SIMPLE TENSES

TENSE SIMPLE PRESENT EXAMPLES 1. Ahmad walks to school everyday. 2. It snows in London. Past Present Future EXPANATION

Simple present tense is used

for: 1. Things that always happen. 2. A common habit. 3. Fact or general knowledge.

SIMPLE PAST

1. Ahmad walked to school yesterday. 2. It snowed yesterday in London.

Simple past tense is used

for: 1. Things that already happened. 2. Things which already end at a particular time.

Past

Present

Future

SIMPLE FUTURE

1. Ahmad will walk to school tomorrow. 2. It will snow in London tonight.

Simple future tense is used

for:

Past

Present

Future

1. Things which will happen in the future.

PROGRESSIVE TENSES
SENTENCES RULE EXPLANATION be + -ing 1. Progressive tenses are used to show an action which is currently occurring. 2. However, the action must follow these requirements: a) it is already started, b) it is currently occurring, c) and continue occurring until a particular target time.

TENSE

EXAMPLES 1. Ahmad is walking to school right now.

EXPLANATION Now (8 oclock in the morning) Ahmad is walking to school, and he has started walking since 7 oclock and will continue until a particular time.

PRESENT PROGRESSIVE

Past

Present

Future

PAST PROGRESSIVE

Past

Present

Future

2. Yesterday, Ahmad was walking to school when his grandfather arrived at his house.

It is used for an action which is currently occurring in the past. Now, it was already 9 oclock in the morning, and grandfather has already arrived at his house at 7.15 oclock when Ahmad was walking to school.

FUTURE PROGRESSIVE

Past

Present

3. Tomorrow, his grandfather will be arriving at his house when he is walking to Future school.

It is used for an action which is currently occurring in the future. Now, it is 7 oclock in the morning and his grandfather will be arriving at his home at 7 oclock in the morning when he is walking to school.

* Words in green colour cause the change in words in red colour.

SIMPLIFIED VERSIONS OF TENSES

SIMPLE TENSES

SIMPLE SINGULAR I you he/she/it we You they

PLURAL

PAST was were was were were were

PRESENT am are is are are are

FUTURE will be will be will be will be will be will be

PROGRESSIVE TENSES

PROGRESSIVE SINGULAR I you he/she/it we You they

PLURAL

PAST was + -ing were + -ing was + -ing were + -ing were + -ing were + -ing

PRESENT am + -ing are + -ing is + -ing are + -ing are + -ing are + -ing

FUTURE will be + -ing will be + -ing will be + -ing will be + -ing will be + -ing will be + -ing