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A. Simple present = base form: I work. OR base form + -s: He works. She works. It
works. OR base form + -es : I watch / she watches; I study / he studies
1. A general truth.
The sky is blue.
2. A typical activity.
I always brush after I eat.
Bob watches TV every night.
Sara works 5 days a week.
3. A statement of something existing at the time of speaking.
I hear the train coming.
I smell smoke.
4. A scheduled event or activity.
My plane leaves at 8:30 tomorrow.
B. Simple past = base form + -ed for regular verbs : I worked yesterday. The simple
past for irregular verbs varies : He ate lunch at noon. (irregular verb)
1. An activity begun and completed at a particular time in the past.
I went to work yesterday morning.
2. Commonly used with “after” and “before” clauses.
After Bob ate dinner, he drove to CEC.
The students arrived in class before the teacher.
3. “Used to” = past habits (used to + base form)
I used to ride horses when I was a kid.
C. Simple future = will + base form: I will work tomorrow. He will eat dinner later.
OR am / is / are + (going to + base form): I am going to work tomorrow. She is
going to eat dinner at Al’s Restaurant. We are going to study Unit 1 tonight.
1. A future event or activity.
Our break will begin at 8:10.
I will study later.
I’m going to study later.
2. Use will (not: going to) to volunteer.
A. Wait a second. I will help you with that sofa. If you try to move it by
yourself, your back will be out for a week.
3. Use going to (not: will) with a preconceived plan.
I’m going to mow my lawn tomorrow.
D. Present perfect = have + past participle : I have worked. I have eaten. OR has
+ past participle: She has worked. She has eaten.
1. An activity that began in the past and continues into the present , often
using “since, ” “since...ago,” or “for”:
“since” = a particular time: I have / She has studied English since
1997.
“since...ago” = a particular time: I’ve / She’s studied English since 5
years ago.
“for” = a duration of time: I’ve / She’s studied English for 5 years.
2. A repeated activity.
I have / He has gone to ESL class every day this week.
3. An activity that occurred at an unspecified time in the past.
A. Have you ever visited New York? B. No, but I have visited New
Orleans.
4. An activity in a time clause (e.g., when..., while..., after...) that ends before
the main clause activity begins.
I will go to the movie after I have studied Unit 1.
The present continuous tense is most often used for the following:
When we want to talk about an action that is happening now or at this time (and is
unfinished), we use the present continuous tense. We also use this tense when we
want to make clear that the action is temporary.
Sorry, she can't come to the phone right now; she is having a bath.
Look! Someone is trying to break into your car.
This work is good! Your handwriting is getting better and better.
I'm wearing these old trousers to school this week, as we're doing a pottery
course and it's very messy work!
Of course she likes you. You're just being stupid!
Where's John? - He's playing soccer in the sports hall.
This calculator isn't working properly. Do you have another one.
You can go outside now. It isn't raining any more.
What are you doing? - My watch is broken and I'm trying to fix it.
Why are you talking? You should be listening to me.
We usually use the present continuous tense for future events that have already
been arranged:
Usually the present simple is used for repeated actions. For example, He always
gets up before 7 o'clock, but .. the present continuous is the correct choice when the
speaker wants to express annoyance at a repeated action. (Note how often the word
"always" is used in such statements):
You are always interrupting me when I'm talking and I don't like it!
She's always tapping her pencil on the desk and it's getting on my nerves!
My ESL teacher's always giving detentions; how can anyone be so mean?
I'm getting tired of you always coming late to class.
Why is it always raining in Germany?
Why are you always criticising me?
The past continuous tense is most often used for actions happening at some time in
the past.
When we want to talk about an action that was happening over a period of time in
the past, we use the past continuous tense. Look at these examples:
The past continuous is very often used with the past simple to say that something
happened in the middle of something else. In each of the following examples, the
single event (past simple) happens in the middle of a longer action (past continuous).
The present perfect tense is most often used for the following:
The present perfect tense is quite complicated to explain. It is used when an action
that happened in the past continues to have a strong connection in the present. The
best way to understand it is to look at some examples. They are followed in each
case by a short explanation:
I have lost my dictionary. (I don't have my dictionary now; can you help me
find it?)
Mary has fixed my computer (My computer is working now and I'm happy
about it!)
You haven't eaten very much. (Don't you feel well? Don't you like it?)
I haven't read his letter. (I haven't had time yet. What does he say?)
Have you seen my calculator? (- I want to use it now!)
Has she had an accident? (- Someone said she's in hospital!)
Have you done your homework? (- It's due in today!)
The speaker is talking in the evening so for him this morning is finished time.
The student is talking after school when there is no more possibility of seeing John
on this day. Today becomes an expression of finished time.
This is possible if the speaker is talking very near to the end of the year, and so in
her opinion the year is finished. Therefore she uses the past simple was.
The Past Perfect Tense
The past perfect tense is most often used for the following:
When we want to talk about an action that happened before a past event, we often
use the past perfect. Look at these examples:
Notice how often words like already, just, never etc. are used with the past perfect.
In reported speech
The past perfect is common when we report people's words or thoughts .., as in the
following examples:
In if (conditional) sentences
The past perfect tense is used in unreal or hypothetical stituations, as in the following
sentences:
If I had known you were in Frankfurt, I would have called you. (but I didn't
know you were here so I didn't call you!)
If I had had enough money, I would have bought you a better present. (but I
didn't have enough money.)
I would have been very angy if you had laughed when I got the answer
wrong. (but you didn't laugh, so I wasn't angry.)
She wouldn't have been able to finish, if you hadn't helped her. (but you did
help her and she did finish.)
I wish I had studied for my exams. (but I didn't study - and I got bad grades!)
I would have been in big trouble if you hadn't helped me. (but you did help
me so I stayed out of trouble.)
More tenses
Below is a list of some of the less common tenses, followed in each case by
examples. Note that the continuous tenses convey the idea of an event or state
going on for a period of time:
I have been working in the garden all day, and now I'm extremely tired.
She has been living in a one-room appartment since she left home.
How long have you been playing the piano?
He's been learning German for two years, but he still can't speak it very well.
We've been painting our house since last Friday, but we're still a long way
from finishing.
We haven't been living in Germany very long.
Why are you sweating? Have you been running?
I had been working in the garden all day, and all I wanted to do was sleep.
She had been living in a one-room appartment for a year before getting
married.
How long had you been playing the piano before the accident with your
hand?
He'd been learning German for two years, but he stopped when he returned
to Japan.
We'd been painting our house for two weeks, but we were still a long way
from finishing.
Future continuous
At this time next week I will be sitting in the plane on the way to New York.
Don't call me after 10 o'clock. I'll be sleeping.
If you want to see Miho tomorrow, you will have to go to the school. She will
be taking a test all afternoon.
I won't be working on my car this weekend. My mother-in-law will be here.
Future perfect