AMS CHEAT SHEET FOR ADVANCED LEVEL VERB TENSES

PERFECT TENSES

EXAMPLE SENTENCE

Present perfect

I have finished the

report.

Past perfect 2
verbs/events

I had already finished

the report when my boss
asked for it.

Future perfect2
verbs/events

I will have finished the

report by the time you
get to the office.

CONTINUOUS TENSES

EXAMPLE SENTENCE

Present continuous

Im working on the
report right now.

Past continuous --2

verbs/events

I was working on the

report when my
computer crashed.

Future continuous--2
verbs/events

I will be working on
the report when my
Mom arrives.

PERFECT + CONTINUOUS

EXAMPLE SENTENCE

Present perfect continuous

Ive been working on

the report for three
hours.

Past perfect continuous-2

Id been working on

MEANING/IMPLICATIO
N
Since Im done, I can
have some fun. Lets go
diving. Yippee!
Phew! It was done
before he asked for it, so
now Im in his good
books (He is pleased
with me.) .
Relax and enjoy your
trip! Ill have a copy
ready for you when you
get to the office.

MEANING/IMPLICATIO
N
Grrrthe report isnt
finished, so dont bother
me.
A continuous action was
happening when it was
interrupted by another
action or event in the
past. But you dont
know HOW LONG the
continuous action was
happening.
Can you pick her up
from the airport? Ill be
busy with this bloody
report!

MEANING/IMPLICATIO
N
Continuously, for three
hours, my friendso,
no, I havent had time to
answer my emails.
Sh@t! Four hours!

verbs/events

the report for four hours

when my computer
crashed.

Future perfect continuous-2 verbs/events

I will have been

working on the report
for a month by the time
I finish it.

Stupid computer! I hope

I didnt lose all that
work. Four hours of
work gone in a second!
From start to finish, the
report will take a month
to complete. The
continuous nature of
this work means that it
is and will be my
primary focus for a
month.