PRESENT SIMPLE

We use the present simple to refer to:

 Habits and routines
 Facts that are generally true
 Feelings and states

FORM:

AFFIRMATIVE: SUBJECT + 1st FORM OF THE VERB* I go to work every day.

NEGATIVE: SUBJECT + DO NOT [DON’T] / DOES NOT [DOESN’T] + 1st FORM OF THE VERB I don’t go to work every day.
INTERROGATIVE: DO / DOES + SUBJECT + 1st FORM OF THE VERB Do I go to work every day?
DON’T/DOESN’T + SUBJECT + 1st FORM OF THE VERB Don’t I go to work every day?

*For he, she, it:

 Most regular verbs add -s: want > wants She/he/it wants to eat.
 Verbs that end in consonant + y take off the y and add -ies: study > studies She/he/it doesn’t want to eat.
 Verbs that end in -s,-z,-sh,-ch,-x or -o: add -es: miss > misses Does she/he/it want to eat?

I don’t go to work every day, thank God!

We try to go to the gym every week.
Do you usually eat healthy food?
It always rains on my birthday.
Doesn’t she sometimes forget your name?
Does the sun spin around Mars?
I never feel sick.
He often forgets to drink water.
She studies every day.
My brother mixes medicine when he gets a headache.

SIGNAL WORDS:
always // often // usually // sometimes // seldom (= not often/rarely) // never // every day // every week // every year // on Mondays // after work

PRACTICE:

1. (he / drive to work every day) Example: He drives to work every day.

2. (I / not / think you're right)

3. (we / have enough time)?

4. (I / eat cereal in the morning)

5. (they / write e-mails every day)?

6. (you / watch a lot of TV)

7. (he / not / read the newspaper)

8. (she / dance often)?

9. (where / I / go on Mondays)?

10. (what / you / do at the weekend)?

11. (you / not / drink much tea)

12. (how / he / travel to work)?

13. (they / not / like vegetables)

14. (she / catch a cold every winter)

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 15. (I / not / send emails every day)

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

We use the present continuous to talk about:

 Things that are happening at the moment or around the time of speaking
 Annoying habits and routines
 An action or condition that may continue into the future

FORM:

AFFIRMATIVE: SUBJECT + BE + VERB + ING I am working now. // You are working now. // He/She/It is running now.
We are working now. // They are working now.
NEGATIVE: SUBJECT + BE + NOT + VERB + ING I am not working now // I’m not working now.
You/We/They are not/aren’t working now.
He/she/it is not/isn’t working now.
INTERROGATIVE: BE + SUBJECT + VERB + ING Am I working now? Am I not working now?
Are you/we/they working now? Are you/we/they not working now?
Is he/she/it working now? Is he/she/it not working now?

I am currently working at my desk.

You’re being unreasonable!
She is studying English this year.
Am I losing my mind?
No, I’m not.
What are you doing there?
I’m trying to fix my car.

SIGNAL WORDS:
currently // at the moment // now // right now

PRACTICE:

1. (I / study at the moment) Example: I am studying at the moment.

2. (I / not / sleep)

3. (you / play badminton tonight)

4. (we / watch TV)

5. (she / not / work in Spain)

6. (he / not / wait for the bus)

7. (they / read)

8. (we / not / go to the cinema tonight)

9. (you / not / read the newspaper)

10. (she / eat chocolate)

11. (I / not / live in Paris)

12. (we / study French)

13. (they / not / leave now)

14. (they / live in London)

15. (he / work in a restaurant now)

16. (I / not / meet my father at four)

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17. (she / not / drink tea now)

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PAST SIMPLE

We use the past simple tense to describe finished actions or events in the past.

FORM:

AFFIRMATIVE: SUBJECT + 2nd FORM OF THE VERB I/You/He/She/It/We/They went to the park.

NEGATIVE: SUBJECT + DIDN’T / DID NOT + 1st FORM OF THE VERB I/You/He/She/It/We/They didn’t go the park.
I/You/He/She/It/We/They did not go the park.

INTERROGATIVE: DID + SUBJECT + 1st FORM OF THE VERB ? Did I go to the bank?
DIDN’T + SUBJECT + 1st FORM OF THE VERB ? Didn’t I go to the bank?
DID + SUBJECT + NOT + 1st FORM OF THE VERB ? Did I not go to the bank?

SIGNAL WORDS:
one year ago // last month // yesterday // in 1990  SPECIFIC MOMENTS IN THE PAST

PRACTICE:

1. I (not/drink) any beer last night. Example: I didn’t drink any beer last night.

2. She (get on) the bus in the center of the city.

3. What time (he/get up) yesterday?

4. Where (you/get off) the train?

5. I (not/change) trains at Victoria.

6. We (wake up) very late.

7. What (he/give) his mother for Christmas?

8. I (receive) £300 when my uncle died.

9. We (not/use) the computer last night.

10. (she/make) good coffee?

11. They (live) in Paris.

12. She (read) the newspaper yesterday.

13. I (not/watch) TV.

14. He (not/study) for the exam.

15. (he/call) you?

16. (I/forget) something?

17. What time (the film/start)?

18. He (have) a shower.

19. Why (you/come)?

20. (he/go) to the party?

21. When (you/be born)?

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PAST CONTINUOUS

We use the past continuous tense to talk about actions in the past. The action was in progress at a particular moment in the past.

FORM:

AFFIRMATIVE: S + PAST FORM OF “TO BE” + VERB + ING I was swimming in the sea.
You/We/They were driving to work.
He/she/it was eating dinner.

NEGATIVE: S + PAST FORM OF “TO BE” + NOT + VERB + ING I wasn’t swimming in the sea // I was not swimming…
You/We/They weren’t driving to work // or were not
He/she/it was not eating dinner // or was not

INTERROGATIVE: PAST FORM OF “TO BE” + S + VERB + ING ? Was I swimming?

Was I not swimming?
Wasn’t I swimming?

! Usually, when we use the two tenses (past simple and past continuous) in the same sentence, the past simple tense describes the shorter action // the past
continuous tense describes the longer action:

While we were watching TV, Andy was surfing the internet.

I was talking when the accident happened.
The bomb exploded as I was entering the building.

SIGNAL WORDS:
while // when // as  SPECIFIC MOMENTS IN THE PAST, BUT ACTIONS THAT WERE IN PROGRESS.

PRACTICE:

1. Julie (sleep) at three o’clock. Example: Julie was sleeping at three o clock.

2. You (study) at three o’clock.

3. Luke (read) at three o’clock.

4. When you arrived at the party (Jane/play the guitar)?

5. (I/work) at three o’clock?

6. They (eat) chocolate at three o’clock.

7. John (play) tennis at three o’clock.

8. We (watch) TV at three o’clock.

9. He (use) the internet at three o’clock.

10. (you/cook) lunch at three o’clock?

11. We (travel) to London at three o’clock.

12. When you arrived at the party (Jodie/put on make-up)?

13. Mrs Brown (not/walk) in the garden when the murder happened.

14. Miss Jones (not/talk) to Mr. White when the murder happened.

15. You (not/play) cards when the murder happened.

16. When you arrived at the party (David/read a book)?

17. Dr Ford (not/read) in his room when the murder happened.

18. The maid (not/clean) the bedrooms when the murder happened?

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19. The dogs (not/play) outside when the murder happened.
PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

We use the present perfect to talk about:

 something that started in the past and continues in the present: They have been married for nearly fifty years.
 someone’s experience up to the present: I have played the guitar ever since I was a teenager.
 something that happened in the past but is important in the present: I can’t find my keys, I think I have lost them.

! The exact time is not important.

FORM:

AFFIRMATIVE: S + TO HAVE (AT PRESENT) + 3rd FORM OF THE VERB I have just eaten a sandwich.
You have just eaten…
He/she/it has just eaten…
We have just eaten…
They have just eaten

NEGATIVE: S + TO HAVE (AT PRESENT) + NOT + 3rd FORM OF THE VERB I haven’t eaten // I have not eaten

INTERROGATIVE: TO HAVE (AT PRESENT) + S + 3rd FORM OF THE VERB Have I eaten // Have I not eaten // Haven’t I eaten?

We use FOR to talk about the length of time. I haven’t lived here for 5 years.
We use SINCE to talk about when the action started. I have lived here since I was 5 years old.
We use HOW LONG to ask questions about time in the present perfect. How long have you lived here?

SIGNAL WORDS:
since // for // already // yet // before // ever // never // still not // so far // just //recently

PRACTICE:

1. I (not / work) today. Example: I haven’t worked today.

2. We (buy) a new lamp.

3. We (not / plan) our holiday yet.

4. Where (be / you)?

5. He (write) five letters.

6. She (not / see) him for a long time.

7. (be / you) at school?

8. School (not / start) yet.

9. (speak / he) to his boss?

10. No, he (have / not) the time yet.

11. The children (eat) the whole pudding.

12. You (read / not) many detective stories.

13. Our team (win) the first prize?

14. My little daughter (cut / just) her finger with a knife.

15. I (have lunch / already).

16. We (go / never) to the beach.

17. She (see) this film before.

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18. They (meet /not) their friend since highschool.

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PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

We use it to show that an action started in the past and has continued up to the present moment. The present perfect continuous usually emphasizes duration, or
the amount of time that an action has been taking place.

FORM:

AFFIRMATIVE: S + TO HAVE (AT PRESENT) + BEEN + VERB + ING I have been eating a sandwich for the last 3 hours.
You have been eating…
He/she/it has been eating…
We have been eating…
They have been eating…

NEGATIVE: S + TO HAVE (AT PRESENT) + NOT + BEEN + VERB + ING I haven’t been eating / I have not been eating….

INTERROGATIVE: TO HAVE (AT PRESENT) + S + BEEN + VERB + ING Have I been eating / Haven’t I been eating / Have I not been eating?

They haven’t been talking for the last hour.

She has been working at that company for three years.
What have you been doing for the last 30 minutes?
James has been teaching at the university since June.
Why has Nancy not been taking her medicine for the last three days?

SIGNAL WORDS:
all day // the whole day // since // for // questions with how long

PRACTICE:

1. She (work) here for five years. Example: She has been working here for five years.

2. I (study) all day.

3. You (eat) a lot recently.

4. We (live) in London for six months.

5. He (play) football, so he's tired.

6. They (learn) English for two years.

7. I (cook) so I'm really hot.

8. She (go) to the cinema every weekend for years.

9. It (rain) the pavement is wet.

10. You (sleep) for twelve hours.

11. I (not/work) today.

12. You (not/eat) well recently.

13. We (not/exercise) enough.

14. She (not/study).

15. They (not/live) here for very long.

16. It (not/snow).

17. He (not/play) football for five years.

18. We (not/drink) enough water - that's why we feel tired.

19. I (not/sleep) I was reading.

20. They (not/watch) TV much recently.

PAST PERFECT SIMPLE

The past perfect simple expresses an action taking place before a certain time in the past (placing emphasis only on the fact, not the duration).

FORM:

AFFIRMATIVE: S + HAD (for every person) + 3rd FORM OF THE VERB Before I came here, I had spoken to Jack.
NEGATIVE: S + HAD + NOT + 3rd FORM OF THE VERB I hadn’t skied until the day I met you.
INTERROGATIVE: HAD + S + 3rd FORM OF THE VERB? Had I skied before I met you? // Hadn’t I skied…// Had I not skied …?

SIGNAL WORDS:
before // after // until the day // when  with reference to the past, not the present!

PRACTICE:

1. When I arrived at the cinema, the film (start). Example: When I arrived at the cinema, the film had started.

2. She (live/not) in China before she went to Thailand.

3. They (eat) the shellfish before they began to feel sick?

4. If you (listen) to me, you would have got the job.

5. Julie didn’t arrive until after I (leave).

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

It is used to show that an action started in the past and continued up to another point in the past.

FORM:

AFFIRMATIVE: S + HAD (for every person) + BEEN + VERB + ING He had been spending every minute with her the week before I arrived.

NEGATIVE: S + HAD + NOT + BEEN + VERB + ING They had not been waiting for me for two hours when she arrived.
They hadn’t been waiting for me for two hours when she arrived.

INTERROGATIVE: HAD + S + BEEN + VERB + ING? Had she been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived?
Hadn’t she been waiting…
Had she not been waiting…

SIGNAL WORDS:
for // since // how long // after //before  with reference to the past, not the present!

PRACTICE:

1. I (work) all day, so I didn't want to go out. Example: I had been working all day, so I didn’t want to go out.

2. She (sleep) for ten hours when I woke her?

3. They (live/not) in Beijing for three years when he lost his job.

4. When we met, you (have) that job at that company for six months.

5. We (eat) all day, so we felt a bit ill.

EXTRA HOMEWORK:

Please answer the questions below (4-5 lines for each answer // and please don’t reply YES or NO 😊):

1. Can you compare what you do every morning to what Greta Thunberg (probably) does every morning?

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2. Can you think of important events that had happened before you were born?

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3. What is happening around you at this very moment, as you’re doing this homework?

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4. Please write 4 things you have never done and why you haven’t done them (yet).

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5. Please describe events that happened in 1989.

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6. Can you think of (or invent) 2 things (activities/hobbies/sports) that you have been doing since you were 18?

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