I

want to say that the action

How to choose the right tense

is happening now.
The verb is not a state verb. Present Continuous 1
You are reading this page.

The verb is a state verb. Present Simple 2
You are a t school n ow.

is a habit. Present Simple 3
(usually, sometimes, always) I drink a coffee every day.


happened in the past.
Im just thinking about the past. Past Simple 4
I saw Bill yesterday.
I want to explain what was already
happening at a moment in the past. Eg: I was sleeping at 6:45 AM today.
I was crossing the road when a car hit me.
Past Continuous
The verb is not a state verb. 5

I was having lunch in a caf when I saw Bill.

The verb is a state verb. Past Simple 6
I was in a caf when I saw Bill.
Im thinking about the result of the action now Present Perfect 7

Simple Experience: Achievement: Youve h ad a h aircut!

Result: It looks good.


Ive broken my arm. Ive been to lots of places. Weve won the cup.
(My arm is broken.) (I know about lots of places.) (We are the best!)
Thanks!

started in the past and continued up to now.
(It is still happening now. OR: It stopped a short time ago.)
The verb is not a state verb. Present Perfect Continuous 8
Ive been studying English for two months.

The verb is a state verb. Present Perfect 9
Ive been in Melbourne for a year.


will happen in the future.
It is a plan.
I have already decided to do it.
I have organized it
with other people. Present Continuous 10
Im having lunch with Sue tomorrow.
Its just my plan.
I havent organized it. Future Going To 11
with anyone. Im going to write an email to my Mum.

Im deciding now. Future Will 12
Hes very sick. Ill call an ambulance.
It is a prediction. (I think it will happen. Its not a plan.)

I can see the evidence now. Future Going To 13

Hes going to fall into a hole.

I cant see the evidence now. Future Will 14
Brazil will win the world cup.
Common state verbs ( * = Not a state verb with this meaning)
be, belong, contain, forget, hate, have (*have lunch, have a bath,), know, like, look You look good (*Im looking at you),
love, matter, mean, need, own, remember, see (*Im seeing Sue on Sunday see = meet), sound, understand, want, wish

 How to make the tenses
V1 (infinitive) V2 (past simple) V3 (past participle) __ing
Regular walked w alked walking
Irregular ate eaten eating
+ Positive Negative ? Question + Short Answer Short Answer

PRESENT SIMPLE
I / You / We / I . I don't . Do you ? Yes, I do. No, I dont
They
He / She / It He s. He doesn't . Does he ? Yes, he does. No, He doesnt
PAST SIMPLE
I / You / He / She We ate. We didn't . Did we ? Yes, we did. No, we didnt.
/ It /We / They
TO BE PRESENT SIMPLE
I I am. Im not. Am I? Yes, I am. No, Im not.
You / We / They are. They aren't. Are they? Yes, they are. No, theyre not.
They
He / She / It She is. She isn't. Is she? Yes, she is. No, she isnt.
TO BE PAST SIMPLE
I / He / She / It It was. It wasn't. Was it? Yes, it was. No, it wasnt.
You / We / They We were. We weren't. Were we? Yes, we were. No, we werent.
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
I Im eating. Im not eating. Am I eating? Yes, I am. No, Im not.
You / We / They You are eating. You aren't eating. Are you eating? Yes, you are. No, you arent.
He / She / It He is eating. He isn't eating. Is he eating? Yes, he is. No, he isnt.
PAST CONTINUOUS
I / He / She / It I was eating. I wasnt eating. Was I eating? Yes, I was. No, I wasnt.
You / We / They They were They weren't eating. Were they eating? Yes, they were. No, they werent.
eating.
PRESENT PERFECT
I/You / We / They have eaten. They havent eaten. Have they eaten? Yes, they have. No, they havent.
They
He / She / It He has eaten. He hasnt eaten. Has he eaten? Yes, he has. No, he hasnt.
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I/You / We / I have been I havent been eating. Have I been eating? Yes, I have. No, I havent.
They eating.
He / She / It He has been He hasnt been eating. Has he been eating? Yes, he has. No, he hasnt.
eating.
PAST PERFECT
I/You / We / They / They had eaten. They hadnt eaten. Had they eaten? Yes, they had. No, they hadnt.
He / She / It
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I/You / We / They / He had been eating. He hadnt been eating. Had he been eating? Yes, he had. No, he hadnt.
He / She / It

FUTURE Going to
I Im going to Im not going to . Am I going to ? Yes, I am. No, Im not.
.
You / We / They You are going to You aren't going to Are you going to Yes, you, are. No, You arent.
. . ?
He / She / It She is going to She isn't going to Is she going to ? Yes, she is. No, she isnt.
. .
FUTURE Will
I/You / We / They / They will . They wont . Will they ? Yes, they will. No, they wont.
He / She / It