Form Use Example

Simple Present Only changes after he/she/it when we add -s a) Truths and facts a) British people drink a lot of tea
b) Repeated events/actions b) The Blairs take their summer holiday in Tuscany
c) Series of events c) You cross the road, go through a gate…
Past Most verbs add -ed to the base form. a) Completed past actions c) Julius Caesar invaded Britain in 55 BC.
The same for all persons (except with the verb b) Past states d) The Incas didn’t have a written script
be)
Continuous Present Present of verb be + PRESENT PARTICIPLE of the a) Actions true at time of speaking a) I’ll be with you in a minute. I’m just finishing
main verb b) Temporary actions something in the kitchen
c) States in a process of change b) She’s staying in the Waldorf Astoria this time.
d) Repeated events/actions within a temporary time c) British summers are getting hotter
e) Series of events in progress at time of speaking d) I’m feeding the neighbour’s cat this week while she’s
in hospital.
e) They’re now entering the back straight…
Past Was/were + PRESENT PARTICIPLE of the main a) Actions in progress at a time in the past a) We didn´t hear him because we were sleeping on the
verb b) Past temporary/changing situations top floor that night
c) Past background situations b) His symptoms were becoming more pronounced as
d) Past interrupted actions time went by
e) Past arrangements c) Night was falling over the beleaguered city.
d) They were crossing the bridge when the earthquake
struck
e) Nancy was taking the next flight
Perfect Simple Present Has/have + PAST PARTICIPLE a) Ongoing states and actions a) The manor house has stood on this spot for over two
b) Ongoing times, or actions which may be repeated in the future hundred years
c) With Superlatives b) This channel has shown four wildlife documentaries
d) With adverbs so far this week / Grisham has written some of the
e) Past action with present relevance (e.g., result) most successful legal thrillers
f) Recent actions c) It’s the worst sports programme I have ever seen
g) With time clauses d) I have seldom experienced racism in athletics
e) The power surge has broken my computer
f) I’ve just made a cup of tea
g) We’ll make a move as soon as the rain has stopped
Past Had + PAST PARTICIPLE a) Actions/states before a time in the past a) By the third month the rebels had taken most of the
b) An earlier action in a past sequence province
c) Unfulfilled intentions b) When we got back the babysitter had gone home
c) They had hopped to reach the summit, but Travers
fell ill
Perfect Continuous Present Has/have + been + PRESENT PARTICIPLE a) Ongoing states and actions a) Women have been speaking out on this issue for
b) Ongoing actions/states which are temporary or may change some time
c) Focus on the duration of a continuing action b) She’s been drinking a lot less recently
d) Recent actions c) I’ve been learning to play chess for three years now
e) Explaining a present result (focus on the activity) d) I’ve been talking to Jenny
e) I’m sorry the hall is in such a mess. We’ve been
decorating
Past Had been + PRESENT PARTICIPLE a) An ongoing situation up to or just before a time in the past a) He had been dreading this meeting for weeks