Tenses

Present tenses
Present progressive, not present simple
I can’t come now – I’m having dinner. I can’t come now – I have my dinner. I’m studying at the moment.
I study at the moment.
The present progressive (am/is/are + ing participle) is used to talk about a temporary situation in the present. Do not use the
present simple to describe a temporary situation.
Compare these examples:
I listen to all sorts of music in my spare time. I’m listening to a lot of jazz at the moment.
Ben works in London.
Ben’s working in London for six months.
We often have a cup of coffee together.
Come and join us! – We’re having a cup of coffee.

Present simple, not present progressive

He catches the train every day. He is catching the train every day. It snows a lot in January.
It is snowing a lot in January.
The present simple is used to talk about things that often or sometimes happen, and things that are always or generally true. Do
not use the present progressive for either of these.
Look at these examples:
I see Alice most days. John works abroad.
I’m very fond of Phoebe. She doesn’t smoke.
The west of the country gets more rainfall.

Adverbs of frequency with the present simple

I always take my umbrella. Always I take my umbrella.
I’m never late for appointments. Never I’m late for appointments.
In the present simple, adverbs such as always, often, usually, and never usually go before the verb in a sentence. If the verb is to
be, however, they go after it. The adverbs often and usually can also go at the beginning or, less commonly, at the end of the
sentence. The adverbs always and never do not appear at the start of a sentence.

Verbs not used in the progressive form

I don’t believe her.
I am not believing her. She seems happy.
She is seeming happy.
Some verbs are never, or very rarely, used in the progressive form. Many of them belong to certain categories, for example, verbs
that relate to the senses and verbs that express belief and preference. Here is a list of common verbs that are not usually used in
the progressive form:
(agree
be
believe belong come from contain cost depend disagree dislike doubt
fit
hate hear imagine include involve know, like
love mean need
owe
own prefer promise realize recognize remember seem
sell
sound suppose surprise understand want,,,,

Note that some verbs are not used in the progressive form with one meaning but are used in the progressive form with other
meanings. Here are some of the most important ones, with the meaning that is never used in the progressive:
It feels strange to be back in my old classroom.
It is feeling strange to be back in my old classroom.
I think she’s wrong about that.
I am thinking she’s wrong about that.
She looks sad to me.
She is looking sad to me.
I see what you mean.
I am seeing what you mean.
This tastes absolutely delicious. This is tasting absolutely delicious.

Past tenses
Past simple: questions and negatives
I didn’t see Greg.
I didn’t saw Greg.
Did you speak to Isabel? Did you spoke to Isabel?
To make a negative statement in the past simple, you put did not or didn’t after the subject, and then you use the bare infinitive of
the verb. Do not use the past tense of the verb:
We didn’t go there in the end. She didn’t tell us where to meet.
To make a question in the past simple, you put did before the subject, and then you use the bare infinitive of the verb. Do not use
the past tense of the verb:
Did you have nice food there? Did Alex give you the book?
Note that did and didn’t are the same with all pronouns.

Present perfect or past simple?

She flew to Paris yesterday.
She’s flown to Paris yesterday.
I went to Susie’s party a couple of months ago.
I’ve been to Susie’s party a couple of months ago.
When you talk about an event that started and finished in the past and you say exactly when it happened, you must use the past
simple and not the present perfect. Compare these examples:
I’m hungry – I didn’t have breakfast this morning. I’m hungry – I haven’t eaten all day.
I didn’t see Oliver at the weekend. I haven’t seen Oliver for ages.
Note, however, that with the present perfect you can use an adverb that shows how long a situation or event lasts or takes, such as
always or forever:
I’ve finished school forever. I’ve always loved music.
Similarly, if you ask when an event in the past happened, you must use the past simple.
When did you get your car? What time did you get here?

Past perfect or past simple?

By the time we got there, they had left.
By the time we got there, they left.
We weren’t hungry because we’d already eaten. We weren’t hungry because we already ate.
If you want to talk about a past event or situation that occurred before a particular time in the past, you use the past perfect (had +
past participle) and not the past simple.

Future tenses
Will, going to, or present progressive?
We’re going to see the new Bond movie tonight. We will see the new Bond movie tonight.
Isabel is flying to the US next week.
Isabel will fly to the US next week.
Going to is used far more than will to talk about intentions and plans:
I’m going to call Jo this evening and invite her.
We’re going to fly to Edinburgh as it’s so much quicker. She’s going to ask the teacher for help.
The present progressive (am/is/are + ing participle) is used far more often than will to talk about plans:
I’m leaving in an hour.
We’re visiting my parents this weekend. I’m having my hair cut this afternoon.
Will is used to make predictions about the future: Rachel will be so pleased with her present.
Jamie won’t be happy when he hears the news. I’m fairly confident Joe will pass his exams.
People also use will to announce plans at the point when they make those plans. Often, phrases such as I think and perhaps go
before will when it is used in this way:
If you’re going to the park, I’ll come too.
I think we’ll probably leave now, if that’s all right. Perhaps I’ll join you later.

Use of certain tenses

a.       Use the simple present (or habitual or frequent actions, and
use the present continuous for actions taking place at the present
moment.

Example: I read the newspaper every day. I’m reading an English book (now).

b.      Use the simple past when a definite time or date is mentioned.

Example: I did my homework last night. I’ve done my homework (so I can
watch TV –or whatever –now).

c.       The only correct tense to use is the Present Perfect if the
action began in the past and is still continuing in the present.

Example; I’ve been in this class for two months.

Present subjunctive

The present subjunctive is a really easy mood to use: it is always

identical to the infinitive. It is used after phrases like “it is
important that”, “it is necessary that”, for example:

It is important that he be there next week. (correct)

It is important that he is there next week. (wrong)

The latter example doesn’t really make sense, because “is” cannot be
used with “next week”. Sometimes, however, both the present tense and
the subjunctive make sense and express a different idea. Compare:

It is important that he have a computer.

It is important that he has a computer.

The former sentence says that he is required to have a computer.

The latter, on the other hand, says that he already has a computer,
and this fact is important.

The present subjunctive does sound quite formal, and, as we saw in the
case of “want” and “need”, there is a tendency in English to replace
it with the construction “for someone to do”, especially in spoken
language:

It is essential that he come early. (correct, very formal)

It is essential for him to come early. (correct, preferred in speech).

The use of wrong tense

·        Using the third person singular after “does” instead of the

infinitive without “to”.

a.       To ask questions:

Don’t say: does the gardener waters the flowers?

          Say: does the gardener water the flowers?

b.      To make negatives:

Don’t say: the man does not waters the flowers.

          Say: the man does not water the flowers.

After the auxiliary “does” the present infinitive without “to” must be
used, and not the third person of the present indicative.

·        Using the third person singular after “can”, “must”, est.,

instead of the infinitive without “to.”

Don’t say: he can speaks English very well.

          Say: he can speak English very well.

After the verbs “can”, “must”, “may”, “shall”, and “will,” the present
infinitive without “to” must be used, and not the third person of the
present indicative.

·        Wrong sequence of tenses.

Don’t say: he asked me what I am doing.

          Say: he asked me what I was doing.

When the verb in the principal clause is in the past tense, only a
past tense can be used in subordinate clauses.

NOTE. But this rule does not apply (1) to verbs within quotations, (2)
to facts that are true at all times, and (3) to comparisons. Thus we
say;

1.      He said, “I am waiting for your answer.”

2.      He said that London is a great city.

3.      He liked you more than he likes me.

·        Using “may” instead of “might” in a subordinate clause.

Don’t say: he told me that he may come today.

          Say: he told me that he might come today.

“may” changes to “might” in subordinate clauses, when the verb in the

principal clause is in the past tense.
NOTE. The conjunction “that” is never preceded by a comma.

·        Using “can” instead of “could” in a subordinate clause.

Don’t say: he thought he can win the prize.

          Say: he thought he could win the prize.

“can” changes to “could” in subordinate clauses, when the verb in the

principal clause is in the past tense.

·        Using the past tense after the sign of the infinitive “to.”

Don’t say: he tried to kicked the ball away.

          Say: he tried to kick the ball away.

The past tense of the indicative mood cannot be used after the
infinitive sign “to.”

·        Using “must” or “ought” to express a past obligation.

Don’t say: you ought to come yesterday.

                  You ought to have come yesterday.

          Say: You should have come yesterday; or

                   You had to come yesterday.

“must” and “ought” cannot be used as past tenses. To express a past

duty (which was not done) we may use the perfect infinitive after
“ought” or “should,” or such expressions as “had to,” “was obliged
to.”

NOTE. But in indirect speech “must” and “ought” may be used as past
tenses: as, “he said he must do it.”