT INFINITIVE

Use: past habits for the distant past

When I was a child my grandfather
would take me to the park.

USED TO
Use: past habits and states for the distant
past
When I was a child my grandfather used
to take me to the park.
When I was a child I used to be good at
football.
IX. FUTURE SIMPLE

Form:
Aff: S + Will + V
Neg: S + Will + Not (Wont) + V
Int: Will + S + V?

I will study.
You wont come
Will you listen?
Use:

We use the future simple for:

a) facts about the future:
The factory will open in July.

b) predictions:
I expect he will get the job.
I think it will be a difficult game.
Attention!!!

DO NOT USE FUTURE SIMPLE IN IF

CLAUSES & TIME CLAUSES
X. FUTURE CONTINUOUS

Form:
Aff: S + Will + Be + V-ing
Neg: S + Will + Not + Be + V-ing
Int: Will + S + Be + V-ing?

I will be studying.
She wont be traveling.
Will you be playing?
Adverbs:
This time tomorrow/next

Use:

We use the future continuous for:

a) actions in progress at a particular

point in future:
Ill be working at 6.
This time next week well be flying to
America.
I think that, in the future, more and more
people will be commuting to work
by plane.

Attention!!!

DO NOT USE FUTURE CONTINUOUS

IN IF CLAUSES & TIME CLAUSES
XI. FUTURE PERFECT SIMPLE

Form:
rd
Aff: S + Will + Have + V-ed/3 form
rd
Neg: S + Will + Not + Have + V-ed/3
form
rd
Int: Will + S + Have + V-ed/3 form?

I will have left.

She wont have finished.
Will you have gone?

Adverbs:
By (this time)

Traducere: viitorul anterior

Use:

We use the future perfect simple for:

a) actions which are completed before an
action/moment in the future:
By the time you come, Ill have finished
my work.
By Saturday I will have finished the
work.
It looks as if Jake will have lost his job by
the end of the week.
XII. FUTURE PERFECT
CONTINUOUS

Form:
Aff: S + Will + Have + Been + V-ing
Neg:S + Will + Not + Have + Been+ V-ing
Int: Will + S + Have + Been + V-ing?

I will have been waiting.

You wont have been working
Will she have been reading?

Adverbs:
By (this time) , since, for

Traducere: viitor anterior

Use:

We use the future perfect continuous for:

a) a future action in progress up to a
certain moment in the future:
By next month, l'll have been working at
this company for exactly 25 years.
By the time I get home, mother will have
been cooking for two hours.
He will have been driving for two hours
when the police start the investigation.
By 7pm, Ill have been doing my
homework for 3 hours.
XIII. FUTURE IN THE PAST

Form:
S + Would + V

Traducere: viitorul

Use:

We use future in the past for:

-When we talk about the past, we often
need to refer to things that happen in the
future at that time
-in indirect speech:
Jane said that they would come by car.
I told him that I would go when he came.
(cum se traduce aici CAME ?)
OTHER MEANS OF EXPRESSING
FUTURE

XIV. GOING TO

Form:
Aff: S + Be + Going to + V
Neg: S + Be + Not + Going to + V
Int: Be + S + Going to + V?
Im going to leave.
She isnt going to help.
Are you going to stay?

Traducere:
- a intentiona sa
- a avea de gand sa
- a urma sa
- cu viitorul
- NU se traduce cu -a merge sa
Use:
We use be going to for:
a) intentions:
I am going to leave this town.
b) predictions:
Look! Its going to rain.
XV. PRESENT SIMPLE

Use:
Events that are part of a timetable or
schedule:

The ship leaves the island on Friday

The bus to Deva leaves tomorrow at 8.
XVI. PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Use:
Personal arrangements for the future:

Im having my hair cut tomorrow.

They are installing the new computers
next week.
XVII. BE + TO-INFINITIVE

Use:
-official arrangements, especially when
announced:

The President is to visit Brussels next

week.
XVIII. BE (JUST) ABOUT TO

Use:
- for the (very) near future
l'm just about to ask for my pay rise.

XIX. BE ON THE POINT/VERGE OF

Use:
- for the (very) near future
l'm just on the point/verge of asking for
my pay rise.

XX. BE DUE TO

Use:
-for formal arrangements:
I am due to meet my boss at 10 am.
The meeting is due to start in half an
hour.
ATTENTION!!!

IN TIME CLAUSES WE DO NOT USE

FUTURE TENSES OR GOING TO;
WE USE A PRESENT TENSE
(SIMPLE, CONTINUOUS, PERFECT).
TIME CLAUSES ARE INTRODUCED
BY: WHEN, AS SOON AS, BEFORE,
AFTER, UNTIL, TILL, WHILE, ONCE,
BY THE TIME

Examples:
l'll give you a pay rise when you start
working harder!
Let me know as soon as you arrive/have
arrived.
Itll be many years before we send/have
sent a manned mission to Mars.
Lets go to a pizza after we go/have gone
to the museum.
The rocket wont be launched until they
do/have done a final check.
Think of me while you travel/are
traveling to America.
Well stop for petrol once we pass/have
passed Liverpool.